Bully Ray: WWE 'Took The Temperature Of The Room' With Vince McMahon Reference On Raw

Former WWE chairman Vince McMahon was alluded to during a segment on "WWE Raw" during a promo involving Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and McMahon's daughter, Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie made a surprise appearance to warn Rhodes about Randy Orton ahead of WrestleMania 42, and during the segment, she brought up Dusty Rhodes. Rhodes responded that Stephanie was also "nothing like her father," but didn't mention McMahon by name.

WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray believes that the line was WWE testing the waters after McMahon's second departure from the company in January 2024. The announcement of McMahon's resignation came days after former WWE employee Janel Grant accused him of sex trafficking in a civil lawsuit.

"They put their toe in the water," Bully Ray said on "Busted Open Radio." "They very, very gently took the temperature of the room and it didn't get booed out of the building. Here's what shocked me on social media last night... After the segment was over, I asked, 'Okay, fine. Who do you think was on the phone with Randy?' Resounding responses for Vince McMahon. Not only resounding responses, 'I think it's Vince,' but people were saying, 'I hope it was Vince.' It's interesting that they floated it out there. It's interesting that it wasn't met with an overwhelmingly negative reaction."

Bully Ray referred to the backstage segments involving Orton talking on the phone to who was previously believed to be "the voices in his head," though is now widely believed to be an actual person who could help him in his feud with Rhodes. Fans have also speculated it could be Triple H or Ric Flair, who Orton worked alongside during his early days in Evolution.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.