Vince McMahon resigns from WWE and TKO Group

In the wake of the horrifying allegations made against him by Janel Grant, Vince McMahon is gone from WWE.

WWE president Nick Khan sent an email to staff on Friday night informing them that McMahon has resigned from his position as TKO Group Holdings executive chairman. Khan stated that McMahon will no longer have a role with either TKO or WWE.

Khan’s email can be read below:

I wanted to inform you that Vince McMahon has tendered his resignation from his positions as TKO Executive Chairman and on the TKO Board of Directors. He will no longer have a role with TKO Group Holdings or WWE.

McMahon’s resignation comes one day after Grant filed a lawsuit accusing him of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and sex trafficking. TKO called the allegations “horrific” and said they would be addressing the matter internally.

Following his resignation, McMahon issued a statement maintaining that he will vigorously defend himself against what he calls “baseless” 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. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.

However, out of respect for the WWE Universe, the extraordinary TKO business and its board members and shareholders, partners and constituents, and all of the employees and Superstars who helped make WWE into the global leader it is today, I have decided to resign from my executive chairmanship and the TKO board of directors, effectively immediately.

Slim Jim announced on Friday that it was pausing its sponsorships with WWE due to the allegations against McMahon.

Grant is a former WWE employee. Her lawsuit names McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis as defendants.

McMahon previously retired from WWE in July 2022 amid a hush-money scandal that began when the WWE board of directors learned of his settlement with Grant. But McMahon remained WWE’s majority shareholder at the time and forced himself back into power in January 2023. That won’t be an option this time after WWE was acquired by Endeavor last September.