WWE releases former NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose over racy photos and videos on her FanTime page that break the company’s social media policy.
In a surprise move, WWE fired superstar Mandy Rose over her FanTime content.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful reports that the former NXT Women’s Champion was released by WWE due to posting risqué photos and videos that were against her contractual terms. The move comes after last night’s NXT broadcast where Rose’s 413-day reign as Women’s Champion ended at the hands of Roxanne Perez. According to Sapp, “WWE officials felt they were put in a tough position based on the content she was posting on her BrandArmy page. They felt like it was outside of the parameters of her WWE deal.”
The now-ex-WWE star, whos real name is Amanda Rose Saccomanno, began her career as a bodybuilding competitor and won the title of World Beauty Fitness & Fashion Bikini Champion in 2014. Saccomanno turned her attention to pro wrestling when she became a contestant in the sixth season of WWE Tough Enough in 2015. It was in the season finale when Saccomanno renamed herself “Mandy Rose,” after which she lost to Alicia Fox in a tryout match, ranking second in the overall competition.
Mandy Rose’s WWE Main Roster Path
Despite the Tough Enough loss, Rose signed a five-year deal with WWE. She competed in the NXT brand before getting called to the main roster as part of the faction Absolution alongside Sonya Deville and former WWE star Paige. Eventually, Rose and Deville broke off from Paige to become the stand-alone tag team called Fire and Desire.
After a failed attempt at winning the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles, Rose and Deville gradually separated as a result of a romantic crush storyline involving WWE superstar Otis. The high point of their feud was the July 31, 2020 edition of SmackDown when Deville cut Rose’s blonde hair in a backstage assault. They had a memorable Loser Leaves WWE match at SummerSlam 2020 where Rose was victorious.
Shortly before the SummerSlam match, Rose and real-life friend Deville were involved in a cyberstalking incident that turned into an attempted kidnapping by a South Carolina man. The man broke into the stars’ shared home to kidnap Deville and murder Rose. He was arrested and charged with aggravated stalking, armed burglary of a dwelling, attempted armed kidnapping and criminal mischief.
In 2021, Rose was moved back over to the NXT brand where she formed the group Toxic Attraction with Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne. She defeated Raquel Rodriguez in a “Chucky’s Choice Trick or Street Fight” match at Halloween Havoc to win the NXT Women’s Championship. The win eventually led to Rose becoming the third woman to hold the title for an entire one-year reign.
What’s next for the self-proclaimed Baddest Woman On The Planet and new SmackDown Women’s Champion?
One of WWE’s biggest pay-per-views of the year, Survivor Series, is looming just over the horizon and the Nov. 26 show promises to be star-studded. Traditionally, the Survivor Series event pits Superstars from RAW against the stars of SmackDown in five-person elimination tag team matches and champion versus champion matches. Although WWE’s new Head of Creative, Triple H, announced that Survivor Series will look a little different this year thanks to the debut of the War Games match in WWE, fans can still expect a handful of dream champion versus champion matchups.
One of the most highly anticipated matchups of every Survivor Series event is the RAW Women’s Champion taking on the SmackDown Women’s Champion in a battle of brand supremacy and bragging rights. On the latest episode on her YouTube channel, which has now amassed more than 1.5 million subscribers, the self-proclaimed Baddest Woman On The Planet and new SmackDown Women’s Champion, Ronda Rousey, teased fans by hinting at a possible matchup against RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at the show.
“What’s next though … Survivor Series. It could be Bianca. That would be freaking awesome!” Rousey said.
Belair has been at the very top of many dream match lists as of late, and a battle against the former UFC Bantamweight Champion would be undoubtedly legendary. Both Superstars overcame their respective foes at Extreme Rules last week with Belair defeating Bayley in a thrilling ladder match and Rousey recapturing her title from the underdog Liv Morgan. In addition, Belair seems poised to be the next big WWE star while Rousey’s star power and accomplishments make her a living legend already. What’s next for the two champions could be each other, and the WWE Universe can’t wait to see if a match between the two is made official.
It turns out Dexter Lumis has been torturing The Miz due to a huge secret — one that Johnny Gargano knows all about.
