John Laurinaitis is preparing for his first public appearance in the wrestling world since being named in a lawsuit alleging sexual assault and trafficking. The former WWE executive will appear at a Sizeable Time Wrestling event on March 14th in Ohio, a moment carrying particular significance as it coincides with the posthumous induction of The Road Warriors – Animal and Hawk – into the Ohio Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame. Laurinaitis is the brother of the late Road Warrior Animal, Joe Laurinaitis.
The appearance marks a step back into the public eye for Laurinaitis after a tumultuous period. He was initially named in a lawsuit filed in January 2024 by Janel Grant, a former WWE employee, who alleged sexual assault and trafficking. Yet, according to reporting from Front Office Sports, Laurinaitis has since reached a settlement and agreed to cooperate with Grant’s case against Vince McMahon and WWE, leading to his removal from the suit.
Speaking on the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast, Laurinaitis explained the personal resonance of this particular event. “March Madness is gonna be historic in a sense that it’s actually my first-ever public appearance for a company,” he said, “and part of the reason I’m doing that is because—it’s kind of just ironic that The Road Warriors are gonna be inducted into the Ohio Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, and actually there’s a match, a tribute to the Road Warriors so it’s kind of nice that my first appearance is gonna be actually something that is honoring my brother.”
Beyond the emotional weight of honoring his brother and the Road Warriors’ legacy, Laurinaitis revealed he’s been in discussions about a potential role with Big Time Wrestling. He spoke with Bobby Fulton and Dillon Hines about the promotion’s vision, expressing enthusiasm for their plans. “I think the way Big Time Wrestling—and I’ve had discussions with Bobby [Fulton] and Dillon [Hines], and you know, what they’re looking to do is produce it a place to be, so to speak,” Laurinaitis explained. “In other words, there’s ideas of maybe having international talent come in, having more high-profile names come in, and I’m really looking forward to their future, and hoping that somehow I can be part of that, whether it’s behind the scenes or help them with promoting and stuff like that.”
Laurinaitis’s passion for talent development is central to his interest in Big Time Wrestling. He emphasized his 20 years of experience running WWE’s developmental system. “I ran the developmental system for WWE for 20 years,” he said. “So, my one love is to help and develop and groom young talent, and that’s what I think is the strategy for Big Time Wrestling now is to find younger talent and develop them into the stars of tomorrow.”
While a formal agreement hasn’t been announced, Laurinaitis’s appearance at the March 14th event could be the first step toward a more significant involvement with the promotion. The wrestling world will be watching to witness what role, if any, the longtime executive will play in shaping the future of Big Time Wrestling.
The broader legal situation involving Janel Grant and Vince McMahon remains ongoing. According to Wikipedia, Grant filed her lawsuit in January 2024 alleging sexual trafficking and assault. McMahon subsequently resigned as executive chairman of TKO Group Holdings. Laurinaitis’s cooperation with Grant’s legal team represents a significant development in the case, and further updates are expected as the legal proceedings continue.
The March 14th event in Ohio will not only honor the legacy of The Road Warriors but also mark a new chapter for John Laurinaitis as he re-enters the public wrestling landscape. The next step will be to see what role he takes on with Big Time Wrestling, and how his experience can contribute to the development of the next generation of wrestling stars.
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