Frustration coming out of the Royal Rumble has led to Shane McMahon’s departure from WWE.
Ringside News reported on Wednesday that the 52-year-old McMahon has been quietly “let go” from WWE and is no longer in the plans for the upcoming Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, WrestleMania 38 or upcoming episodes of WWE television. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer confirmed that McMahon is out of WWE and is no longer booked for future shows.
On Wrestling Observer Radio earlier this week, Meltzer said that there was a lot of heat on McMahon over this year’s men’s Royal Rumble match. McMahon was the lead producer for the men’s Rumble and also appeared in the match as an in-ring talent.
Meltzer said that McMahon “had an idea of what the Rumble was going to be and then a lot of that ended up being changed."
Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast reported that one issue of concern with the Royal Rumble was how rapper Bad Bunny was handled. Bad Bunny appeared in the match as a surprise entrant.
“There were numerous changes to what number Bad Bunny would be,” Zarian tweeted. “This was a cause for concern and people within WWE were upset. WWE doesn’t want to come off negatively with such a major outside star.”
McMahon was also a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble. He entered at No. 28 and made it to the final three before being eliminated by Brock Lesnar.
McMahon, who is the son of WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, has helped book the Royal Rumble in the past but doesn’t have a backstage or front office role with WWE. Saturday’s Royal Rumble was the first time he’s wrestled since last year’s WrestleMania. Before his departure from the company, McMahon had been scheduled for WWE’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view on Feb. 19 in Saudi Arabia and for April’s WrestleMania 38.
McMahon was previously gone from WWE from 2010–16. He worked as a part-time performer for the company after making his return during the build to WrestleMania 32.
