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(Warning: This story contains explicit allegations of sexual misconduct.)
WWE founder Vince McMahon has resigned as CEO of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the WWE and UFC, amid allegations of rape, assault and sex trafficking. according to deadline.
McMahon was accused of misconduct in a lawsuit filed in federal court Thursday by former WWE employee Janel Grant. The 78-year-old was named as a defendant along with WWE and John Laurinaitis, his former head of talent relations.
In his statement announcing his resignation, McMahon again denied Grant’s claims but said he was resigning out of respect for his company.
From the deadline:
“I stand by my previous statement that Ms. Grant’s lawsuit is filled with lies, made-up obscene cases that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth,” McMahon said in response to the lawsuit. “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless allegations and look forward to clearing my name.”
“However, out of respect for the WWE Universe, the extraordinary business of TKO and its board members and shareholders, partners and constituents, and all the employees and Superstars who helped make WWE the global leader it is today, I have decided give up”. of my executive presidency and the board of directors of TKO, effective immediately,” added the WWE co-founder.
TO Statement from WWE President and TKO Director Nick Khan confirmed that McMahon will no longer have any role in the company he co-founded in 1982.
This isn’t the first time McMahon has walked away amid a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations. He announced what turned out to be a temporary retirement in 2022 after a report accused him of paying a total of $12 million to cover up various allegations, with sums allegedly paid to four women. McMahon was accused of, among other things, forcing a former wrestler to perform oral sex on him and sexually harassing an employee.
Grant’s accusations were even more disturbing.
The demand, posted by deadline, alleges that McMahon forced the 43-year-old woman into a sexual relationship, shared nude images of her with top WWE officials and forced her into group sex situations that described her as a “b****” and resulted in in physical injuries. Those situations allegedly included crossing state lines, which led to the trafficking complaint.
Grant also alleged that McMahon defecated on her head during a threesome and told her not to shower for an hour and a half. In another alleged incident, McMahon and Laurinaitis were accused of sexually assaulting Grant in an office at WWE headquarters, forcing himself on her while saying “No means yes” and “Take it, bitch.”
The situation allegedly resulted in a $3 million payment to Grant in 2022 in exchange for him signing a confidentiality agreement. Grant is now seeking to void that NDA and says he has so far only received $1 million from McMahon. The lawsuit contains screenshots of texts allegedly from McMahon.
The lawsuit and McMahon’s resignation came at a crucial time for TKO, which announced a $5 billion deal with Netflix on Tuesday and has one of WWE’s highest-profile events, “Royal Rumble,” scheduled for Saturday.