While speaking with Vanity Fair ahead of WrestleMania, Roman Reigns commented on the allegations made against Vince McMahon and expressed sympathy for McMahon’s accuser Janel Grant.
Grant filed a lawsuit in January 2024 accusing McMahon of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and sex trafficking. The lawsuit, which also names WWE and John Laurinaitis as defendants, remains ongoing. McMahon maintains his innocence but is no longer with WWE or its parent company TKO Group after resigning in the wake of the lawsuit.
Reigns (Joe Anoa’i) told Vanity Fair that McMahon’s alleged behavior is embarrassing, and he hopes Grant is in a place where she feels comfortable and secure.
Vanity Fair wrote:
Anoa’i tells me that the allegations from Grant are a stain on WWE. ‘She’s got to live with all these situations that happened and hopefully she’s in a place where she feels comfortable and she’s secure in her own place,’ he says of Grant. ‘It’s embarrassing. That’s stuff you don’t want to hear about. You don’t want your family to hear about.’ Anoa’i says McMahon reached out last year to wish him a happy birthday, but the former CEO and chairman has, by all accounts, completely removed himself from WWE affairs.
Elsewhere in the Vanity Fair story, Reigns revealed that his WWE contract is set to expire after WrestleMania 42 in 2026. Reigns said that he probably will only wrestle “another year or two max” after that.
Reigns will be in one of the main events of WrestleMania 41 this weekend with his triple threat match against CM Punk and Seth Rollins set to headline night one on Saturday.
The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
*A look at the Dynasty card, things that went on behind the scenes and the list of talent where this is the most important night, or one of the most important nights, of their careers.
Business notes on the show
The Owen Hart tournament breakdown
WrestleMania show plans
The Cody Rhodes/John Cena dynamic, the rest of the show as well as ideas on other aspects of the shw
Business notes on the show
AEW All in Texas notes as well as notes on the entire week in North Texas
Examining streaming views for AEW programming on MAX
Things people don’t fully understand about TV ratings as opposed to total viewrs watching a show on television
A look back at where matches inducted into the Hall of Fame started, Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin looked back on and the fluke of that match even happening
Undertaker vs. Mick Foley Hell in a Cell looked at as well as the Dark Side of the Ring episode and fascinating look bak
Wyatt Hendrickson wins the Hodge Trophy
The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week, including placings, comparison numbers, competition, Netflix data and more
Mistico injury update
Champion of Champion tournament
Super main event at Arena Mexico
AAA does biggest crowd of the year
Stardom setting up biggest match in years
Dragon Gate tag team tournament
All Japan Champion Carnival news
A look back at the life and career of Japanese wrestling pioneer Kokichi Endo
Hogan family drama
MLW running biggest event
Bloodsport news
TNA building for its biggest house show in years
Thoughts on the future of Collision
What drew the crowd at Revolution
Lex Luger and Sting update
Merch seling leaders
Rob Van Dam and Bret Hart run down AEW
UFC lands big fights
UFC business for first quarter
UFC and Meta buinwss deal
PFL opens season
GFL set for debut
College wrestling star now training for MMA
NXT Stand & Deliver news
Update on Vince McMahon-Janel Grant lawsuit
Rock’s plane issues
Rock’s UFL issues
Rock’s WWE stock value
A look at the first week of JFL business wisse
Big change t Netflix audience coming
Mir to WWE notes
WWE injury updates
Bill Goldberg trains with RH stars fr omebak
Many major stars have WWE tryout last week
Pat McAfee in hot water
WWE European house shows
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue
Triple H will appear tonight on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on NBC.
After Linda McMahon’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the ring boy scandal lawsuit, Vince McMahon and WWE have since filed similar motions, also saying that they have no ties to Maryland, and also argue the five unidentified adults that filed the lawsuit have no connection to the state.
Linda McMahon is attempting to dismiss the ring boy lawsuit.
According to Post Wrestling, McMahon filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on Monday. Her attorneys argued that she has no significant connection to the state where the suit was filed, Maryland, only briefly renting an apartment in the state from 1970 to 1972 and may have briefly held a wrestling license in Maryland back in 2004.
