Vince McMahon is no longer with WWE, and that is a shocking adjustment that everyone will have to make. A bombshell lawsuit with heinous allegations forced this big move, and now we know how it was received within the company.
Latest on Vince McMahon Lawsuit
In the aftermath of Vince McMahon’s resignation from WWE, a series of legal developments unfolded. PW Insider has confirmed that the U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, issued an electronic summons for McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE on January 26th. Each party had 21 days to respond after being served, although as of the last recording, no official service had been documented.
Internal Reaction To Vince McMahon’s Resignation
Internally, Vince McMahon’s departure brought mixed reactions, ranging from relief to happiness among staff and executives. Some believed the allegations in the Janel Grant lawsuit justified the outcome, while others welcomed the official distancing of McMahon from the company. Despite not actively leading WWE Creative, McMahon’s minimal role in 2024 ended with his resignation.
McMahon’s exit reportedly potentially opens the door for Stephanie McMahon’s return, although the transformed corporate landscape post-Endeavor’s ownership complicates her potential role. WWE President Nick Khan expressed the company’s desire to welcome Stephanie back, but the dynamics have shifted significantly.
After the news broke that McMahon had resigned, the initial response internally in WWE among staff and executives that PW Insider spoke with was a mix of relief and happiness. There were some who felt that McMahon got what was coming to him based on the allegations in the lawsuit filing by Grant. There were also some who were glad McMahon was now distanced “officially” from the company, as he was, as one source commented, “a black cloud hanging over everything even though he wasn’t involved in anything” anymore.
Vince McMahon’s Final WWE HQ Visit
Vince McMahon’s last appearance at WWE HQ was during an all-hands meeting on January 23. It’s speculated that this might be his final physical presence inside a WWE building. Concerns arose internally about Endeavor possibly restructuring to establish a fresh start for the company. Those associated with McMahon might face challenges in the new WWE era.
Ari Emanuel, Endeavor’s owner, is expected to take decisive actions to protect WWE’s business interests. The sentiment is that he will not hesitate to remove anything or anyone that could potentially impact the company negatively. The post-Endeavor WWE operates under a different culture and corporate structure, signaling a significant departure from its previous identity.
WWE’s Slim Jim Drama
Slim Jim’s decision to “pause” its sponsorship deal, the largest in WWE history, played a pivotal role in McMahon’s resignation. That went down on the morning before the Royal Rumble event. This move also prompted other sponsors to reconsider their association, ultimately leading to McMahon stepping down faster than anticipated.
After Vince McMahon stepped down from the company, Slim Jim returned to sponsor the 2024 Royal Rumble event as planned. That included getting a commercial inserted into LA Knight’s entrance before the Undisputed Universal Title match.
