After returning from a leave of absence eight months ago to become the Co-CEO of WWE with Nick Khan, Stephanie McMahon has officially announced her resignation from WWE following the return of her father, Vince, to the promotion as the Executive Chairman of the Board.

Initially hired as the Executive Vice President of Creative in 2007 following a run as the Director of Creative Writing and the Senior Vice President of Creative Writing, McMahon was elevated to the Chief Brand Officer of WWE in 2013, which was the role she held until May of 2022, when she took a leave of absence from the company in order to take time off to focus on her family. Unfortunately for McMahon, her break didn't last long, as she was offered the role of Co-CEO and Interim Chairwoman of the Board, roles she officially accepted on July 22.

With Mr. McMahon now officially back as the Executive Chairman of the Board, Stephanie can now step back and focus on her family once more, as she detailed in her farewell memo issued to fans and wrestlers alike on social media.

Dear WWE Universe,

About 8 months ago, I took a leave of absence and within a few weeks, unexpectedly had the opportunity of a lifetime. I had the privilege to return as the Co-CEO and Chairwoman of the Board of WWE. I cannot put into words how proud I am to have led what I consider to be the greatest company in the world, working alongside a remarkable leadership team and one of the strongest executives I have known in my Co-CEO, Nick Khan.

Our Founder, Vince McMahon, has returned as Executive Chair and is leading an exciting process regarding strategic alternatives. And with Nick’s leadership and Paul “Triple H” Levesque as Chief Content Officer, I am confident WWE is in the perfect place to continue to provide unparalleled creative content and drive maximum value for shareholders.

WWE is in such a strong position, that I have decided to return to my leave and take it one step further with my official resignation.

I look forward to cheering on WWE from the other side of the business, where I started when I was a little kid, as a pure fan. I will always remain dedicated to WWE. I truly love our company, our employees, our Superstars, and our fans. And I am grateful to all of our partners.

Thank you for everything.

Then. Now. Forever. Together.

-Steph

Where does WWE go from here without Stephanie McMahon?

Though the exact ramifications of Stephanie's decision won't be known for some time, while the dust settles, news is already coming out about how the move has been met internally, and based on the information available, it isn't particularly good.

According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Nick Khan will now officially serve as WWE's lone CEO, with no partner expected to take Stephanie's spot. It was also reiterated to the Fightful reporter that Levesque will remain as the Chief Content Officer, where he will continue to head up talent and live events.

Jon Alba, the multi-hyphenate broadcaster who co-hosts The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, has also commented on the situation, telling his Twitter followers that he's had multiple wrestlers reach out to him about Stephanie's resignation, with most expressing dismay at her loss to the company, considering her pro-wrestler stances.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Bill Goldberg next to Vince McMahon with the WWE logo as the background.

Matty Breisch ·

Becky Lynch with a text bubble reading "He has a vision" next to Triple H with the WWE logo as the background.

Matty Breisch ·

Ronda Rousey with a text bubble reading "Remove Vince’s influence completely" next to a grayed-out Vince McMahon with the WWE logo as the background.

Matty Breisch ·

Where does WWE go from here? Vince McMahon has officially been re-instated in his role as the Head of the Board of Directors, which wasn't a surprise but is official nonetheless. And while many assumed that his return was associated with a desire to sell the company, this decision certainly throws that into question. Still, when one considers that Stephanie wanted to step away from the business back in May and only returned when her father stepped down, maybe the plan for her to fill the CEO role was always supposed to be a transitional play, as Vince likely didn't want to see a day where WWE, at least in its current state, didn't have someone with his last name in a position of power.

Either way, after enticing more than a few fans back with a new presentation built around actually televising wrestling matches with definitive finishes, the prospects of Vince slowly but surely chipping away at what his son-in-law has built over the past six months, bookings that have some calling him a favorite for 2022's Booker of the Year award, is a bitter pill to swallow, as it makes an uneasy future all the more uncertain.