Can Shane McMahon Be Trusted?

Fans are excited to see Shane McMahon return, but does taking control away from Vince mean trading the devil we don’t know for the devil we do?

“Family comes first” is the de facto motto of the McMahon Clan and one they have lived by since the WWE was formed. It’s the reason The Authority has been in power for the better part of three years. It’s the reason Stephanie McMahon’s husband is the WWE Executive Vice President (Talent, Live Events & Creative) and current World Heavyweight Champion.

And it’s the reason we should be cautious about Shane’s return.

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As it stands, the immediate assumption in the aftermath of Shane’s return was that he was going rescue the WWE Universe. The seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against him in the form of not only The Undertaker but also a Hell in a Cell match only serve to strengthen this opinion. The Undertaker has been advertised for an appearance on the March 1st edition of RAW where he will undoubtedly address his reasoning for accepting this match. Perhaps he views his WrestleMania legacy as bigger than some petty family squabble or maybe he will indeed turn heel and actually side with Vince. While the latter is the most unlikely of the two, what we certainly won’t see is a face-off with Shane, at least not yet.

Shane McMahon’s next advertised WWE appearance is the March 7th edition of RAW in Chicago, traditionally one of the hottest and most vocal crowds in the nation. The Dead Man isn’t advertised as being in attendance but as we get closer and closer to WrestleMania the WWE may play its cards closer to the vest and continue to give us surprise confrontations which would be more than welcome. This match cannot and should not be about Shane vs. Vince, no matter the stakes. While this prize is certainly a highlight of the feud, the WWE would do well to allow Shane and UT time to sell it on their own.

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If we accept Shane’s return and intentions as genuine, we would be rooting for him to win his match, most likely thanks to interference from either John Cena or Sting which are both entirely possible even given their recent injuries. I can’t imagine a WrestleMania without Cena in some form or fashion, despite him being in the midst of recovering from shoulder surgery. The possibility of Sting running interference is equally as intriguing and it may be the reason his neck surgery has been delayed. For both men, an actual match of their own is almost entirely out of the question but interrupting the HIAC match and giving a victory to Shane is more than plausible. Both men have no love for The Authority and thus both have the motivation to see them deposed. While this action may be seen as a heel move it all depends on how Undertaker is personified. If The Dead Man sides with Vince and assumes the role of heel there would be no issues with Cena doing what he needs to do to ensure the Steph/HHH dynasty finally comes to an end. If we get the rare “Face vs. Face” match between Shane and UT then an appearance by Sting becomes all the more likely and sets up a feud between UT and Sting, possibly as far out as WrestleMania 33.

But what is the opposite comes true?

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Whether Shane wins or loses there is still another McMahon (by association) competing at WrestleMania 32. What if Shane interferes in the main event and screws over Roman Reigns causing Triple H to retain his championship and ushering in an unprecedented era of unified McMahon domination? The wild card here is Stephanie. Will her hatred towards her father blind her to what is “best for business” (e.g. keeping The Authority in power) or will her sibling rivalry take hold and cause her to sabotage Shane’s match and ensure she and Triple H stay on top? Shane’s return and subsequent deafening pop was an exciting moment for the WWE Universe as was the same reaction at the thought of him taking control of RAW. But will it come to pass and if it does, can he be trusted or will he succumb to the old McMahon ways? Has the prodigal son actually returned or is this simply a gimmick to guarantee Vince breaks the attendance record he so desperately covets?

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We have to wait until April to find out but one thing is for sure: once a McMahon, always a McMahon.