Last night on RAW, The Miz’s biggest fear came true when he was finally scheduled to face Dexter Lumis one on one later in the episode. A cowardly Miz stayed true to character, clearly faking a knee injury prior to the bout in hopes of not being medically cleared. The A-Lister sat in a puddle of water, screaming and holding his knee before being moved to the trainer’s room. In the office, Byron Saxton asked Miz if he would be able to compete, to which he predictably answered, “No.”
Just then, Johnny Gargano screamed “It’s Dexter Lumis,” evidently scaring The Miz and causing him to jump out of his seat. With that fatal error, Saxton and Gargano realized Miz’s knee was fine, and Miz was thrown back into his long-awaited match with Lumis. For the first time in the pair’s long rivalry, however, the WWE Universe has been given a clue as to why Lumis has been terrifying The Miz, and how he can get it to stop.
As The Miz stretched out prior to his match, Gargano confirmed that he’s known Lumis for a long time and because of it, he knows the “real story” between the two. The Miz played dumb, but Gargano alluded to the fact that he knows The Miz lied or wronged Lumis in some way to cause this to happen. He reminded Miz that he can always come clean, and Lumis and his stalking would stop. The Miz, though, still denied everything.
RELATED: ‘It Means Everything’: The Miz On The One Thing That Fills Him With Confidence In The Ring
When it came time for the match, Lumis entered first. His ice-cold stare pierced our TV screens and mesmerized us once again, but suddenly, The Miz attacked him with a steel chair from behind, effectively canceling the match and saving himself from his biggest fear. Backstage, The Miz wasn’t in the clear yet, though, as Gargano came back again to urge him to come clean about what he did. The former NXT Champion then threatened Miz with a whistle, saying he will tell the world what Miz did if he doesn’t come clean. The Miz still acted like he had no idea what Gargano was talking about.
The storytelling in this segment was complex, but genius as it not only provided the WWE Universe with a clue for why this has been happening, but a mysterious way for The Miz to make it stop. In addition, Miz faking an injury to get out of the match added to the cowardice of his character while Lumis remained quiet, powerful, and mysterious. The Most Frighteningly Memorable Moments In Halloween Havoc History
We can only hope to find out what The Miz is hiding from us, but we’d advise him to come clean about his lies to save himself and his family from Lumis! In the meantime, you can relive all the creepy stuff Lumis has done to Miz, like stalking him or ruining his birthday party, on the WWE Network on Peacock.
From “Rowdy” Roddy Piper to Scott Hall, these are the best WWE Superstars who never quite took home the biggest title in the game.
‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper is one of the many WWE Superstars who have reached acclaim despite never winning a world title.
Winning a world title in WWE means you have reached the top of the mountain. There is arguably no greater accomplishment in wrestling, and the title serves as proof nobody else is on your level. Household names like The Rock, John Cena and Hulk Hogan held the WWE title in the past, making it the most prestigious in wrestling.
Some legendary WWE stars, however, have never won a world title, yet are still recognized as some of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Who are those athletes and how did they reach icon status without ever being a world champion? Let’s find out.
Scott Hall
For many, Scott Hall is the first name that jumps to mind when it comes to legendary wrestlers who never won a world title. Razor Ramon was a classic bad guy. He made being mean look cool, and won four Intercontinental Titles while cementing his legacy in the industry. Despite his success in and out of the ring, he never reached the true pinnacle of WWE by raising the world title above his head.
Hall wrestled for almost every major company in the world at the time including NJPW, WWF and WCW. He was a leader of the NWO, and often found himself in title contention with the likes of Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and Randy Savage. Although he came close many times, Hall was never able to win the big one and found himself in major roles with wrestling’s biggest tag teams and factions. To most wrestling fans, though, that doesn’t matter at all and Ramon is still widely regarded as one of the most iconic wrestlers of all time.
Cesaro
Cesaro becoming the world champion seemed like a possibility that was always on the horizon, but never came to fruition before he eventually left WWE.
Cesaro is a world-traveled performer and one of the smartest wrestlers in and out of the ring. It isn’t his brains that attract fans to him from all corners of the globe, but his incredible in-ring prowess and strength that is unmatched by anybody else. Dubbed “Pound for pound the strongest man in WWE history” by Michael Cole, Cesaro performed seemingly impossible feats of strength in the ring night after night while also showcasing his technical wrestling ability.
