A major backstage name’s time with WWE is set to come to an end after more than thirty years.
2023 has been a year that’s seen major corporate and structural changes within WWE, with the year beginning with the controversial return of Vince McMahon as Executive Chairman, which ultimately led to the formation of TKO following a merger between WWE and UFC. As a result of the merger, several influential names departed the company, and it now appears as though we can add another name to the list.
PWInsider are now reporting that Kevin Dunn, one of WWE’s most influential executives in their history, is leaving the company, with the reporting noting that differing visions over the direction of WWE’s production following the Endeavor acquisition played a major role in his exit.
“Dunn, who held the post of Executive Producer & Chief, Global Television Distribution, informed WWE around Christmas week he was exiting after more than three decades with the company. We are told that a big factor in his decision to retire is changes made internally post-Endeavor acquisition and as one source stated, that Dunn was “never going to do anything that was dictacted” to him, as opposed to how he personally oversaw production in the past. We are told this was not an issue of creative but two differing versions of how things should be run from a TV production perspective as WWE’s new owner seeks to cut costs.”
-PWInsider
Dunn’s WWE departure had been rumoured a number of times over recent years, although PWInsider added that at no point did the company ask Dunn to leave. In fact, the report notes that the Board of Directors asked Dunn to stay when Vince McMahon initially retired in July 2022.
With that being said, the report also noted that it had long been whispered over the years that he never intended to work for anyone other than Vince McMahon in WWE, and thus with McMahon’s powers having waned, this news may not come as a shock to some.
Nevertheless, Dunn’s departure is likely to have massive ramifications for WWE’s onscreen product, as he’s been responsible for the company’s production for over thirty years.
As of writing, no official announcement has been made by the company regarding Dunn’s departure or a replacement for his roles. Michael Mansury was once considered by many to be the frontrunner to be Dunn’s eventual replacement, although he now finds himself working for AEW following his WWE exit a number of years ago.
The report then goes on to speculate that Dunn’s responsibilities could be fulfilled by a mix of people, and that as of late, he’d been stepping back and allowing others to get a taste for the role.
“We are told that if anything, it would likely be a mix of people sharing the responsibilities that Dunn once shouldered himself. Of late, we are told that Dunn has stepped back a bit and was allowing others to spread their wings and handle more responsibilities in the Endeavor era, so that may have been in advance of Dunn knowing he was planning to exit.”
-PWInsider
Questions will naturally now start to arise over what WWE’s onscreen product will look like post-Kevin Dunn, with many seeing his exit as yet another shift in the power dynamic away from Vince McMahon and towards Triple H’s vision.
As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on Kevin Dunn’s WWE departure as soon as we hear more.
