***Content Warning: This article contains material that can be harmful to read including those of sexual misconduct and references to suicide and/or death.

Allegations of sexual misconduct, sex trafficking, and lawsuits have recently come to light regarding the infamous boss man, Vince McMahon. This would not be the first time issues of this nature arose, as other legal cases have shown up before where he was liable, including other crimes such as steroids, maltreatment, and death. 

With these allegations, McMahon was not fired, but decided to step down from his position. However, McMahon is still liable for the crimes he allegedly committed, and he has since been completely wiped of his relation from all relevant companies. 

Vince McMahon is familiar with the sports industry, having been fathered by Vince McMahon Sr., who was incredibly popular in the North American wrestling circuit as a promoter. Most notably, Vince McMahon Jr. created the company WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), formally known as WWF (World Wrestling Federation). The current McMahon would then launch the wrestling industry into the public eye through televised matches. McMahon would go on to help create TKO Group Holdings Inc., which would become the parent company to WWE and UFC (Ultimate Fight Championship). 

For a while, WWE did not receive a kind eye from the common viewer, as stories that captured the media’s attention tended to be less than favorable to the industry. With a large steroid scandal in the 1990s, a wrestler who was involved in a domestic double-homicide/suicide, and another wrestler falling to his death during a show, the WWE franchise became harmful from the viewpoint of the public eye. The actions of McMahon would unfortunately prove them right.  

Vince McMahon would step down as WWE CEO and chairman in 2022, following a case that came to light revolving around a sexual assault allegation from a previous employee. The case closed with McMahon paying a settlement to the ex-worker, but the ethics of this were brought into the equation, and people noted that this was essentially hush money to keep the victim silent. There were other sexual allegation related cases as well that McMahon was accused of, the dates of which go as far back as the 1980s.  

However, McMahon would come back to the WWE brand somewhat unfazed by the case, regain control of his title and position, and continue his work with TKO.  

What completely disgraced the former promoter was lawsuit filer, Janel Grant. Grant accused McMahon and a former executive of coercion, sexual assault, and sex trafficking. Within the lawsuit documents, Grant names the former executive, McMahon, and WWE itself, however, she does mention a wrestler whom she was allegedly trafficked to. Though this other wrestler was not named, based on the details included in the lawsuit, the public has deduced that it is most likely former UFC fighter turned WWE superstar, Brock Lesnar. Lesnar has since been completely wiped from all relevant companies and business affairs, and his WWE participation plans have been altered. This case officially cemented McMahons leave, as he would completely resign from TKO, however, despite his voluntary resignation, he would fight the allegations. 

“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.

A previous case that has found its way back into media view is the case of Ashley Massaro, who alleged that she was brutally raped, and the events that had occurred were completely covered up by WWE. She also reported seeing other women – in addition to herself – being sexually harassed by McMahon. Unfortunately, Massaro is no longer here, as she passed away from suicide in 2019, about three years before McMahon would finally be called out, never receiving any retribution for what occurred. 

As of Feb. 2, McMahon is reportedly under investigation, and there will be more revealed as this case continues. Neither TKO nor any of its daughter companies have made any official statement on McMahon, besides stating that TKO takes allegations such as this seriously. Seemingly, WWE is attempting to deter the public’s attention by promoting their other wrestling matches to bring the heat off of them regarding their former CEO, McMahon. However, despite their efforts, the impact he has had on the industry is what everyone is talking about.

 For more information on the McMahon situation, please visit www.ign.com/articles/vince-mcmahon-has-resigned-from-wwe-and-ufc-owner-tko-following-sexual-misconduct-allegations, www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/vince-mcmahon-resigns-from-wwe-after-former-employee-files-sexual-abuse-suit#:~:text=McMahon’s%20statement%20said%20that%20he,he%20said%20in%20the%20statement, and nypost.com/2024/02/09/business/vince-mcmahon-sexually-preyed-on-wrestler-ashley-massaro-who-killed-herself-report/.