Cesaro did see lots of success in WWE as a Tag Team Champion and even United States Champion, but he never won the big one. He was one of the most beloved and talented WWE superstars of the modern era, and of all time for that matter, which is why he was always able to stay relevant, world title or not.
Hopefully, Cesaro can win his first world title soon and disappear from lists like these. Until then, he will continue to prove to management and fans that he is the strongest, and one of the most talented in-ring performers of all time.
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper is one of the most influential and recognizable stars in wrestling history, and he did it all without ever winning a world championship.
He established himself early in his career as one of the best in-ring technicians in the business, but his true money-maker was his ability to hold the crowd in the palm of his hand with nothing more than a microphone. Piper consistently cut the best promos in wrestling at the time, only rivaled by big personality stars like Ric Flair. He had an almost endless amount of charisma and his passion and hard work translated through television. Piper was one of the most entertaining villains of all time and one of the first to be so good that fans still cheered for him regardless of his attitude and disposition.
He didn’t need a title around his waist to navigate one of the most storied careers in all of wrestling. Piper was already a renowned performer both in the WWF.
Today, Ronda Rousey carries on Piper’s legacy with the leather jacket she wears being the exact same one Piper wore to the ring. The jacket was given to Rousey by Piper’s children — a true passing of the torch moment.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts
Despite being one of the most recognizable characters in wrestling history, Jake Roberts never won a world title in WWF. Roberts had a strong character and presence in the ring, and the real Python that he would bring out in a bag added an element of unpredictability and legitimate danger to his character that nobody else had. Even with an intimidating Python by his side, Roberts couldn’t seem to reach that next level in the ring.
If you look at Jake Roberts’ WWE accomplishments, you may think he was unsuccessful or even had a boring career, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Roberts was one of the first wrestlers to prove that you don’t need a title to be considered successful, or credible in wrestling. He never held any titles within WWE, but always remained relevant. He played integral roles in many storylines and worked with some of the greatest of all time like The Undertaker and The Ultimate Warrior.
For some, Roberts transcended wrestling and became a part of pop culture. Arn Anderson was quoted saying, “Jake was such a strong character, such a strong persona, he never needed to be champion, he just needed to be Jake The Snake.”
During a press conference in Las Vegas, WWE officially announced that Logan Paul will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.
Michael Cole kicked off the press conference and said that the press conference came about at the last minute after Logan Paul’s appearance last night on Friday Night SmackDown.
Cole introduced Reigns (with The Bloodline) and Logan Paul and then Paul “Triple H” Levesque was introduced. He then announced the match for Crown Jewel.
Hunter put over Paul’s work ethic and said that Logan has earned his respect for going the distance with Floyd Mayweather. Hunter put over Reigns as someone who is on a God-tier level and is performing on a different stratosphere because he’s been champion for over 2 years.
Reigns said he plans on smashing Paul at the pay-per-view and he won’t go easy on him and he plans on showing him what God mode really looks like. Paul spoke on the podium and said he is a disruptor and he welcomes any challenge. He mentioned that his brother Jake will face Anderson Silva a week before Crown Jewel and this is “simply what we do.” Paul said that wrestling is “my sport, my industry” because WWE is his home and that is why he called out the GOAT.
The press conference closed with some questions and some comments from Paul Heyman talking about Logan Paul only fighting people who are over the hill. Logan took offense to what Heyman said and then a fight almost broke out between Roman and Logan put Triple H stepped in between them.
WWE Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is set to happen on Saturday, November 5, and will stream live on Peacock in the United States and on the WWE Network internationally.
If you missed it, click below to watch the press conference.
WWE Clash at the Castle emanates from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on Saturday, September 3, 2022 at 1 p.m.ET /10 a.m. PT. | 8PM UK
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre has his sights on making history. When the WWE Clash at the Castle Premium Live Event comes to Cardiff, Wales, on Sept. 3, McIntyre will look to end Roman Reigns’ more than 700-day reign as champion.
