Vince McMahon and WWE have officially opposed Janel Grant, a former WWE employee, from obtaining new evidence from them before a court decides whether her sex trafficking lawsuit against McMahon and WWE will go to private arbitration.
Janel Grant's legal team previously requested extensive internal WWE and Vince McMahon communications, such as board documents, NDA drafts, and other materials reviewed by federal investigators, to challenge the enforceability of the arbitration clause.
According to new reporting by Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling, WWE and Vince McMahon have filed motions arguing that Grant failed to meet the legal standard for pre-arbitration discovery, accusing her of seeking documents unrelated to whether she was coerced into agreeing to arbitration.
“The Court should refuse to indulge Plaintiff’s [Grant’s] improper fishing expedition and deny the Motion in full,” McMahon’s legal team wrote.
WWE's attorneys stated in their filing, "Grant is not entitled to motion-related discovery. She has entirely failed to allege sufficient facts calling into question the validity of the arbitration provision."
Grant's team gave the following statement to POST:
McMahon and WWE are attempting TO block basic discovery requests “that go [to] the heart of whether the NDA and its arbitration clause are valid. If they have nothing to hide, they should embrace this opportunity for transparency."
McMahon's representatives also argued that if Grant's allegations are correct, she would already have evidence proving she was coerced, like text messages or emails sent to her.
Janet Grant must file a response to the motions by July 11. WWE and McMahon are set to reply to her opposition by August 1. Both defendants requested a court hearing to discuss the arbitration matter, which could take place after August 1 if the judge approves.
Grant's original lawsuit, filed in January 2024, alleges sex trafficking and sexual abuse against McMahon. WWE and McMahon claim the case should be transferred to private arbitration, referencing the arbitration clause in the $3 million nondisclosure agreement signed by Grant and McMahon in January 2022. Grant argues that this clause is not enforceable.
Fightful will continue to monitor the story and report any updates.
