The wrestling world was shaken when former WWE employee Janel Grant accused Vince McMahon of sexual assault and trafficking. These serious allegations against the 78-year-old mogul left many in disbelief, including legendary wrestler and booker, Kevin Sullivan.
Grant’s lawsuit, filed on January 25, detailed disturbing claims, alleging that McMahon instructed her to engage in sexual acts with him and other men over a three-year period, starting in 2019.
Additionally, she accused McMahon of failing to honor a $3 million non-disclosure agreement.
Reacting to the shocking news, Sullivan expressed his surprise in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Dr. Chris Featherstone:
“Of course [surprised by allegations], I mean, you knew something was going on, but you didn’t know it was that extreme.” [1:41 – 1:45]
Despite the allegations, McMahon vehemently denied Grant’s claims, labeling her lawsuit as “replete with lies.” He later resigned as a board member of WWE’s parent company TKO, citing a desire to show respect.
Sullivan, a veteran of the wrestling industry, almost found himself working alongside McMahon in 2001 when McMahon acquired WCW. While McMahon absorbed contracts from various WCW talent, including backstage staff, Sullivan narrowly missed joining WWE due to other business commitments:
“I almost went one time but I had opened my gym and it wasn’t feasible for either one of us. About 2001. I was gonna be on the creative team.” [2:01 – 2:18]
Before his potential WWE stint, Sullivan gained notoriety in the 1980s as a cult leader character in Championship Wrestling from Florida.
Leading the Army of Darkness stable, which featured Luna Vachon and Mark Lewin, Sullivan reminisced about this period as the highlight of his career.
In the same interview, Sullivan praised Vachon, highlighting her exceptional talent:
“Luna was by far, at the time, the hottest working wrestler, not just woman, hottest working wrestler in the business,” Sullivan stated. [1:04 – 1:17]
Switching gears to modern-day wrestling, Sullivan drew comparisons between factions, noting differences between WWE’s The Bloodline and WCW’s nWo in terms of presentation and impact.
