Wrestling Veteran Says Vince McMahon Could Be “Controlling” AEW

Vince McMahon stepped away from WWE in July 2022 for a short-lived retirement before returning to the company at the beginning of 2023.

While many fans have wondered how much control he is exerting in the company he led for forty years, former WWE official Nick Patrick thinks McMahon is controlling AEW as well.

This audacious claim was made on Patrick’s Monday Mailbag – courtesy of AdFreeShows.com – where Nick Patrick said he generally believes Vince McMahon is behind everything in the wrestling business and the rivalry between WWE and AEW could all be a work:

“I’m one of those old conspiracy theory guys, I always think Vince [McMahon] is sitting behind every damn thing, and I’m usually right. I’m just a conspiracy theory guy. He may not be running the thing, but he knows everything that’s going on and there are other ways to control them. … I think it’s a work rivalry, honestly, but it’s a controlled-inner office work rivalry.”

AEW President Tony Khan would likely dispute that idea given that he has claimed in the past that WWE has tried to interfere with his talent’s contracts.

Vince McMahon was backstage recently at Raw and although the Executive Chairman was reportedly at pains not to be seen as interfering there is a belief that his presence could be part of a long-term strategy to take back more control in WWE.

h/t 411Mania