Vince McMahon’s absence from this week’s episode of SmackDown has sparked curiosity among fans. Although he was not physically present at the show in Portland, McMahon still had control over the event via a call before the show began. According to a report from Fightful, he made some minor changes but did not make any major alterations.
McMahon’s presence was felt during WrestleMania, where he was actively involved in the event’s production, and during the RAW after WrestleMania, where he made major changes to the show on the fly, resulting in chaos backstage. However, this week’s SmackDown reportedly ran much smoother without McMahon present in the building, with backstage morale said to be better.
Despite McMahon being across the country, he still holds power over the show and can make changes via a call. While he may not have been as hands-on during this week’s SmackDown, McMahon’s influence over the company remains significant.
The ongoing merger between WWE and UFC will see Dana White continue to oversee UFC, while McMahon will maintain control over WWE. This is set to come with some significant stock benefits once TKO goes live on Wall Street. Although McMahon has said that he will not get “in the weeds,” his involvement in the RAW after WrestleMania suggests otherwise. As for SmackDown, the evidence seen on television indicates that McMahon took a more hands-off approach.
