It’s been a wild 24 hours for WWE as Vince McMahon maneuvered his way back into WWE and got himself a seat on the Board of Directors. He brought Michelle Wilson and George Barrios with him.
WWE held an all-hands-on-deck meeting with employees, as talent was not invited. The meeting lasted for 10 minutes.
Pwinsider.com put together highlights from the meeting that noted employees were told there would be no changes to management or their responsibilities at this time.
What Was Said?
Paul Levesque, Stephanie McMahon, Nick Khan, and Frank Riddick III will remain in place in their current positions and jobs.
They stated the move was a big positive and made to give the company everything they needed to make the most of their future rights revenue sales (TV rights deals for their weekly television shows) in addition to gauging the market for a potential sale of the company with the idea that with Vince McMahon back, the entire company would all be on the same page in maximizing WWE’s potential leading into the future.
The idea is they would be looking at potential sale offers ahead of any rights negotiations and would benefit more than another round of just selling TV rights. It was also greatly emphasized that a sale may not happen, and it should not be assumed it would. Vince McMahon has the final say as the controlling shareholder.
A “possible avenue” for the company could be for it to be taken private again if it was “the best outcome for shareholders.” This was among the potential strategic options. They did not take any employee questions.
It’s unclear whether Triple H will hold a talent meeting with wrestlers at Friday Night SmackDown.
Former WCW president Eric Bischoff has reacted to news of Vince McMahon’s WWE return.
As recently reported, Vince McMahon is back on WWE’s Board Of Directors, effective immediately. Last year, McMahon was forced to step down after allegations of sexual misconduct with female employees surfaced. Both Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon stepped in as co-CEOs in his place.
McMahon also retired from WWE soon after, leaving Triple H to take over as head of creative for the company. However, months later, McMahon then released a statement announcing his intention to return to the company, believing it was in the company’s best interest.
Initial reports suggest that McMahon has returned to seek a sale of the company. Currently, his 37% share of WWE stock gives him an 80% majority voter share over the board’s actions.
Taking to his podcast, “83 Weeks,” Bischoff offered his take on the situation, and the potential sale of WWE.
“I understand your question, but I think — now I haven’t read everything that’s come out in the last couple of hours. I’ve seen some of the bigger headlines and a couple other emails and stories.
“But I think Vince is — his reasoning for coming back and making this move is to aggressively pursue a sale. So in that case, I don’t think that matters. Because if he sells the company, he’s not gonna be running it anymore. And whether things ran better with him or without him is an irrelevant, a moot point.
“Because whoever buys it isn’t going to have Vince McMahon running it anyway. They’re gonna run it. So no, I think this is Vince’s exit strategy. And whether it’ll run better with him or without him isn’t really a discussion in an exit strategy like that.”
Today, via an SEC filing, it was confirmed that McMahon was back with the WWE’s Board Of Directors, effective immediately. He’s also returning alongside WWE co-Presidents Michelle Wilson and George Barrios.
They will be replacing now-former board members JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed, and Alan M. Wexler. It remains to be seen if McMahon’s return will include a return to the creative side of the company as well.
WWE has announced a significant shakeup to the company’s Board of Directors. In total, five board members are out, with three being removed by Vince McMahon and two resigning.
Vince McMahon, in his capacity as controlling shareholder of the Company, has removed JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed and Alan M. Wexler. Additionally, Ignace Lahoud and Man Jit Singh have resigned from the Board, effective immediately.
SEScoops has learned WWE will be holding an “all hands on deck” Zoom call this afternoon at 3:30pm (Eastern).
Trading of WWE stock has been temporarily halted amid this Board of Directors shakeup.
WWE released the following press release Friday morning, including quotes from Stephanie McMahon, Nick Khan and Paul “Triple H” Levesque:
STAMFORD, Conn., January 6, 2023 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) is providing the following update regarding the composition of its Board of Directors and the exploration of strategic alternatives.
“Today, we announce that the founder of WWE, Vince McMahon, will be returning to the Board,” said Chairwoman & Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon, Co-CEO Nick Khan and Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque. “We also welcome back Michelle Wilson and George Barrios to our Board of Directors. Together, we look forward to exploring all strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value.”
As Vince McMahon stated yesterday, “WWE has an exceptional management team in place, and I do not intend for my return to have any impact on their roles, duties, or responsibilities.”
In connection with the change in the composition of the Board of Directors and in cooperation with Vince McMahon as majority shareholder, the Company intends to undertake a review of its strategic alternatives with the goal being to maximize value for all WWE shareholders. There is no assurance that this process will result in a transaction.
Vince McMahon, in his capacity as controlling shareholder of the Company, has removed JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed and Alan M. Wexler from the Board. Vince McMahon, George Barrios and Michelle Wilson have been added to the Board to fill the resulting vacancies.
The Board currently consists of:
Vince McMahon
Stephanie McMahon
Nick Khan
Paul Levesque
Steve Koonin
Michelle McKenna
Steve Pamon
George Barrios
Michelle Wilson
Ignace Lahoud and Man Jit Singh have resigned from the Board, effective today.
About WWE WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, premium live events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE’s TVPG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide in 30 languages through world class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX, BT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all premium live events, scheduled programming and a massive video on-demand library and is currently available in more than 180 countries. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network.
