WWE Chairman Vince McMahon made headlines and fueled the rumor mill earlier this month when he attended RAW in Boston, his first show since retiring in the summer of 2022.
It was reported that McMahon was at RAW mainly to visit John Cena, and that he spent the entirety of the show in the Gorilla Position backstage, but reportedly had no impact on the creative direction of the show, or production.
In an update, a report from Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated notes that this was more than just a visit to RAW for Vince as it was a chance for McMahon to reclaim what he believes still belongs to him.
Since returning to the company in January, McMahon has been focused on a sale of the company, and sources insist he has not been involved with WWE creative. However, SI notes that it was just a matter of time before McMahon returned backstage.
It was noted by multiple sources who were backstage at RAW that McMahon purposely stayed out of the way when he was at the TD Garden in Boston. His presence was noticeable, but he made sure that people noticed he was not involved.
McMahon reportedly sat front & center, in between WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H and WWE Executive Director of CWT Bruce Prichard at the Gorilla Position, but he was not wearing a headset, and reportedly spent a large portion of the night on his phone.
It was also noted that when any of the wrestlers went over to ask Triple H for feedback after their segment, McMahon hardly even raised his head, and never offered any insight.
Barrasso speculated that Vince’s RAW return will lead to him being at WrestleMania 39.
“McMahon’s return was a chess move,” Barrasso wrote. “More than just an opportunity to check in with the returning Cena, he had a motive attached to his return and it is undoubtedly part of a plan. There are endless options as to what McMahon’s appearance at RAW could mean, but the only certainty from my perspective is that it will serve as a prelude to McMahon going to WrestleMania and being back on-site for WWE’s signature event.”
Barrasso also speculated that we will see more of McMahon on The Road to WrestleMania 39.
“This laidback approach could be read as part of McMahon’s strategy. Being on site for WrestleMania may be part of his motive, but it is more likely only a part of his plans,” Barrasso wrote. “Plus, for McMahon, that appearance in Boston laid the groundwork—he can now show up at television tapings more frequently if he chooses. For what it is worth, McMahon was not present in RAW this week in Providence. The appearance at RAW in Boston was a first move, so it cannot be properly or fully analyzed until further steps are taken. There are simply too many variables at play not to be speculative. But it is easy to speculate that Boston will not be McMahon’s final RAW before WrestleMania.”
It was previously reported that McMahon’s RAW visit caused more of a stir online than it did at the venue or the locker room. One of the hot topics coming out of the visit was how McMahon arrived with a bit of a new look – dyed hair and a small mustache, which people described as resembling that of Gomez Addams from The Addams Family.
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