Key figure involved in WWE scandal missing from Friday Night SmackDown.
WWE and Vince McMahon are currently wrapped up the biggest scandal to hit the company in decades.
Early on June 17th it was announced that Vince McMahon had stepped back from his role as WWE CEO and Chairman of the Board with immediate effect.
Furthermore, McMahon has been replaced on an interim basis by his daughter Stephanie McMahon. However, Vince will retain his responsibilities related to WWE’s creative content.
The announcement came after news broke on June 15th that Vince McMahon was being investigated by WWE’s board of directors over allegations that he paid $3 million to a former employee with whom he had previously had an affair.
It was also noted that that the board’s investigation has unearthed older non-disclosure agreements that surround claims of misconduct made by other former female WWE employees that involve both Vince McMahon and WWE’s Head of Talent Relations, John Laurinaitis.
While McMahon was not only at SmackDown, but addressing the fans on camera, it has been reported by PWInsider that John Laurinaitis wasn’t present.
With regard to McMahon’s promo which opened the show, it was reported that one top star was less than impressed with how everything went down. The unnamed figure described the promo as “tone deaf and embarrassing” indicating that they thought it was nothing more than a power move to lessen the impact of the investigation.
As well as his jovial and defiant on-screen appearance, McMahon was also said to be in a good mood backstage ahead of the show, even joking around in the pre-show production meeting.