SquaredCircle

Since the exclusive report is paywalled, I'll put the contents below:

Federal authorities have been investigating sexual assault and sex trafficking allegations against WWE co-founder Vince McMahon, according to people familiar with the investigation.

Prosecutors in New York in recent months have been in contact with women who have accused McMahon of sexual misconduct, the people said.

The billionaire resigned last week from the wrestling empire he long ran after former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexually abusing her and trafficking her to other men inside WWE.

McMahon has denied Grant’s allegations and said the federal probe won’t find wrongdoing. He referred to a statement from last week: “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.”

WWE didn’t respond to requests about the probe or about the individual women’s allegations.

Over the summer, federal agents executed a search warrant for McMahon’s phone and delivered a subpoena to him for documents related to any allegation of “rape, sex trafficking, sexual assault, commercial sex transaction, harassment or discrimination” against current or former WWE employees.

The grand jury subpoena, described to The Wall Street Journal, offers the first window into the investigation, which began in 2022. The Journal reported in 2022 that McMahon had made payouts to several women who accused him of sexual misconduct while he was CEO and that prosecutors were investigating the payouts. The subpoena also sought communications between McMahon and these women, including Grant.

The businessman and TV personality resigned as executive chairman of WWE parent TKO Group (TKO 2.23% ⬆️) on Jan. 26, the day after Grant’s lawsuit was filed. Her complaint contained graphic depictions of sex acts and copies of explicit text messages.

Grant and at least four of the women named in the grand jury subpoena had entered into settlement agreements with McMahon over allegations of sexual misconduct. Prosecutors have interviewed some of the women, the people said.

Grant’s lawsuit said McMahon agreed in 2022 to pay her $3 million to keep silent about their relationship, which she said began after they met in 2019 at his luxury apartment building, where Grant also lived. Grant, who worked in the talent-relations and legal departments at WWE from 2019 to 2022, said in her lawsuit that McMahon stopped paying her after an initial $1 million wire transfer.

The other women named in the grand jury subpoena include a WWE contractor whom McMahon allegedly sent unsolicited nude photos and sexually harassed; a former WWE wrestler who said McMahon coerced her into giving him oral sex; former WWE referee Rita Chatterton, who publicly accused McMahon of raping her; a spa manager who said McMahon assaulted her at a Southern California resort; and a former WWE employee who alleged the head of talent relations at the company at the time, John Laurinaitis, demoted her after she broke off an affair with him.

McMahon has long denied the rape allegations by Chatterton, first made publicly in televised interviews in the 1990s. He agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement in late 2022 without admitting wrongdoing. His lawyer said he agreed to the settlement to avoid the cost of litigation.

McMahon hasn’t addressed the allegations by the other women.

Laurinaitis also appeared in Grant’s lawsuit, which said McMahon directed her to visit Laurinaitis at his hotel rooms, where she had sex with Laurinaitis before the start of workdays. The suit also alleged that the two men took turns restraining and assaulting her inside WWE’s offices on one occasion in 2021.

Laurinaitis, a former wrestler known as Johnny Ace and a longtime WWE executive, left the company in 2022. Laurinaitis hasn’t publicly commented on his departure.

A lawyer for Laurinaitis, Edward Brennan, said, “We deny any and all allegations and will vigorously defend the charges against Mr. Laurinaitis in the appropriate setting.”

Brennan said Grant’s lawsuit doesn’t highlight any examples of Laurinaitis making sexual demands or exchanging items of value. “Count how many times in the complaint Vince exerts control over both the Plaintiff and Johnny,” he wrote in an email, referring to his client. “It’s a good complaint. It just doesn’t list all the victims, including Johnny.”

McMahon briefly left the WWE in 2022 during a board investigation and returned in early 2023. Soon after, he negotiated a sale of WWE to Endeavor Group (EDR 0.57% ⬆️), owner of the UFC mixed martial arts league. The deal created a new public company called TKO Group and until last week he served as its executive chairman.

TKO Group had warned investors about the risks associated with WWE’s longtime leader, who remains a major shareholder. In securities filings last year, TKO Group said McMahon’s presence on its board could result in negative publicity and “any further allegations and investigations may have an adverse financial and operational impact on our business performance.”

Dalton Castle has a mystery friend to face Johnny TV!

Can Dalton Castle elaborate on who his 'friend' is?

Tonight, TNA comes to us from the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada! The card includes:

• Nic Nemeth vs. Trey Miguel

• The 1st match in the Best of 3 Series for the TNA Tag-Team Championships kicks off as © Ace and Bey Connection takes on Grizzled Young Veterans!

