Vince McMahon to Appear on Smackdown Tonight After "Stepping Back" as CEO

By Christian Hoffer

The WWE has announced that Vince McMahon will appear on Friday Night Smackdown this evening at 8 PM ET. The surprise announcement follows the news that McMahon has "stepped back" from his responsibilities as CEO, following reports that WWE is investigating an alleged $3 million payment to an ex-employee to keep quiet about her alleged affair with McMahon. McMahon's daughter Stephanie McMahon has stepped in as interim CEO and chairwoman of the board of directors, but McMahon retains creative control of WWE's on-air product. The WWE hasn't provided any additional details about McMahon's appearance, beyond the statement below.

The WWE announced yesterday that McMahon would be "stepping back" from his responsibilities as CEO earlier today, following yesterday's news about McMahon's alleged cover-up. During their investigation of the alleged $3 million hush payments, it was allegedly discovered that McMahon had other ex-employees sign NDAs to keep quiet about other alleged misconduct. John Laurinaitis, the head of WWE's talent relations, was also implicated in alleged misconduct and is also being investigated. While both the WWE and McMahon are cooperating with independent counsel hired to investigate the allegations, it's unclear whether McMahon can be forced to step down. Although McMahon only owns about 40% of WWE's total stock, he controls 81% of the voting power.

While it's unclear what McMahon's appearance will entail, although he does have a history of incorporating real life issues and news into in-ring storylines. Professional wrestling has always blurred the lines between kayfabe and real life, with McMahon building up his company as a mix of reality TV and scripted storylines. Whether McMahon will acknowledge the controversies that's enveloped his company in recent days remains to be seen, although the announcement will almost certainly lead to an increase in ratings. 

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