Vince McMahon has blasted Netflix’s new Mr McMahon documentary (Picture: Netflix)
Former WWE boss Vince McMahon has slammed the upcoming Netflix docuseries about his life.
The 79-year-old businessman – who was the founder, CEO, chairman and creative lead for the wrestling giant for decades – has claimed the Mr. McMahon documentary is ‘misleading’ before its launch tomorrow.
As well as how he grew WWE, the series, which has been in development since 2020, will also address various scandals including recent allegations of sex trafficking and abuse made by former employee Janel Grant.
McMahon, who has denied the claims, wrote on X: ‘I don’t regret participating in this Netflix documentary.
‘The producers had an opportunity to tell an objective story about my life and the incredible business I built, which were equally filled with excitement, drama, fun, and a fair amount of controversy and life lessons.
‘Unfortunately, based on an early partial cut I’ve seen, this doc falls short and takes the predictable path of conflating the “Mr. McMahon” character with my true self, Vince. The title and promos alone make that evident.’
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McMahon stepped down from WWE and parent company TKO earlier this year (Picture: Michelle Farsi/Zuffa LLC)
Mr McMahon will be released this week (Picture: Netflix)
He claimed that ‘a lot has been misinterpreted or left out entirely in an effort to leave viewers intentionally confused’.
McMahon continued: while accusing producers of using ‘typical editing tricks with out of context footage and dated soundbites’ in order to ‘distort the viewers’ perception and support a deceptive narrative’.
He continued: ‘In an attempt to further their misleading account, the producers use a lawsuit based on an affair I ended as evidence that I am, in fact, “Mr. McMahon”.
‘I hope the viewer will keep an open mind and remember that there are two sides to every story.’
The former WWE chief has criticised the programme based on an ‘early partial cut’ (Picture: Netflix)
Netflix previously announced that the docuseries – which is produced by Bill Simmons and ‘Tiger King’ director Chris Smith – chronicles ‘the rise and fall of the WWE’s controversial founder’.
The programme will include interviews with McMahon before his resignation from WWE in 2022, as well as conversations with his family, and wrestling legends like Hulk Hogan, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and John Cena.
The series will also feature interviews with ‘the journalists who uncovered’ the allegations, which he has vehemently denied.
Former WWE stars like Hulk Hogan were also interviewed for the documentary over the past few years (Picture: Netflix)
McMahon no longer has any involvement in WWE (Picture: Netflix)
McMahon resigned as executive chairman of WWE in January 2024 after allegations of sex trafficking and abuse, with Grant’s lawsuit was put on hold in May at the request of the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York to allow for a federal investigation.
The lawsuit contains other graphic descriptions of how she was allegedly violently raped repeatedly and abused in other ways by McMahon and other WWE executives.
In response to McMahon’s latest statement, Grant’s attorney Ann Callis said: ‘Vince McMahon physically and emotionally abused, sexually assaulted and human trafficked Janel Grant for more than two years.
Janel Grant’s attorney has responded to McMahon’s statement (Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
‘Calling his horrific and criminal behavior “an affair” is delusional and nothing more than a sad attempt to save his shredded reputation.
‘Although Ms. Grant has not seen the “Mr. McMahon” docuseries, we hope it shines a bright light on his abhorrent and criminal actions by accurately portraying the realities of his abusive and exploitative behavior.
‘Ms. Grant will no longer be silenced by McMahon.’
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