- Becky Lynch says allegations against Vince McMahon are ‘hard to reconcile’
- McMahon strongly denies the claims and was forced to resign from his position at TKO following allegations
Despite all the successes WWE has had in recent months – and Elimination Chamber in Perth will no doubt add to that growing list – Vince McMahon’s dark cloud continues to loom large.
The 78-year-old led WWE for more than 40 years before selling to Endevour and taking on a CEO position within their new conglomerate that housed both UFC and WWE – TKO.
However, he was forced to resign from his position at TKO in January 2024 following allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault. McMahon is currently under a federal investigation. He denies all claims against him.
In former employee Janel Grant’s lawsuit, she accuses McMahon of not only sexually harassing and raping her, but also using her body as a bargaining chip in negotiations, outsourcing her to at least one WWE wrestler, and widely shared private photos and videos of her and pooping on Grant.
Many WWE stars have spoken out about the allegations against their former boss in recent weeks and Mail Sport was able to speak to Kevin Owens and Becky Lynch in Perth, Australia ahead of the Elimination Chamber.
Vince McMahon, executive chairman of TKO’s board of directors, was forced to resign in January
Becky Lynch called sex trafficking allegations against McMahon ‘difficult to reconcile’
‘Everything that has come out is terrible. Just awful,” Owens began. ‘There are really no words to describe how sad this makes me feel.
‘If the people who are speaking out have experienced what they have experienced, it’s terrible. It’s a shame and it should never happen again. That’s what it comes down to.’
A sadness washed over Owens’ face as soon as we brought up the question. Clearly disturbed by the actions of a man he worked under for so long.
Lynch has been one of WWE’s top stars, male or female, for years. She didn’t know how women were treated at corporate headquarters as she toured the cities and sold out shows.
The Man, along with husband Seth Rollins, have been taking their young daughter Roux on the road since Lynch returned to action at SummerSlam 2021.
Kevin Owens described the situation as “shameful” and said if people have been through what they have been through, it can’t happen again.
In light of what the public has learned about McMahon and possibly some of his closest associates, does Lynch still feel that WWE is a safe place for her, as a woman and a talent, and for her young family?
“I’ve been fortunate in my career to always feel supported by the company,” Lynch said confidently after a long, measured silence.
“These accusations are terrible and it is difficult to reconcile as a talent and as a woman. But my experience in WWE has been nothing but great.
‘Yes, in the beginning there were some restrictions on some things; We couldn’t hit and grab her – there were some weird things – but I was able to push us forward, push women forward and I’m very grateful for that. So this company… (right now) some of these things are hard to reconcile.
The WWE roster has widely condemned McMahon, with the exception of WWE legend John Cena who said, “I’m going to love the person I love and be their friend.”
WWE Elimination Chamber takes place at Opus Stadium in Perth, Australia. Read more about experiences in Western Australia. Visit WesternAustralia.com.