"Shocked" – Former WWE personality reacts to Vince McMahon controversy

Wrestling veteran Eric Bischoff shared his thoughts on Vince McMahon stepping back as WWE CEO and Chairman amid misconduct allegations.

Vince McMahon is the subject of an investigation by the company's Board of Directors after a report surfaced that he paid 3 million USD to a former female employee following an alleged affair.

Speaking about the matter on his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff said he was "dumbfounded" when he heard the news:

“I was dumbfounded. Shocked. I can’t imagine anybody felt any differently. Even though it appears to be very temporaneous and not a permanent situation, at least that’s not the way it’s presented or the way I read it, but nonetheless, it’s a big damn deal and it did shock me."

The former WCW President added that he has a lot of friends in the Stamford-based promotion and believes the scandal is going to affect them:

“I feel bad for a lot of people. I still have a lot of friends in WWE that I do care about a lot. Regardless of how this ends up, it’s going to adversely affect a lot of people. How do you feel anything other than bad for people that you know and have affection for that are having to go through this? I feel bad for Bruce (Prichard). I sent Bruce a text Friday night during the show going, ‘Brother, one hell of a ride.’ To be sitting in that seat, to be there in the eye of that fu**ing hurricane, man I feel for a lot of people.” (H/T: wrestlingnews)

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Vince McMahon addressed the WWE Universe on SmackDown

Last week's SmackDown began with Vince McMahon coming down to the ring. While the 76-year-old didn't discuss the allegations that led to him stepping back as Chairman and CEO of WWE, he reiterated the promotion's tagline 'Then, Now, Forever' before stressing the fourth word, 'together.'

According to a report from Fightful, the segment wasn't well-received backstage, with a backstage source describing it as tone-deaf and embarrassing:

"A top talent immediately contacted Fightful and said it was 'tone deaf and embarrassing,' and believed it was his way of putting himself on screen as a power move to lessen the impact of an investigation's findings."

In the absence of Vince McMahon, his daughter Stephanie McMahon has taken charge of the company as the Interim CEO and Chairwoman.