The filing also says that she has never communicated or met the five individuals who filed the lawsuit. Last week, Judge James K. Bredar approved an order allowing the defendants (Vince McMahon, Linda McMahon, TKO, and WWE) to receive information about the anonymous individuals including their names, birth dates, and their current addresses.
“Until this lawsuit, I was unaware of their allegations against me or anyone else named in the complaint,” she states in a written decleration.
She also distanced herself from having any responsibility for Mel Phillips’ actions.
“I never personally supervised Phillips while he was employed by WWE, nor did I direct his activities,” she wrote. “Phillips never acted as my agent. If Phillips traveled to Maryland and committed acts of sexual abuse while in Maryland, it was certainly not at my direction nor with my knowledge.”
“I never personally employed any ‘Ring Boys,’ as that term is defined in the Complaint,” she further added.
Filed last October, the lawsuit accuses the defendants of knowing and ultimately doing nothing to to prevent ring announcer and head of ring crew Mel Phillips’ sexual assault of underage boys. Phillips was fired by WWE in 1992 after allegations became public.
The suit was briefly delayed in December as the Maryland Supreme Court decided if the law that allowed the lawsuit, the Maryland Child Victims Act, was constitutional. The case moved forward after the court allowed the law to remain in place.
Bryan and I will be back tonight covering the weekend news and there is a lot of it. Our weekend show where we got into a ton of history and current news regarding Mania build, AEW’s getting boosted by the NCAA tournament, George Foreman and Bill Mercer, is on the site right now.
Janel Grant’s legal team has asked the court to let discovery and depositions start in her lawsuits against WWE, Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis. All three defendants are trying to delay saying that until the judge rules regarding if the case can go forward or has to go to arbitration that such a thing should start. They are asking for internal communications and records from anyone they believe is significantly related to the case, current or former executives, employees contractors or agents at WWE, TKO and Endeavor all documents related to Vince McMahon’s payments to multiple women as well as travel records for McMahon, Laurinaitis and Brock Lesnar. (thanks to Post Wrestling)
The UFL opened its season Friday. Dwayne Johnson had flight problems and missed the game. The players had sent a letter to him regarding not agreeing to management terms and wanting pay increases and health care benefits and wanted to present it to him noting he himself was a former football player. I’m not suggesting one had to do with the other, but the labor issue there is real.
The back issue up on the site today is a very interesting one including WWE suspending a ton of wrestlers regarding a couple of PED investigations as well as the death of one of the most influential figures in pro wrestling history, Jim Barnett.
Last night’s UFC did 130,000 searches. It aired on ESPN 2 as opposed to just ESPN+, as was from Arena Ciudad in Mexico City with Brandon Moreno beating Steve Erceg in the main event.
WWE last night in Vienna, Austria:
Seth Rollins b Dominik Mysterio via pedigree
Jey Uso b Ludwig Kaiser. Both were cheered but Jey was cheered more. Kaiser pretended to do the yeet and attacked Jey because they knew he’d be cheered
Lyra Valkyria b Zoey Stark to keep the IC title. No crowd reaction for these two
LA Knight b Shinsuke Nakamura to keep the US titel
Randy Orton & Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley b Miz & Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa
Penta b Chad Gable
Rhea Ripley b Liv Morgan in a street fight after also putting Raquel Rodirguez through a table
Gunther b CM Punk in a cage match to keep the world title. Punk got a mixed reaction. Gunther was cheered like crazy in Vienna. Punk knew his role and did a heel promo saying nobody boos someone from Chicago. Punk then cut a promo after thanking the fans for being great and said what a great champion Gunther was. Gunther and Punk then sang together after the match (thanks to Markus Weinold)
The Mark Hitchock Super show has added Zack Sabre Jr. & Bad Dude Tito & Shane Haste vs. Hechicero & Michael Oku & Flip Gordon on 4/17 in Las Vegas.
We’re looking for reports on these shows:
TNA Friday night in St. Joseph, MO
TNA last night in St. Joseph, MO
WWE today in Amsterdam, Holland.
