Longtime WWE figurehead, turned TKO executive chairman Vince McMahon has resigned from his positions with the company following a lawsuit filed this week accusing the 78 year old of sexual misconduct.
The suit alleges that McMahon forced former WWE employee Janel Grant into a series of inappropriate sexual relationships and acts in order to keep her job. While the co-founder of the modern WWE brand has been no stranger to allegations in the past, this suit alleges that McMahon began committing these acts as recently as March, 2020.
As a result, WWE President Nick Khan is reported to have sent a memo to all staff Friday indicating that the chairman would be resigning effective immediately. McMahon was quick to point out that he believes the accusations to be baseless, however felt that it was in the best interest of all parties if he distanced himself from the TKO brand while the legal process played out.
“I stand by my prior statement that Ms. Grant’s lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth,” McMahon said in a prepared statement. “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.”
“However, out of respect for the WWE Universe, the extraordinary TKO business and its board members and shareholders, partners and constituents, and all of the employees and Superstars who helped make WWE into the global leader it is today, I have decided to resign from my executive chairmanship and the TKO board of directors, effective immediately.”
News of the suit comes on the heels of two blockbuster announcements from the WWE universe. First, it was revealed that former WWE superstar turned actor, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would be joining TKO’s board of directors. Then the parent company revealed that streaming giant Netflix had paid $5B for the rights to stream Monday Night Raw for the next 10 years, beginning in January 2025.
With McMahon out once again, it’s unclear who will act as the face of the organization moving forward. Paul “Triple H” Levesque currently oversees the company’s creative direction, while his wife Stephanie previously held high ranking positions within the organization, but resigned her roles when her father returned to the WWE universe following his previous lawsuits.
For now, it will likely be a combination of Levesque, Khan, and possibly even Johnson that will seek to keep the ship on course.
Photo: Staff Sgt. Daleanne Maxwell. This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States.