Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the chief content officer at World Wrestling Entertainment, addressed the public for the first time following Vince McMahon’s resignation from the board of WWE’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings. This decision came amidst a lawsuit filed by a former employee accusing McMahon of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and physical abuse.
At a news conference following WWE’s “Royal Rumble” event in St. Petersburg, Florida, Levesque, McMahon’s son-in-law, expressed that he had not read the lawsuit and had no prior knowledge of it. He emphasized his reluctance to delve into the details and asserted his commitment to doing “everything possible” to ensure the safety and well-being of employees, without specifying the measures taken by WWE.
TKO did not provide a response to CNN’s inquiry regarding Levesque’s statements during the news conference.
Janel Grant, a former WWE employee, brought forward disturbing allegations against McMahon, claiming he promised job opportunities and promotions in exchange for sex. The lawsuit also implicated McMahon in trafficking Grant to other men, including John Laurinaitis, a former wrestler and company employee, who is also named as a defendant.
McMahon, 78, denied all allegations and expressed readiness to defend himself in court. His retirement in July 2022 followed a WWE investigation into his alleged misconduct as chairman and CEO. Laurinaitis departed shortly thereafter. McMahon later returned as chair of TKO in early 2023.
In September, WWE officially merged with a portion of Ari Emanuel’s Endeavor group, forming TKO. This merger, valued at over $21 billion, saw WWE shareholders owning 49% of the combined company. The winner of the men’s Royal Rumble, Cody Rhodes, acknowledged the allegations’ impact on the company, describing it as casting “a dark cloud” over its future.
Levesque, referring to a lucrative 10-year, $5 billion deal with Netflix announced on Tuesday, deemed it an “amazing week” for WWE. The streaming service will exclusively feature the “WWE Raw” program starting in 2025. Additionally, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson disclosed his intention to join the board of directors at TKO on the same Tuesday.
