Ari Emanuel Reportedly Told WWE's Vince McMahon It Was Best He Resign

The wrestling world awaits as further details arise from a lawsuit filed against WWE and Vince McMahon alleging sex trafficking, assault, and exploitation. McMahon resigned in the aftermath of the suit being made public, swiftly following an official statement from TKO — WWE's parent company — which directly addressed the allegations.

In an update this morning from The Hollywood Reporter, it was stated McMahon's resignation came at the behest of TKP CEO Ari Emanuel and COO Mark Shapiro as they told him it would be in the best interest of the company for him to resign. McMahon is said to have agreed and thus tendered his resignation, with Nick Khan later delivering an internal memo that McMahon was gone and wouldn't be returning. 

McMahon is extensively accused of gross sexual misconduct in the lawsuit. Graphic accounts from claimant Janel Grant depict McMahon utilizing his position of wealth and corporate power to impose his will upon Grant, in what is just the latest allegation levied against the third-generation wrestling promoter. He similarly left WWE in 2022 under a cloud of sordid controversy when it emerged that he had been using company funds to make payments to other alleged victims. He forced his way back onto the WWE board in January 2023, citing he needed to return to drive the company towards a sale agreement, which would eventually transpire in Endeavor's acquisition of WWE and merging the brand with MMA organization UFC to form TKO Group Holdings. As part of the negotiations, it was stipulated that McMahon would continue as the Executive Chairman of the new company.