Vince McMahon is dealing with a serious health issue. According to TMZ Sports, the executive chairman of WWE underwent “major” surgery last week to fix an issue with his spine. The surgery lasted over four hours and was “deemed a success.” McMahon is currently recovering at home.
McMahon was the CEO, chairman and controlling shareholder for over 40 years. After leaving the company last year, the 77-year-old returned to WWE earlier this year to be part of WWE’s merger with UFC to form a new publicly traded company led by UFC’s parent company, endeavor. McMahon will officially be the executive chairman of WWE when the merger is finalized.
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“Given the incredible work that Ari [Emanuel] and Endeavor have done to grow the UFC brand – nearly doubling its revenue over the past seven years – and the immense success we’ve already had in partnering with their team on a number of ventures, I believe that this is without a doubt the best outcome for our shareholders and other stakeholders,” McMahon said in April.
“Together, we will be a $21+ billion live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity. The new company will be well-positioned to maximize the value of our combined media rights, enhance sponsorship monetization, develop new forms of content and pursue other strategic mergers and acquisitions to further bolster our strong stable of brands. I, along with the current WWE management team, look forward to working closely with Ari and the Endeavor and UFC teams to take the businesses to the next level.”
Last year, McMahon left WWE for six months due to workplace misconduct claims that were settled before the lawsuits became public. “As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE,” McMahon said in July 2022. “Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you. I would like to thank my family for mightily contributing to our success, and I would also like to thank all of our past and present Superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand. Most importantly, I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your choice of entertainment. I hold the deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations of fans all over the world who have liked, currently like, and sometimes even love our form of Sports Entertainment.”
