Cody Rhodes addresses Vince McMahon sexual abuse allegations
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WWE’s Cody Rhodes was shocked to read the allegations surrounding Vince McMahon, and sounded on Saturday night as though he was still digesting the news of McMahon’s resignation from the company amid a bombshell sex trafficking lawsuit.
“I know as far as the news was concerned, we were finding out and reading the same things that you guys were reading.,” Rhodes told reporters after winning the Royal Rumble. “You said a dark cloud, certainly. As far as a TKO, Nick Khan, the board clearly took it very seriously, acted immediately. Looking at the future, I don’t know the answer to that.”
McMahon, formerly the TKO executive chairman, officially resigned on Friday night after a lawsuit filed on Thursday accused him of sexually abusing and trafficking former WWE employee Janel Grant to other company executives.
Grant alleged in the lawsuit that McMahon offered her a job and promotions in exchange for sex. She also alleged that McMahon recruited her to have sex with John Laurinatis, WWE’s former head of talent, among other executives.
“She hopes those at the company past and present who fear speaking out about harm is a thing of the past,” Grant said in a statement read by her lawyer, Ann Acllis, on the Crime Fix with Angenette Levy podcast. “She wishes them all peace.”
A spokesperson for McMahon denied the allegations and said Friday that the WWE founder “intends to defend himself vigorously.”
“I think something [that], really, probably, is a basic tenant of this crew more than ever from a roster standpoint is very family. Never seen anything like this,” Rhodes said Saturday. “Most of the time wrestlers fight and talk trash about each other, sandbagging each other in the ring, all that nonsense. This crew is very team-based and perhaps that’s the ingredient is everyone looking out for everyone, being accountable.
“And I know for me as a performer and a competitor, I’ve been through dark periods in our industry before. And it might sound cheesy but it’s very reinforcing if you’re in my position. It’s a time when, hey we got 50,000 people out here. I wanted to give them something else from this weekend that isn’t a terrible situation and terrible news and obviously as more news comes out we see it just like you do.”
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