Why did Vince McMahon step down from WWE?

With over 200 hours of interviews with McMahon himself (prior to his resignation), as well as his family members, associates and big names from the wrestling industry - Mr McMahon aims to answer everyone's burning questions.

But why did the WWE CEO and chairman decide to step back from his roles?

Read on for everything you need to know about Vince McMahon, including the allegations put against him.

Who is Vince McMahon?

Vince McMahon is an American business and former CEO of WWE, which he co-founded alongside his wife Linda.

After studying business at university in the late '60s, McMahon entered the world of wrestling as a commentator for WWE for most of the '70s.

A decade later, McMahon bought the company from his father and oversaw the development of WrestleMania, which is one of the world's most successful wrestling events.

In 2022, McMahon stepped down as CEO and chairman and was replaced by his daughter.

Why did Vince McMahon step down from WWE?

In June 2022, it was announced that McMahon would step down as chairman and CEO of WWE, pending an investigation into alleged misconduct.

The following month, McMahon released a statement and announced he would be retiring.

"As I approach 77 years old, I feel it's time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE," he said at the time.

"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."

However the following year, McMahon returned after being unanimously elected Executive Chairman of the Board.

In 2024, McMahon stepped down once more after a former employee filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of sexual assault, abuse and sex trafficking.

The former WWE employee, Janel Grant, stated she was "the victim of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault and trafficking at WWE".

"Today's complaint seeks to hold accountable two WWE executives who sexually assaulted and trafficked Plaintiff Janel Grant, as well as the organisation that facilitated or turned a blind eye to the abuse and then swept it under the rug," said her lawyer, Ann Callis.

McMahon has strenuously denied the allegations and released the following statement: "I stand by my prior statement that Ms Grant's lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth.

"However, out of respect for the WWE Universe, the extraordinary TKO business and its board members and shareholders, partners and constituents, and all of the employees and Superstars who helped make WWE into the global leader it is today, I have decided to resign from my executive chairmanship and the TKO board of directors, effective immediately."

McMahon has not been criminally charged in relation to the allegations.

What has Vince McMahon said about the Netflix documentary?

Ahead of the release of Mr McMahon on Netflix, the former WWE boss released a statement, slamming the documentary as "deceptive" and "misleading".

RadioTimes.com has reached out to Netflix for comment.

In a statement posted to X (formerly known as Twitter), McMahon wrote: "I don't regret participating in this Netflix documentary.

"The producers had an opportunity to tell an objective story about my life and the incredible business I built, which were equally filled with excitement, drama, fun, and a fair amount of controversy and life lessons.

"Unfortunately, based on an early partial cut I've seen, this doc falls short and takes the predictable path of conflating the 'Mr McMahon' character with my true self, Vince. The title and promos alone make that evident."

The statement continued: "A lot has been misrepresented or left out entirely in an effort to leave viewers intentionally confused.

"The producers use typical editing tricks with out of context footage and dated soundbites to distort the viewers' perception and support a deceptive narrative."

Mr McMahon is available to stream on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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