It’s unclear whether or not Vince McMahon has plans to get back in the pro wrestling business.
But if he does, it won’t be on Fox.
On the latest episode of his 83 Weeks with Eric Bischoff podcast, Conrad Thompson amplified rumors that the former WWE chairman was putting together his own pro wrestling promotion with plans in place for it to become a Fox property. Thompson noted that McMahon has reportedly hired multiple ex-WWE staffers for his own production company, as well as his recent appearance at Super Bowl LIX, which aired on Fox, to connect the dots that the Murdoch family-owned company might not be done with pro wrestling after all.
“I don’t know if this is real or not — but the rumor mill, the whispers, say perhaps Fox is holding a spot for Vince McMahon,” Thompson, who is well-connected in the pro wrestling industry, said.
As it turns out, it’s not real — at least not when it comes to the network the potential pro wrestling promotion would be airing on. Reached by Awful Announcing, a Fox spokesperson said that the network is not in talks with Vince McMahon to start a new wrestling show.
Despite floating the rumor on their popular podcast, both Thompson and Bischoff expressed skepticism about a such a promotion being viable. Not only is McMahon still at the center of a high profile civil lawsuit from a former WWE employee that accuses him of sexual misconduct that ultimately led to his exit from the company last year, but most of the world’s top pro wrestling talent is currently under contract with WWE and rival promotion AEW.
Thompson and Bischoff, however, also admitted that just because they couldn’t imagine the 79-year-old McMahon running another pro wrestling promotion, doesn’t mean he wouldn’t attempt to pull it off. And while that may very well be the case, Fox’s willingness to publicly dispute the rumor only further illustrates the challenges he would likely face in making the potential promotion it a reality.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.