So, it's looking like Vince McMahon's retirement lasted all of six months!
Coming off persistent rumors that the former WWE CEO wanted back in to the company he's become synonymous with these past 40+ years, THR has revealed that McMahon is planning a comeback after retiring amid a misconduct probe led by the board of directors.
Despite his recent retirement, McMahon still controls a large percentage of WWE through his ownership of Class B shares, and has announced that he intends to name himself executive chairman of the company while reinstating former execs George Barrios and Michelle Wilson as new board members.
“WWE is entering a critical juncture in its history with the upcoming media rights negotiations coinciding with increased industry-wide demand for quality content and live events and with more companies seeking to own the intellectual property on their platforms,” said McMahon in a statement Thursday night. “The only way for WWE to fully capitalize on this opportunity is for me to return as executive chairman and support the management team in the negotiations for our media rights and to combine that with a review of strategic alternatives. My return will allow WWE, as well as any transaction counterparties, to engage in these processes knowing they will have the support of the controlling shareholder.”
Apparently, this "coup d’état" comes as WWE is reportedly pursuing strategic options, including the possibility of a sale. Should a sale agreement be reached, McMahon wants to be at the forefront of all negotiations.
“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,” he added.
It sounds like this is far from a done deal, but we wouldn't bet against VKM finding a way to return to the board - even if he is highly unlikely to be welcomed back with open arms!