Vince McMahon has officially returned to WWE with immediate effect following his retirement from the promotion in July of last year.
McMahon stepped down from his roles with WWE following allegations of misconduct with female employees, leading to millions of dollars paid out in NDAs.
In his place, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan were appointed co-CEOs with Stephanie serving as Chairwoman of the Board.
The Comeback
In late 2022, it was reported that McMahon regretted retiring from WWE, and believed the allegations against him would have blown over had he stayed.
McMahon had been telling those close to him that he was plotting a return to WWE, though it is unclear if he spoke to Stephanie.
Yesterday, McMahon issued a press release confirming his desire to return to WWE, believing it was in the company’s and the investors’ best interest.
McMahon reportedly threatened to vote down any attempts at a sale of the company, or any offers for new TV distribution rights.
Vince McMahon’s 37% share of WWE stock gives him an 80% majority voter share over the board’s actions.
Immediate Effect
In a SEC filing confirmed today, it was announced that McMahon is back on WWE’s Board of Directors with immediate effect.
McMahon isn’t coming alone, as former WWE co-Presidents Michelle Wilson and George Barrios are also returning.
Barrios and Wilson were with WWE until their dismissal in January 2020 as disagreements with McMahon led to a slump in the market price.
It was the dismissal of the pair that led WWE to hire Nick Khan as President.
McMahon, Wilson, and Barrios are replacing now-former board members JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed, and Alan M. Wexler.
McMahon’s departure last year is something fans thought they would never see, and the same can be said for his return.
WWE talent have been virtually unanimous in opposition to McMahon’s return and were said to have been “floored” by his statement.
Those in Creative were not told about his statement ahead of time, and one “top WWE talent” has questioned if he will return as Head of Creative, a role occupied by Triple H.
The “unanimous decision” among those in production who spoke to Fightful said that this is bad news, or news about their pay grade.
For the time being, it is believed that Stephanie is still the Chairperson of the Board and that she and Khan are co-CEOs.
It is possible for Vince McMahon to force a vote on the positions, a vote he would have the ultimate majority over the result.
Vince McMahon is attempting the mother of all comebacks, and this week’s news is something those in WWE did not see coming.
McMahon retired from WWE in July 2022 following allegations of misconduct with female employees and reports of paying out millions in Non-Disclosure Agreements.
With McMahon gone, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan have operated as co-CEOs with Stephanie serving as Chairwoman of the Board.
WWE’s roster has been “floored” by McMahon’s plan to come back, a source told Fightful Select this week.
Nobody in any department, whether it talent, production, creative, or general staff, was given any information prior to the statement McMahon shared this week.
One Superstar told Fightful they had no inclination he’d return but “considering some people from his regime were kept this long, they must have known it would happen.”
That same source also questioned whether WWE will host a talk with the roster at tonight’s taping of WWE SmackDown on FOX.
A different talent said, “Finding out online is scary, and it’s Vince, so I don’t believe a word he says.”
One concerned higher-up added that former talent who believe Vince liked them are kidding themselves.
“He didn’t like you, he didn’t like any of them. He fired or they wouldn’t have been fired during a pandemic.”
Creative
Prior to his retirement, McMahon served as WWE’s Head of Creative, a role now occupied by Triple H.
One anonymous Superstar, described as a “top WWE talent” questioned whether McMahon could return to creative if his plan is a success.
The idea that McMahon could return to creative has been a common concern among talent.
The two sources within the creative department who spoke to Fightful said they had not learned of any adjustments to their duties.
“I would be blown away if he returned to creative,” a recently signed talent said.
Production
Like the roster and those at creative, the production team had no heads-up about McMahon’s statement prior to its publication.
The “unanimous decision” among those in production who spoke to Fightful said that this is bad news, or news about their pay grade.
One source did acknowledge WWE’s stock price seeing a dramatic increase following McMahon’s stated intention to return.
In the newest twist to the Vince McMahon story, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that McMahon wants to return to WWE in order to sell it.
That comes from a January 5 WSJ article from Lauren Thomas, who wrote that McMahon, the majority owner of WWE wants to return to the company after his retirement last year amid multiple sexual harassment claims. That’s according to “people familiar with the situation,” Thomas stated.
“Mr. McMahon, who has majority voting power through his ownership of WWE’s Class-B stock, has told the company that he is electing himself and two former co-presidents and directors, Michelle Wilson and George Barrios, to the board, the people said,” wrote Thomas. “The move to reinstate Mr. McMahon, which the board previously rebuffed, and the others will require three current directors to vacate their positions.”
According to the article, McMahon penned a letter to the WWE’s Board of Directors in late December, stating that he wanted to return to the company to “spearhead a strategic-review process,” which would result in the sale of the company.
“Mr. McMahon believes the media landscape is evolving quickly and more companies are looking to own the intellectual property they use on their streaming platforms, making WWE an attractive takeover target, the people said,” Thomas wrote. “WWE, which generates most of its revenue from selling content rights, posted its first year of over $1 billion in revenue in 2021. The company currently has a market value of just over $5 billion.”
McMahon believes that many companies, such as NBC Universal, Warner Brothers Discovery, and more are wanting to own their own intellectual property to use on their streaming services. This makes WWE a prized pig.