• Masha Slamovich vs. Jody Threat

• Brian Myers vs. Kevin Knight

• Decay will be in action!

• PCO vs. Deaner

• Mustafa Ali will address the great citizens of TNA and help us understand how we can make change a reality!

• We'll hear from Frankie Kazarian after his heelish betrayal of Eric Young!

• The debut instalment of Sound Check: Alan Angels new segment with first ever guest Josh Alexander!

And more!

TNA Impact! starts at 8pm EST | 5pm PST on AXStv, Fight Network, YouTube Insiders, TNA+, and DAZN. Check your local listings for more information.

“The truth will come out,” John Laurinaitis' attorney told VICE News.

A lawyer for John Laurinaitis, a co-defendant in an explosive civil sex-trafficking lawsuit brought last week against WWE founder Vince McMahon and WWE itself, appeared to corroborate central claims in the suit in a statement to VICE News today, while disputing Laurinaitis’ role as described in the complaint. Edward Brennan, the lawyer, said that his client is himself a victim —just like plaintiff Janel Grant, a former WWE employee.

“The truth will come out,” Brennan added.

In the suit, brought last week in federal court in Connecticut, Grant says that McMahon and Laurinaitis sexually assaulted her in WWE’s corporate offices, and that McMahon also trafficked her to Laurinaitis, the company’s former head of talent relations. McMahon, according to the suit, went so far as to schedule appointments for her to sexually service Laurinaitis.

Earlier today, VICE News reached out to Brennan, an attorney in the Tampa area, to confirm that he represents Laurinaitis. He did so, adding, as an aside, “Mr. Laurinaitis denies the allegations in the misguided complaint and will be vigorously defending these charges in Court, not the media. Like the Plaintiff, Mr. Laurinaitis is a victim in this case, not a predator. The truth will come out.”

In response to a followup question seeking to clarify that he was indeed saying that McMahon was the predator and that Laurinaitis, like Grant, was a victim, Brennan wrote, “Read the allegations. Read the Federal Statute. Power, control, employment supervisory capacity, dictatorial sexual demands with repercussions if not met. Count how many times in the complaint Vince exerts control over both of them.”

The complaint, which can be read in full here, details allegations that McMahon instructed Grant to create “explicit content” for Laurinaitis and arranged a threesome between them, after which Laurinaitis declined to answer when Grant asked if this was the first time this had happened. Later, the suit says, she was transferred to the talent relations department, which Laurinaitis headed—a transfer that came, the suit says, “with the expectation, from both McMahon and Laurinaitis, that she engage with Laurinaitis sexually, both physically and with explicit content.”

“In June 2021,” the suit says, “McMahon and Defendant Laurinaitis sexually assaulted Ms. Grant inside Laurinaitis’ office in WWE headquarters while colleagues were busy at their desks. Behind a locked door, the two men cornered her and pulled her in between them, forcibly touched her, before ultimately putting her on top of a table in between them. She begged them to stop, but they forced themselves on her, each taking turns restraining her for the other, while saying ‘No means yes’ and ‘Take it, bitch.’”

“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 last week when announcing his resignation as chair of TKO, WWE’s parent company. A lawyer said to be representing him did not immediately respond to an email.

TKO did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Brennan’s statement. A spokesperson for Grant’s lawyer, Ann Callis, declined to comment.

Against McMahon:

Against Himself:

I'm so ridiculously hyped for this match, it's going to be incredible.

Oku has been on the Jericho cruise this week, where he's beaten Mike Bailey, Johnny ~~TV~~ Cruise, and Matt Cardona to become to new Oceanic Champion.

He's also the current RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship - the belt Ospreay made famous - although, as to being the undisputed title for all of Britain, well Slater (and everyone north of Watford) would have a thing or two to say about that.

(lemmy)

Bearing in mind that Marty in recent years has been far from a reliable narrator, it seems his sister has passed, and his own doctors have advised that he may need a leg amputation.

It's Wednesday, you know what that means!

Tonight, Dynamite is LIVE from New Orleans, LA! The card includes:

• “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Toa Liona

• Swerve Strickland vs. ????? (An opponent of Hangman's choosing)

• Taya Valkyrie vs. Deonna Purrazzo w/ Toni Storm on commentary

• ROH World Television Champion Kyle Fletcher vs. Chris Jericho

• Jeff Hardy vs. Jon Moxley

And more!

Show starts at 8pm EST | 5pm PST | 7pm CST | 1am BST

AEW can be found on: TBS in the US, TSN+ in Canada, ViX in Latin America, ESPN in Australia, and FITETV/DAZN in the UK, EU, and elsewhere.

