How Would You Rate The Last Episode Of WWE Raw Under Vince McMahon’s Hierarchy

WWE Raw signaled the end of a couple of significant eras.

First, this edition of Raw marked the conclusion of the yearly pre-football period. Monday night signaled the return of Monday Night Football, with a star-studded premiere featuring Aaron Rodgers and the revamped New York Jets against perennial contender Buffalo Bills. Following a successful year for Raw ratings, the show’s viewership will need to stay strong.

When WWE wrapped up Monday Night RAW at the Norfolk Scope in Virginia, it also marked the end of the McMahon era in professional wrestling. Vince McMahon, who led World Wrestling Entertainment for decades, is stepping down from his role as the ultimate authority of the company. Last week, WWE and Endeavor issued a press release announcing the merger of the wrestling company and the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) to form a new publicly traded company called TKO Group Holdings. Earlier this year, Endeavor acquired WWE as part of a massive $21 billion deal. McMahon will continue to oversee WWE as its Chairman.

Matt Riddle has experience working in both WWE and UFC, but the troubled Raw star is now embroiled in controversy. Riddle was reportedly removed from tonight’s Raw after an incident at JFK airport, where he claimed to have been sexually assaulted by a Port Authority police officer. This claim triggered an investigation, and Riddle, who recently returned to WWE after rehab, is likely to be off WWE television for the time being.

In the press release, WWE stated, “Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (‘Endeavor’) and World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (‘WWE’) have announced their anticipation of finalizing the previously disclosed transaction to establish TKO Group Holdings Inc. (‘TKO’) on September 12, 2023, at which time TKO will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ‘TKO’.”

Despite the change in ownership, McMahon will remain as the executive chairman of WWE once the Endeavor deal is finalized. Nevertheless, he will now answer to a new superior, Ari Emanuel, who serves as the CEO of Endeavor. Emanuel will also serve as the chief executive of TKO Group, which will hold a 51 percent ownership stake in WWE. The remaining 49 percent of the company’s shares will be held by WWE stakeholders.

The deal will not impact the UFC’s hierarchy significantly, as Dana White will continue to serve as the president of the MMA promotion company. Meanwhile, Nick Khan will remain in his role as the CEO and Chief Revenue Officer of WWE.

The official confirmation of Endeavor taking over ownership came in April. During that period, McMahon issued a statement, declaring, “Considering the remarkable achievements of Ari (Ariel Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor) and Endeavor in expanding the UFC brand, almost doubling its revenue in the past seven years, and the substantial success we’ve experienced by collaborating with their team on numerous ventures, I am confident that this is unquestionably the optimal outcome for our shareholders and other stakeholders,” as reported by Metro.

While hinting at the merger, McMahon added, “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.”

In July last year, McMahon abruptly announced his retirement from his position within WWE due to several allegations of sexual misconduct. He later returned to oversee the potential sale of the wrestling promotion company. Initially, the Board of Directors refused to accept the offer, but they had to reinstate McMahon after he threatened to use his voting power to regain his position. Being a Class B stockholder of WWE, McMahon possesses the authority to obstruct the sale of the company.

From that perspective, the September 11 episode of WWE Raw was historic as it officially marked the end of the Vince McMahon era in sports entertainment, which lasted for more than four decades. Vince has held the majority ownership of WWE since he acquired the WWWF from his father in 1982.

From starting as a US-based wrestling company, he worked tirelessly to transform it into a global wrestling empire, solidifying Vince’s legacy. Shows like WWE Raw and Smackdown also emerged in the ’90s and early 2000s to spread WWE programming worldwide. With Vince at the helm and stars like The Undertaker, The Rock, Stone Cold, John Cena, Triple H, and more performing under him, WWE became one of the most renowned sporting events in the world.

While Vince McMahon will still have a role in the new business and serve as TKO’s Executive Chairman, his sole ownership of a pro wrestling company has come to an end. He will no longer have the final say on WWE Raw/Smackdown programming unless the newly formed board agrees. With that, the McMahon era in WWE has officially concluded.

It’s worth noting that Nia Jax, one of the first signings made by McMahon upon his return, also made her return during last night’s episode of WWE Raw.

For the final RAW under the McMahon era, the company featured high-profile and significant matches. Rhea Ripley successfully defended her Women’s World Title against Raquel Rodriguez (Dominik Mysterio was banned from ringside), with the assistance of the returning Nia Jax. After the match, Nia Jax attacked Rhea Ripley.

Originally, Cody Rhodes was supposed to start the show, but Jey Uso and Kevin Owens began the show instead, leading to a match against The Judgment Day.

It appears that despite this being the last solely McMahon-owned WWE RAW, Vince McMahon was not present tonight.

How would you rate the last episode of WWE Raw under Vince McMahon’s hierarchy?