We’re looking for results, finishes and highlights to [email protected].
Charlie Dempsey vs. MMA legend Shinya Aoki takes place on the 4/17 Bloodsport show in Las Vegas.
Kurt Angle, Kane, Swerve Strickland, Jake Roberts, Booker T, Jim Ross. Jerry Lawler, Ric Flair, Earl Hebner and the Steiners appeared yesterday at Galaxy Con in Richmond, VA. (thanks to Samuel Batts).
Stepanie Vaquer was at the UFC show last night in Mexico City and was shown and iD’d on the broadcast.
Shun Skywalker & Homare won the Rey de Parejas tournament in Deragon Gate beating Kota Minoura & Jason Lee in the finals today in Kobe.
Mina Shirakawa’s last match in Stardom with her contract expiring and going to AEW will be on Tuesday at Korakuen Hall against Maika.
Mayu Iwatani faces Syuri for the IWGP women’s title in the semifinal of the 4/27 show at the Yokohama arena with Saya Kamitani vs. Tam Nakan loser must retire for the World of Stardom title.
At the Rizin show today, Kyoji Horiguchi announced he was vacating their flyweight title and said he was going to the UFC with his goal to become the first Japanese born UFC champion. Rizin announced a tournament for the title. Horiguchi was in UFC 2013-2016 and lost when challenging Demetrious Johnson for the flyweight title. Ariel Helwani broke this news regarding Horiguchi returning a few days ago.
Geoff Neal is injured and off UFC 314, where he was to face Carlos Prates.
NWA has announced for its 5/17 Crockett Cup show in Philadelphia that Mike Knox & Trevor Murdoch are the first team announced. Thom Latimer vs. Rhino for the NWA title takes place on the show plus the debut of Natalya, who is going on loan from WWE.
Rich Swann joins PCO and Bishop Dyer in the 20 man Rumble for the Maple Leaf Wrestling title on 5/10 in Toronto .
House of Glory announced a new resetling school in Orlando, FL, and they also intend to run shows in Orlando using talent trained there.
Great Lakes Wrestling will honor Baron Von Raschke on 5/3 in South Milwaukee, WI at the Bucyrus Club and Event Center. He’ll be doing a meet and greet. This will be part of Crusherfest.
Former WWE CEO and chairman and TKO executive chairman Vince McMahon made a rare public appearance at an NBA game on Monday night.
McMahon was courtside for Monday’s Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks regular season game at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It’s the second public appearance at a sporting event in recent months for McMahon, who was also at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans last month.
A chyron on the Miami telecast of the game identified McMahon as “former wrestling promoter.”
McMahon is currently being sued and accused of sexual assault, sex trafficking, and physical and emotional abuse in a civil lawsuit filed by a former WWE employee. The lawsuit filed in January 2024 sparked a federal criminal investigation into McMahon, one that his attorneys say is over. The civil lawsuit is still ongoing.
In January 2024, McMahon resigned as executive chairman of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE and UFC. He has since been laying the groundwork for a new entertainment company.
Rumors last month indicated that McMahon’s new company could produce a new wrestling promotion that would air on Fox, the former home to WWE SmackDown. The rumors were sparked after McMahon attended the Super Bowl, which aired on Fox, and after McMahon’s new company was said to have been looking to hire camera operators who had experience shooting wrestling. Fox denied any involvement in a potential new promotion.
While we don’t know that Mr. Kennedy will end up as Mr. McMahon’s Vince’s illegitimate son in WWE’s new lead angle, as noted here before, Kennedy was originally supposed to get a high profile rub as the guy who arranged for the killing of Mr. McMahon.
The original Mr. Kennedy as Vince McMahon’s illegitimate son idea came from a 2006 David Lagana pitch in an attempt to get Vince on Smackdown more often and use him to give Kennedy the big push. At that time, Vince turned down the idea. There was a point where the decision was made to light a rocket under Kennedy, but the decision at the time was to go with King Booker as the top heel with Kennedy in the wings and directions changed. The idea of Kennedy as Vince’s illegitimate son has been batted around several times since then. However, on Raw, they had a staredown with Vince and Kennedy as Vince left the ring, and later the announcers openly speculated on Kennedy, so under normal WWE code of secrets, that would seem to rule him out.