WrestleMania legend Snooki.

Kazuchika Okada is now a free agent.

Okada's NJPW contract expired at midnight Japan Standard Time. Shortly after, the 36-year-old released a statement on X thanking fans for supporting NJPW for the last 17 years.

Okada wrote:

Thank you for supporting New Japan Pro Wrestling for 17 years! thank you very much! I laughed, got angry, cried, it was great! I look forward to playing the remaining three games as a free agent!

With Okada's contract expiring, his merchandise is being removed from PWTees.com. Our own Dave Meltzer notes that this is not a sign Okada is headed to WWE, nor a sign he's headed to AEW.

"On the Okada front, the Pro Wrestling Tees thing regards no longer being able to sell New Japan merchandise of his. It's not a sign of going to WWE. It's not a sign of going to AEW either," Meltzer wrote on X.

Okada also recently applied to trademark his name for wrestling purposes with the US Patent & Trademark Office. Earlier this year, he also filed to trademark "Rainmaker."

Where Okada could end up next was addressed last week in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Meltzer wrote:

For Okada, the last word was that he had not made up his mind. I know people here range from hopeful to I’d perceive as confident he will be coming. If he was to sign, the likely arrival would be around the Greensboro show with his final New Japan date on 2/24. If it was WWE, I could see them holding off until WrestleMania. But we do know that Tony Khan has been especially enthusiastic about 2024, between new signings and returns over the next few months of MJF, Adam Cole, Kenny Omega (hopefully), Bandido, Rey Fenix, Pac and Britt Baker.

Tiffany Nieves is joining the National Wrestling Alliance.

Bestia 666 Announces He Will No Longer Be Part Of NWA

Dave Meltzer reported more details on WWE’s original plans for Brock Lesnar this year on today’s Wrestling Observer Radio. As previously reported, Brock Lesnar was rumored to be part of the men’s Royal Rumble bout at last Saturday’s premium live event. However, Lesnar was removed from the match late into the week and replaced by WWE NXT Superstar Bron Breakker.

It’s rumored that Lesnar was going to face Dominik Mysterio at Elimination Chamber next month in Perth, Australia. Meltzer noted that Lesnar wouldn’t have the actual Chamber match next month and would’ve faced Dominik instead. After that, Meltzer reported that Lesnar would go on to face Gunther at WrestleMania 40. However, that match is no longer taking place.

Meltzer also noted during today’s Observer Radio that Lesnar is not expected to return to WWE for a while, stating, “It appears that Brock Lesnar’s probably not going to be back for a while. Some people think ever.” PWInsider states that Lesnar was withdrawn from the Rumble match over the weekend due to the recent lawsuit by Janel Grant against Vince McMahon, alleging sexual misconduct and sex trafficking.

Lesnar was not mentioned by name in Janel Grant’s legal complaint. However, it did allege that McMahon shared explicit photographs and videos of her with other men inside and outside of WWE, including “a world-famous athlete and former UFC Heavyweight Champion” whom WWE was actively trying to sign to a new contract. The legal complaint also mentions Grant being used as a “sexual pawn” to entice a “World-Famous Wrestling Talent’ to stay under contract with WWE, and McMahon recruiting the talent for a “sexual encounter” with Grant while she was working for the company.

As for Breakker, it’s unknown if he will be taking the spots previously earmarked for Lesnar at Elimination Chamber at WrestleMania 40. On last night’s Raw, Nick Aldis revealed he was getting a call from Bron Breakker during an on-air segment. Also, Breakker did end up getting eliminated by Mysterio during the Rumble as well.

c a k e

Yeah...yikes.

Seems like she really enjoyed being in TNA. That should bode well for them when it comes to signing free agents down the road (I'm looking at you Hammerstone!).

Tonight, WWE is LIVE from Tampa Bay, FL! The card includes:

• Kofi Kingston to challenge © Gunther for the Intercontinental Title

• Bayley comes to Raw following her Royal Rumble victory!

• The Judgment Day go to war with #DIY in an Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Match

• Cody Rhodes to speak after historic Royal Rumble victory!

• Jey Uso faces “Big” Bronson Reed

• We'll learn the fate of CM Punk!

And more!

Show starts LIVE at 8pm EST | 5pm PST on USA. Check your local listings for more information.

Rest Now Forever

Where Now there is no more Pain

Because of you growing up

I've Memorized every John Candy Movie

Introduced and Jam to Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and Stevie Nicks

Rest In Peace Gaisan

Condolences to Otis and his family.

Bronson Reed wants to know who's ready to slap some meat.