Latest news with #JanelGrant
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Daniel Cormier claims Brock Lesnar is on a TKO ban list
There's been very little in the way of news regarding Brock Lesnar and his status with WWE in the fallout of his being named in a lawsuit by former employee Janel Grant. For some time now, all signs have pointed to his not returning for a while, if ever. Now, an interview Daniel Cormier did with Demetrious Johnson earlier this week is making the rounds with comments from the former that Lesnar is straight up banned by TKO (via 'I mean, Brock is on a banned list right now. Brock got into so much trouble…I ain't telling you on air what Brock did. Brock is in so much trouble.' It's entirely possible Cormier was speaking more generally, that Lesnar is simply out right now and not necessary on an actual banned list or if there even is one. Either way, it tracks with all the other news we've heard about the big fellow. There's no reason to expect him back, in WWE or UFC, anytime soon. More from Not everyone is marking out about Eva Marie's return Mansoor's Raw Debut was classic WWE Is this who caught Lilly's eye? Former WWE champs face off on (checks notes) Main Event Yes, Angel Garza shoved a rose up Drew Gulak's butt on Raw Raw recap & reactions: Flip the switch Flair already added to title match at WrestleMania Backlash EVA MARIE IS BACK
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Vince McMahon's first major post-WWE business move as former wrestling boss files trademark for new venture
Vince McMahon's first major move after leaving his role with WWE has reportedly been revealed. The former chairman resigned from then-new WWE umbrella company TKO in January 2024 following a lawsuit filed by ex-employee Janel Grant, alleging sexual harassment and trafficking - claims he denies. Since leaving, McMahon has been selling off his shares in the company, from which he is believed to have made over $1.5billion (£1.1bn). TKO President Mark Shapiro has previously insisted that McMahon will not return to the WWE and that he has no internal contact with the company. The 79-year-old has kept a relatively low profile since his departure, but it appears he is now starting to make moves - whether that's in wrestling or not. According to Cageside Seats, however, McMahon has seemingly taken the first step into launching a new company in a new adventure. McMahon, pictured with Donald Trump, has been selling off his shares in the company, from which he is believed to have made over $1.5billion (£1.1bn) It is reported that McMahon's new private investment firm filed a trademark on an image relating to '14th & I'. The Image is black and white, with a big number 14 and then the letters 't' and 'h' above an '&' and 'I'. 14 is believed to relate to the intersection where McMahon's father previously had a headquarters building in Washington, DC. The trademark indicates the trademark will be used for: goods and services, specifically private equity fund investment services; financial services, namely, management of private equity funds, private equity fund investment services, and portfolio management, as well as entertainment services, namely, production and development of scripted television and digital programming. Grant, meanwhile, alleges that both John Laurinaitis and McMahon subjected her to years of sexual abuse and coercion, with WWE superstar Brock Lesnar also named in the lawsuit last year. Grant previously agreed to a $3million settlement in exchange for signing a nondisclosure agreement in 2022. But last year she filed a new lawsuit against McMahon, the WWE and Laurinaitis, claiming the former stopped making payments after the initial $1m installment and requesting to void that agreement. Her allegations include that McMahon and Laurinaitis locked her in a room at the WWE's Stamford, Connecticut headquarters in June of 2021 and took turns sexually assaulting during the work day. The married McMahon is additionally accused of trafficking Grant to other men, forcing her to perform sex acts 'on demand' and sharing nude photographs of the plaintiff. The accused deny the accusations.
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ex-WWE Chairman 'Vince McMahon wants to buy back the company' - just one year after sex trafficking lawsuit led him to resign - but would TKO sell back to him?
