Vince McMahon, the longtime chairman/CEO of WWE, has retired from the wrestling giant in the midst of the company’s board investigating him for alleged misconduct.
WWE confirmed the news in a press release that featured a lengthy statement from McMahon that reads, in part:
“As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE. Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you. I would like to thank my family for mightily contributing to our success, and I would also like to thank all of our past and present Superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand. Most importantly, I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your choice of entertainment.”
McMahon concluded his statement with:
“I leave our company in the capable hands of an extraordinary group of Superstars, employees, and executives – in particular, both Chairwoman and Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon and Co-CEO Nick Khan. As the majority shareholder, I will continue to support WWE in any way I can. My personal thanks to our community and business partners, shareholders, and Board of Directors for their guidance and support through the years. Then. Now. Forever. Together.”
Vince McMahon's decision to retire comes following two bombshell reports from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that he allegedly paid $12 million over the past 16 years to four women — one of which was a wrestler — for reasons pertaining to sexual misconduct or extramarital affairs. Vince McMahon has stepped down as Chairman and CEO of WWE and his daughter, Stephanie McMahon, was named Chairwoman and CEO of the wrestling giant in June. Until his retirement today, Vince McMahon maintained his role related to creative content on WWE programming.
This has led to “Wrestling Twitter” to figuratively explode. Here are some notable reactions to this news:
