Vince McMahon credited with saving WWE during recent catastrophe

Vince McMahon is synonymous with WWE. The stories that will never be told could last a lifetime, and the ones we know cover controversies such as the steroid trials of 1994 and triumphs like the Monday Night Wars. A more recent story on Mr. McMahon was just covered with more details, revealing how the embattled former chairman saved the company while the world was hurting.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world in countless ways and had a significant impact on WWE's operations from 2020-2021. The uncertainty surrounding the chaos led to numerous schedule changes, including WrestleMania 36 and 37, the creation of the ThunderDome, media controversy related to Florida Governor DeSantis, and other significant happenings. WWE ran mostly staff-only shows but then led the sports world with a virtual audience, limited in-person attendance, and finally, a return to in-person touring in the summer of 2021.

The Genetic Jackhammer is responsible for saving World Wrestling Entertainment during the pandemic, according to John Bradshaw Layfield. On the latest episode of Something To Wrestle With, JBL gave an inside look at how WWE operated during the pandemic and recalled how McMahon called him after making the unpopular decision to keep the company going.

Vince wanted a familiar voice on commentary for the staff-only tapings, one that would be recognized, as he thought this would offer a sense of continuity and comfort to members of the WWE Universe who were following the product in a much different world. McMahon faced immense opposition within WWE when it came to the decision to keep running shows, but JBL noted how the 79-year-old billionaire saw the bigger picture and moved forward.

"I can tell you, almost everybody in the company was against Vince running. Everybody was against it. All the press was against it. Everything, it was, ‘This is horrible. How dare he do this?' He said, 'If I don’t, I will lose all my TV contracts.' Those TV contracts of live events became worth exponentially more," JBL said. [H/T to WrestlingNews]

Layfield sees McMahon's decision as a master stroke as WWE secured its financial future by fulfilling the terms of its TV contracts, even without a live audience. The former WWE Champion credited McMahon with saving the company.

"You thought they’re gonna be worth exponentially less, is what you thought during COVID, because we didn’t know if the world was ending or not. Everybody wanted out of those TV contracts, but because he did that, he got these billion dollar TV contracts out of it. He saved the freaking company with that," JBL said.

The Wrestling God continued to praise McMahon for his leadership. Layfield noted that McMahon has stayed one step ahead of everyone in pro wrestling for his entire life.

WWE is entering a new era in 2025

World Wrestling Entertainment is headed into a major new period for the company. The RAW Netflix era will kick off on January 6 from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Below is the updated lineup for the show:

1. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins
2. Last Woman Standing Match for the Women's World Championship: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
3. Tournament Finals: Dakota Kai or Zoey Stark vs. IYO SKY or Lyra Valkyria to crown the inaugural Women's Intercontinental Champion
4. Tribal Combat: Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa for the Ula Fala
5. Appearances by John Cena, Logan Paul, Cody Rhodes, and more

The first RAW episode of 2025 will also serve as the return to a three-hour format. SmackDown will also go to three hours when it returns on January 3.