“The board responded last month in a letter to Mr. McMahon that it was prepared to initiate a review process and would welcome working with him on it,” the article stated. “However, it said it unanimously agreed that Mr. McMahon’s return to the business wouldn’t be in shareholders’ best interest, according to people familiar with the letters.”
The board also asked that McMahon confirm his commitment to repay the expenses that were incurred as a result of the investigation into his sexual misconduct allegations. They also asked that McMahon not return to the company while the federal government is still investigating the allegations.
Vince McMahon Wants to Return to WWE or He Won’t Approve of a Sale
“Mr. McMahon said in response that he remains willing to continue working to complete any reimbursement for reasonable expenses related to the investigation, to the extent they aren’t covered by insurance, but he declined to agree to not return to the company,” the WSJ article wrote.
The article noted that McMahon said that unless he is directly involved as the executive chairman from the outset of the strategic review, he wouldn’t support or approve any media-rights sale.
Recently, reports came out that McMahon was planning a comeback to the company. He stated that he was given bad advice from people close to him, who told him to step down.
It was reported that many people in WWE were against McMahon returning to the company.
Currently, Vince’s daughter Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan are serving as Co-CEO’s of WWE, while Triple H (Paul Levesque) is serving as the head of creative.
WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon teamed up against Vince McMahon to get their way on television.
Foley recently took to his podcast, “Foley Is Pod,” to discuss his 2016 return to WWE as RAW General Manager. The former WWE Champion explained what it was like to work alongside Stephanie McMahon for that period of time.
“I got maybe ten percent of what I wanted out of Vince. Then Stephanie and I went and cut the promo our own way. It was a lot of tension. We are overriding Vince’s edict. We cut the promo. He sees us cutting the promo, he goes “what the hell is going on here?”
“Stephanie goes “dad, Mick and I did this just to see what happened. We’d like you to take a look at it.” And it was about a three minute segment. He looked at it after, seemed like an eternity, nodded his head and went, “we’ll do it your way.”
“As soon as he turned the corner, we hugged. We were just so happy that we had stood up for ourselves.”
Mick Foley
He detailed how he and Stephanie teamed up with one another against Vince McMahon to get their way for a promo on television. Ultimately, their efforts proved to be successful after it was all said and done.
Mick Foley returned to WWE in 2016 to serve as General Manager for Monday Night RAW alongside commissioner Stephanie McMahon. The stint lasted just under a year as Foley was eventually written off television when he was fired by Stephanie McMahon.
More details regarding the contract negotiation process of WWE deals have come out as part of the overall changes that have happened in WWE following the resignation of Vince McMahon and the influx of new management.
It was reported last year that no-cut clauses had not been a part of any of the negotiations. In an update, Fightful Select reports Vince “specifically was not in favor of adding a no cut-clause, but that others in the front office were.”
Against The Idea
Many in the front office of WWE have heard that WWE President and Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan had sounded open to the idea, but Vince had the final say and was “vehemently against the idea of a no-cut clause.”
The edict didn’t prevent top free agents from signing with the company, but some people had inquired about it. One person thought it was Vince McMahon being stuck in his ways. This person added that it put in perspective how much talent had been released said “Vince McMahon liked me but…” when he ultimately had the say-so over who was cut.
Most of the talent that spoke with the media outlet had positive things to say about Khan and his method of management, “specifically thinking outside of the box as compared to WWE traditions.”
Will Vince McMahon return to WWE after his shocking retirement in July? Ric Flair certainly hopes so.
The 77-year-old billionaire retired from WWE earlier this year due to allegations of misconduct with female employees and after paying millions of dollars in ‘hush money’ NDAs.
McMahon reportedly regrets retiring as CEO and Chairman and believes the allegations against him would have blown over had he stayed in his roles.
Hope
Since McMahon’s retirement, it has been reported that morale in WWE has improved significantly, with talent and staff no longer walking on eggshells.
Speaking about McMahon’s rumored comeback during the latest To Be The Man, Flair admitted he doesn’t know for sure but hopes it happens.
“I don’t know the answer to that. I wish he would come back in some capacity. I mean, obviously, Hunter and Stephanie [McMahon] are doing a great job, and trust me, it’s a big job, you know what I mean? At least they’re dividing the time. I see people periodically, and people are happy working for Hunter.
” I wish he would come back in some capacity.”
Ric Flair on Vince McMahon.
“Here’s the problem, it’s like in any business, you’re never gonna like everybody you work for. So, I’m sure there are some people [who] like working for Hunter, some people like better working for Vince. I can’t give you an honest answer. I just want him to be happy.”
McMahon’s Return – Could it Happen?
Although Vince McMahon is gone from WWE, he’s not entirely left the promotion he ran for four decades.
McMahon is the majority shareholder, owning over 30% of all stock, and due to how his stock is treated, the ex-CEO has approximately 80% of the voting power.
With that said, his return to WWE’s board and as CEO would face significant backlash from fans and the media, and could lead to a potential loss of sponsors.
Those in WWE are concerned that Vince McMahon’s return could “cripple the entire company” if it goes ahead.
This week, it was reported that McMahon is planning a comeback, believing that he was given bad advice to retire in July of this year.
