Bobby Lashley asked Vince McMahon about possibly fighting in the UFC after WWE Money in the Bank in Las Vegas, and Vince shot the idea down, FightfulSelect.com reports. This was shorlty before Vince left the WWE.
Vince McMahon recently announced his retirement from his roles as Chairman and CEO of WWE. It was later clarified that he was also done with his work on creative. Some reports have emerged regarding his backstage performance as well. It was revealed that Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan will serve as Co-CEOs of WWE, while Triple H is EVP of Talent Relations and Head of Creative. There has been speculation of a potential sale of WWE for a long time now. The annual report for 2021 lists a risk factor specifically about the consequences of Vince McMahon’s retirement.
WWE could be sold?
“The unexpected loss of the services of Vincent K. McMahon could adversely affect our ability to create popular characters and creative storylines or could otherwise adversely affect our operating results,” WWE wrote in the corporate filing, dated Dec. 31. “The loss of Mr. McMahon due to unexpected retirement, disability, death or other unexpected termination for any reason could have a material adverse effect on our ability to create popular characters and creative storylines or could otherwise adversely affect our operating results.”
Many speculated that might cause the shares to drop but they shot higher, rising more than 8%. The spike was driven by heightened investor sentiment that a sale is coming. Newly appointed co-CEO Nick Khan openly discussed the concept of selling already this year, months before McMahon stepped down amid a Wall Street Journal investigation that revealed payouts to women who claimed sexual misconduct and infidelity. The WWE has since confirmed $14.6 million in previously unrecorded expenses paid personally by McMahon.
“As we say, we’re open for business,” Khan said in March on The Ringer’s “The Town” podcast. The timing of a deal could hinge on the WWE’s upcoming U.S. TV rights renewal, loosely scheduled for mid-2023. An acquirer may decide it makes more sense to buy the company than strike a temporary rights deal. Fox owns the rights to “Smackdown” and NBCUniversal owns the rights to “Raw,” the two WWE TV properties. The deals both end in the fourth quarter of 2024. Comcast, Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount Global, Apple, Amazon and Netflix all make sense an acquirer,
