Janel Grant has spoken at length about her feelings toward Vince McMahon while her legal dispute with the former WWE executive continues in private arbitration.
Grant filed a lawsuit in January 2024 naming McMahon, WWE and former WWE executive John Laurinaitis. The complaint includes allegations of sexual assault and sex trafficking against McMahon. McMahon has not publicly commented on the lawsuit, and the allegations remain unproven. He resigned from his positions with TKO and WWE shortly after the suit was filed.
Laurinaitis is no longer a defendant in the case. In July, Grant, McMahon and WWE jointly filed for a voluntary dismissal from court so the matter could proceed through private arbitration. That filing did not represent a settlement, and the matter has not been settled.
In a new interview, Grant reflected on the period when reporting in July 2022 first brought allegations of sexual misconduct and hush-money payments involving McMahon into public view. Rather than immediately focusing on herself, Grant said she initially wanted to know whether McMahon was all right.
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“I asked the attorney a question that I don’t know I ever got an answer [to]. I said, ‘Is he okay?’ Because I thought, if I instantly felt like I might want to not be here anymore, if this was something that maybe my light goes out in life, why wouldn’t he feel the same way, if something’s about to be outed.”
Grant described a state of dependence and uncertainty in which she felt McMahon was the person she believed could explain what was happening and whether she would be safe.
“It’s actually, to be in my body and see the world through my eyes, it’s pretty easy. He’s the only person who can tell me if I’m going to be okay. And what’s going on, like, what just happened? How did this happen? He’s the only person who would know that. That’s how I felt.”
Grant describes forgiveness and empathy
When asked directly how she feels toward McMahon now, Grant said the word that best described her feelings was “forgiveness.” She said it was not something that dominates her thoughts, even as the legal process remains unresolved.
“Forgiveness. I don’t know how else to describe it, other than there’s something that does not take up space in my brain. I feel even empathy, because in a weird way, and this is extreme polar opposites, the thing that might… the series of events that caused The Journal story to happen—whatever it was—it equally impacted him.”
Grant did not frame that response as a dismissal of what she alleges happened to her. Instead, she said her attention remains fixed on the circumstances and decisions that led to anonymous emails, the subsequent reporting, and the events that followed.
“There are so many people involved in [the] decision-making that I can’t sit still and process. Instead, what occupies my brain is whatever series of events and decision-makers caused the anonymous emails to happen or The Wall Street Journal story to happen, and the events that have played out since, however they have played out. That is what occupies my brain.”
The comments offer a rare and deeply personal account from Grant about the emotional complexity surrounding the case. Her lawsuit has had major ramifications for WWE and its parent company, TKO, while also becoming one of the most closely watched legal matters connected to the wrestling business.
McMahon resigned following the January 2024 filing
McMahon’s final departure from WWE and TKO came days after Grant’s lawsuit was filed in January 2024. McMahon had previously stepped away from WWE in 2022 amid earlier reporting regarding alleged misconduct and payments, before returning to the company’s board in early 2023 as WWE pursued a strategic transaction.
WWE later merged with UFC under the TKO banner. McMahon initially held an executive role within the new company, but resigned after Grant’s suit became public. Since then, he has largely remained out of the public spotlight and has not issued a public response addressing Grant’s allegations.
WWE was named in Grant’s original complaint alongside McMahon and Laurinaitis. The allegations and the subsequent litigation generated intense scrutiny of the company’s corporate culture, leadership history, and the systems that were in place during McMahon’s long tenure overseeing WWE.
The move to arbitration means the dispute is no longer moving forward through public court proceedings in the same fashion as it had previously. Private arbitration generally has fewer public filings and may limit the amount of information made available as the process unfolds. The voluntary dismissal in July was specifically connected to allowing the arbitration process to continue, rather than indicating that the parties had reached an agreement to end the matter.
Laurinaitis no longer involved as a defendant
John Laurinaitis, a longtime WWE executive and former on-screen authority figure, was originally named in Grant’s complaint. He has since been dropped from the lawsuit. The remaining dispute involving Grant, McMahon and WWE is now being handled through arbitration.
That procedural development is significant, but it does not resolve the underlying allegations made by Grant. Nor does it establish findings regarding those allegations. With the case in private arbitration, future public updates could be more limited than they would be in a conventional civil court case.
For Grant, the interview also arrives after her recent recognition by the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Earlier this month, she accepted the organization’s Advocacy in Action Award. The honor recognized her advocacy work and her decision to speak publicly about her experience.
Her comments about forgiveness, empathy and the mental space occupied by the events should not be read as a legal conclusion or a resolution of the dispute. Grant’s remarks instead center on her own emotional perspective as she navigates a case that remains active, as well as the public consequences that followed the 2022 reporting and the January 2024 lawsuit.
A case that continues to affect WWE’s public image
The allegations involving McMahon have remained a central issue surrounding WWE even as the company has continued its regular television, premium live event and international business operations under TKO. McMahon’s influence over WWE was immense across several decades, making the claims and his resignation especially consequential for the promotion’s public identity.
WWE’s current creative and business leadership has operated without McMahon in the wake of his departure. However, the arbitration ensures the legal matter itself remains unresolved. Without a settlement or a publicly announced final outcome, there is no definitive conclusion to report regarding Grant’s claims.
Grant’s interview makes clear that the personal aftermath extends beyond legal terminology and corporate statements. Her account of first asking whether McMahon was okay, followed by her current description of forgiveness, illustrates the complicated emotional realities she says have accompanied these events.
Anyone affected by sexual violence can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673, available 24 hours a day, or visit RAINN.org for support and additional resources.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.