In a bit of an unexpected move, Stephanie McMahon leaves WWE, per an announcement Tuesday evening. Plus, could Jay White be coming in?
Stephanie McMahon Leaves WWE
It’s been an interesting start to 2023 for the family, and now we can add this: Stephanie McMahon leaves WWE.
Unlike her very brief move in 2022, this one is decidedly more permanent.
Last year, before things blew up, Stephanie announced she was taking a leave of absence. There was a lot of talk about why, but it was short-lived.
Once her father was on his way out due to his bad behavior, Stephanie came back to fill the void, ultimately serving as co-CEO alongside Nick Khan.
That arrangement is no more.
Per Stephanie herself:
Then. Now. Forever. Together. pic.twitter.com/8dqr5reIiv
— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) January 10, 2023
This is a big bit of news, but what it means remains to be seen.
Surely there will be more questions than answers for now.
Before her father was somewhat forced out and then retired, Stephanie had one foot out the door.
Some may have believed she was on her way out back then, but then circumstances changed.
Things changed again as the calendar flipped to 2023.
source: @nypost, twitter, screenshot
Dad is back, pulling off a takeover of the board of the company which he remains majority shareholder.
Vince says this is all about the upcoming TV deals, but the belief is he also is back to work on the company’s sale.
While all signs pointed to no change in the co-CEOs or in creative, that no longer holds true.
Was this Stephanie dictating the terms of her exit? Or was there nothing more to it than time to step away?
As always, stay tuned!
Could Jay White Be Coming?
His name has been kicked around before, and we’ve seen the NJPW star in AEW…but could Jay White be coming to WWE?
And, if there was mutual interest, did Vince McMahon’s recent return alter that.
To be clear, we don’t know that Jay White was interested. We do know, according to Fightful, that WWE has strong interest.
Per the report, White’s NJPW deal is ending soon, and it is expected that he will be done in Japan.
We’ve already seen him work in AEW, since the two companies have a working arrangement.
However, per the report, WWE insiders supposedly are confident in the ability of the company to bring him into the fold.
As his contract winds down, Jay White does still have dates scheduled. His “loser leaves NJPW” match is not scheduled until after the Royal Rumble-February 11, to be precise.
So, if you were hoping he’d follow in AJ Styles‘ footsteps and make a Rumble debut…those chances seem slim.
Unless, of course, the two companies somehow (and quietly) struck a deal. It seems unlikely, but we’ve seen Triple H do business differently than his predecessor.
source: @wrestlepurists, twitter, screenshot
Just look at Shinsuke.
The other question is, is Jay White interested in WWE?
If so, has that interest changed at all since McMahon returned, knowing that the company might be set to have a crazy 2023.
Even if WWE likes their chances, it seems like AEW probably would too, given the relationships Jay White has. This one will be interesting to watch.
