One of the most closely watched legal cases in professional wrestling is about to leave the public spotlight, but that doesn’t mean the dispute is coming to an end.
According to a joint status report filed in Connecticut federal court on Monday, Janel Grant, Vince McMahon and WWE have agreed to move their entire dispute into private arbitration. As part of the agreement, Grant will dismiss the federal lawsuit against the remaining defendants within five business days. The filing states:
“The Parties jointly report that the Parties have executed an agreement to arbitrate their dispute. Pursuant to that agreement, within five business days, Plaintiff shall execute and cause to be filed a Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice causing the action to be dismissed in its entirety, as to both remaining defendants, but without prejudice to the Parties’ rights to pursue their claims and defenses in arbitration.”
While the lawsuit will be dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled in federal court, all parties will continue pursuing their claims and defenses through private arbitration. In other words, the legal fight isn’t ending—it’s simply moving behind closed doors.
The agreement marks a major development after Grant’s legal team spent months arguing that the 2022 nondisclosure agreement and its arbitration clause were unenforceable, claiming she signed under extreme duress and citing federal protections against forcing sexual assault and harassment claims into private arbitration. McMahon and WWE, meanwhile, had sought to move the case out of federal court.
Grant has accused McMahon of sexual abuse and trafficking while alleging WWE enabled or concealed his conduct. McMahon has denied wrongdoing, WWE has disputed Grant’s claims, and Grant has also alleged McMahon stopped paying the agreed $3 million settlement after the initial $1 million installment.
The biggest change now is privacy. Unlike federal court, arbitration typically keeps testimony, evidence and any potential resolution confidential. That doesn’t mean the allegations have been withdrawn or that anyone has admitted wrongdoing. It simply means one of wrestling’s most high-profile legal battles will continue away from the public eye.
What do you make of Janel Grant, Vince McMahon and WWE agreeing to move the case into private arbitration? Let us know in the comments below.
