John Laurinaitis Performs U-Turn, Sides With Vince McMahon Over Janel Grant Lawsuit In New Court Filing

Trigger warning: This article contains an account of alleged sexual assault. 

In a U-turn today, John Laurinaitis has sided with Vince McMahon and his motion to request arbitration in relation to the lawsuit filed by Janel Grant against McMahon, Laurinaitis, and WWE. Within the lawsuit filed back in January, Grant accused McMahon of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and physical and emotional abuse. Laurinaitis has been accused of sexual assault and WWE were accused of attempting to cover up the allegations against McMahon. 

The motion submitted to the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut states: 

"Defendant John Laurinaitis, by and through his undersigned attorneys, respectfully moves this Court for an order compelling arbitration of this matter pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 3, 4, for the reasons set forth more fully in Defendant Vincent K. McMahon’s Motion to Compel Arbitration (Doc. 30) and Defendant McMahon’s Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion to Compel Arbitration (Doc. 30-1) which legal arguments advanced therein are adopted in full and joined by Defendant Laurinaitis as though set forth herein. Defendant Laurinaitis further moves the Court for such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper and seeks leave to advance additional and or other responses, defenses, counter-claims and or affirmative defenses to Plaintiff’s Complaint in the event the Motion to Compel Arbitration is denied."

A new statement issued by Laurinaitis' attorney Edward Brennan added: "John Laurinaitis has filed a Motion today fully joining in and adopting Vince McMahon's motion to compel arbitration. Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant’s allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded.  My client will fight these false allegations together with Mr. McMahon in the proper forum, arbitration."

This is ultimately a U-turn from Laurinaitis, whose attorney Edward Brennan claimed back in February that Laurinaitis was a victim of Vince McMahon.

Brennan said: "Mr. Laurinaitis denies the allegations in the misguided complaint and will be vigorously defending these charges in Court, not the media. Like the Plaintiff, Mr. Laurinaitis is a victim in this case, not a predator. The truth will come out."

After pressing over if Brennan was actually saying Laurinaitis was a victim, the attorney added: "Read the allegations. Read the Federal Statute. Power, control, employment supervisory capacity, dictatorial sexual demands with repercussions if not met. Count how many times in the complaint Vince exerts control over both of them."

Brennan in April then told POST Wrestling and Wrestlenomics: "Judge [Ann] Callis [Grant's attorney] was a learned judge and is a skilled litigator. I anticipate she will ultimately see that Mr. Lauriniatis is, like her client, a victim in this case, and Judge Callis will do the right thing and dismiss my client from this lawsuit. In the event she does not, my client will clear his name and reputation in Court, not in the media."

The U-turn from John Laurinaitis has prompted a statement from Vince McMahon's attorney, Jessica T. Rosenberg, who told Wrestlenomics: "In January 2024, Ms. Grant, a 43-year-old with a law degree, who was in love with Mr. McMahon and devastated by their break-up, filed an outrageous and false lawsuit to ruin Mr. McMahon's career and reputation. Now, her false allegations are slowly unraveling. Today, Mr. Laurinaitis' attorney confirmed his client will corroborate Mr. McMahon's account and expose the lies within the Complaint. Despite their intense efforts, Ms. Grant’s attorneys won’t be able to suppress the truth from coming out."

Within the lawsuit filed by Janel Grant, it alleges that Grant was transferred to work under Laurinaitis in the Talent Relations department of WWE in March 2021. Following this, Grant was directed to produce "explicit content" for Laurinaitis by Vince McMahon and McMahon arranged a threesome between them. Laurinaitis declined to answer when Grant asked if this was the first time a threesome involving McMahon and Laurinaitis had been arranged. 

It was further alleged that Grant was directed to visit Laurinaitis at this hotel room before work to "serve herself to him as his 'breakfast.'" "Forcible touching" also became a daily part of Grant's life, the lawsuit stated, when Laurinaitis was in the office.

Furthermore, McMahon and Laurinaitis allegedly sexually assaulted Grant inside Laurinaitis' office where the two executives "cornered her and pulled her in between them, forcibly touched her, before ultimately putting her on top of a table in between them. She begged them to stop, but they forced themselves on her, each taking turns restraining her for the other, while saying 'No means yes' and 'take it, bitch.'"

John Laurinaitis quietly exited WWE in the Summer of 2022 due to the hush money scandal involving Vince McMahon. 

Vince McMahon resigned as TKO Executive Chairman in late January following the filing of the lawsuit by Janel Grant. He remains a shareholder in TKO Group Holdings, although WWE and TKO have looked to distance themselves from the 78-year-old. 

Federal authorities are still investigating McMahon over multiple allegations of sexual assault dating back to the 1980s.