Nick Khan Addresses Vince McMahon's Return To WWE
WWE is going through a whirlwind of changes right in front of everyone's eyes, with the company welcoming back Vince McMahon as the Executive Chairman of the Board and wishing Stephanie McMahon all the best as she resigns as CO-CEO of the company. This move leaves Nick Khan as the sole CEO of WWE despite Vince returning, with Triple H also maintaining his role as Chief Content Officer. Seemingly every day however WWE has announced changes within the company and to its shareholders, with the latest being two departures in the communications department. Despite the ongoing changes, WWE has been silent to the public until today. Nick Khan officially became the first WWE board member to make public comments about the return of Vince McMahon and the pending sale of WWE, creating some fascinating headlines with his comments. Not only did he defend the comeback of the 40-year WWE boss, but Khan also mentioned why it wasn't "insane" to hear about his return given how well he knows the 77-year-old despite all the investigations he's been under.
"When you're on the inside you sort of see things that might be coming and know what might be coming, my thought has always been there's only one boss at WWE and it ain't me," Khan said during an interview with The Bill Simmons Podcast. "Vince is obviously the founder, and creator of the company, he's also the controlling shareholder. That's not a work term, that's a legal term of art. I think it was always my point of view, Stephanie's point of view at some point he would come back.
"I was surprised in the moment [that Vince retired] but once I thought about it for a couple of days, it made sense to me. I wouldn't say it caught me off guard because again, we were on the inside sort of feeling a bit of the pressure that was going on so it certainly seemed again, the right thing at the right time."
Anyone who believed [Vince's departure] was permanent, doesn't know him.
The former WWE CEO didn't step away from the company without controversy though, with Vince facing several allegations including hush money payments made out to four separate women in the past 16 years, first discovered by the Wall Street Journal. Despite Vince only being WWE-free for around six months, Khan defended how he handled his departure, giving Vince credit for going away during that period and leaving the company in his, Stephanie, and Triple H's hands. The current WWE CEO also mentioned how WWE fans "seem to like" when someone leaves the company for a bit and then comes back, mentioning that Vince is back to take control of "his company as the controlling shareholder." Although it's only been a week since Vince has returned, Khan does believe what he said publicly about not involving himself with the company but only coming back to engage in strategic alternatives for a sale of the company and the media rights deal. He also stated that so far, Vince has only engaged in that and "other board issues."
Khan also stated that McMahon had "zero" influence on WWE throughout his time away but did reveal he "made it a point, as did others" to see the former Chairman once a month while he was away.
"I think those things are important, it's no different, in my opinion than when other mutual friends of ours, who have gone through hard times professionally," Khan said. "That's when they sort of need to hear from folks most that hey you haven't forgotten about them and you're appreciative of them and all those things. I think in staying in contact that way, which was mostly social and personal, there was never a moment of 'do it this way' or 'do it that way.' It just never happened."
In closing, the WWE CEO mentioned why he's not shocked Vince came back to the company, simply stating "that's Vince."
"Anyone who believed that was permanent, doesn't know him," Khan said. "That was never going to happen but I'm appreciative of the fact that he gave it the five, six months, let the dust settle a little bit, and then coming back in the way he's coming back."