Plenty of pro wrestling fans raised their eyebrows after WWE wrestlers Cody Rhodes and CM Punk made references to Vince McMahon on the two most recent episodes of Raw. Vince has also been in the news after some of Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s 2023 texts to WWE CEO Nick Khan were revealed in the ongoing shareholder lawsuit, where Levesque sounds anxious and frustrated with McMahon’s continued involvement in WWE creative.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has been in the pro wrestling business longer than most,
and he says there’s an awful lot of smoke here that indicates the 80-year-old McMahon is returning to WWE.
Here is what Ross said on his Grilling JR podcast asked when asked by co-host Conrad Thompson if he thinks there is a chance that Vince will return to WWE.
“Yeah. Absolutely. No doubt about it. I don’t even have, no question in my mind. It’s the old cliche, where there’s smoke, often times there’s fire. And there’s been a lot of smoke regarding VKM in WWE and what his future may or may not be, and how Vince can still contribute.
He’s a big picture guy, and that takes a lot of detail work, and planning, but he can do that. He can make all of that happen. And you know he’s hungry. You know that he’s making pies, so we know he’s in the kitchen.
I don’t think there’s any doubt in my mind that Vince will be instrumental in this year’s WrestleMania, as far as creative is concerned.
I’m not sure what the hell Ross is talking about when it comes to Vince making pies in the kitchen. At any rate, Conrad was surprised by JR’s assertion that Vince is involved in WrestleMania 42, seeing as the event begins in less than 10 days. Ross followed up by saying Vince isn’t the type of person to wait around.
“He’s not gonna wait on anything…Something’s gonna happen, and I believe that McMahon will be able to contribute to this year’s WrestleMania…There’s a lot of smoke out there right now. And I think through the haze, that Vince McMahon will rise again, in some level…I can’t see this much talk about Vince for there not to be something there.
…I just think that he’s gonna be involved in WrestleMania in some shape, form, or fashion. And that’s not disrespect to Triple H’s team and all that at all. It’s just the fact you’ve got the most successful pro wrestling guy in history who’s available. And I think that you use whoever is available, in the best way they can be used, and call it a day. See where it takes you.”
The story over weekend about TKO CEO Ari Emanuel meddling in WWE creative by inserting Pat McAfee into the main event of WrestleMania 42 also tells Ross that big changes can and will be made by TKO execs if WWE business metrics aren’t good enough to keep shareholders happy. McMahon’s track record of unmatched success in pro wrestling means Emanuel has to consider bringing him back to WWE in an official capacity.
Absolutely. They would not be good businessmen if they weren’t willing to entertain that idea. They realize that McMahon’s the guy that built the whole damn thing. He has a vision that nobody else has. He’s been doing this a long time. He’s gone through every up and down, in and out. I just think they’d be remiss, if the decision-makers would not use Vince if he is willing and he is able to be utilized.
The main reason why McMahon is no longer with WWE is because of the horrifying allegations made by Janel Grant in her sex trafficking lawsuit against them. Regardless of where the law stands on the NDA she signed, the text messages in the lawsuit are enough to convince most people that McMahon is a monster who shouldn’t ever be allowed back in the industry.
That being said, the corporate business world is disgusting in how it so often prioritizes profits over people. If McMahon can clear up his ongoing legal matters in his favor, I don’t doubt at all that he will try to restore his reputation in the business world, and a return to WWE may be on the table at that point. However, I don’t think that’s possible in time for WrestleMania 42, no matter what bizarre things Ross is smelling or tasting from McMahon’s kitchen right now.
Is Jim Ross the one who is smoking something, or is there any merit to his wild theory about Vince McMahon’s imminent return to WWE / TKO? Let me know in the comments below, Cagesiders.
