WWE has experienced a major leadership transition in recent years. The departure of former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon—who stepped down amid allegations of sex trafficking—paved the way for Paul “Triple H” Levesque, now WWE’s Chief Content Officer, to assume full control of the company’s creative direction.
Meanwhile, WWE President Nick Khan has overseen the business operations. One clear change under Levesque’s leadership is the increased transparency; the head of WWE Creative is now frequently accessible to the media.
Levesque often elaborates on his creative choices during post-Premium Live Event press conferences—something Vince McMahon, known for his reclusive nature, never did. WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield believes this openness has significantly improved the company’s public image.
“You saw what happened with Bob Costas, that [Vince McMahon] slapped the stuff out of his hands,” JBL recalled during a recent episode of “Something To Wrestle.”
Triple HMcMahon had a notoriously tense exchange with the esteemed journalist, after which the notoriously combative executive avoided further media appearances. “He did not suffer fools.”
Layfield explained that McMahon didn’t place much value on doing interviews and preferred to focus on his work. In contrast, Levesque has embraced the media spotlight.
“I watch these Triple H interviews, and he’s fantastic. He is such a good interview…He listens and he actually answers questions,” Layfield said enthusiastically.
“He’s a very smart guy, obviously, I think he’s brilliant in what he’s done…You’ve got a guy who’s running things who’s a great interview, not that Vince wasn’t a great interview…He just didn’t want to do it. But Triple H, fortunately, does, and it’s a big help to WWE.”
Levesque isn’t the only executive demonstrating a more transparent approach. TKO Board Member Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has also surprised many with his willingness to openly discuss his recent involvement in WWE storylines.