Folks, it’s like a reality TV show you can’t look away from—WWE’s backroom drama continues to unfold with another major exit. Chris Kaiser, the Executive Vice President of WWE Television, has reportedly been shown the door after nearly a decade of service.
The news broke via “PWInsider,” who spilled the beans on Kaiser’s release. Joining WWE in 2015 and rising to EVP of television by 2021, Kaiser played a pivotal role in WWE’s pandemic-era Thunderdome innovation. Remember the Thunderdome? It was like Zoom meetings on steroids with a splash of pyrotechnics—Kaiser’s brainchild, no less.
But wait, there’s more! Kaiser didn’t just stop at making virtual crowds feel real. He also had his hands in shows like “Miz & Mrs,” “Total Divas,” and “Total Bellas.” Starting as the Senior Vice President of TV Production, Kaiser climbed the corporate ladder faster than you can say “steel cage match.”
Earlier this year, the rumor mill had Kaiser in the running to fill the shoes of WWE’s long-time exec Kevin Dunn. However, that golden opportunity was snapped up by Lee Fitting, leaving Kaiser to presumably hit the showers.
This move is just the latest in a series of WWE’s corporate clean-ups since becoming part of the TKO conglomerate. September saw the first batch of execs cut loose, followed by another wave in December. The most recent purge in May even saw the exit of WWE’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and a Senior Vice President of Entertainment Relations, alongside the departure of TV Event Relations Senior Director Steve Rubin, a WWE stalwart for over twenty years.
Last week, we also learned there’s been a shake-up in the creative department. “WWE SmackDown” has a new head writer—out goes Ryan Callahan, in steps John Swikata.
So, grab your popcorn and stay tuned, because in the world of WWE, the drama isn’t confined to the ring!