Below are a couple of top WWE news stories of the day, involving Vince McMahon and Rhea Ripley.
• Vince McMahon officially stepped away from WWE following a lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant, alleging serious misconduct. Grant’s lawsuit accuses McMahon, the company, and former WWE executive John Laurinaitis of $ex trafficking, sharing explicit photos and videos without consent, among other charges.
In a significant development, Grant has agreed to a request from the US Attorney’s Office to pause her lawsuit in favor of a non-public investigation. This investigation, initiated by the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, continues to probe allegations of $exual misconduct and $ex trafficking against McMahon, who once held the positions of Chairman and CEO of WWE.
Amid this legal chaos, McMahon’s presence has been conspicuously absent from WWE’s new headquarters. According to the Wrestling Observer, McMahon’s office remains unoccupied:
“Nobody. It’s empty, still. The last I heard [the T-Rex skull] was [still there]. I don’t know if they’ve taken stuff out of there. At least as of a couple of weeks ago, they had not given anyone the office.”
The iconic T-Rex skull, a famous fixture in McMahon’s office, reportedly still stands as a silent relic of his tenure.
Tom Carlucci, who began working for McMahon in 1987, further disclosed on “The Insiders” podcast with Conrad Thompson that McMahon is not permitted at the new WWE headquarters. This restriction underscores the extent of McMahon’s separation from the company amidst the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings.
• In recent weeks, WWE RAW has been dominated by Liv Morgan’s relentless pursuit of Dominik Mysterio, as she attempts to drive a wedge between him and Rhea Ripley. This drama unfolded while Ripley was sidelined due to a shoulder injury, which occurred following a backstage brawl with Morgan on the April 8th episode of RAW.
Ripley’s injury forced her to relinquish the Women’s World Title, which Morgan subsequently captured from Becky Lynch. Initially, Ripley’s recovery was projected to take around four months, with plans for her to reignite her feud with Morgan upon her return. However, the Wrestling Observer reports that Ripley is undergoing shoulder rehabilitation rather than opting for surgery, casting doubt on her original comeback timeline.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Ripley’s return, sources told Fightful Select that WWE has structured their storylines to seamlessly reintegrate Ripley whenever she’s ready. There is also a possibility that Ripley might make an earlier return in a non-wrestling role if needed.
Internally, there has been talk of involving Ripley in the World Title program upon her return, aligning with her last storyline appearance. A source indicated that the specific direction of her return will depend on the current storylines at that time. WWE’s creative team has continued to plan with Ripley in mind, even in her absence.
While there is no confirmation of active, creative plans or direct inquiries with Ripley, the hope within WWE is that she will be back on screen in some capacity ahead of SummerSlam, if her recovery progresses well. Fans eagerly await Ripley’s return, anticipating how she will re-enter the WWE landscape and what impact it will have on the ongoing drama with Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio.
