According to former WWE creative writer Vince Russo, a potential reacquisition of WWE by Vince McMahon would directly lead to the return of his son, Shane McMahon, to a position of power within the company. Russo made the assertion on a recent episode of The Wrestling Outlaws podcast.
He claimed that the elder McMahon, if he regained control, would install Shane as his successor, attributing the motivation to a desire to repay his son following a perceived betrayal by his daughter, Stephanie McMahon, and son-in-law, Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
“Every single week they’re showing us how badly they need the leadership of Vince McMahon. Bro, here’s where I think the difference would be: because of the way everything went down, if Vince McMahon were to ever buy back his company and come back, he would be coming back with Shane under his arm. And Vince would know I’m 80-something years old, I don’t have much time; F my son-in-law and my daughter for what they did for me. It is now time for me to repay back my son. And Shane McMahon would become the new Vince McMahon,” Russo stated.
This speculation arises amid reports of Vince McMahon’s interest in reacquiring WWE. The former chairman resigned from the company in January 2024 following allegations of sexual assault and trafficking. Levesque currently serves as the Chief Content Officer.
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Russo’s theory, however, contrasts with previous reports regarding Shane McMahon’s standing with the current WWE leadership. A report from Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer last year indicated that there was no interest from the new regime in bringing him back.
“I know Shane McMahon has looked to get back in WWE, I know the people in charge of WWE have no interest in him,” Meltzer claimed.
During his time away from WWE, Shane McMahon has engaged with others in the wrestling industry. A report from WrestleTalk last year noted that he had a meeting with AEW CEO Tony Khan. At the time, McMahon was not under contract with WWE. He later clarified that the purpose of the meeting was to offer congratulations on AEW’s success.
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