Vince McMahon’s departure from WWE in July 2022 was seen as temporary by executives within Endeavor well ahead of the TKO Group merger, according to a report from Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling.
Newly disclosed records in an ongoing WWE shareholder lawsuit include a text message between Mark Shapiro, Andrew Schleimer, and Jason Lublin outlining a scenario regarding the former WWE executive chair, from Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon taking over the company to a potential sale to Endeavor:
Nick and Stephanie are going to take over the WWE for the next nine months. At the end of the nine months Vince will be back with a new board or he will take the company private or he will sell it/coming to us. The race is on. The courtship is on.
McMahon returned to WWE in January 2023, reinstating himself onto the Board of Directors using his voting power as controlling shareholder.
Following the departure and removal of several directors, WWE announced it was exploring “strategic alternatives,” meaning the company was for sale.
The company ultimately agreed to merge with Endeavor’s UFC business three months after this, creating the parent holding company TKO Group.
The ongoing lawsuit claims that McMahon’s priortity was to secure his future on top of WWE despite allegations of sexual misconduct and the payment of millions of dollars in nondisclosure agreement that were not properly recorded on the company’s books.
Among the defendants named in the shareholder lawsuit are current WWE President Nick Khan, Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque, and former executives George Barrios and Michelle Wilson.
Other documents revealed in the process of discovery include an email from McMahon to the board following his 2022 departure, messages between McMahon and Ari Emanuel, and more.
One interaction in particular runs counter a a claim by Khan in March 2023 that the former chairman was not involved in WWE’s creative process, as McMahon reached out to Khan a month prior regarding plans involving Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes in the lead-up to WrestleMania 39.
Text from me to Paul and Bruce: “Hey guys just double checking. Does Roman [Reigns] and Cody [Rhodes] know the new creative re [WrestleMania] and next year ?”
Bruce : “Not to my knowledge. I don’t know if Paul has had a conversation with either. Roman’s first appearance since we spoke is Friday in DC. Both will be there in person.”
Me to Paul: “ Paul have U “?
The initial response from Khan simply reads “Langis,” implying a call to communicate further using the messaging app Signal.
The merger lawsuit is nearing the end of the discovery process and scheduled to go to trial in June 2026.