Recent speculation regarding a potential sale of WWE by TKO Group Holdings has been strongly refuted, according to industry reporting. The rumors, which included the possibility of Vince McMahon reacquiring the promotion, have been directly contradicted by accounts from within the company.
Journalist Dave Meltzer, speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, addressed the situation and the unlikelihood of such a transaction from a business standpoint.
“The stories of him [Vince McMahon] somehow buying WWE, and I even saw a line in a story about how TKO is looking to sell WWE and it’s like, aside from that being denied all day, TKO has just saved between $100 million and $150 million by essentially removing so many jobs and things like that because they could operate UFC and WWE with the same office staff.”
This financial strategy of consolidating the operational staff of WWE and UFC underscores the cost-saving benefits TKO has realized, creating a significant incentive to retain the wrestling organization. While TKO has not released a formal public statement, this internal stance directly counters the recent wave of speculation.
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The sale theories gained traction following discussions by former WWE figures. On his podcast, Jonathan Coachman mentioned he had spoken with industry insiders who believed McMahon might want to regain control of the company. Separately, Vince Russo theorized that McMahon’s departure could have been a strategic move with foreknowledge of a pending lawsuit, positioning TKO as a temporary steward.
McMahon resigned from his position as TKO Executive Chairman in January 2024 following the filing of a sex trafficking lawsuit by former employee Janel Grant. At the time of his exit, TKO issued a statement clarifying that McMahon did not control the company or its day-to-day operations.
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