This week’s episode of WWE RAW underwent several last-minute changes as Fightful Select reports that Vince McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque handed down directives to modify the show.
According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, McMahon, who has been appointed as the TKO Executive Chairman of the Board, returned from his recent medical leave.
While McMahon was not in attendance at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, he performed his duties remotely.
Dave Meltzer reported, “Vince McMahon is back,” and that Triple H also made multiple last-minute changes to WWE RAW.
The reason several matchups and segments that took place on RAW weren’t advertised beforehand was because changes were being made to the show “all day long.”
Multiple people noted that the changes to the show were more than likely “changes for the better.”
As we previously reported here on eWn, Cody Rhodes was originally supposed to open RAW but was allotted time later for his segment with The Judgment Day. Jey Uso kicked off RAW instead.
The match between The Viking Raiders vs. Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin was originally supposed to follow the Shayna Baszler vs. Chelsea Green bout, but it was eventually moved to the Main Event tapings.
Natalya vs. Zoey Stark was initially set as a Main Event match but got axed after several last-minute changes. Natalya appeared in a backstage segment, and sources suggest that was in part motivated by her coverage for Becky Lynch on the recent India trip for Superstar Spectacle.
Some timing alterations were made for the main event matchup between Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez, while segment spots following the six-man tag team bout were not clearly defined beforehand.
Those parts of the timetable were eventually used for Jey Uso as well as the Becky Lynch and Tiffany Stratton segments.
According to a source, Vince McMahon had contributed changes up until WWE SmackDown to cover script elements, although details on the extent of McMahon’s medical hiatus and return from his spinal surgery are still being explored.
McMahon was present at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday for the opening bell ceremony, commemorating the closing of the WWE and UFC merger into TKO Group Holdings. Trading also commenced on the newly merged TKO on the NYSE.
Pwinsider is reporting that while McMahon wasn’t present at RAW, Triple H and Bruce Prichard ran the show, which is actually the norm.
WWE RAW wasn’t finalized until about 5:00 pm EST, just a few hours before the show went live, with various last-minute changes being made up until the five o’clock mark.
There was also reportedly no meeting, announcement, or acknowledgment of the WWE and UFC merger or TKO Group Holdings, at WWE RAW.
Monday’s show was the final WWE event promoted primarily under the McMahon family ownership. Endeavor now has a majority controlling interest in the newly formed TKO Group Holdings.
With the UFC and WWE merger into TKO Group Holdings officially closing on Tuesday, McMahon is in charge of the wrestling business and will continue to oversee WWE.