The attorneys for Janel Grant filed their latest arguments regarding different claims and statements made in recent weeks by attorneys for Vince McMahon, WWE and John Laurinaitis.
The key claims are that Grant’s side added new things to the lawsuit that weren’t in the initial suit and that the new claims should be thrown out, claiming the new claims were done for more media coverage that has led to prejudice against Vince McMahon and more reputational harm. They also complained that the delay in filing the new complaint was too long and that the SEC investigation has nothing to do with the case, nor does Dr. Carlon Colker, who was brought into the case with the amended lawsuit.
Some notes regarding the letter. First off, Dr. Phil Astin did prescribe testosterone to Chris Benoit under the guise of replacement therapy. So there was medical usage and one could even argue, medical need for such therapy. Whether it was being abused is a different question. The idea he was prescribing ten months worth every three to four weeks would seem to indicate that, although Astin has not yet been indicted on any charges related to his treatment of Benoit.
The noting of pro wrestling as an unregulated form of entertainment, and asking the question as to whether there is need for Federal regulation of the industry right there shows it is a subject that is at least under discussion. If this happens, it would be due to the industry as a whole largely (not completely) ignoring 20 years of both warnings and problems, and it should be noted that most states in the 80s were regulating wrestling and allowing far more rampant drug problems than exist today to go unchecked.
Whether former WWE chairman Vince McMahon is planning a return to wrestling remains to be seen — but Fox has denied being involved with the rumored new promotion.
Rumors that McMahon could start a new wrestling company emerged over the past few days after being mentioned by Conrad Thompson and Eric Bischoff on their 83 Weeks podcast. Thompson said he’s heard rumblings that McMahon has had conversations with cameramen that are experienced in shooting pro wrestling, and Thompson said it’s rumored that Fox could be holding a spot to air the promotion.
Andrew Marchand — a sports media reporter for The Athletic — reported on the Fox aspect of the rumors today, tweeting that a Fox spokesperson has told him that they are not involved as a partner.
“There is a report that Vince McMahon might start a wrestling company with Fox as a partner. If McMahon is planning that or not, I don’t know, but the Fox part is not true, according to a network spokesman,” Marchand wrote.
Both Thompson and Bischoff expressed doubt that the rumors about McMahon starting a new promotion are true. They mentioned that one aspect fueling the rumors was that McMahon attended Super Bowl LIX earlier this month, which was broadcast on Fox.
McMahon is laying the groundwork to launch an “entertainment hub company” to fund, develop, and produce film and television projects, but it was reported last October that he is not planning to compete with WWE or produce wrestling content.
In January 2024, McMahon resigned from WWE and its parent company TKO Group after being accused of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and sex trafficking in a lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant. McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis are named as defendants in the still-ongoing suit.
Fox was the broadcast home of WWE SmackDown from 2019-2024, with the show moving back to USA Network last September. WWE’s new Evolve series is set to premiere on the Fox-owned streaming service Tubi on March 5.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the latest on the Vince McMahon vs. Janel Grant suit, Ryan Nemeth has filed suit against AEW and CM Punk, the Rock and whatever the hell that was on Smackdown, Collision and Smackdown reviews, and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: Eric Priest passes away
3:20: Vince McMahon, WWE, John Lauranitis respond to Janel Grant’s amended lawsuit, more on UFC settlement
18:36: Ryan Nemeth files lawsuit against CM Punk, AEW, Tony Khan
28:15: What is going on with The Rock
36:15: Clark Connors & CMLL stars doing dates for AEW, Mistico’s busy travel schedule
A full look at AEW Grand Slam in Brisbane, Australia. The mentality behind the show, a look at the card, ratings, booking, business and more
NXT Vengeance Day coverage
The life and times of Gran Hamada, great wrestler, influential in history, including the glory days of LLI at El Toreo and his biggest matches and feuds, booking to make a star, biggest feuds, multiple world titles and far more huge crowds than people would ever realize. Plus the Tiger Mask heyday, matches of the year candidates in his late 40s, and the start of multiple different companies
A look at the next WWE & AEW PPV shows
The most detailed look at TV ratings and streaming for RAW, including how every show has compared with a year ago, the weekly standings, demos, quarters, every wrestling show on Netflix and more.
