WWE Ring Boy Lawsuit Will Face Issues Proving Case Against Vince McMahon

Vince McMahon is once again at the center of controversy following new allegations brought to light, sparking a wave of discussion across the wrestling community. This new lawsuit is bringing back an old scandal, one that he might have thought would never see its day in court.

Recently, a lawsuit was filed against TKO Group Holdings, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon on behalf of five anonymous plaintiffs. The lawsuit revisits the infamous Ring Boy scandal from 1992, alleging that several young ring attendants were subjected to sexual misconduct. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that Vince and Linda McMahon, along with other WWE officials, were aware of the misconduct but failed to intervene.

In a recent episode of The Wrestling Outlaws, Vince Russo addressed the difficulties of pursuing these allegations given the time that has passed and the lack of living witnesses. Russo explained that proving such a case would be challenging since the key figures allegedly involved in the misconduct are no longer alive.

“The defendants that were allegedly active in this, in the acts, they are all dead. They are not with us anymore. Pat Patterson’s not with us anymore, (Terry) Garvin, Mel Phillips, they’ve all since passed away. So part of the lawsuit is Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon knew about it. I don’t know how you prove that. I don’t know, I don’t know how you prove that they were privy to what was going on, you know?”

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Another prominent figure in the wrestling industry, journalist Bill Apter, also shared his perspective on the issue during an appearance on The Wrestling Time Machine. Apter, who was present during the alleged time of the incidents, suggested that Vince McMahon’s focus on WWE’s business operations may have kept him unaware of such issues.

“I was there during that alleged time, but if anything like that was going on, it was well-concealed. And I don’t think it was something. […] Hypothetically, I don’t think it was like, you know, McMahon is trying to run a show here. I don’t think it was a main thing at all on their radar.”

As these allegations resurface, they renew focus on one of WWE’s most controversial events in company history. The obstacles to proving claims dating back three decades, so the prosecution will have a long way to go. There is a reason why Vince McMahon hasn’t been taken to court on these allegations yet.

Nevertheless, the filing of the lawsuit has sparked renewed public interest on the scandal. The Netflix docuseries, Mr. McMahon, also opened up a lot of skeletons in his closet, although longtime pro wrestling fans were not shocked by a single thing that the documentary series uncovered.