McMahon believes that the allegations of misconduct leveled against him in June would have blown over if he had stayed in his roles as CEO and Chairman.
Cripple the Company
McMahon’s potential return to WWE has been met with universal disdain, both from fans and those within the company.
The opinion within WWE is that the promotion has been doing very well under the current regime of Nick Khan, Stephanie McMahon, and Triple H.
In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reports that one longtime Vince supporter is against the idea, fearing that McMahon could “upend the entire Board.”
That same source said that removing the entire Board would likely lead to class action shareholder lawsuits that would “cripple the entire company.”
McMahon Power
Vince McMahon may have retired in July, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still have some power.
McMahon owns 37.6% of all WWE stock (as of this past summer) but because his stock is determined differently, this gives him 80% of the voting power.
One source in WWE noted that McMahon stands to make a fortune in stock sales if he allows TV negotiations to go smoothly, which isn’t as likely with rumors of his possible return to the company.
Wrestling veteran Jim Cornette recently discussed Vince McMahon trying to return to WWE and noted that it might not be the best thing for the company.
Vince McMahon resigned from the company in July on Twitter. The 77-year-old cited his age as the reason for him stepping away while news of alleged hush money payments to former female employees came to light.
Former EVP of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis was dismissed during the scandal. Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon have been named co-CEOs of the company and Triple H has gained more power than ever since Vince stepped away.
Speaking on episode 273 of Jim Cornette’s Drive Thru, the legendary promoter and manager spoke about Vince possibly attempting to return to the company. Cornette noted that Vince has likely been working on a way to get himself back in WWE for some time now.
Vince wasn’t gonna not work. Vince has been working on something, he’s probably been working on figuring out how to get back to work. But he has been working on something. He has been occupying his time with something.
Jim Cornette
He added that Vince probably thought this whole thing was going to blow over and always planned to come back when he announced his retirement on social media.
He thought it was going to blow over. He wasn’t going to put it over, and then someone got to him with how serious it was, that this is going to be bad if something doesn’t happen.
And he acquiesced to it, and then he started getting bored, and now he wants something to f***ing do. And you cannot stop Vince McMahon from either working or working on a way to start working again.
Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette on if Vince McMahon Returning to WWE Would Benefit the Company
Co-host Brian Last asked if Vince McMahon coming back to WWE would be good for the company and Cornette pointed out how many people have wanted to come back to WWE now that Triple H has gained power.
Cornette added that Triple H is trying to get WWE out of the “goofy funk” they were in during Vince’s final stretch as CEO of the company.
All we’ve been talking about for a couple of months now or more, guys want to go back and work for Triple H. I think he’s brought back some that he probably has buyer’s remorse on some that he’s brought back, but they want to come back and work for him.
And some more will follow. You know, Regal, etc. They didn’t want to work for Vince because he had gone out of his mind and Max Dupree was an example, and Ezekiel.
It’s bad creatively because RAW or SmackDown is not setting the world on fire with the ratings either, but at least they are trying to do something to get out of that goofy funk they were in the last little while with Vince.
The old guys that made a ton of money with Vince and worked with him before he lost his mind apparently, they love him. So no, I think Vince for PR, for creative, and potentially just for hiring, he needs to be separated from that situation.
But it’s his. How can you separate him if he don’t want to be separated?
Jim Cornette
Please credit Jim Cornette’s Drive-Thru with a H/T to SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article.
Vince McMahon has plans to make his shocking return to WWE, and Ric Flair isn’t against the idea.
McMahon retired from all roles with the company in July of this year, due to the allegations of misconduct with female employees, and the millions paid in hush money.
In his absence, Stephanie McMahon has been appointed Chairwoman of WWE and serves as co-CEO with Nick Khan.
Ric Flair
This week, it was reported that McMahon is seeking a comeback to the promotion and regrets retiring in July.
McMahon believes that he was given bad advice to retire at the time and that the allegations against him would have “blown over” had he stayed in his role as CEO and Chairman.
Speaking on his To Be the Man podcast, Ric Flair was asked by co-host Conrad Thompson for his thoughts on a possible McMahon return.
“You’re not going to get a negative word out of me. I love Vince McMahon. And I think that he should. He is entitled to whatever he wants. I’m telling you, shame on the people that don’t think so. He built it. Nobody else built it. Nobody helped him. He fought every war.”
Ric Flair.
It remains unclear how exactly McMahon will plan to return to WWE or when he plans on being in the board room once more.
Not Welcome
Flair may have nothing but good things to say about McMahon, but this attitude isn’t shared by those in the company.
It has been reported that the consensus in WWE is that it’d be extremely bad for McMahon to return, with one source saying he’d be “selfish” to do so.
In the months since McMahon’s retirement, it has been reported that backstage morale has improved significantly among both on-screen talent and staff under the new regime.
Will Vince McMahon return to WWE? Not if the WWE Universe can help it.
McMahon retired from the promotion in July of this year after over four decades in charge, due to allegations of misconduct with female employees.
An investigation into McMahon determined that $12 million had been paid in Non-Disclosure Agreements over 16 years that should have been listed on the promotion’s expenses.
The Comeback
McMahon’s departure in July was a shocking moment many fans thought they’d never see, but the 77-year-old is reportedly eyeing up a return.
