Report: WWE Moving Away From 'Sports Entertainment,' Disassociating From Vince McMahon

WrestleMania 40 ended with a brand new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, as Cody Rhodes finally pulled the rabbit out of the hat, defeating Roman Reigns to claim the title and "finish his story." But the Universal Title changing hands for the first time in three and a half years isn't the only thing changing within WWE, as the promotion looks to be in the midst of a new era as they continue to move away from former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, who resigned from the promotion in January following a lawsuit accusing him of sex trafficking and abuse.

Fightful Select reports that WWE distancing themselves from McMahon was the big theme of WrestleMania 40, with the promotion looking to make clear that McMahon was not only gone from WWE, but had no pathway back. This will be welcome news for those looking to enjoy tonight's post-WrestleMania episode of "Raw," which those in WWE expect to be a sharp contrast to last year when McMahon significantly changed the show from its original plan.

Overall, the move towards a new era has led to renewed optimism within WWE, as well as many of McMahon's previous "standards and rules" being abandoned. This includes confirmation that WWE would be moving away from the term "sports entertainment," though no official edict has been decreed on the matter, and the term "pro wrestling" no longer being seen as a dirty word. The same cannot be said about McMahon, as his name will no longer be uttered on WWE programming, and archived footage of him won't be used unless absolutely necessary.

Spoke to someone from WWE who told me that the promotion is deliberately moving away from the terminology of Sports Entertainment.

— Ibou, of WrestlePurists (@BackupHangman) April 8, 2024