Recent reports have suggested Vince McMahon wants to buy back the WWE from TKO. The former chairman resigned from the company in January 2024 following a lawsuit filed by ex-employee Janel Grant, alleging sexual harassment and trafficking. Since leaving, McMahon has been selling off his shares in the company, and is believed to have made over $1.5billion (£1.1bn) from these sales. TKO President Mark Shapiro has previously insisted that McMahon will not return to the WWE and that he has no internal contact with the company. He said in March 2024: 'We're not in conversations with him [McMahon]. We don't know his motives, his plans or his timeline. 'He doesn't work for the company, doesn't come into the office and he's not coming back to the company. And that's where we sit.' And it seems TKO have double down on their stance, as a new report from PWN Reports has claimed that the company still have no interest in selling to McMahon. In fact, WWE insiders reportedly view the notion of McMahon returning as laughable, considering the heinous nature of the allegations made towards him. A post on X read: 'I was given word that TKO is not interested in selling off #WWE. And the source I spoke with chuckled at the thought of Vince purchasing it back. 'It's very possible he may feel like he wants it back, but seems very unlikely at this point since WWE is not for sale.' Part of Grant's 67-page lawsuit accused McMahon of pressuring her for sexual relations in exchange for her job. McMahon allegedly 'greeted her in his underwear, touched her, repeatedly asked for hugs, and spent hour sharing intimate details about his personal life'. Once employed, Grant alleged that McMahon and John Laurinaitis, who served as head of talent relations for the WWE, sexually assaulted her 'while colleagues were busy at their desks.' Her allegations include that McMahon and Laurinaitis locked her in a room at the WWE's Stamford, Connecticut headquarters in June of 2021 and took turns sexually assaulting during the work day. The married McMahon is additionally accused of trafficking Grant to other men, forcing her to perform sex acts 'on demand' and sharing nude photographs of the plaintiff. In one alleged text message from 2020, he is accused of sharing a photo of her with others and writing: 'She may scream and try to say NO!!although it would B difficult to say anything with a c*** down her throat.' Another message allegedly sent by McMahon to Grant a month earlier read: 'I'm the only one who owns U and controls who I want to f*** U.' A spokesperson for McMahon stated after Grant's allegations: 'This lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the truth. He [McMahon] will vigorously defend himself.'
News.com.au
29-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Vince McMahon's co-defendant agrees secret deal to flip on former WWE boss amid sex trafficking lawsuit
A former WWE executive accused of sex trafficking in a bombshell lawsuit involving Vince McMahon reached a confidential settlement — and will now snitch on the pro wrestling mogul, according to lawyers in the bombshell case. John Laurinaitis, WWE's former head of talent relations, was a co-defendant in a lawsuit filed by ex-WWE employee Janel Grant that alleges he and McMahon subjected her to years of sexual abuse and coercion, the New York Post reports. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. The stunning about-face was revealed Wednesday in a joint statement issued by representatives for Laurinaitis and Grant. 'John Laurinaitis has agreed to co-operate and provide evidence in Janel Grant's lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE,' the statement said. 'His agreement to a confidential settlement is a pivotal next step toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking.' 'Mr Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life,' the statement added. Grant's civil lawsuit, filed in January 2024 in federal court in Connecticut, contains graphic allegations against both McMahon and Laurinaitis, accusing them of grooming, coercing, and sexually abusing her during her time as a paralegal at WWE. The complaint claims McMahon forced Grant to perform sex acts 'on demand,' to send him nude photographs daily, and to engage in non-consensual sexual encounters — some allegedly orchestrated to benefit WWE business negotiations. Grant also alleges she was 'passed' to Laurinaitis and that he engaged in similar abuse. The agreement with Laurinaitis voluntarily dismisses her claims against him 'with prejudice' — meaning the claims cannot be refiled — and likely signals that a confidential settlement was reached, according to former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani. '[This is] potentially bad news for McMahon,' the legal analyst told The Post. 'What you want to do in any type of case is co-operate your less culpable defendant against your main target. You want people to testify against your main defendant — whether it's Sean 'Diddy' Combs or, in this case, Vince McMahon.' However, Rahmani noted that it remains unclear what Laurinaitis knows or is prepared to share. 