The Wall Street Journal reports that McMahon regrets retiring earlier this year, and believes that the allegations against him would have “blown over” had he stayed in the role.
McMahon also believes he was given bad advice to retire by those closest to him, though the report does not name any specific persons who advised him to go.
The Petition
While fans will ultimately have no say on if McMahon does make the mother of all comebacks, some fans are letting their voices be heard.
On Change.org, a petition has been started that is hoping to prevent the billionaire’s return to the company.
The petition notes that in the post-Vince McMahon era “employment has increased, revenue has increased and overall enjoyment and become a watchable product again in grand scale.”
It adds that keeping McMahon away is “best for business.”
The petition currently has over 300 signatures with a goal of 500.
You can check out the petition and sign it yourself by clicking here.
The Wall Street Journal published an article on Tuesday titled, WWE’s Vince McMahon Faces Fresh Demands From Women Alleging Sexual Abuse.
In addition to McMahon facing new legal challenges stemming from alleged sexual misconduct, WSJ also reports that the former WWE boss is planning a comeback to the organization he stepped away from in July 2022 after running it for 40 years.
The internal reaction to the news of McMahon wanting back in WWE has been quite negative, according to Fightful Select. One source in WWE told Fightful that the news was “exhausting.” This person is hopeful that McMahon’s run with the company is in the rearview despite having a positive relationship with their former boss before he left in the summer.
Another star said they were concerned for the wrestlers that have been re-hired if McMahon did return as it was WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H who brought back numerous wrestlers that were cut by the McMahon regime.
A high-ranking WWE official isn’t concerned about a McMahon comeback, despite Vince still having final control over the company due to his stock holdings. The company has been in great shape since Vince left, with the stock price, television viewership and overall morale improving in the second half of this year.
“It would be a really selfish move for Vince to come back under any circumstances. The reason he left, how business has done since then — it’d be really selfish. But selfish activities are what led to him leaving in the first place.”
– Anonymous WWE source on Vince McMahon wanting to return
One staff member stated that morale had increased tenfold since McMahon resigned and didn’t believe he would be back, whether he wanted to be or not.
A longtime employee said they also believe McMahon’s family will actively encourage him to remain retired, and they think McMahon’s return would do irreparable damage to the WWE brand. The same source said that the few doubters that thought WWE would collapse internally have been proven wrong, with one notable name even admitting as much.
The unanimous reaction among numerous WWE staffers, talent, and employees was that McMahon was not wanted back in his previous roles.
Former WWE CEO and Chairman Vince McMahon has faced fresh demands over accusations of sexual misconduct following his retirement from the promotion this year.
McMahon’s retirement came following accusations that the billionaire paid millions of dollars in NDAs to keep female employees quiet about extramarital affairs.
An investigation into the matter found that while McMahon paid out of his own pocket, these payments should have been listed with WWE as they benefitted the company.
Rita Chatterton
In the 1980s, Rita Chatterton served as a referee in the then-World Wrestling Federation, making her the first female ref in company history.
Chatterton’s tenure with the promotion would end in 1986, and Chatterton has alleged for decades that she was raped by McMahon in a limousine.
She said in a series of 1992 interviews that Mr. McMahon told her she had to satisfy him if she wanted a $500,000 contract with WWF.
In correspondence to McMahon’s representative, obtained by the Wall Street Journal, a lawyer for Chatterton demanded $11.75 million in damages for the alleged assault.
McMahon has always denied the allegation and told people close to the situation that he will not pay the amount to Chatterton.
McMahon alleged in a 1993 lawsuit that Chatterton was induced to makea false rape charge against him by a former wrestler with an ax to grind.
That suit alleged that the promotion dismissed her in 1986 because she was a danger to wrestlers in the ring, but this suit against Chatterton was withdrawn by McMahon in 1994.
Chatterton’s lawyer John Clune writes in the recent letter that his client “has suffered years of ongoing depression, substance abuse, disordered eating, lost income, and overall a decreased quality of life.”
Clune adds that Chatterton had passed a polygraph and that multiple sources corroborated her account, two of which corroborated her claims to the Wall Street Journal.
WWE Hall of Famer Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine told the WSJ that he did not believe Chatterton’s claims, arguing that she was not attractive enough for McMahon.
Leonard Inzitari, who went to wrestling school with Ms. Chatterton, said earlier this year that the ex-referee was shaking and crying as she recounted the alleged rape before a WWF event in 1986.
When asked, Inzitari told the Journal that he believes Chatterton’s telling of events.
Spa Manager
Chatterton isn’t the only person alleging assault from the former WWE CEO, as a former spa manager alleges she was assaulted by McMahon in 2011 in Southern California.
The Spa manager reported the alleged assault to the resort she was working at at the time, and also told her husband about what had happened.
The woman’s husband reportedly drove to the WWE event McMahon was in town for with a baseball bat and tried to confront the boss, but was turned away.
The spa manager’s lawyer, Michael Bressler, has been in touch with McMahon’s attorney since July.
California, like New York, has a recently-introduced law that allows alleged victims of sex abuse to file lawsuits that would otherwise be barred by the statute of limitations.
Neither WWE, McMahon, nor his legal representatives responded when requested for comment.
