WWE Reaction To Latest Claim Around Ashley Massaro Allegations: "Armageddon"

WARNING: This article contains an account of alleged rape.

There has seemingly been a deep reaction within WWE following the latest revelations about Ashley Massaro's past allegations. 

Following Massaro's passing in 2019, Ashley's lawyer released an affidavit which alleged that she was injected with a paralysing drug and raped by someone representing himself as a United States Army doctor during a PR tour of a Kuwait army base in 2006. The affidavit also claimed that Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis told Massaro not to talk about the incident to preserve WWE's relationship with the United States military. 

WWE released a statement a few days after the affidavit's release, claiming they were never informed about the alleged incident and would have reported it immediately to the base commander if they had been.

The lawyer of John Laurinaitis, however, has since claimed to VICE News that WWE management were aware of the allegations made by Massaro, which directly contradicts WWE's 2019 statement. 

"Any allegations that Mr. Laurinaitus helped to cover up an alleged rape allegation is an outright lie. Johnny, like most upper level management at sometime became aware of the allegations and ensured all proper WWE protocols were followed, including privacy for the alleged victim. We object to the use of the term cover up as no such plan or plot ever took place to hide or assist in the alleged rape," Laurinaitis' lawyer Edward Brennan told VICE News.

The Naval Criminal Intelligence Service also opened an investigation into Massaro's allegations in June 2019, an investigation that was closed in January 2020. The results of the investigation have not been made public. 

Following the publication of the VICE story, BJ Bethel of SE Scoops reported the internal reaction within WWE was "Armageddon." 

"WWE source on the reaction to @VICE story about John Laurinaitis backing Ashley Massaro's claims, as well as the Naval inquiry in 2020 - 'Armageddon,'" Bethel wrote.

TKO, the parent company of WWE, has declined to comment on the VICE report.