Vince McMahon 'selling WWE to Saudis' but this resurfaced clip could scupper it all

Rumors are swirling that former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon is in talks to sell the company to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, raising some questions.

The rumors were fueled by an announcement that McMahon, 77, would be leading an "exciting process regarding strategic alternatives" on Tuesday.

Although neither WWE nor McMahon has confirmed the speculation, people online still expressed outrage toward a potential Saudi sale.

Some made fun of McMahon, including one person who shared an old clip of McMahon making a racist comment to professional wrestler Terrance "Sabu" Brunk.

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The video, from 2007, shows McMahon approaching Sabu, who often wore a white keffiyeh, and declaring he was "in Afghanistan."

McMahon says, "Well I'll be damned, I thought I was in Texas. H*** I'm not in Texas, I'm in Afghanistan. Boys check it out, there's a member of the Taliban."

Sabu was not Afghan, he was born in Staten Island, although his mother was Lebanese. Clips of casual racism toward people of Middle Eastern descent may not sit well with Saudi investors.

He got his ring name from Indian-American actor Sabu.

"It’s Vince McMahon’s famously deep respect for the Middle East and its culture that led him to sell the WWE to Saudi Arabia," Mike Beauvais wrote on Twitter.

McMahon has found himself at the center of several controversies over his career.

In July 2022, McMahon announced his retirement from the WWE and handed over the reins to his daughter, Stephanie McMahon.

But on Wednesday, Stephanie announced she would be taking a step back and McMahon would be returning as Executive Chairman, fueling rumors that the company would be undergoing changes soon.

"Our founder, Vince McMahon, has returned as Executive Chair and is leading an exciting process regarding strategic alternatives," Stephanie wrote.

"And with [Nick Khan's] leadership and Paul "Triple H" Levesque as Chief Content Officer, I am confident WWE is in the perfect place to continue to provide unparalleled creative content and drive maximum value for shareholders," she added.

We reached out to WWE for comment.

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