Vince McMahon’s abrupt resignation as executive chairman of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE:TKO), the parent company of Stamford-based WWE, after a lawsuit accusing him of sex trafficking and abusing a former female employee might suggest the longtime head of the professional wrestling league has finally left the company he ran for many years. However, a former WWE star is claiming that is exercising control of the company through a proxy.
Ronda Rousey, who starred in the WWE productions from 2017-19 and then from January 2022 to August 2023, took to X (formerly Twitter) to insist McMahon is functioning as a behind the scenes force at the company.
“Bruce Prichard is basically Vince’s avatar, if he’s still around Vince still has a hand in the business,” she tweeted. “Vince was still running things through Bruce when he was ‘gone’ before.”
Prichard is the executive director of WWE’s creative team and is responsible for the creative content of its broadcast programs. Rousey’s tweet recalled McMahon’s previous retirement from the WWE leadership in July 2022 after press reports surfaced that he made hush money payments to former female employees who alleged he sexually assaulted them.
McMahon forced his way back into the WWE leadership in January 2023, using his majority stock ownership to seize control of the company. He later coordinated a merger with Endeavor Group Holdings, the parent company of United Fight Championship – Rousey was a former UFC women’s bantamweight champion before joining WWE.
McMahon owns a majority of TKO stock, but he only has 12% voting power in the company. His son-in-law, Paul Levesque – who performed in WWE as Triple H – is the company’s chief content officer and head of creative. Prichard is not part of the new lawsuit against McMahon, although his job predecessor John Laurinaitis was named as a defendant.
While Rousey claimed McMahon remains a shadowy figure within WWE, the company has publicly distanced itself from him – merchandise featuring McMahon was removed from its e-commerce sites and is not available at the concession stands for its stadium shows.
Photo courtesy WWE
