John Laurinaitis Dropped From Janel Grant Lawsuit Against WWE And Vince McMahon

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Ryan Droste | Last updated May 28, 2025 12:07 PM ET

Former WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis is no longer listed as a defendant in Janel Grant's lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE.

A filing that was submitted to the U.S. District Court of Connecticut on Wednesday morning showed that Laurinaitis had been dropped from the lawsuit. A statement that was released by Grant and Laurinaitis states that Laurinaitis has agreed to provide evidence for the case.

The court filing reads, "Plaintiff Janel Grant hereby stipulates with Defendant John Laurinaitis that the above-entitled action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice, against Defendant John Laurinaitis. For the sake of clarity, Plaintiff is not dismissing any claims against any defendant other than Mr. Laurinaitis. Each party shall bear its own costs."

A statement on behalf of Grant and Laurinaitis issued to POST Wrestling reads, "John Laurinaitis has agreed to cooperate and provide evidence in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE. His agreement to a confidential settlement is a pivotal next step toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking. Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life. We cannot provide any additional details at this time.”

Per the report from POST Wrestling, Laurinaitis’s attorney, Edward M. Brennan, confirmed his support for the above statement.

Further, Laurinaitis was dropped from the case "with prejudice." That means that Grant has agreed to not revisit her claims that were initially made against him.

Grant, a former WWE employee, will continue her case against WWE and its former CEO and Chairman, Vince McMahon. The lawsuit was originally filed in early 2024. The case is currently awaiting a ruling on whether it will be sent to private arbitration. Lawyers for WWE and McMahon have until June 13 to refile their motion to compel arbitration. Grant’s team will have until June 23 to respond, with a decision being made after.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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