WWE's Vince McMahon Resigns ... Amid Sexual Assault Lawsuit
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Vince McMahon is out at WWE.
The wrestling legend tendered his resignation as the Executive Chairman of TKO, the company that owns WWE ... just a day after an explosive lawsuit was filed by a former WWE staffer, alleging McMahon sexually assaulted her on numerous occasions.
78-year-old McMahon released a statement reiterating his innocence with respect to the disturbing allegations but would step down because it's the best move for the wrestling promotion he built decades ago.
"Out of respect for the WWE Universe, the extraordinary TKO business and its board members and shareholders, partners and constituents, and all of the employees and Superstars who helped make WWE into the global leader it is today, I have decided to resign from my executive chairmanship and the TKO board of directors, effective immediately."
McMahon was not running the day-to-day operations for WWE ... but still had a prominent role within TKO. TKO Group Holdings has owned WWE since its purchase in 2023.
Curent WWE president Nick Khan announced the news to his employees late Friday, sending an email to the staffers.
"[Vince McMahon] has tendered his resignation from his positions as TKO Executive Chairman and on the TKO Board of Directors. He will no longer have a role with TKO Group Holdings or WWE," Khan wrote.
The massive shakeup comes after a federal lawsuit was filed in Connecticut on Thursday by Janel Grant ... where she claimed she was subjected to degrading sexual acts at the hands of Vince.
Amid the allegations, Grant accused McMahon of defecating on her during a threesome in 2020.
She says the situation left her "miserable and enraged," though she didn't leave because "in her years of experience with McMahon, she knew her requests to stop would be ignored at best or used to destroy her career and reputation at worst."
Ultimately, Grant claimed McMahon distanced himself from her in early 2022 after his wife Linda McMahon became aware of their alleged relationship.
Some time after, McMahon, according to Grant, agreed to pay her $3 million in exchange for signing a non-disclosure agreement, but she says he failed to pay the full amount.
McMahon has claimed the allegations contained in the lawsuit are meritless, calling the suit "replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth."
Former WWE executive John Laurinaitis was also named in the lawsuit.
Story developing ...
Vince McMahon de la WWE Renuncia... En medio de una demanda por agresión sexual
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Vince McMahon está fuera de la WWE.
La leyenda de la lucha libre presentó su dimisión como Presidente Ejecutivo de TKO, la empresa propietaria de la WWE, justo un día después de que un ex empleado de la organización presentara una explosiva demanda alegando que McMahon la agredió sexualmente en numerosas ocasiones.
McMahon, de 78 años, emitió un comunicado reiterando su inocencia respecto a las inquietantes acusaciones, pero decidió renunciar porque considera que es la mejor decisión para promover la lucha libre que construyó hace décadas.
"Por respeto al Universo de la WWE, al extraordinario negocio de TKO y a sus miembros del consejo y accionistas, socios y electores, y a todos los empleados y superestrellas que ayudaron a convertir a la WWE en el líder mundial que es hoy, he decidido renunciar a mi presidencia ejecutiva y al consejo de administración de TKO, con efecto inmediato."
McMahon no dirigía las operaciones diarias de la WWE, pero seguía teniendo un papel destacado dentro de TKO. TKO Group Holdings ha sido propietaria de la WWE desde su compra en 2023.
El actual presidente de WWE, Nick Khan, anunció la noticia a sus empleados a última hora del viernes, a través de un correo electrónico.
"[Vince McMahon] ha presentado su dimisión de sus cargos como presidente ejecutivo de TKO y en el Consejo de Administración de TKO. Ya no tendrá ningún papel en TKO Group Holdings ni en WWE", escribió Khan.
La masiva reorganización se produce después de que Janel Grant presentara el jueves una demanda federal en Connecticut en la que afirmaba haber sido sometida a actos sexuales degradantes a manos de Vince.
En medio de las acusaciones, Grant acusó a McMahon de defecar sobre ella durante un trío en 2020.
Ella dice que la situación la dejó "miserable y enfurecida", pero no se fue porque "en sus años de experiencia con McMahon, sabía que sus peticiones de parar serían ignoradas en el mejor de los casos o usadas para destruir su carrera y reputación en el peor".
Finalmente, Grant afirmó que McMahon se distanció de ella a principios de 2022 después de que su esposa Linda McMahon se enterara de su supuesta relación.
Algún tiempo después, McMahon, según Grant, acordó pagarle 3 millones de dólares a cambio de firmar un acuerdo de no divulgación. Sin embargo, ella dice que él no pagó la cantidad total.