The SmackDown Warrior defeated Sheamus in an absolutely brutal Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook Match to win his the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship opportunity on the July 29 episode of SmackDown. The next night, Reigns survived a hellish Last Man Standing Match against Brock Lesnar to retain his title and set the stage for a title showdown.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan vs. Shayna Baszler
SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan will put her title on the line against the dangerous Shayna Baszler at WWE Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales.
The extraordinary Morgan captured the SmackDown Women’s Title on sheer will. After overcoming six other Superstars in a whirlwind Money in the Bank Ladder Match, Liv cashed-in her coveted contract on the same night to best a war-torn Ronda Rousey and lay claim to the gold. She then followed that up with a controversial victory over The Baddest Woman on the Planet in a rematch at SummerSlam. Rousey was suspended for attacking a WWE official in the aftermath of the matchup, and the WWE Universe instantly began to wonder who would set up to challenge the tough titleholder.
Enter Shayna Baszler. On the first SmackDown after The Biggest Event of the Summer, The Submission Magician overcame Raquel Rodriguez, Aliyah, Shotzi, Xia Li, Natalya and Sonya Deville to win the right to challenge Morgan at the historic event on Sept. 3 in Cardiff, Wales.
Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss and Asuka vs. Bayley, Dakota Kai and IYO SKY
At SummerSlam, the WWE Universe was shaken to its core when Bayley made her ferocious comeback. She wasn’t alone, however, as she brought IYO SKY and a returning Dakota Kai with her.
Since then, they have made one thing clear: They are here to control WWE.
Standing in their way, however, is the Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, along with Alexa Bliss and Asuka. The EST of WWE did not take kindly to having her thunder stolen at SummerSlam and has a bone to pick with Bayley’s new faction after they took out Becky Lynch the night after SummerSlam.
Additionally, Alexa Bliss and Asuka are primed to compete in the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Tournament, as are Dakota Kai and IYO SKY. Now the two trios will head to Cardiff, Wales to battle each other at WWE Clash at the Castle.
Riddle vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins
In what is sure to be a volatile showdown, Riddle will go one-on-one with Seth “Freakin” Rollins at WWE Clash at the Castle in a quest for payback.
The Original Bro has found himself in the crosshairs of The Visionary since the absence of Randy Orton has left Riddle to battle it out on his own. Although they were supposed to throw down at SummerSlam, Riddle found himself not medically cleared to compete, and the contest never took place.
Riddle has since been sidelined with a stinger injury after Rollins Stomped him into the steel ring steps. Before he could give his return address on the Aug. 15 edition of Raw, however, The Visionary made an unexpected appearance.
After Rollins continued to mock his adversary, The Original Bro ultimately stormed the ring and ignited a huge brawl with his adversary. In the wake of the free-for-all, Riddle challenged Rollins to a showdown at WWE Clash at the Castle.
Intercontinental Champion Gunther vs. Sheamus
Sheamus loves a good fight. He will get that and so much more when he attempts to dethrone Intercontinental Champion Gunther at WWE Clash at the Castle.
After holding the NXT United Kingdom Championship for an astonishing 870 days, Gunther turned his attention SmackDown. With Ludwig Kaiser at his side and a brutal arsenal at his disposal, The Ring General has dominated the blue brand and defeated Ricochet to claim the Intercontinental Title.
Now, he is headed back across the pond to defend the workhorse title at the historic Premium Live Event, and he has made it clear that he considers the title “sacred.”
Sheamus reigned supreme over Ricochet, Madcap Moss, Happy Corbin and Sami Zayn a Fatal 5-Way Match on SmackDown to earn the right to face the vicious titleholder. A four-time World Champion, the highly-decorated Celtic Warrior is as tough as nails and would like nothing more than to seize the Intercontinental Title in Cardiff, Wales. Backed by The Brawling Brutes, Sheamus presents an epic challenge to the titleholder.
Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. The Judgment Day
The Judgment Day’s modus operandi has been to eradicate the veterans and so called “old-timers” from WWE.
First was Edge, who they brutally kicked out of his own group with a Con-Chair-To the former leader. Next came Rey Mysterio, who along with his son Dominik, took the fight to the nefarious trio, but were eventually beaten.
