A significant internal shift has occurred within WWE, as a previous directive telling talent not to have any contact with Vince McMahon is no longer in effect, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
This development was recently highlighted by the guest list at McMahon’s 80th birthday party at Gotham Hall in New York City. Attendees included prominent WWE names such as The Undertaker, John Cena, Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, Maryse, and Titus O’Neil, alongside JBL and Bruce Prichard.
According to Meltzer, there was a period where McMahon was largely isolated, with many avoiding association due to the severe allegations detailed in a lawsuit filed by former employee Janel Grant. The report notes that in many cases, wrestlers’ wives were appalled by the lawsuit’s claims and did not want their husbands connected to him.
The lawsuit, filed by Grant on January 25, 2024, accuses McMahon, WWE, and former executive John Laurinaitis of sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. It alleges that McMahon exploited her sexually and trafficked her to other men within the company after offering her a job in 2019. The graphic details led to McMahon’s resignation as executive chairman of TKO Group Holdings.
Despite this backdrop, the dynamic has reportedly changed over time. Meltzer stated that more former WWE personnel have gotten back in touch with McMahon, leading to the eventual removal of the no-contact restriction for current talent.
“There was a period when all but a few of Vince McMahon’s closest friends had nothing to do with him, although in a lot of the cases it was because of their wives being appalled from the lawsuit and not wanting their husbands to have an association,” Meltzer wrote. “In time, more and more ex-WWE people have been back in contact with him. There was a period when people in WWE were told not to have any contact with him and obviously that’s no longer the case.”
The civil case remains ongoing after being paused for a federal investigation between June and December 2024. A key development occurred in May 2025 when co-defendant John Laurinaitis reached a confidential settlement with Grant and agreed to cooperate with her legal team against McMahon and WWE.