3 signs Vince McMahon is back running WWE creative (and 2 he isn't)
Eight months after retiring from WWE amidst sexual misconduct allegations, Vince McMahon made his presence felt over WrestleMania weekend. The Chairman of the Board was first spotted backstage at the Hall of Fame ceremony with Triple H and 2023 inductee The Great Muta. Hours before RAW, he was interviewed on CNBC in regards to WWE's $21 billion merger with UFC under Endeavor Holdings.
What followed was a poorly received RAW after WrestleMania, swiftly followed by multiple reports that McMahon had run the show. The mere thought of this launched the IWC into a hysterical week-long debate and a #FireVinceMcMahon Twitter hashtag.
Is The Chairman truly back? Is The Game still in charge? Is the truth somewhere in the middle? Here are three signs Vince McMahon is back in charge of WWE creative and two signs he's not.
#3. He IS back: Multiple outlets have reported it
FightfulSelect.com has a huge report on WWE Raw, the changes that Vince McMahon made, and the gigantic hit to WWE talent morale as a result - What changed, when it changed - Vince McMahon - His involvement moving forward - What talent is hoping and saying - Much more Now… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/eDGDLkeL7I
News of Vince McMahon being at Gorrilla position and making changes to RAW after WrestleMania was first broken by Fightful news. The report from that outlet spread like wildfire, going viral and sparking debate all over the internet. As the week progressed, more outlets seemed to confirm the reports from their own backstage sources, adding that many top stars were unhappy.
It's not unreasonable to think that there is some truth to the reports, although WWE has not given direct confirmation. These outlets are wrong a fair amount of the time, but like the old adage says, "Where there's smoke, there's fire."
#2. He ISN'T: There has been no official confirmation of Vince McMahon returning to booking duties
BREAKING: @TripleH will be on #SmackDown tomorrow night to address the WWE Universe.
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Normally, when there is a change of personnel at such a level as the head booker, WWE announces as much on its various platforms. Seeing how the company has thousands of shareholders, it's unlikely that they would make such a huge change and not communicate it.
It is therefore wise to take the reports with a grain of salt. After all, most of the outlets reporting McMahon's alleged return had also claimed Brock Lesnar was winding up with the company, and none of them broke the news of the promotion's huge merger. In terms of credibility, the sources of the reports are hardly bulletproof.
#2. He IS back: RAW After WrestleMania felt very Vince McMahon-esque to the Internet Wrestling Community
Close your eyes and think back to the last few years of Vince McMahon's time as President & CEO of WWE. What do you see? Brock Lesnar and undisputed WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns in the main event? More focus on story-building promos than wrestling action? Reports of last-minute changes to the show and frustrated talent? Hilarious 24/7 title shenanigans?
Apart from that last one, this was RAW after WrestleMania for many fans, giving them reason to think that the old regime has made a comeback. If the internet is to be believed, R-Truth will soon return from injury to fish his "baby" out of the trash for reign number 55.
#1. Vince McMahon isn't back in creative because: Most of the fans' complaints have been true of Triple H's booking in the past
The aftermath of WWE RAW after WrestleMania brought a number of fan complaints. There were no surprises, returns, title changes or huge moments reminiscent of classic post-Mania RAWs, leaving some deflated. The biggest complaint, however, was the reported cutting of certain segments due to time running out, specifically the women's matches.
Fans were quick to blame Vince McMahon, seemingly forgetting that this happened under The Game as well. Bayley and Becky Lynch's steel cage match at RAW XXX was reportedly cut for time and moved to the week after, showing that HHH is not immune to booking mistakes. It's possible that the wrestling community overreacted due to past negative experiences with McMahon's booking.
#1. He IS: The big business happening around WWE may have brought Vince McMahon back to creative duties
Ari Emanuel and Vince McMahon on CNBC talking the Endeavor-WWE Deal
Ari Emanuel says he wouldn’t have let Vince McMahon walk away https://t.co/bceJJJYdfV
By Endeavor CEO Ari Emmanuel's own admission, he insisted on having Vince McMahon as part of the $21 billion juggernaut. Even when the latter allegedly decided to walk away, he was roped back in, possibly to calm shareholders by having arguably the most experienced head in the history of the business onboard. Who's to say this didn't extend beyond business roles and into booking?
McMahon himself said he would be involved with Creative at a higher level, so the leap from there to "the weeds" wouldn't be much. The economic situation around WWE at the moment certainly makes Vince McMahon's return to booking not just a possibility but a distinct likelihood.