Could Vince McMahon return to WWE after his shocking and controversial retirement from the promotion earlier this year?
McMahon, who ran WWE for four decades, stepped down as CEO and Chairman in the summer over allegations of misconduct with female employees.
The 77-year-old was alleged to have paid millions of dollars in Non-Disclosure Agreements to women to not speak about his extramarital affairs, and allegedly coerced at least one woman into performing oral sex.
Comeback
It was the Wall Street Journal that first reported on McMahon’s NDAs that ultimately led to his retirement from pro wrestling.
In their latest article, the WSJ reports that McMahon told people that he intends to make a comeback, though it is unclear when he plans on returning.
The billionaire reportedly believes that he was given bad advice in July by people close to him that encouraged him to retire and that the allegations against him should have “blown over.”
(WWE)
Despite stepping down, McMahon remains WWE’s majority owner, controlling the most shares in the company.
Spokespersons for WWE, McMahon, and WWE’s legal head Jerry McDevitt, did not respond to the Wall Street Journal when asked for a comment.
The Investigation
After the allegations of McMahon’s behavior were first publicized, WWE conducted an investigation into the matter which has since concluded.
This investigation determined that these payments, though made by McMahon personally, should have been booked as WWE expenses because they benefited the company.
In McMahon’s absence, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan have been appointed co-CEOs with Stephanie also serving as Chairwoman of WWE.
Discussions happen all the time in WWE, but some make it to television, and others do not. When Vince McMahon was in charge of creative, some wild pitches were made, with some being approved by the former CEO and Chairman while others were not.
On Friday, it was reported that The Rock appearing in the WWE Royal Rumble “has been discussed within WWE.
Former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz, who worked for the company for over a decade in the early 2000s before going to work for The Rock at Seven Bucks Productions, commented on “discussions” about ideas he had during his time in the company. He shared them with the following post:
The Ideas
“Things “discussed” in my time at wwe: Vince having midlife crisis, growing beard, wearing Hawaiian shirts and singing Black Eyed Peas songs. Kaval being Undertakers secret long lost son. [John] Cena losing to Bray Wyatt via singing possessed child… wait, that one actually happened.”
Kaval is best known as Low Ki, who was in WWE from the end of 2008 to December 2010. He also found success in ROH and TNA Wrestling.
Wyatt defeated Cena thanks to singing children at WWE Extreme Rules 2014. Wyatt gave the following response:
It’s been several months since Vince McMahon departed from WWE as Chairman and CEO, with Triple H taking over main roster creative. At the same time, Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon are co-CEOs of the company.
The backstage atmosphere in WWE is said to be much better in recent months after McMahon departed from the company.
Fightful Select reports that backstage morale has “improved significantly” after McMahon stepped down, and those in the locker room have said that backstage culture has changed for the better.
During the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, wrestling was the wild west backstage in the company, and if you upset the wrong person, you would either lose your push or be let go. Although the culture has improved over the last decade, there have been countless reports of McMahon’s erratic decisions affecting the shows, and the morale would take a hit at different times.
Happy Times
Per the report, “almost everyone” they spoke with said that going to work these days with Triple H running the ship is more fun and easy going and there is less of a feeling that you could get fired for things you can’t control.
While there is still a feeling that some wrestlers are not being used the right way, things are much improved compared to where they were this past summer.
Numerous talent looked at Royal Rumble 2022 this past January as an all-time low for them from a creative standpoint and some lost faith in McMahon as a leader in some sense based on the situation with Shane McMahon that led to his exit from the company.
WWE’s Head of Creative Triple H wants to make it clear that he isn’t like his father-in-law Vince McMahon.
The Game was appointed Head of Creative in July of this year, following McMahon’s shocking resignation and retirement from the promotion.
Triple H has also been appointed WWE’s Head of Talent Relations, replacing McMahon confidante John Laurinaitis.
Different
So far, Triple H’s tenure as Head of Creative and Talent has seen several released Superstars return, including Bray Wyatt, Karrion Kross, and Dakota Kai, among others. All of these stars were released under McMahon’s regime, and Triple H is doing more to set himself apart from his father-in-law. A new report from PWInsider sheds some light on this subject.
Triple H seeks to differentiate himself from the McMahon regime by giving talent a little more leeway and creative freedom.This new regime is also providing talent with a bit more “grit” and allowing for more “unexpected action.”
The Usos have become one of, if not the greatest tag team in WWE history, but had to overcome much more than their opponents.
Debuting on the main roster in 2010, Jimmy and Jey have become one of the longest-tenured teams in WWE history.
This week, the brothers broke the record for the longest reign as WWE Tag Team Champions of all time, having held the SmackDown Tag Team Titles since July 2021.
In Spite
The Usos have faced and defeated some of the greatest teams in recent history, but arguably their biggest foe was Vince McMahon’s booking.
Speaking on After the Bell, Corey Graves recognized Jimmy and Jey’s recent accomplishment and highlighted how they had to deal with a boss who had little interest in tag wrestling.
“Let’s be honest. The old boss [Vince McMahon] looked at tag team wrestling different than the current boss [WWE’s Head of Talent/Creative Triple H.] But the Usos began succeeding when there was an old boss when the old boss was still in charge.
