Former WWE boss Vince McMahon is speaking out against a new Netflix documentary that explores his rise and fall.
“I don’t regret participating in this Netflix documentary. The producers had an opportunity to tell an objective story about my life and the incredible business I built, which were equally filled with excitement, drama, fun, and a fair amount of controversy and life lessons,” McMahon, 79, shared via X on Monday, September 23, ahead of the premiere of Netflix’s six-part docuseries Mr. McMahon on Wednesday, September 25.
“Unfortunately, based on an early partial cut I’ve seen, this doc falls short and takes the predictable path of conflating the ‘Mr. McMahon’ character with my true self, Vince. The title and promos alone make that evident,” he continued.
“A lot has been misrepresented or left out entirely in an effort to leave viewers intentionally confused,” the statement went on. “The producers use typical editing tricks with out of context footage and dated soundbites etc. to distort the viewers’ perception and support a deceptive narrative.”
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McMahon concluded, “In an attempt to further their misleading account, the producers use a lawsuit based on an affair I ended as evidence that I am, in fact, ‘Mr. McMahon’. I hope the viewer will keep an open mind and remember that there are two sides to every story.”
Mr. McMahon is described by Netflix as an “unflinching” look at the controversial businessman’s life and career, from taking over WWE from his father, Vincent J. McMahon, to his eventual exit from the company in January amid a lawsuit from a former WWE employee accusing him of “physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault and trafficking.”
Us Weekly obtained documents in January in which former WWE employee Janel Grant alleged that McMahon “pushed” her to engage in a physical relationship in exchange for a job at WWE
In response to McMahon’s statement, Ann Callis, Grant’s attorney, said in a statement obtained by Us, “Vince McMahon physically and emotionally abused, sexually assaulted and human trafficked Janel Grant for more than two years. Calling his horrific and criminal behavior ‘an affair’ is delusional and nothing more than a sad attempt to save his shredded reputation. Although Ms. Grant has not seen the “Mr. McMahon” docuseries, we hope it shines a bright light on his abhorrent and criminal actions by accurately portraying the realities of his abusive and exploitative behavior.”
“Ms. Grant will no longer be silenced by McMahon. Her story, though deeply troubling and exceptionally painful, is one that can help other abuse survivors find their voices. We seek to hold McMahon, John Laurinaitis and WWE accountable and to give Ms. Grant her day in court,” the statement continued.
According to Grant’s January lawsuit, McMahon displayed an “increasing lack of boundaries” after they met in 2019, claiming he would greet her “in his underwear, touched her, repeatedly asked for hugs, and spent hours sharing intimate details about his personal life.”
Grant said she entered into a physical relationship with McMahon because she allegedly feared “negative consequences” if she turned him down and ultimately “[succumbed] to the pressure.”
McMahon also allegedly shared sexually explicit photographs of Grant with other men within the WWE, had “increasingly depraved sexual demands” and coerced her into having sex with other staffers at the company headquarters during working hours. This included WWE general manager John Laurinaitis, who was also named in the lawsuit along with the corporation as a whole.
“This lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the truth. He will vigorously defend himself,” a spokesperson for McMahon said in a statement at the time.
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Chris Smith, best known for Tiger King, and Bill Simmons serve as producers of Mr. McMahon for Netflix. The docuseries was first announced in October 2020 with McMahon’s involvement, however, over the years, it has taken a different shape amid various sexual misconduct allegations against the wrestling promoter. McMahon has denied all wrongdoing.
“Over the four years of production, the story evolved in truly shocking ways, culminating in some extremely harrowing allegations,” Smith told Netflix. “The final product is a revealing documentary that we believe offers a rich and nuanced portrait of the man and the complex legacy he left behind.”