CMLL announces its second biggest show of the year
Valentine’s Day at Arena Mexico
Big head-to-head battle in Mexico City on Saturday
Fantastica Mania starts’
More on the awards issue including multiple category placers
Lots of AEW business notes
WWE & AEW ticket sales for upcoming show including multiple PPVs
Lots of new UFC main events announced
Topuria vacates featherweight title
Aaron Pico on leaving PFL
Notes on Mania plans
Notes on Dwayne Johnson being back
Michelle McCool Hall of Fame story
Notes on Hall of Fame update
Trauma of leaving WWE
Ricky Starks
Sonya Deville talks being let go
Michael Cole on the Corey Grave story
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue
— Bryan and I will be back tonight talking about The Rock, the McMahon suit, the Ryan Nemeth suit, Mistico magic travels, SmackDown, and the rest of the weekend news. Our weekend show with Garrett Gonzales talked news of the past week including AEW/WWE ratings, Shane McMahon & Tony Khan, the incredible career of Gran Hamada and the heyday of UWA wrestling in Mexico and start of Lucharesu, the best wrestling schedule and WWE trauma and how it affects talent who are fired from the organization.
— Sad to report the death of Mike Boehne, who wrestled from about 2000 to 2018 in the Midwest as Eric “The Underwear Model” Priest. His death was from a car accident at the age of 50. He started with Ace Steel and Danny Dominion. He trained a lot of Chicago area guys. He was the world champion of the Dale Gagner (who used the name Dale Gagne claiming a relationship with the Gagne family) in the AWA after the more famous AWA had folded in the Midwest. Our longtime reader Steve Stone and Behne were talking about starting a podcast. He had done some matches for WWE, TNA and ROH as an enhancement guy over the years.
— Lawyers for Vince McMahon in their response to the new Janel Grant lawsuit and in their argument for arbitration sent a 23-page filing saying that everything new in the lawsuit was known at the time of the original lawsuit and asked why it wasn’t in the original suit. They also argued that because Grant accepted the first $1 million payment that means she accepted the terms of the NDA and it has to be upheld, meaning the case has to go to arbitration rather than go to court. They are arguing that the SEC fine has no relevance to this case and that the allegations against Dr. Carlon Colker aren’t relevant to the case.
— SmackDown ratings will be out tomorrow for the U.S. For Netflix countries for the daily placings on the first day the show aired in the respective countries, it was down in Canada (second place last week; fifth this week), up in Mexico (fifth last four, fourth this week), down in the U.K. (second last week fourth this week), down in Australia (fourth last week, fifth this week) and up in New Zealand (fifth last week; fourth this week).
— It appears Mistico is going to work this coming Friday at Arena Mexico. So the idea is he’s working Friday night in Tokyo, flying to Mexico City and working Friday night there, then flying to San Francisco for the AEW show on Saturday night. I guess it’s possible.
— In last night’s UFC show, the main event saw Song Yadong get a technical decision when Henry Cejudo couldn’t continue after an eye poke. There is a lot of controversy because if Yadong was given a foul point as he should have for the eye poke, the fight would have been scored a majority draw. Dana White was asked afterwards if he wanted to do a rematch and said, “Not at all. Not even a little bit. I just don’t want to see it again.”
— Cejudo posted a photo today and said he suffered diplopia (double vision), soft tissue damage and a corneal abrasion. Cejudo was hospitalized after the show and said that he wanted a rematch.
— New Day vs. Joaquin Wilde & Cruz del Toro has been added to Raw tomorrow.
— For Google searches this weekend, SmackDown had 20,000 and usually it doesn’t rate. UFC’s show yesterday had 700,000, which is high for a fight night. Brendan Allen was evidently a big hit.