At SummerSlam, The Rated-R-Superstar made his fiery return and gained retribution when he defeated Damian Priest in Edge’s hometown of Toronto on the August 22 edition of Raw. Now, Edge looks to seek the eradication of the very group he created.
Edge and Rey Mysterio look to turn back the clock when they face Finn Bálor and Priest in a high-stakes match at WWE Clash at the Castle.
A wrinkle in this match has been Dominik Mysterio, who didn’t take kindly to his father picking Edge over him. Dominik has suffered his fair share of abuse from Rhea Ripley, being left beaten on several occasions. However, Dominik, as well as Ripley, will be ringside, making this matchup even more combustible.
Can Edge and Rey Mysterio, former Tag Team Champions, seek former glory and end The Judgment Day, or will The Judgment Day follow through on their plans to end Edge and Rey Mysterio?
For more than 720 days, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has stood on the top of the mountain in absolute “God Mode,” conquering the likes of Seth “Freakin” Rollins, John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Edge, Riddle, Kevin Owens, Rey Mysterio and so many others.
One day before going head-to-head with Drew McIntyre at WWE Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales, The Head of the Table will celebrate his epic two years as champion!
Ronda Rousey’s Final Judgment
At SummerSlam, a controversial finish in the SmackDown Women’s Title Match between titleholder Liv Morgan and Ronda Rousey caused the challenger to attack multiple officials, causing her to be fined and suspended.
Refusing to wait for her suspension to be lifted, The Rowdy One brought her special brand of bedlam to the blue brand last week and ended up getting arrested. Although WWE Official Adam Pearce did not press charges and Rousey was released, The Baddest Woman on the Planet will now face a Final Judgment.
Karrion Kross to make his SmackDown in-ring debut
Tick Tock.
Since emerging on SmackDown, former NXT Champion Karrion Kross and Scarlett have been lurking in the shadows and keeping a close eyes on Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and his challenger Drew McIntyre.
Kross will make his SmackDown in-ring debut next week, and the blue brand will never be the same.
The New Day and The Viking Raiders clash in a Viking Rules Match
The viciousness between The New Day and The Viking Raiders will be settled when the two collide in a Viking Rules Match.
The teams have beaten each other in recent weeks with Kendo sticks, shields and a wide variety of other weapons. The Viking Raiders even held a mock “Viking Funeral” for Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods after they put both Superstars on the shelf.
Last Friday, The New Day looked ready to retire The New Day, but it all ended up being a ruse to trick The Viking Raiders. With a stipulation like a Viking Rules Match, nothing is off the table in terms of the punishment that each team will inflict on the other.
Maximum Male Models to compete in first match against Hit Row
ma.cé and mån.sôör of the Maximum Male Models will compete for the first time in a SmackDown ring against Ashante “Thee” Adonis and Top Dolla of Hit Row next Friday night.
The two teams have been butting heads recently, with the Maximum Male Models getting fed up with Hit Row’s partying alongside The Street Profits last Friday night. This led to the model agency teaming up with Los Lotharios and together spray-painting what they thought was Hit Row’s bus. Unfortunately for the combined force, the bus belonged to The Street Profits.
The models and the recording artists will go toe-to-toe in a match to determine tag team supremacy.
Butch to take on Ludwig Kaiser
One day before Sheamus challenges Intercontinental Champion Gunther in a highly anticipated title showdown at WWE Clash at the Castle, The Celtic Warrior’s unhinged cohort Butch will step inside the square circle with Ludwig Kaiser in a one-on-one showdown. (SmackDown preview, Sept. 2, 2022)
Looking for excitement in your Raw experience? How about an appearance from a WWE Hall of Famer who won an Olympic Gold Medal with a broken freakin’ neck!
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions will be crowned this Monday!
In the finals of the explosive WWE Women’s Tag Team Tournament, Raquel Rodriguez & Aliyah will take on Dakota Kai & IYO SKY. Rodriguez & Aliyah could be the perfect combination of power and heart. It remains to be seen if that will be enough, though, to overcome the electric combination of SKY & Kai, who have turned WWE upside down alongside Bayley since returning at SummerSlam.
Which tandem will seize the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship? Find out tonight at 8/7 C on Raw on USA.