“The Usos, in spite of the fact that it was his [McMahon’s] never favorite flavor of ice cream, still, week after week after week, would go out there and tear the house down.”
Corey Graves.
Jimmy and Jey secured their record by retaining the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles on last week’s SmackDown against the New Day.
What’s Next for The Usos?
After becoming the longest-reigning WWE Tag Champions of all time, The Usos next high-profile match won’t be for the gold.
Jimmy and Jey are expected to enter WarGames later this month, alongside Sami Zayn, Solo Sikoa and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
The Bloodline are expected face The Brawling Brutes, Drew McIntyre and Kevin Owens, though there are questions about Owens’ status given his recent MCL injury.
Owens, a Raw Superstar, is scheduled to be on this week’s and next week’s episodes of SmackDown.
Bret Hart is a two-time WWE Hall of Famer with dozens of titles to his name, but none of it compares to giving Vince McMahon a shiner.
After being screwed of the WWF Championship in Montreal, Hart confronted McMahon and punched his soon-to-be ex-boss, giving the then-Chairman a black eye.
The wrestling urban legend is that Hart knocked out McMahon with his one punch.
Dark Thoughts
Hart being screwed out of the title came after over a decade of dedicated work for McMahon, and after Earl Hebner swore on his kids’ lives that there’d be no funny business.
As you’d expect, Hart was furious after the match, and made that clear when speaking to The Ringer.
“I’m a pretty easygoing guy. But I do know that I had a lot of dark thoughts, really crazy, dark thoughts about how angry I was when that happened.”
The Hitman added that he initially tried to confront McMahon in his office, but felt relieved that the door was locked.
The Greatest Thing I Ever Did
Hart didn’t confront the Chairman in his office, but McMahon made the brave decision to approach Hart in the locker room.
Speaking about the punch he gave the billionaire, Hart admitted it could be seen as foolish, but he does not regret it one bit.
“It was probably the greatest thing I ever did, in the sense that I stood up for myself like no other wrestler ever stood up for themselves.”
Bret Hart.
Hart would exit the WWF for WCW, and it wouldn’t be until January 2020 that the Hitman next appeared on a Vince McMahon broadcast.
In June of this year, Murdoch would regain the title (which he’d lose to Tyrus at NWA Hard Times 3) but the wrestler has always hoped for a main event run.
Speaking on Foley is Pod, Mick Foley recalled a discussion between Murdoch and then-WWE CEO Vince McMahon about trying to get a push.
“Trevor told me that he once sat down with Mr. McMahon and said ‘what can I do to catch your eye? What can I do to get to the next level?’ And Vince looked at him and said ‘I hate that pasty, flabby body of yours.’ It’s kind of tough when you’re dealing with a weak genetic hand. That’s something I know a little about.
“I hate that pasty, flabby body of yours.”
Vince McMahon to Trevor Murdoch.
Foley added that despite these comments, he is pleased that Murdoch finally reached that top spot, albeit years later with the NWA.
“He was Trevor Rhodes back then, because he did look a bit like Dusty. He was a really good effective babyface. He just wanted a chance to do something… To become that guy [is difficult.] But he did. He bulked up.”
Of course, Murdoch’s success in the NWA has only come about due to the booking of Billy Corgan, who has an opposite approach to body types than McMahon according to Foley.
“Billy likes the big brawlers on top. That’s the good thing about having a company that’s yours to run. You get to decide the talent you want to see there [on top.]”
Chris Jericho
Murdoch’s WWE name comes from Dick Murdoch, the legendary brawler who was known for his hard-hitting wrestling style and once dominated in New Japan.
On the podcast, Foley explained how decades ago, Japanese audiences expected the heavy American wrestler, and that’s something Chris Jericho took on board in 2017.
“Now, he [Trevor Murdoch] has that look that Japan liked in the 80s. Stan Hansen-esque. So when Jericho went over to face Kenny Omega, Jericho specifically put on weight because in his mind, that’s what Japanese fans saw as an American main eventer. It is really interesting to see the way his mind works.”
In his first non-WWE match since July 1999, Jericho faced Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in January 2018, which Omega would win.
Vince McMahon is truly gone from the world of professional wrestling and communication between the ex-CEO and the roster has dried up.
McMahon retired from all roles with WWE in July of this year, a month after stepping down as CEO and Chairman of the Board.
McMahon’s resignation came following accusations of millions of dollars paid out in NDAs related to extramarital affairs with female employees.
Silence
Though McMahon publicly announced his retirement, some have questioned if the ex-Chairman is as truly gone as it seems.
In August, Vince Russo said it was “impossible” that McMahon had retired, during an interview session on his Patreon.
Fightful Select reports that McMahon’s retirement is the real deal and that those in the company don’t hear much from him their former boss these days.
In his place, Stephanie McMahon has been appointed WWE’s Chairwoman and is Co-CEO with Nick Khan.
Triple H has replaced the Billionaire as WWE’s Head of Creative and replaced long-time McMahon advocate John Laurinaitis as Head of Talent Relations.
Getting Out More
During his decades on top of wrestling, McMahon was a known workaholic but is finding a life outside of the ring.
Fightful’s report adds that McMahon has been known to be out and about more than he was while still in WWE.
The billionaire was spotted in New York in August for his 77th birthday, which was attended by WWE alum including John Cena and Brock Lesnar.
