Veteran comments on Vince McMahon possibly getting kicked out if the WWE-UFC deal isn't successful (Exclusive)
Vince McMahon is set to retain a top position following the merger of UFC and WWE, but questions are also being asked about his future. Will he be replaced if the deal isn't fruitful for Endeavor? While Vince Russo didn't see that happening, he is unsure if Vince McMahon will be around in the company for long.
Ari Emanuel, the head of the UFC's parent company, recently paid a large sum to acquire WWE and confirmed that he stopped Vince McMahon from walking away from the promotion. Ari might have taken the UFC to new heights financially, but there is no guarantee he can successfully replicate the business model in WWE.
If the UFC-WWE partnership proves to be a long-term failure, Vince Russo still believes that Vince McMahon will keep his position at the top. The former WWE writer, however, highlighted Vince McMahon's age and felt that the 77-year-old might be nearing the end of an eventful yet controversial career.
Russo even spoke about a much younger Ari Emanuel possibly taking WWE forward in Vince McMahon's absence, as you can view below:
"I don't think you'd see that, bro. I think you could possibly see Endeavor sell it. I would see that before I saw them replace Vince. Let's be honest, bro, here. We really don't know how much longer Vince is even going to be around. I mean, he is 77. He is less than three years away from 80. I mean, Ari is a lot younger than Vince. So, who knows?" [9:46 - 10:21]
Vince Russo said that if Endeavor eventually sells WWE, the wrestling organization will have no problems finding suitable partners. He stated that many parties work with WWE based on the company's legacy, not the current product.
"We have seen this for the last, at least the last ten years. And more than that! That's how long the product has been subpar," Vince continued. "Bro, there are people and partners out there to make deals with based on the legacy of the WWF. That's who they are making their deals with." [7:20 - 7:44]
They are selling their rich history: Vince Russo on how Vince McMahon and WWE do business
As per Russo, WWE's programming quality hasn't been the most eye-catching over the past few decades, charting back to the end of the Ruthless Aggression era.
Despite the creative ups and downs, the promotion has been incredibly profitable in recent years, and the situation seems likely to remain the same following WWE and UFC's merger.
Russo felt that more than what's happening presently on TV, WWE's history appealed to investors despite having several untapped markets worldwide. He explained:
"And my god, bro! How many countries are out there that haven't even been tapped into yet? When you're spending that kind of money, you are looking at that as money in the bank. And the WWE, bro, they haven't been selling what the product has been for the last twenty years. They are selling their rich history, and they will continue to sell that rich history." [7:45 - 8:36]
Vince Russo also feels a top UFC star might eventually end up in WWE sooner rather than later, and you can read more on that story right here.
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