The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions and the honorary Uce are taking over the red brand!
Despite the friction between Jey Uso and Sami Zayn, the trio will represent The Bloodline ahead of Roman Reigns’ historic championship celebration next Friday night.
What do The Usos and Zayn have in store for Raw, and can they put their issues aside to focus on Reigns’ upcoming showdown with Drew McIntyre at WWE Clash at the Castle?
Ahead of his highly personal showdown with Seth “Freakin” Rollins at WWE Clash at the Castle on Sept. 3, Riddle will stand face-to-face with The Visionary on the red brand.
Considering the amount of sheer bedlam created every time the bitter adversaries get in each other’s vicinity, the chances of chaos are quite high
With the United States Title around his waist, Bobby Lashley has cemented his status as The All Mighty with show-stealing defenses against Ciampa and AJ Styles.
After tearing down the house, Lashley and The Phenomenal One joined forces to take on their recent tormentors Ciampa and The Miz, but the meddling A-Lister escaped The All Mighty’s wrath when he was dragged away by Dexter Lumis for a disqualification victory.
Having seemingly escaped the clutches of his would-be captor, The Miz will walk right back into the lion’s den when he squares off with Lashley.
STAMFORD, Conn., July 22, 2022 – Vince McMahon today released the following statement:
“As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE. Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you. I would like to thank my family for mightily contributing to our success, and I would also like to thank all of our past and present Superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand. Most importantly, I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your choice of entertainment. I hold the deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations of fans all over the world who have liked, currently like, and sometimes even love our form of Sports Entertainment.
“Our global audience can take comfort in knowing WWE will continue to entertain you with the same fervor, dedication, and passion as always. I am extremely confident in the continued success of WWE, and I leave our company in the capable hands of an extraordinary group of Superstars, employees, and executives – in particular, both Chairwoman and Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon and Co-CEO Nick Khan. As the majority shareholder, I will continue to support WWE in any way I can. My personal thanks to our community and business partners, shareholders, and Board of Directors for their guidance and support through the years. Then. Now. Forever. Together.”
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World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) boss Vince McMahon, who turned the firm from a regional player to global giant, says he will retire amid a flurry of misconduct claims.
He stepped down from his roles in WWE last month following reports he paid millions to suppress allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity.
Mr McMahon remains WWE’s majority shareholder.
He has led WWE for decades, often appearing as a performer in the ring.
In a statement that did not mention the allegations against him, Mr McMahon said he has the “deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations of fans all over the world”.
“Our global audience can take comfort in knowing WWE will continue to entertain you with the same fervour, dedication, and passion as always,” the 77-year-old said.
“My personal thanks to our community and business partners, shareholders, and Board of Directors for their guidance and support through the years. Then. Now. Forever. Together.”
His daughter Stephanie will serve as interim chairperson and co-CEO.
In June, The Wall Street Journal reported that Mr McMahon had agreed to pay $3m (£2.5m) to a former paralegal who said he sexually harassed her at work.
He reportedly agreed to an upfront payment of $1m, with the rest to be doled out over five years and apparently paid by Mr McMahon personally.
Despite initial reports that he would remain in post as the company’s CEO and chairman, the WWE board announced an investigation after it emerged that he had paid more than $12m to four other women to hide numerous allegations of infidelity. He was replaced as acting CEO and chairperson by his daughter.
The women – all former employees of WWE – signed agreements with Mr McMahon that barred them from discussing their relationships with him in exchange for the payments.
Mr McMahon has overseen the WWE’s growth into a media juggernaut whose content is broadcast in more than 180 countries and 30 languages.
When he purchased the then World Wrestling Federation from his father in 1982, matches took place in small venues and its rare television broadcasts were limited to local US cable channels.
But the organisation underwent a seismic change under his management, with events like WrestleMania, a live event featuring the sport’s top stars, drawing in millions of viewers. In 2021 the company’s revenue exceed $1bn for the first time.
As the sport grew, Mr McMahon leveraged his abrasive and bombastic personality to become one of its most recognisable faces.
He has been at the centre of some of its most famous moments, including being attacked by future US President Donald Trump at a WrestleMania event in 2007, and his feuds with stars like ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan became box office viewing.
