WWE: Why Vince McMahon Needs To Return to Monday Night Raw

After former WWE champion Alberto del Rio learned he would compete against both John Cena and CM Punk in his rematch for the title, he begged for the return of former WWE COO Vince McMahon.

Del Rio’s intentions were purely selfish—for some reason, he thought he would still be champion if Vince McMahon were still in charge.

While that claim is entirely unfounded, ultimately Alberto del Rio is correct: The WWE needs Vince McMahon.

As painful as it is to agree with the executive vice president of talent relations, John Laurinitis, he was right when he said current COO Triple H has lost control of Raw. Laurinitis’s nonchalant delivery betrayed the gravity of his point. For some reason, it is difficult to buy Triple H as the man in charge.

Possibly, the WWE universe is too accustomed to seeing The Game as a competitor. Triple H appears comfortable in a suit and tie, but the audience is more comfortable seeing him wearing a pair of tights, mercilessly swinging a sledgehammer at an unsuspecting opponent. In this case, familiarity has not bred contempt, but intolerance for change.

Granted, wrestling fans knew Vince McMahon as a play-by-play man before he emerged on television as the chairman, but his transition was easier to accept than the one the WWE is attempting with his son-in-law.

It is a bit much to ask.

The WWE universe has to reconcile that the guy who used to point to his crotch is now an executive and has power over superstars who were recently his contemporaries.

The WWE did themselves no favors by quickly ushering Triple H back into the ring just a few short months after naming him COO. If the WWE wants the audience to respond to Triple H as an executive, they must present him as an executive. McMahon made forays into the ring in his tenure as Chairman, but not until fans knew him as the boss for a significant time.

Thus far, Triple H’s authority seems artificial. Sure, he brought back Jim Ross, John Morrison and CM Punk, but McMahon’s power and authority were not displayed in his ability to hire people, but in the casual and public ways he fired them. McMahon’s dismissals were never truly permanent, but they were substantial.

In his tenure as COO, the King of Kings publicly fired his long-time friend Kevin Nash, but the release did not stick and Nash returned to interfere in Triple H’s match against CM Punk at Night of Champions 2011.

If Kevin Nash will not listen to his friend the COO, who will?

Clearly, Triple H’s authority is not respected.

If Vince McMahon does return, the WWE could play it one of several ways.

McMahon could be the mystery man behind the conspiracy against Triple H and CM Punk. This storyline would place him in the familiar role of puppet master, using Laurinitis, Nash, The Miz and R-Truth to execute his sinister plot.

A war between Triple H and Vince McMahon for control of the WWE would ensue and could culminate in a match at Survivor Series or even last until WrestleMania 28. Given that McMahon is Triple H’s father-in-law, this feud would have a personal intensity the WWE has not seen in years.

McMahon could instead return to join forces with Triple H and restore order to the WWE. Vince could vow to take on Laurinitis and Nash in a battle for the honor of the WWE and the McMahon family.

After all, it was the board of directors who relieved Vince McMahon of his duties, not Triple H. Thus, there need not be bad blood between the COO and his father-in-law. Other WWE superstars would have to be added to the mix to make the matches worth watching, but this angle would force McMahon into the unfamiliar and compelling role of savior.

Finally, McMahon could side with neither Triple H nor John Laurinitis and come back to reclaim complete control for himself. McMahon could court current members of the WWE roster in exchange for favors and title matches if the McMahon coup is successful.

In the spirit of the “super show” concept, this three-way feud for dominance could extend across both the Raw and SmackDown brands. The McMahon faction could also accompany returning superstars or new talent.

McMahon’s homecoming need not follow any of these three scenarios. However, it is certain Raw needs Vince McMahon. His every entrance is a signal that something exciting is about to happen and he still cuts a better promo than most wrestlers on the roster. His emotional and outrageous tirades and his ruthless antics would be a refreshing addition to Monday Night Raw.