Here's your wrestling news for July 9th, 2022.
And we're starting with WWE as last month in one of the biggest power shifts in decades.
Vince McMahon stepped down as CEO of WWE, due to the ongoing investigation into his alleged activities.
It's claim that McMahon arranged a 3 million payout to a paralegal.
He had an affair with when she left the company earlier this year, but now the scandal is getting a lot worse.
In a new article from the wall street journal, it's reported that this alleged 3 million payout isn't just a one off, but
that McMahon has paid a total of 12 million in hush money.
Over the past 16 years for alleged sexual misconduct, the payments are alleged to have been aimed, to keep them quiet
about sexual misconduct and inappropriate relationships.
All of the women alleged to have had relations with the ex-chairman formerly worked for WWE, including one former wrestler.
The report states that the former wrestler accused McMahon of coercing her into oral sex and that she was demoted shortly after.
And when she resisted additional encounters, her contract was allowed to expire in 2005.
It wasn't until 2018 that the wrestler and her lawyer confronted McMahon and reportedly scored a 7.5 million pay.
Many senior staff and others backstage are speculating that it could either be Dawn Marie ECW alum who WWE
infamously fired while she was pregnant or tough enough.
Season two winner Jackie Gayda, Don Marie was blacklisted from WWE entirely following a court case that occurred after her
infamous release while on maternity leave, as she hasn't been seen, or even mentioned by name on programming ever since.
Senior staff are also speculating.
It could be Christie Hemi, especially as the report says that the wrestler was demoted after refusing any more advancements
by McMohanann 2005 was a huge year for Hemi, but it was also an incredibly mixed time for her appearing in Playboy that year.
Christie challenged for the WWE women's championship at WrestleMania 21, but was demoted to O V w later that year and released in December.
WWE cited, their usual litany of excuses, such as budget cuts and not having plans for her.
But given that she was competing for the top price for women at WrestleMania, it's hard to call her
move to O V w anything other than a demotion.
We must stress that we cannot confirm exactly who is alleged to have been with the ex-chairman, but we
know that all of these women were released in 2005.
In another case, a WWE contractor McMahon allegedly had an affair with shared unsolicited nude photos of the ex CEO to WWE and
McMohan agreed to a $1 million payout, which was paid in 2008.
In 2006, a former employee was allegedly paid $1 million by McMahon to keep the affair and unsolicited Nude images of Vince, a secret.
And this is all in addition to the 3 million arranged for the paralegal we mentioned earlier.
This latest report, doesn't just follow up from the previous wall street journal piece, but from a scathing article from June 27th by
New York magazine in that report, former WWE talent, Mario Mancini corroborated old allegations that McMahon sexually assaulted WWE's
first female referee Rita Chatterton back in the early 1990s.
All of these reports have affected WWE's share price, which has led to eight law firms investigating WWE for potential
breach of fiduciary responsibilities as its believed.
WWE should have informed investors of the reports in the time that they knew.
And before the articles were published.
After the first article alleging an affair dropped many thought Vince McMahon would quietly bow out
and try to keep himself out of the spotlight.
Instead mere hours after he stepped down as WWE CEO McMahon appeared on the June 27th SmackDown in a truly
shocking move, rather than addressing the claims about him.
McMahon simply welcomed fans to the show, but had something much different to say backstage.
A source who was backstage at the show reported that after McMahon appearance, which the source called pointless,
the ex-chairman returned backstage, where he yelled out, fuck him in response to the allegations against him.
McMahon has gone on to appear on RAW SmackDown several times in the following weeks.
And while he isn't speaking on TV about the claims, those backstage know exactly what he thinks of these allegations.
Or from Vince McMahon now, as the ex CEO of WWE has led an interesting life and was supposed to be the subject of a documentary by Netflix.
This would certainly have been an interesting watch for those subscribe to the popular streaming service, but
plans for the doc have been cut short, Denise Salcedo tweeted that the documentary had been pulled and no
longer appearing on their spreadsheet of current project.
Sources tell me that the Vince McMahon Netflix documentary has been pulled and is off the programming
spreadsheet at Netflix, a source of Netflix confirmed.
It is no longer being listed on their spreadsheet.
Another source of Netflix said that shit's out of here.
Another source indicated that the project was already deep in post-production and that several
talent interviews had been done months ago.
And that millions were spent.
I spoke to one of the producers on the project.
However, they declined to confirm or deny this story to me.
McMahon.
Certainly would've been an interesting topic for the Netflix doc, especially over the past month or so of scandal, but don't
expect the ex-chairman to be the focus of anything on Netflix.