McMahon was also spotted with an unknown woman, leading to speculation that his marriage to Linda McMahon has ended due to the recent controversy.
There’s a new Vince McMahon documentary in the works from Vice, the network that brought us three seasons of Dark Side of the Ring and Tales from the Territories.
Wrestling fans won’t have to wait long to see what’s in store, because the doc is scheduled to premiere Tuesday, December 13 at 9 PM ET.
Several wrestling pundits were interview for the project, including Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer.
We’ve already seen from Dark Side that Vice doesn’t shy away from controversy. The McMahon doc will span his entire illustrious career, including his resignation from WWE this past summer related to his ‘romantic improprieties’ and mishandling of WWE expense reporting.
McMahon resigned from his duties as Chairman and CEO of WWE amid the WWE Board investigating him for alleged sexual misconduct and hush money. WWE confirmed that from 2006 through 2022 (including amounts paid and payable in the future totaling $14.6 million) funds were not appropriately recorded as expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
WWE identified two additional payments totaling $5.0 million, unrelated to the alleged misconduct by McMahon that led to the investigation. McMahon made in 2007 and 2009 that were not appropriately recorded as expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
Vice is currently airing the first season of Tales from the Territories, a docu-series that reunites wrestlings legends to relive their most jaw-dropping stories from in and out of the ring.
Episodes from the first season have focused on Memphis, the AWA, the CWF, Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling, the Samoan wrestling dynasty and more.
With a truly-historic 2022 coming to an end, the wrestling world is looking ahead to 2023, and what will happen over the next 12 months.
With January approaching, WrestleMania season is drawing near, and with WrestleMania comes the Hall of Fame.
Many of wrestling’s biggest stars have already received the nod, but not everyone and these are some of the huge names yet to go in.
5: The Great Muta
The Great Muta will retire from wrestling in 2023, but will he soon become a WWE Hall of Famer?
Right now, the Great Muta is on his retirement tour, after a truly iconic career in wrestling.
Considered by many to be one of, if not the greatest Japanese wrestler of all time, Muta has held gold with AJPW, NJPW, WCW, and Pro Wrestling NOAH, among others.
Away from titles, Muta has been an inspiration for so many wrestlers, yet a WWE Hall of Fame induction continues to allude the legend.
On January 1, Muta will compete against WWE’s Shinsuke Nakamura, in a rare example of WWE allowing one of their stars to compete elsewhere.
Could a Hall of Fame induction have been part of the deal for Nakamura? Perhaps, but whether that happens or not, Muta is worthy of the induction.
4: Owen Hart
The Blackheart, Owen Hart will likely never be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame due to his tragic death in 1999.
It’s nothing short of a crime that for many wrestling fans (and non-fans alike) Owen Hart will be best known for his final moments.
Hart’s tragic passing at the Over the Edge 1999 event has forever cast a shadow on a career certainly worthy of the Hall of Fame.
In this instance, it is Owen’s widow, Martha Hart, who has rejected calls from WWE (and fans) to induct her husband, holding the company responsible for his death.
While Martha has been more open to wrestling this year, even appearing for AEW at their Double or Nothing Pay-Per-View, a relationship with WWE remains non-existent, so don’t expect to see the Rocket receive the nod next year.
3: Batista
The Animal was announced for the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020, but later pulled out because of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
When Batista broke into the wrestling business, it came at a time of his life when many would be considering winding up their careers.
Undeterred, the Animal not only became a wrestler but a six-time WWE World Champion, along with a handful of Tag title reigns.
Unlike many on this list, we know that Batista will be inducted, as he was announced in 2020, but pulled out due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It’s understandable, the Animal was worthy of headlining the ceremony, and the 2020/2021 dual induction would not have been right.
With The Undertaker headlining this year’s Hall of Fame, expect Batista to receive the long-awaited honors next year.
2: The Rock
The Brahma Bull electrified fans for years, but why is he not in WWE’s Hall of Fame.
The Bramha Bull. The People’s Champion. The Great One. The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment.
Whatever you call him, Dwayne Johnson should be called a WWE Hall of Famer.
Frankly, it’s baffling he’s not already been given the nod, and we can only imagine one reason for why either he’s said no, or WWE has refused to put him in.
Either Rock, WWE, or both, believe he’s not done in the ring.
It’s hardly a secret that WWE wants the Great One back, with many predicting the long-awaited match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39.
Will that match happen? At this time it’s difficult to say, but one thing we know for sure is that Dwayne Johnson is Hall of Fame bound.
1: Vince McMahon
McMahon changed the wrestling world, but his exit from WWE earlier this year could cause problems for an induction.
When fans think of the biggest star in wrestling, they may conjure names like Hulk Hogan, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, John Cena or even Roman Reigns.
Well none of these names would have reached the heights they soared to without Vince McMahon.
Of course, a McMahon induction is problematic, thanks in part to his controversial exit from WWE in July over allegations of misconduct.
As wrestling fans have made clear, they don’t forget. Just ask Hulk Hogan and the chilly reception he received at WrestleMania 37 in his home state of Florida.
There is perhaps no bigger name in wrestling who is more deserving than any induction than Vince McMahon, but whether it will ever happen is another matter entirely.