McMahon ha afirmado que las acusaciones contenidas en la demanda carecen de fundamento y la ha calificado como "repleta de mentiras, obscenos casos inventados que nunca ocurrieron y una distorsión vengativa de la verdad".
El ex ejecutivo de la WWE John Laurinaitis también fue nombrado en la demanda.
Historia en desarrollo ...
Vince McMahon es demandado por una ex empleada de la WWE Por tráfico sexual
Una ex empleada de la WWE está demandando a Vince McMahon, alegando que en repetidas ocasiones la asaltó sexualmente, la traficó sexualmente y luego le pagó para que guardara silencio.
Las inquietantes acusaciones fueron hechas por Janel Grant en una demanda presentada el jueves en un tribunal federal de Connecticut.
En la demanda, Grant dice que conoció a McMahon en 2019 en un momento en que estaba tocando fondo. Ella dice que sus padres acababan de morir y ella estaba luchando por encontrar trabajo.
Sin embargo, dice que después de ser presentada a McMahon a través de un amigo en común, él prometió conseguirle un trabajo en la WWE.
Según la demanda, mientras McMahon le estaba encontrando trabajo en su empresa, poco a poco comenzó a utilizar sus "promesas" para obligarla a actos sexuales.
Grant dice que justo después de que le dijeran que tenía un trabajo de "administradora-coordinadora legal" con un salario de 75.000 dólares dentro de la organización de lucha libre de McMahon, él la "atrapó". Ella alega que "temía una carrera adversa y consecuencias personales y represalias legales si declinaba sus avances sexuales" y comenzó a participar en lo que ella llamó actividad sexual no consentida con él.
Grant dijo en la demanda que el trabajo que le habían dado requería poco trabajo. De hecho, según la demanda, se le asignó un papel adicional en la XFL de McMahon para ayudar a llenar su tiempo.
Grant, sin embargo, afirma en su demandado —McMahon— de repente dejó de referirse a ella como una amiga y "en gran medida dejó de hablar con ella, limitándose al sexting y hablar de fantasías." Ella alega que la obligó a enviarle fotos explícitas, algunas de las cuales ella dice que él compartiría con otros miembros de la WWE. Poco tiempo después, ella dice que él reclutó a otros hombres y comenzó a traficarla sexualmente.
También dice que en mayo de 2020, McMahon organizó un trío con ella y su fisioterapeuta, diciéndole que "perdería una amistad si no seguía adelante". Ella afirma en la demanda que durante el encuentro, él defecó en su cabeza, pero la obligó a continuar realizando actos sexuales con los dos mientras estaba cubierta de heces. Alega que los días siguientes, él le envió un mensaje de texto: "Soy tu único dueño y controlo a quién quiero follarme".
Varios meses después, afirma que McMahon reclutó a John Laurinaitis —una ex superestrella de la WWE que era en ese momento un ejecutivo de alto rango en la empresa— "para unirse a ellos".
Grant afirma que McMahon la presionó para que le enviara fotos explícitas a Laurinaitis. En diciembre de 2020, ella dice que McMahon arregló para que ella también tuviera un trío con Laurinaitis.
Ella dice que los meses posteriores fue trasladada al departamento de relaciones de talentos de la WWE, donde le informaron a Laurinaitis. Una vez que se produjo ese traslado, declaró en su demanda que tanto McMahon como Laurinaitis esperaban "que se comprometiera sexualmente con Laurinaitis, tanto físicamente como con contenido explícito".
En su demanda, Grant afirma que le ordenaron "servirse a sí misma como desayuno para Laurinaitis", en un hotel cercano antes del comienzo de su jornada laboral. Ella también afirma que McMahon le envió mensajes de texto, "Los días en que él esté en la ciudad, quiero que te lo folles cada mañana y más tarde en su oficina también".
Ella dice que los acuerdos la dejaron "miserable y enfurecida", pero "en sus años de experiencia con McMahon, sabía que sus peticiones de parar serían ignoradas en el mejor de los casos o utilizadas para destruir su carrera y reputación en el peor."
Grant declaró en su demanda que en junio de 2021, McMahon y Laurinaitis la violaron en la oficina de Laurinaitis. Ella dice que al comienzo del encuentro, les dijo "No, no, no" y "Por favor, detente", pero afirma que McMahon le dijo: "Tómalo, perra".
Grant dice que una semana más tarde, McMahon la forzó de nuevo sobre una mesa de masaje en la sede de la WWE ... antes de darle 15.000 dólares en tarjetas de regalo de Bloomingdales.
Grant también alegó en su demanda que McMahon la utilizó para ayudarle a fichar a una superestrella de la WWE. La demanda describe el talento como "un atleta de fama mundial y ex campeón de peso pesado de la UFC". El Wall Street Journal informó el jueves que se trataba de Brock Lesnar.