'It's really tough to know until a case proceeds to trial or there's some filing that references co-operation in the statement,' he said. McMahon — who built the WWE into a multi-billion dollar business before selling it to UFC parent company Endeavor Group Holdings in 2023 — stepped down from overseeing day-to-day operations shortly after the lawsuit was filed. Endeavor merged UFC and WWE into the publicly traded company TKO Group Holdings. Jessica Rosenberg, attorney for Vince McMahon, said in a statement: 'Today's dismissal of John Laurinaitis as a defendant doesn't alter the facts of this case in any way. Vince McMahon never mistreated Janel Grant. No matter how many press releases her team issues, the truth remains unchanged. As Mr. Laurinaitis's lawyer previously said: 'Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant's allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded.'' The Post reached out to WWE and TKO for comment. McMahon has previously denied all allegations, with a spokesperson calling the suit 'replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the truth.' TKO had said the allegations predate its current executive leadership and that it is reviewing the matter internally. In the lawsuit, Grant also challenges the validity of a nondisclosure agreement she signed in 2022, under which McMahon agreed to pay her $1 million ($1.56m AUD) upfront and $500,000 ($780,000 AUD) annually through 2026. She claims McMahon ceased payments and argues the NDA is unenforceable under the federal Speak Out Act. The civil case poses a serious threat to McMahon's legacy and financial empire, as WWE continues to finalise media deals and expands its global reach under TKO.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Ex-WWE executive agrees to help accuser in sex abuse lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE
A former WWE executive who had been fighting sexual abuse allegations in a lawsuit by an ex-employee has agreed to a confidential settlement and will now help the accuser as she continues suing the company and former leader Vince McMahon, representatives and lawyers said Wednesday. John Laurinaitis, WWE's former head of talent relations — who once wrestled under the name Johnny Ace — will aid Janel Grant in her lawsuit against McMahon and the worldwide wrestling entertainment conglomerate. Representatives for Grant and Laurinaitis lawyer Edward Brennan confirmed the settlement-cooperation deal and said Laurinaitis has 'evidence' against McMahon and the company, but wouldn't say what it was. 'His agreement to a confidential settlement is a pivotal next step toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking,' representatives for Grant and Laurinaitis said in a joint statement. 'Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life. We cannot provide any additional details at this time.' A court document filed Wednesday says Grant and Laurinaitis agreed to a dismissal of the lawsuit's claims against Laurinaitis, but allegations against the WWE and McMahon remain. McMahon's lawyer, Jessica Rosenberg, issued a statement in response. 'Today's dismissal of John Laurinaitis as a defendant doesn't alter the facts of this case in any way. Vince McMahon never mistreated Janel Grant,' Rosenberg said. 'No matter how many press releases her team issues, the truth remains unchanged.' Rosenberg added that a lawyer for Laurinaitis previously said the lawsuit's allegations were unfounded. Representatives for the WWE did not immediately return emails seeking comment Wednesday. Grant sued the WWE, McMahon and Laurinaitis last year in federal court in Connecticut, where the WWE is based in Stamford. In graphic detail, she alleges McMahon coerced her into sex acts with him, Laurinaitis and others, and she claims both men sexually assaulted her. She says she was made to do humiliating acts during the encounters. The lawsuit also includes photos of sexual texts it says McMahon sent Grant. McMahon, former CEO and chairman of WWE, has denied Grant's allegations. He has previously said the 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.' His lawyers said in court documents that he had a consensual relationship with Grant and never mistreated her. Grant first started working for the WWE in 2019 as an entry-level employee in its legal department, a job arranged by McMahon, and later transferred to the talent relations department, where Laurinaitis was her boss. Grant has said she was eventually pressured into leaving her job with the WWE and signing a $3 million nondisclosure agreement. The lawsuit also seeks to have the agreement declared invalid, saying McMahon breached the deal by giving her $1 million and failing to pay the rest. Currently pending in the lawsuit are motions by McMahon, the WWE and Laurinaitis to move all the claims to arbitration. They said the lawsuit should not be allowed because Grant agreed to settle any disputes in arbitration as part of her nondisclosure agreement. McMahon resigned from WWE's parent company in January 2024 after Grant filed her lawsuit. At the time, McMahon stepped down from his position as executive chair of the board of directors at WWE's parent company, TKO Group Holdings. McMahon also resigned as WWE's CEO in 2022 amid a company investigation into allegations that match those in Grant's lawsuit. McMahon bought what was then the World Wrestling Federation in 1982 and transformed it from a regional wrestling company into a worldwide phenomenon. Besides running the company with his wife, Linda, who is now the U.S. education secretary, he also performed at WWE events as himself. Dave Collins, The Associated Press
