Vince McMahon Resigns from WWE Amid Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit

Vince McMahon, the co-founder of the modern WWE in 1982, has announced his resignation from his roles as TKO Executive Chairman and from the TKO Board of Directors. This decision comes in light of a lawsuit filed against McMahon on allegations of sexual misconduct. McMahon, 78, is leaving the publicly traded company, which is also the parent group of the UFC.

The Lawsuit Allegations

Janel Grant, a former employee in WWE’s legal and talent departments, has accused McMahon of forcing her into a sexual relationship in order to obtain and maintain her job. The lawsuit also claims that McMahon distributed pornographic pictures and videos of Grant to other men, including fellow employees. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, names WWE and John Laurinaitis, the company’s former head of talent relations and general manager, as defendants.

In response to the allegations, McMahon stated, “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. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations and look forward to clearing my name.”

Resignation Announcement

Despite his denial of the allegations, McMahon has decided to resign from his executive chairmanship and the TKO board of directors, effective immediately. He expressed his respect for the WWE Universe, TKO business, board members, shareholders, partners, constituents, and all employees and Superstars who contributed to WWE’s global success.

McMahon had previously stepped down as WWE’s CEO in 2022 during an investigation into similar allegations. WWE president Nick Khan informed all staff of McMahon’s resignation in a memo obtained by ESPN.

With Vince McMahon’s departure, TKO Group holdings and WWE will no longer have his involvement or leadership.