This latest bombshell report from the journal comes just as things were starting to settle down for McMahon,
but it's clear that he's not out of the woods yet.
And while many have assumed he would survive the scandal of paying out one alleged.
Mistres the reports of paying millions to four women, maybe too much, even for Vince McMahon a lot of fans were
shocked by the new claims made against Vince McMahon in the most recent journal article, but it seems that many in
the company weren't too surprised by what's taken place.
In a story by Sean Ross sap behind fight's paywall, at least one former WWE talent said that they
knew about the latest claims against McMahon.
Well in advance.
And that rumors of McMahon's alleged sexual escapades were a running joke backstage among writers,
SAP rights, a former talent contacted fight.
And they said of at least one major story would come out in the coming weeks, but didn't feel comfortable identifying the story specifically.
They confirmed to fight for this morning, it was tied to the former talent who gained a 7.5 million agreement.
Sap added that when it comes to jokes about McMahon's reported behavior, Vince himself went along with
it saying he would use the affairs as a half joking excuse as to why he'd be late to meetings before TV.
This situation isn't so funny anymore.
As McMahon could lose his role with WWE permanently based on the results of the investigations against him.
But we'll just have to keep waiting to see what is concluded about the ex chairman's behavior.
McMahon may have found talk about his alleged sexual misconduct, funny at one time, but the fans aren't
seeing what's so humorous about the allegations.
Not long after the wall street Journal's most recent article was published.
Many fans found the allegations appalling and hashtag fire.
Vince has been trending on Twitter.
A lot of fans clearly believe that McMahon is guilty of the allegations against him.
And even former WWE superstar Ryback shared his support for the fire Vince movement.
And there have been other hashtags in this movement, including cancel Vince and fire VKm.
McMahon days in WWE could indeed be numbered.
And no matter what the result of the investigation is, a lot of people have already made up their minds about the controversial billionaire.
The situation continues to be a PR nightmare for WWE and while many have already made up their own minds, the
company is making their views clear to those who work there.
The allegation that the ex CEO paid out 12 million to four women, at least one of whom he allegedly forced into sex is pretty damning.
And WWE has issued a memo to their entire company.
The memo was obtained by Mike Johnson of P w insider and everyone from the roster to those working behind the scenes
received the following the wall street journal has published a second story with expanded details on its initial WWE report.
Last month.
We want to reiterate that we and our board of directors take these allegations.
Seriously.
We've been cooperating fully with the investigation, led by our board of directors and will continue to do so until its conclusion.
Please note that upon its conclusion, WWE leadership will make itself available to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you.
In his appearances on WWE TV since the first wall street journal article McMahon has not publicly addressed the
allegations against him, but the company is well aware of what is being said about the former boss McMahon position as CEO
and chairman of WWE has been taken over by Stephanie McMahon
but her father still wields a lot of power behind the scenes.
PW insider reports that despite being accused of sexual misconduct with four women, McMahon was present at last night's SmackDown,
tapings and remains in control of the company's creative.
The newest article by the wall street journal has rocked the wrestling universe with many forging their own
opinions about McMahon's alleged actions, but it's clear nothing can stop the ex-chairman from doing his job.
As we mentioned earlier, Netflix had already interviewed several WWE superstars before carrying the Vince McMahon documentary.
But one X superstar is now speaking up with reports that he paid 12 million in hush money.
And Mickey James had her own response to the claims on Twitter.
James didn't mention McMahon by name, but posted a GIF of herself.
Looking confused with the caption.
No wonder I never got that.
Raise.
The former women's champion is obviously implying that she never got a raise in WWE because she didn't sleep with McMahon, making
it clear that she believes the reports against the ex-chairman.
Despite stepping down as CEO and chairman Vince McMahon is still making decisions for the company's creative team.
And after this tweet, it may be a very long time before the company wants to do business with Mickey James.
McMahon is at least publicly trying to act like nothing has changed and is continuing his work with the company.
Even with Vince under investigation, the WWE corporate machine never stops and McMahon may be going to a name
from the past to help out Sean Ross, SAP of fightfull reports that after last night, smackdown Vince headed to
Vancouver, Canada to meet with none other than John Cena.
Given that SmackDown took place in Fort worth.
Texas McMahon had to go a long way to catch up with a 16 time WWE world champion.
So it must have been something very important to discuss in person Cena is in Vancouver because the second season of
peacemaker is set to begin filming soon, and their meaning comes just weeks after John's return to raw last month.
It was the filming of peacemaker and other projects that is foreseen to miss a lot of WWE events, including the last two wrestle manias.
So we imagine whatever Vince had to discuss with John was of the utmost importance.