WWE has a Vince McMahon problem

WWE has a problem. A Vince McMahon problem. Yes, McMahon may no longer be affiliated with the organization in a professional sense, but he’s a name that continues to come in conversations with some of the most important individuals in the promotion who are in front of a camera and a microphone. The way those individuals speak of McMahon points to a problem. One that cannot and should not be ignored.

Take, for example, the President of WWE, Nick Khan. Khan appeared on Stephanie McMahon’s podcast, What’s Your Story, and has something interesting to say about her father.

“The first time I ever read that, he had done an interview in the late 90s with a publication that had great interviews [Playboy Magazine],” Khan said. “He talked about that; he talked about abuse he suffered at the hands of one of his parents. To recover. To move on. To go from trailer park to all of the success, there’s not many people who can say that. So, all credit to him. I only have admiration for him. As Paul (Triple H) said at his Hall of Fame speech, ‘family is complicated,’ and we don’t need to get into any of that. But in terms of business, that guy’s an empire builder.”

Why does this matter? Notice that Khan was uncomfortable even mentioning the name of the magazine that featured that well-known interview simply because Playboy has long been exposed for its problematic past. A note that is relevant to the situation when looking at exactly what McMahon has been accused of. Accusations that both Stephanie and Nick elected to not dive into while speaking so positively about Vince McMahon’s business acumen. As if that is devoid from connection to the accusations he faces.

Khan isn’t the only individual who has spoken positively about McMahon since the accusations from Janel Grant and a group of ring boys have come to light in two separate legal proceedings. Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena seems intent on only speaking praise about McMahon whenever he’s asked. The list doesn’t end with him either, as others have spoken about him in a way that doesn’t seem to reflect the serious nature of the accusations he faces.

In fact, WWE Hall of Famer and former champion, Bret Hart received some praise for being one of the few voices to publicly damn the situation. Kevin Owens is another person who has received praise for his response to the matter.

Vince McMahon is accused of being an abuser on several levels. But that doesn’t mean his relationship was toxic with everyone. This is actually common within accused abusers, as they do have relationships that could be seen as “normal.” However, for an organization of WWE’s size and scope, it speaks to a larger problem.

WWE’s Vince McMahon problem cannot be ignored

It is important to note that in both the lawsuits Vince McMahon is fighting, WWE is also named. The lawsuits speak of the company culture as one that invited and made these alleged actions possible. A multi-million-dollar organization is named in two lawsuits as creating a space where an alleged abuser could flourish. In light of that, several of the most important names in the company continue to speak of the alleged abuser in a positive light. It is clear why that is an issue.

On the June 20 episode of WWE SmackDown, WWE edited out Vince McMahon’s name in the video package that featured CM Punk’s famous pipe bomb promo from years ago. CM Punk and Drew McIntyre were locked in a promo battle months ago, and Punk dared McIntyre to say Vince’s name on air, knowing he couldn’t and wouldn’t. There’s a reason Vince is persona non grata on air, so why do so many top names in the company make it a point to speak highly of them when they can? All in all, it shouldn’t continue.

This points toward another, bigger conversation about WWE’s continued shift toward the right. Not just the “right” in terms of political affiliation, but the right that continues to look the other way when it comes to holding powerful men accountable for their actions. As WWE leans into and cozies up with those voices, this is a problem that fans will continue to point out and perhaps even turn away from the organization over time.