Despite Vince McMahon’s apparent permanent departure from WWE, his influence continued to have influence the company throughout 2023, even following his initial “stepping away” in 2022.
Reports from early 2023, notably by Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, detailed how McMahon’s presence still impacted WWE’s creative direction in the lead-up to WrestleMania 39. This included instances of talent being sidelined from television and significant changes to planned storylines, revealing that McMahon’s decision-making remained a factor even though Triple H was running creative daily.
One notable example of McMahon’s continued control was the WrestleMania 39 match between Finn Balor and Edge. Fightful’s sources revealed that Balor was originally slated to defeat Edge, ending their feud. However, McMahon intervened, overriding the original creative direction and insisting on Edge’s victory, even against Edge’s own preference to put over Balor. This last-minute change, typical of McMahon’s approach, left things unclear about whether the talent themselves were informed of the original plan, as such shifts are often communicated on the day of the event.
While the controversial outcome of the Cody Rhodes versus Roman Reigns match at WrestleMania 39 sparked speculation about McMahon’s involvement, reports indicate that the decision for Reigns to retain the championship was a long-standing plan. However, McMahon’s direct involvement in the Raw after WrestleMania 39 was undeniable. The show underwent extensive last-minute rewrites, with one source describing McMahon’s involvement as a chaotic and disruptive force, cited as a “Tazmanian Devil” tearing through the script.
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