Developments mark the potential end of Vince McMahon’s time atop WWE

Vince McMahon’s retirement and return to WWE were two of the biggest stories in recent memory and hopefully, the saga is completely over thanks to current news.

There were several major stories in professional wrestling from 2022 through 2023. The biggest involved Vince McMahon on several levels, from the investigation into his sexual misconduct, his “retirement,” forcing his return, and the eventual sale of WWE to Endeavor. As 2023 comes to a close with news of McMahon selling nearly 30 percent of his TKO stock, there’s a growing hope that perhaps the industry will finally be rid of him. It’s a long overdue move as professional wrestling is in an entirely better place without McMahon involved.

A TKO Group Holdings press release via Business Wire stated that McMahon is selling 8.4 million shares of TKO stock, with much of that to be repurchased by TKO. This comes just days after McMahon was directly mentioned in the organization’s public financial filings as a potential threat to future business. Weeks before that information was shared, multiple wrestling media outlets reported that McMahon was no longer involved in creative in any form, all those responsibilities were firmly in the hands of Triple H without any oversight from the 78-year-old man. Without the ability to force his way back in as he did just months ago, it looks like McMahon’s time of power within the WWE is finally over.

While some fans may rejoice simply because of the improvements seen in WWE Creative without McMahon in place, that is perhaps the smallest benefit of his hopeful departure. McMahon is an individual who has avoided being held accountable for his actions. And this is far from a true punishment for all that he’s been accused of throughout the years. Whether it was the sexual misconduct scandals, Rita Chatterton’s rape allegations that led to a recent settlement, or the steroid trial almost thirty years ago, McMahon has avoided true and public repercussions for his actions every time.

Society has seen a reckoning of sorts in recent years. Bad actors across several industries are being held accountable for their past actions against minorities and women. And as that occurred, McMahon continued to find a way to wrest more power and wealth out of professional wrestling. All the while, tanking a product that proved to be much better when he was not involved. In many ways, McMahon’s bad behavior became the norm in professional wrestling, as even today the industry still shuffles around the same names and continues to platform many individuals with serious allegations. Yet, seeing McMahon phased out of power in WWE in recent weeks has been a delightful story for many throughout professional wrestling.

Some fans may want to continue recognizing McMahon’s contributions to professional wrestling, but it’s impossible to do so without acknowledging the damage he caused along the way. The industry has long needed to move past him and hopefully, these last few weeks of development lead to an era where all bad actors, regardless of status and wealth, are truly held accountable for their actions.