For people who would prefer Vince McMahon remain away from the day-to-day operations of WWE, the past few months have been a little nerve-wracking. It’s easy to see Vince’s fingerprints in certain areas if that’s what one wishes to see, imagining him calling the shots on specific angles or matchups booked in the run-up to WrestleMania 39.
But according to WWE CEO Nick Khan, that’s not the case, and Paul “Triple H” Levesque remains the person making all the decisions on what fans see on TV. Khan was asked directly about McMahon’s involvement in creative on the Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast, which you can see below:
“Not that involved,” Khan said. “Triple H, Paul Levesque, is the head of creative, was named the head of creative in August. Vince has embraced that, he’s respected that. It’s also his son-in-law, as I’m sure you know, so they have their own dynamic. From my point of view, things have been terrific for the last couple of months since Vince returned.”
Fightful Select (subscription required) published a report earlier this week on some “red flags” raised by talent believing McMahon might have a larger stealth hand in putting shows together than everyone has been led to believe, while also noting that WWE sources continue to deny that. It’s hard to get a more direct, straight from the top denial than the one made by Khan.
What is McMahon doing if he’s not tinkering with the shows? Still overseeing a potential sale of the company. CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” indicated Tuesday that there are several potential buyers whose interest in an acquisition is “hot and heavy,” though McMahon’s willingness to sell is still a primary question.
In any case, all involved want fans to know that what they see this weekend at WrestleMania 39 will be Levesque’s call, and that in and of itself is a milestone. What will the first Showcase of the Immortals without Vince having the final say look like? We’ll know in just a few days.