This week, Vince McMahon announced his retirement from WWE; an act that countless people thought they\'d never see.
McMahon\'s announcement comes a month after he stepped down from the roles of WWE CEO and Chairman of the Board, over allegations of improper conduct with female employees.
McMahon has allegedly paid over $12 million in Non-Disclosure Agreements to female WWE employees over the past 16 years.
Concerns Over McMahon
McMahon\'s decision to step down from WWE is unquestionably the biggest shift in power the promotion has ever seen, and there are concerns for the ex-CEO\'s future.
According to Wade Keller of PW Torch, many close to McMahon are worried about how he will spend his time now, as he has no hobbies or social circles outside of pro-wrestling.
Despite this, McMahon is not expected to return to WWE in any capacity other than as the father of Stephanie McMahon.
In his retirement statement, McMahon did not address the allegations against him, which many believe is the reason for his retirement.
Keller reports that with McMahon retiring days before Raw returns to Madison Square Garden, the claims against him must be serious, as Vince has a lot of love for \'The World\'s Most Famous Arena.\'
It is said to be in WWE\'s interest to keep McMahon happy as he is still a large shareholder and his opinion carried a lot of weight.
Future Plans in WWE
After stepping down as WWE CEO and Chair, McMahon remained in charge of WWE creative, though that has changed now.
Keller notes that Bruce Prichard is expected to take over the role as head of creative for the time being.
Kevin Dunn, a long-time confidante of McMahon (who some consider little more than a Vince yes man) is expected to remain in his role as an Executive Director of WWE, though it is unlikely he will remain in the role for the long-term.
Changes are expected, but they will be gradual as the company wishes to demonstrate stability to stakeholders including stockholders, partners, and sponsors.
There are even talks from AEW wrestlers, who believe they will have a better chance in WWE or that at the very least, WWE will show more of an interest in them without Vince McMahon in charge.
Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan will serve as co-CEOs, and while they are not close, they are not considered enemies.
Women and WWE
Many Superstars are said to be optimistic that this change of leadership will help them, but it is understood that any changes to the rosters will be gradual rather than immediate.
Female Superstars are reportedly the most optimistic, as WWE Chairwoman Stephanie McMahon is said to be well-liked and is a supporter of women\'s wrestling.
Some even think that Naomi and Sasha Banks could return after walking out of the May 16 Raw due to creative differences with Vince McMahon\'s plan for that night\'s main event.
It\'s believed that the former Women\'s Tag Team Champions\' main beef was with Vince and that his retirement could smooth things over.
However, other management may still hold a grudge against both women, who have shown no signs of being brought back to TV.
