Fightful Select has provided a new update on the lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis and WWE. Fightful Select notes the lawsuit continues to be looked into.
Fightful Select has said they are working with additional mainstream media outlets on their efforts to cover the lawsuits, and will continue to look into the allegations and the lawsuit.
As it pertains to the heavy speculation of who unnamed executives are in the lawsuit, it all still remains a mystery. One source high up in WWE told Fightful that they are of the belief that one of the executive had “long been gone from WWE.”
Former WWE Executive John Laurinaitis has been very outspoken through his attorney, which one source said to Fightful they saw coming. The same source, who is a longtime WWE employee, said they effectively had looked at Laurinaitis as being Vince McMahon’s “fall guy” since the summer of 2022, but also figured that he had a golden parachute that has taken care of him financially. The same source said the looming possibility of actual charges being filed is what many in WWE saw as the main reason for Laurinaitis turning on McMahon.
Another source told Fightful Select, they think Laurinaitis is doing himself favors by saying that management knew and that proper WWE protocols were followed, but too many things happened there under his watch.”
Fightful Select said they had been in contact with Ashley Massaro in March 2019 to set up an interview in Las Vegas that May at Starrcast II. This part of the report notes Massaro was hoping to talk about her plans to resume in-ring training, and said she was weighing whether or not to open up further about her claims that was raped while on a WWE Tribute to the Troops tour in Kuwait back in 2006. Sadly, at just age 39, Massaro committed suicide two weeks prior to Starrcast II.
Futhermore, Fightful Select said based on the talent spoken to, they have not been briefed or told that they cannot speak about the nature of the lawsuit in interviews or appearances and several have been asked about it. Fightful Select added that while they heard thus far that no other companies are actively participating in the investigations, they have heard that talent from several other United States based companies have been given the okay to speak about issues or participate in the investigations if they feel comfortable doing so.
Fightful Select concluded by saying that they spoke to one former talent who has indicated they are weighing the options of whether to tell their story through the media, or whether or not they want to take legal action. Fightful Select did not disclosure the name of this talent, due to the talent not giving their approval for their name to be made public.