Shawn Michaels Says Vince McMahon Has No Involvement with NXT

Since returning to the board, Vince McMahon has not been involved creatively in WWE.

During the NXT Vengeance Day pre-show media call, NXT Head of Creative Shawn Michaels fielded a bevy of questions. Perhaps the most notable comment throughout the call, was Michaels’ words on Vince McMahon’s involvement with the current product.

“He has not, and I don’t think (he will). I’d imagine Vince probably has bigger fish to fry than us down here in NXT. One of the things I enjoy about my job down here is the plausible deniability that I’m allowed to have. I don’t ask a lot of questions because I don’t want to know the answers to some of them. Even back when we were here [with Vince in charge], he was very good with us down here. They helped us in a certain way and guided us in how they wanted it to go, but after that, it was hands-off. Hunter, the same thing. They’re very good with us down here in NXT. They understand it’s a different environment down here, so we’re very fortunate to kind of be independent, no matter who is running the ship up there in Stamford, they allow us a great deal of freedom down here, which we appreciate.”

Vince McMahon Recently Returned to WWE

In April 2022, an investigation was launched by WWE following a WSJ report that Vince McMahon supplied over $3 million in ‘hush money’ settlements due to an alleged affair with a former company employee. Another issue came up for McMahon, as WSJ reported that McMahon, alongside now former company executive John Laurinaitis spent over $12 million in nondisclosure agreements following sexual misconduct allegations.

In July 2022, McMahon resigned from his duties as the company’s Chairman and Head of Creative. However, after just six months, McMahon announced his return to WWE’s board, who unanimously voted him back as Chairman of the company. Fans speculated that Vince McMahon would stake his claim back in creative; however, McMahon announced that he’d have no part in the company’s day-to-day operations and was solely focused on spearheading a potential sale of WWE.

NXT Vengeance Day Updated Card

WWE NXT Vengeance Day
  • Bron Breakker (C) vs. Grayson Waller — NXT Championship
  • Roxanne Perez (C) vs. Jacy Jane vs. Gigi Dolin — NXT Women’s Championship
  • Wes Lee (C) vs. Dijak — NXT North American Championship
  • New Day (C) vs. Pretty Deadly vs. Gallus vs. Chase University — NXT Tag Team Championship
  • Kayden Carter & Katana Chance (C) vs. Kiana James & Fallon Henley — NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship
  • Apollo Crews vs. Carmelo Hayes

SEScoops will provide live coverage of NXT Vengeance Day on Saturday, February 4, beginning at 7:00 p.m. EDT/4:00 p.m. PDT.

(H/T to Fightful for the transcriptions)

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