"Thank You, Vince" - Wrestling world erupts as Vince McMahon announces official retirement from WWE

With the official announcement of Vince McMahon retiring from WWE, the wrestling world has gone into a frenzy.

The sudden news from the former CEO and Chairman of the company arrived just ahead of SmackDown today on July 23. McMahon has been dealing with a lot of controversy surrounding him recently, with several lawsuits arriving along with the investigation of an alleged hush payment.

Vince also stepped back from his duties as the acting Chairman, with his daughter, Stephanie McMahon, taking charge as the interim CEO. Now it looks as if he has achieved enough in his work in the company and is taking a permanent hiatus as he announced the retirement news on social media.

"At 77, time for me to retire. Thank you, WWE Universe.Then. Now. Forever. Together. #WWE #thankful" Vince McMahon wrote.

The retirement news came as a huge shock to fans, with many being left in disbelief over the suddenness of the matter. As soon as the news started trending, the WWE Universe sent their appreciation to the man who made the company as popular as it is today.

As fans everywhere paid their respects to Vince after the retirement news, some of them questioned if this could lead to a story in the promotion as well.

One of the biggest and most recognizable names in the pro wrestling industry has now officially retired and we're all grateful for the memories shared.

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Following the retirement of Vince McMahon, what changes could come to WWE?

Today has certainly been one of the most eventful days in pro wrestling history, as Vince McMahon announced his official retirement at the age of 77. It remains to be seen if there will be a huge sendoff for McMahon at one of the upcoming premium live events, but we're quite sure that the industry will never be the same again.

Perhaps we can expect quite a few changes to arrive in the company as a whole as the new era starts to dawn. It was also announced earlier that Paul Levesque (Triple H) has officially been named the EVP of Talent Relations, with John Laurinaitis recently being ejected from the company.

We'll have to wait and see if Stephanie McMahon's position as CEO and Chairman becomes officially permanent moving forward. As the retirement of Vince McMahon will also most likely remove the creative booking decisions being influenced by him as well, we might expect to see a fresh direction for the product.

What are your thoughts on Vince's retirement? How do you think this will impact the company moving forward? Give your thoughts in the comments down below!