Given the aggressive, and controversial, nature in which Vince McMahon reassumed control of WWE over the past week and a half, the idea that lawsuits would be filed against him was all but a certainty. Before this morning, McMahon had one lawsuit to deal with, from a shareholder in Delaware, and the likelihood of an older lawsuit, filed in June before McMahon’s initial retirement, re-emerging. Now it appears he’ll have to deal with a third one.

Sportico is reporting that Detroit’s Police and Fire Retirement System has sued McMahon in an attempt to block McMahon from regaining control of WWE, and to prevent “expediting a sale.” A request was also made to issue the complaint as a class action lawsuit, which Sportico noted could potentially slow the process of a sale, should this complaint gain steam in the courts.

The lawsuit, which was noted to be similar to the one followed by the Deleware shareholder just last week, argues that McMahon “breached fiduciary duties as controlling stockholder,” citing his power play to return to the WWE Board of Directors and his rewriting of WWE bylaws. The complaint further argued that McMahon’s rewriting of WWE bylaws could hamstring the Board from making critical decisions.

It’s unclear how much, if any, effect, this will have on McMahon, who appears to be undeterred in his return to regain full control of WWE. Reports have suggested that McMahon has already returned to WWE offices at Titan Towers and has been in contact with several WWE departments. As of this writing, he has yet to resume his role running WWE creative, with current WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H assuring WWE talent in two separate meetings that he maintains creative control, for the time being.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Two lawsuits have been filed against Vince McMahon following his return to the WWE Board Of Directors because he has returned to the company. 

McMahon will not be beholden to stockholders moving forward, as a new SEC filing noted how McMahon would no longer need stockholder approval for his actions in the company as he reportedly attempts to oversee a sale of WWE.

The lengthy filing puts into writing the fact that McMahon can now make decisions for WWE on his own, without a meeting with or vote from the shareholders. With this amendment now in place, McMahon should have full approval over a potential sale in the coming months, or alternatively will be in control of the company’s decision on a media rights deal if a sale does not come to pass.

Following last year’s allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate use of funds for “hush money” payments, McMahon stepped down from his role as CEO and Executive Chairman of WWE. Earlier this month, however, McMahon made a shocking return to the company’s Board of Directors, and was quickly reinstated as Executive Chairman. McMahon’s actions were conducted under the pretense of exploring a sale of the company — something that has been rumored as a possibility for the past several years.

In the aftermath of her father’s return, former WWE co-CEO Stephanie McMahon announced that she would be stepping away from her duties, leaving Nick Khan as the company’s sole CEO. Her husband Paul “Triple H” Levesque recently held a pair of meetings to reassure talent that he remains the head of WWE’s creative direction as Chief Content Officer.

“On January 5, 2023, Vincent K. McMahon, the controlling stockholder of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (the “Company”), executed and delivered a written consent (the “January 5th Consent”) taking certain actions by consent without a meeting in accordance with Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) resulting in, among other things, the election of Mr. McMahon to the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) and certain amendments to the Company’s bylaws (the “January 5th Amendments”) that Mr. McMahon indicated were intended to ensure that the Company’s corporate governance continued to properly enable and support stockholder rights. On January 6, 2023, the Company issued a press release providing an update regarding the composition of its Board, including Mr. McMahon’s return to the Board, and the Company’s intention to explore strategic alternatives with the goal to maximize value for all stockholders of the Company. On January 9, 2023, the Board elected Mr. McMahon as Executive Chairman of the Board.

“Subsequently, Mr. McMahon informed the Company of his view that there is substantial alignment among the Board and management concerning the decision to conduct a review of strategic alternatives amid the Company’s upcoming media rights cycle and that the Company’s corporate governance will properly enable and support stockholder rights. In light of the foregoing, on January 16, 2023, Mr. McMahon, in his capacity as controlling stockholder of the Company, executed and delivered a written consent (the “January 16th Consent”) taking certain actions by consent without a meeting in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL to substantially repeal the January 5th Amendments, as further described below in Item 5.03.

“No further approval of the stockholders of the Company is required to approve any of the actions taken by Mr. McMahon pursuant to the January 16th Consent. Pursuant to rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the Company expects to file with the SEC, and thereafter mail to its stockholders, an information statement as required by Schedule 14C promulgated under the Exchange Act to provide stockholders with information concerning the January 5th Consent and January 16th Consent. The Schedule 14C will also constitute notice to stockholders in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL of the actions taken by the January 5th Consent and the January 16th Consent.”

A separate filing noted that McMahon has repealed all amendments that were made on January 5: 

 “Effective January 16, 2023, pursuant to the January 16th Consent, the Reporting Person repealed all of the January 5th Amendments (which were incorporated into the amended and restated bylaws of the Issuer filed by the Issuer with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 11, 2023 as Exhibit 3.1 to the Issuer’s Current Report on Form 8-K) other than Article XI (Exclusive Forum), which designates (i) the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, to the fullest extent permitted by law, as the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of, among other claims, any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Issuer, and (ii) the federal courts of the United States of America, to the fullest extent permitted by law, as the sole and exclusive forum for any cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.”

Sources: eWrestlingNews and Wrestling Inc.