Vince McMahon Resigns From TKO Following Allegations, Removed From Company Websites

UPDATE: Vince McMahon’s resignation from TKO following allegations of sex trafficking and more has led to his removal from WWE & TKO’s websites. As PWInsider reports, McMahon has been removed from the TKO website where he had been previously listed on the Board of Directors. In addition, WWE.com has removed McMahon completely from its Superstars page as opposed to moving him to the Alumni section has is typically the case.

While McMahon’s page does come up if you search for it on WWE.com, clicking on the page comes up with a “You are not authorized to access this page” message, meaning that it has been set to private access.

The story of McMahon’s resignation has been picked up by all major news outlets and is front page news on CNN, FOX News, the New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, BBC News, and the Daily Mail and others as well as the major entertainment trades like Variety, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Wrap.

As PWInsider notes, this marks the first time that no blood member of the McMahon family is officially working for WWE.

ORIGINAL: Vince McMahon has resigned from TKO Group following the horrifying allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault and more levied against him. As reported, McMahon was accused of sex trafficking, emotional and physical abuse, sexual assault and more in a lawsuit filed by former employee Janel Grant on Thursday, with John Laurinaitis named as involved and WWE accused of negligence and more. Deadline reports that McMahon has resigned from his position as Executive Chairman and a member of the TKO Board of Directors.

McMahon’s statement reads:

“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.”

The move completes a fall from grace for the former WWE owner, Chairman and CEO which began when he retired from WWE in July of 2022 following the first allegations that he had made “hush money” payments to a woman he was having an affair with in WWE. The WWE Board of Directors investigated and found additional payments made totalling $16 million to four women over 12 years.

McMahon staged his return in January of 2023 by virtue of his voting power, ultimately setting himself up to sell the company to Endeavor. That deal, completed last September after being announced in April, found McMahon no longer in control of the company and instead installed as the Executive Chairman of TKO as well as the Chairman of the newly-formed company’s Board of Directors. With his resignation, he no longer holds either position.

With the completion of Endeavor’s acquisition of WWE and merger with TKO, McMahon stepped away from day-to-day operations of WWE. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reports that Nick Khan sent the following memo to some staff:

“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.

Nick Khan”