— For Raw tomorrow, they’ve pushed Seth Rollins, CM Punk and Logan Paul all on the show pushing the Men’s Chamber match.
— Regarding Clark Connors coming to AEW, he is still with New Japan but is working some dates in AEW.
— For some matches to check out, I haven’t seen it yet but I’ve been told to make sure to see the Komander vs. Lee Johnson and CMLL match on ROH over the weekend and the CMLL Mexico City vs. Guadalajara Torneo de Escuelas match from Friday night. Hologram vs. Mortos and Chris Jericho vs. Bandido on last night’s Collision were both excellent.
— Pro Wrestling Revolucion sold out in San Jose last night with more than 1,000 fans for Ultimo Dragon vs. Negro Casas. I saw those two at a sold out Korakuen Hall live 25 years ago.
–There was a serious accident at a show in Aguascalientes last night at the El Hijo del Santo farewell show. The rope snapped in the opener when two guys were going for a Spanish fly. The show was stopped and an ambulance was called for. Misterius suffered a fractured collarbone and cervical sprain. The police were called. They did resume the show afterwards.
— Phaidra Knight made history last night as she is believed to be the oldest woman ever to win an MMA fight in the U.S. Knight fought at Flex Fights in Patchogue NY, and won her first pro fight at the age of 50. She went 6-0 as an amateur. She was an outstanding athlete, named U.S. Rugby Player of the decade of 2000-2009 and is in the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
— GFL has applied to run shows at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden for shows this spring and summer.
— Vickie Guerrero will appear on the 3/15 Memphis Wrestling TV tapings.
After a second Congressional committee requested all WWE drug testing records, and Vince McMahon returned to television and acknowledged the fact in anything but a conciliatory fashion, a curious game is in play.
The big problem is that it’s a useless game, because ultimate the game is over the health of the wrestlers, which at this point with the high injury rate in his company and frequent deaths of young wrestlers, should be the very thing McMahon would want to eradicate from the business.
Worse, even in the guise of his Mr. McMahon character, it’s one thing for the owner of a private business to make the reference that Barney Fife could do a better job in regard to the investigation, but quite another for the head of a publicly traded company to do so. “Barney Fife,” the bumbling deputy in the old Andy Griffith TV show, is a favorite reference by HHH when it comes to describing various incompetent people, so that’s likely where the line came from.
The legal teams for Vince McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis are still in lockstep following new legal filings Friday.
Lawyers for Vince McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis have filed opposition to Janel Grant’s amended complaint accusing McMahon of sexual abuse and sex trafficking and implicating WWE and Laurinaitis in the alleged crimes or alleged coverups.
The legal teams for McMahon, WWE, and Laurinaitis all filed motions in US District Court in Connecticut on Friday in opposition of the amended lawsuit Grant’s team filed last month. McMahon’s team was first to file opposition, then Laurinaitis, then WWE.
McMahon’s lawyer Jessica Rosenberg argued in the opposition filing that the amended lawsuit from Grant’s side is in “bad faith,” suggesting that the amendment was simply a public relations play, and arguing that Grant should be held to the NDA she signed prior to filing the original lawsuit.
WWE’s filings state that Grant’s amended lawsuit does nothing to refute WWE’s motion that the lawsuit should be settled in private arbitration. All three defendants have argued for private arbitration with regard to the original lawsuit.
Grant’s amended lawsuit introduced new evidence and new information regarding those at WWE that Grant’s team say were aware of McMahon’s alleged abuse and helped cover it up.
A federal judge will rule as to whether Grant’s amended lawsuit will stand, or whether the suit will proceed as originally filed. The original lawsuit consisted of 68 pages, with the amended complaint comprised of 101 pages.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the latest on both Vince and Linda McMahon, Rita Chatterton was working for AEW (really), the AEW Australia show, tons of New Japan news, ratings, AEW Dynamite and NXT TV reviews, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with tons to talk about including the latest on Vince McMahon, Dynamite’s line-up for tonight, the shows this weekend, your full NXT TV report, and so much more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
