MMA News

Tag: vince mcmahon

  • Brock Lesnar’s Return Gets a Mixed Reaction from the Live WWE Audience at SummerSlam

    Brock Lesnar’s Return Gets a Mixed Reaction from the Live WWE Audience at SummerSlam

    Brock Lesnar’s return to the WWE did not go well.

    On Saturday night, World Wrestling Entertainment presented it’s 38th annual SummerSlam event, emanating from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. While the two-night show failed to deliver on multiple levels, it featured a series of big moments, including Seth Rollins cashing in his Money in the Bank mere moments after CM Punk defeated Gunther to win the world heavyweight championship.

    But as crazy as that was, nobody expected what would come the following night.

    Shortly after Cody Rhodes defeated John Cena to reclaim the undisputed WWE championship, Cena’s final SummerSlam moment was spoiled by Brock Lesnar, who made his first promotional appearance in two years. During that time away, Lesnar was thought to have been banned from WWE after being named in the sexual misconduct federal lawsuit against Vince McMahon.

    As it turns out, that was not the case, and fans were less than enthused with Lesnar’s surprise comeback. Check out the clip below courtesy of Ariel Helwani.

    Brock Lesnar’s WWE return is an attempt to “sweep misconduct under the rug”

    In a suit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant, she alleged that McMahon told her to produce “personalized sexual content” for Lesnar as a means of keeping the former UFC heavyweight titleholder under contract. Grant also claimed that McMahon flew Lesnar to Connecticut for a sexual encounter that ultimately did not occur.

    Grant’s representation issued a statement to Fightful regarding Lesnar’s return to WWE.

    “For far too long, abuse was allowed to thrive under WWE’s leadership,” the statement Reads. “Instead of righting this wrong, WWE has done nothing to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

    “This attempt to sweep misconduct under the rug will backfire,” the statement continued. “We look forward to the full set of facts, including those about Mr. Lesnar, coming out in a court of law where they belong but, in the meantime, we refer you back to Janel Grant’s updated complaint, which outlines, in detail, the abuse she endured by McMahon and others while employed at WWE.”

  • Vince McMahon Issued Misdemeanor Following Car Accident

    Vince McMahon, the former Executive Chairman of WWE & TKO, parent company of the UFC, was involved in a car accident on July 24.

    Per a report from TMZ, McMahon was traveling northbound on Route 15 in Westport, Connecticut, when the 2024 Bentley he was driving crashed into the back of a 2023 BMW 430. It then collided with a median wood-beam guardrail before a third vehicle, a Ford Fusion, ran into it.

    About 30 feet of damage to the median guardrail. No one was injured, with all three drivers having worn seat belts, but all three vehicles needed to be towed. McMahon’s Bentley and the BMW had its airbags deployed.

    McMahon was issued a misdemeanor summons for reckless driving and following too closely resulting in an accident. He is scheduled to appear in court next month.

    Vince McMahon, Former WWE And TKO Executive Chairman, Cited For Car Accident In Connecticut

    McMahon was one of the leading forces behind WWE’s sale to Endeavor in 2023. The Ari Emanuel-led company then formed TKO as part of a “merger” between the WWE and Zuffa, the longtime parent company of the UFC. McMahon, who originally purchased the WWE from his father in 1982, served as executive chairman of TKO upon its original creation.

    McMahon originally retired from his role as WWE chairman and CEO in June 2022 following hush-money payment allegations. He, however, powered his way back into the position of executive chairman and Board of Directors head in January 2023 as part of WWE’s sale process.

    McMahon was ousted from TKO, however, in January 2024 follwing allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault. He is still under federal investigation.

  • CM Punk Is Certain Conor McGregor Will Cross Over Into Pro Wrestling

    Pro wrestling legend CM Punk has no doubt that Conor McGregor will be billy strutting into a WWE arena at some point in the future.

    If there is one man who knows a thing or two about crossing over into the unknown it’s CM Punk. Punk dared to try his hand at the highest level of MMA in his pro debut five years ago in the UFC. Punk suffered lopsided defeats in both of his professional bouts, but that doesn’t negate the work that was put in behind the scenes to try a new athletic venture.

    But when it comes to cross-over athletes, the most recent poster boys for this movement have been the Paul brothers. From high school wrestlers to burgeoning professional boxers, not only has the duo made an athletic crossover themselves but Jake Paul, in particular, has facilitated the crossover of two MMA athletes and counting, with multiple names in the sport vying to join Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley on the YouTuber’s record.

    CM Punk Predicts Conor McGregor Will Join WWE

    Speaking with ESPN SportsNation recently, Punk credited the Paul brothers’ courage in their commitment to their new careers and name-dropped a couple of other big-named crossover stars past and future, including the biggest star of them all in the MMA world (h/t Cageside Seats).

    “A lot of the times — a lot of the sacrifice goes unnoticed. But it’s what it is. When [Floyd] Mayweather crossed over and did a match at WrestleMania, I’m sure we’re eventually going to see [Conor] McGregor come over… [Ronda] Rousey was excellent when she came over. The bottom line is making money. If you’re making money, you’re technically not really doing anything wrong.”

    As Punk mentioned, there have been some notable megastars to enter the pro wrestling ring in the past. Floyd Mayweather performed at WrestleMania 24 in 2008, and Ronda Rousey was a full-time performer from 2018-2019. But what stands out in Punk’s quote is his confidence that McGregor will join these ranks.

    The idea of Vince McMahon officially passing the billy-strut torch to McGregor in the WWE has been given life by the Irishman himself. In 2019, McGregor stated that he might consider joining the WWE or Hollywood after his UFC career is over.

    This year, a few WWE stars have spoken about McGregor in some capacity. Current WWE Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch contributed a blazing promo ahead of McGregor’s UFC 264 return in July. WWE legend John Cena also stated that he thought McGregor was tailor-made for the company. However, the reigning WWE Champion Big E cautioned that not everyone would be welcoming if the Irishman made the leap to sports entertainment.

    CM Punk’s MMA crossover run officially ended when he made his pro wrestling return by signing with All Elite Wrestling in August. If Mystic Punk’s prediction rings true, McGregor’s crossover has yet to begin but is inevitable.

    How do you think Conor McGregor would fit in the WWE?