Disturbing clips featuring former WWE chairwoman and CEO Stephanie McMahon have resurfaced after her father Vince McMahon was accused of sex trafficking as part of a new lawsuit.
The lawsuit, reported by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, alleges that former WWE employee Janel Grant was the victim of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking by McMahon.
It is claimed the two met when McMahon was living in a penthouse duplex in Grant’s apartment building.
Their relationship allegedly began when McMahon agreed to help Grant – who was struggling financially and with the loss of her parents – to find employment in WWE.
McMahon is alleged to have coerced Grant into an increasingly problematic and abusive sexual relationship, with promises of a role in WWE.
Grant alleges she “felt trapped in an impossible situation: submitting to McMahon’s sexual demands or facing ruin.” McMahon’s sexual demands grew increasingly “sordid”, going as far as to defecate “on Ms. Grant during a threesome”.
John Laurinaitis and Brock Lesnar are also implicated in the accusations. It is alleged that McMahon arranged a schedule for Laurinaitis to have sexual encounters with Grant, including threesomes.
It is also claimed that McMahon shared sexually explicit material of Grant “with other men both inside and outside [WWE]”. This included “a world-famous athlete and former UFC Heavyweight Champion with whom
WWE was actively trying to sign to a new contract”, alleged to be Brock Lesnar.
Disturbing Stephanie McMahon clips resurface
In light of the allegations, pro wrestling fans have been sharing clips of old WWE television segments featuring Vince McMahon and his daughter Stephanie.
The two have been involved in various storylines together over the years. WWE has faced criticism for some of the storylines being inappropriate.
However, these criticisms were largely dismissed by fans who considered the storylines to be deliberately controversial for the sake of ratings.
One storyline included an infamous “I Quit” match between Vince and Stephanie at No Mercy 2003.
The clips, shared on X (formerly Twitter), include a promo where Stephanie implied (in storyline) that she was trafficked by Vince at 17 years old.
In the promo, Stephanie confronts Vince and says “every time that I went out to dinner with one of your business associates, I was 17 years old… You don’t think they told me what you promised them I’d do? And guess what Dad? I did it!”
She continues: “I did it for you, the things I did with them… And I’m ashamed of myself!”
In another old segment, Vince tells Stephanie: “It’s as if… It’s almost as if I, even though I didn’t, it’s almost as if I personally deflowered you.”
While both promo segments were produced and performed in the context of professional wrestling storylines and should be considered fictional, they are likely to raise eyebrows considering the seriousness of the allegations in the new lawsuit.
Fans have long-questioned what Vince was thinking when he commissioned these segments for television.
In an old WWE documentary, Stephanie previously revealed that McMahon suggested an incest storyline where he would be the father of her child.
Stephanie declined to participate, explaining “That one was just a little too gross, actually. It’s completely disgusting and I don’t find the entertainment value in it at all.”
In response, Vince suggested using Shane McMahon – his son – in the role instead. Stephanie again refused, saying: “Again, just no. I know that sometimes that happens in this world but it’s not gonna happen with us. I just can’t do that. That’s too much.”
What are your thoughts on these old WWE clips featuring Stephanie and Vince McMahon? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other Pro Wrestling articles.
