WWE announced that Vince McMahon will appear on Friday night smackdown This evening at 8 pm ET. The surprise announcement comes on the heels of news that McMahon has “stepped back” from his responsibilities as CEO, following reports that WWE is investigating an alleged $3 million payment to an ex-employee to keep quiet about her alleged relationship with McMahon. Stephanie McMahon, McMahon’s daughter, has taken over as interim CEO and Chairman of the Board, but McMahon retains creative control over the WWE’s on-air producer. WWE has not provided any additional details about McMahon’s appearance, other than the statement below.
Mr. McMahon will appear on SmackDown tonight at 8 p.m. ET live on FOX. pic.twitter.com/6XEEDwR0Hy
– WWE (WWE) June 17, 2022
WWE announced yesterday that McMahon would be “stepping down” from his responsibilities as CEO earlier today, following yesterday’s news about McMahon’s alleged cover-up. While investigating the alleged $3 million silence payments, it was discovered that McMahon had other former employees sign nondisclosure agreements to hush up other alleged misconduct. John Laurentis, WWE’s head of talent relations, is also implicated in alleged misconduct and is also being investigated. While both WWE and McMahon are cooperating with an independent counsel who has been appointed to investigate the allegations, it is unclear whether McMahon can be forced to step down. Although McMahon only owns about 40% of the total stock of WWE, he controls 81% of the voting power.
While it’s unclear what will entail from McMahon’s appearance, though, he has a history of incorporating real-life and news issues into storylines within the episode. Professional wrestling has long blurred the lines between kayfabe and real life, with McMahon building his company as a mixture of reality TV and written stories. It remains to be seen if McMahon will acknowledge the controversies that have surrounded his company in recent days, although the announcement will certainly lead to an increase in ratings.
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