"Nobody's phoning it in" - Veteran writer reveals the impact Vince McMahon's exit has had on WWE (Exclusive)

For years, Vince McMahon's name had been synonymous with WWE and even wrestling to some extent. The 80-year-old was the driving force behind the Stamford-based promotion becoming the global juggernaut it is today. So, when he stepped away from the promotion, it came as a massive shock.

Vince McMahon left his position as Chairman and CEO midway through 2022, and the company was eventually sold to Endeavor Group in a merger that saw it own a majority share. Veteran writer Vince Russo recently revealed the impact Mr. McMahon had on the promotion and its roster.

Speaking on an episode of Writing with Russo on Sportskeeda WrestleBinge, he said that The Rock might've returned if Vince McMahon were still around. He even added that Roman Reigns wouldn't have taken so much time off wrestling if Vince McMahon were still in charge, as he has too much respect for him.

"A lot of that, I swear to God, a lot of that is no Vince. Roman Reigns ain't going to pull that with Vince there. He's got too much respect for him. He's not going to pull that with Vince there. Rock is going to have a little bit more trust with Vince there. I'm telling you, bro, there's a huge difference without Vince McMahon in that seat. Bro, nobody's phoning it in with Vince in charge. Absolutely not. Nobody's phoning it in," Russo said.

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Since leaving WWE, Mr. McMahon has launched a new company by the name 14th & I. It is an investment firm pursuing opportunities in media and sports entertainment. Many fans are speculating that Vince would use his new company to try and buy WWE back from TKO to once again be in charge of the company.

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About the author

Faiz is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. He is a BBA graduate who is passionate about sports and wants to make a career in that field. This passion led to a postgraduate degree in Journalism, which helped him pivot into becoming a sports writer. When writing, he puts the utmost importance on accuracy and thorough research.

Faiz has six years of work experience across four companies. He started his career with Zomato and then moved to Amazon. He shifted to becoming a football writer at TV9 Digital and is now with Sportskeeda. He covered the Wrestling Xtreme Mania event in Gurgaon in 2025, where he had the opportunity to interview Raj The Maharaja, fka Jinder Mahal. At the same event, he also got quick interviews with former WWE Superstar Dijak and Japanese Joshi legend Emi Sakura.

When it comes to his favourite wrestlers, Faiz has two names in mind. He loved to watch Triple H before the current WWE CCO retired, and he is a huge fan of Roman Reigns. Being a loyal fan since the Tribal Chief's SHIELD days, Faiz credits Roman's mic skills and unmatched in-ring storytelling for his mega success. When he was young, one in-ring story left a lasting impression on his mind and eventually got him hooked on WWE. That match was Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania 24. Apart from that, he is also a fan of RAW.

When Faiz is not writing for Sportskeeda, he loves to keep up with other sports. He is an avid cricket and football fan, a huge gamer, and loves playing some RPGs on the PlayStation.

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Edited by Faiz Ahmed