Stephanie temporarily stepping away catches most at WWE HQ by surprise

[Liz]

According to multiple insiders, the announcement of leave of absence by Stephanie McMahon from WWE took many people by surprise, with only her close team knowing ahead of time what was about to happen.

McMahon, who announced yesterday she's temporarily leaving effective immediately, is expected to return whenever she's ready although there's no time frame. Stephanie said she's leaving to take care of her family. Several WWE Superstars replied to McMahon's announcement, supporting her decision.

The news was also picked up by several mainstream news portals.

With McMahon out for now, WWE President Nick Khan will be taking most of her duties, although Stephanie will still keep doing some minor stuff. As Chief Brand Officer, McMahon is responsible for ensuring WWE's global brand strength and growth across all lines of business.

In related news, Dave Meltzer of the Observer reports that her husband Triple H has returned to his office job full time, around six months after suffering a cardiac event. While WWE downplayed what happened at the time, Triple H later revealed in an interview that he had a brush with death and retired from in-ring competition for good.