Report: WWE Talent & Staff Left "Floored" By Vince McMahon's Attempt To Return

In a major announcement today, Vince McMahon revealed that he has taken the "necessary actions" to elect himself, Michelle Wilson, and George Barrios to the WWE Board of Directors. The move will require three directors to be removed.

McMahon expects to assume the role of Executive Chairman of the Board which he believes "will enable unified decision making through the Company's upcoming media rights negotiations and a parallel full review of the Company's strategic alternatives." McMahon's appointment has to be approved by the Board, though. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, McMahon is returning to WWE so he can pursue a sale of the company. He has also told the WWE Board of Directors that he will not support or approve any media-rights deal or sale unless he is directly involved in the strategic review as Executive Chairman of the Board.

In an update, Fightful Select reported that those they have spoken to within WWE were "floored" by McMahon's announcement and nobody knew about the 77-year-old's plot to return until it was made public. 

Much remains unclear within WWE about the matter and the unanimous reaction amongst production staff has been either that McMahon's announcement is bad news or that it is "news above their pay grade" that they won't be concerned about until they need to be. 

A top talent within WWE was interested to see if wrestlers will be spoken to about the situation at Friday's SmackDown taping, while another talent asked if McMahon could return to WWE creative. The roster has been concerned about McMahon potentially returning to his previous role in creative but sources within that department have not heard about any changes to their duties. 

Another WWE talent said: "Finding out online is scary, and it's Vince so I don't believe a word that he says. I'm hoping current management and everything doesn't change, but only time will tell." A different talent claimed the roster would be in uproar if McMahon became the head of creative again. 

A concerned WWE higher-up also stated: "I can't count how many interviews I've read or people I talked to outside of the company that said 'Vince liked me, but I got fired.' He didn't like you, he didn't like any of them he fired or they wouldn't have been fired during a pandemic."

McMahon's comeback comes only months after he resigned as WWE CEO and Chairman in disgrace amidst a sexual misconduct and hush money scandal.