En la demanda, Grant afirma que McMahon le ordenó crear "contenido sexual personalizado" para la superestrella de la WWE. También afirma que él anunció "un encuentro sexual con ella" al luchador mientras intentaba negociar un nuevo contrato.
En última instancia, Grant afirma en su demanda que McMahon se distanció de ella en enero de 2022, alegando que su esposa, Linda McMahon, se había enterado de su relación. Grant dice que todo llevó a McMahon a pedirle que firmara un acuerdo de no divulgación.
En la demanda, Grant dice que aceptó que le pagaran $3 millones para firmar el NDA, pero afirma que después de recibir $1 millón, McMahon no hizo más pagos.
Grant dice que ha quedado traumatizada por todo el calvario y ahora está buscando daños y perjuicios no especificados, así como para que un juez invalide su NDA.
Mientras tanto, McMahon, la WWE y Laurinaitis aún no han hecho comentarios sobre la demanda.
Vince McMahon Sued Ex-WWE Employee Claims He Sex Trafficked Her
UPDATE
2:22 PM PT -- TKO released a statement on the matter ... saying, "Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE."
"While this matter predates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally."
A former WWE employee is suing Vince McMahon ... claiming he repeatedly sexually assaulted her, sex trafficked her -- and then paid her off to stay quiet about it all.
The disturbing allegations were made by Janel Grant in a lawsuit filed on Thursday in a federal court in Connecticut.
In the suit, Grant says she met McMahon back in 2019 ... at a time when she was at rock bottom. She says her parents had just died ... and she was struggling to find work.
However, she says after being introduced to McMahon through a mutual friend, he promised to get her a gig in the WWE.
But, according to the suit, as McMahon was finding her an entry-level role in his company ... he slowly began to use his "life-changing promises" to coerce her into sexual acts.
Grant says just after she was told she had a "legal administrator-coordinator" job with a salary of $75,000 inside McMahon's wrestling org. ... he "trapped her in an impossible situation." She alleges she "feared adverse career and personal consequences and legal retaliation if she declined his advances" -- and began to engage in what she called nonconsensual sexual activity with him.
Grant said in the suit the job she had been given required little work. In fact, according to the lawsuit, she was assigned an additional role in McMahon's XFL to help fill her time.
Grant, though, claims in her suit McMahon suddenly stopped referring to her as a friend ... and "largely stopped talking to [her] outside of sexting and fantasy talk." She alleges he forced her to send him explicit pictures, some of which she says he would share with others in the WWE. A short time later, she says he recruited other men and began sex trafficking her.
She says in May 2020, McMahon organized a threesome with her and her physical therapist ... telling her "he would lose a friendship if she did not go through with it." She claims in the suit that during the encounter, he defecated on her head but made her continue to perform sex acts with the two while she was covered in feces. She alleges in the days following, he texted her "i'm the only one who owns U and controls who I want to f*** U."
Several months later, the suit states, McMahon recruited John Laurinaitis -- a former WWE superstar who was at the time a high-ranking exec in the company -- "to join them."
Grant claims McMahon pressed her to send explicit pictures to Laurinaitis. In December 2020, she says McMahon arranged for her to have a threesome with Laurinaitis as well.
She says in the months afterward, she was moved to the WWE's talent relations department, where she reported to Laurinaitis. Once that move happened, she stated in her suit that there was an expectation from both McMahon and Laurinaitis "that she engage with Laurinaitis sexually, both physically and with explicit content."
In her suit, Grant says she was directed to "serve herself to [Laurinaitis] as 'breakfast'" at a nearby hotel before the start of their work day. She also claims McMahon texted her, "On days when he's in town, I want him to f*** U every morning and later In the office too."
She says the arrangements left her "miserable and enraged," but "in her years of experience with McMahon, she knew her requests to stop would be ignored at best or used to destroy her career and reputation at worst."
Grant stated in her suit that in June 2021, McMahon and Laurinaitis raped her in Laurinaitis' office. She says at the outset of the encounter, she told them "No, no, no" and "Please stop," but claims McMahon told her, "Take it, bitch."
Grant says a week later, McMahon forced himself on her again over a massage table at WWE's headquarters ... before giving her $15,000 in Bloomingdale's gift cards.
Grant also alleged in her suit that McMahon used her to help him sign a WWE Superstar. The suit describes the talent as "a world-famous athlete and former UFC Heavyweight Champion." The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday this was Brock Lesnar.
In the suit, Grant claims McMahon ordered her to create "personalized sexual content" for the WWE Superstar. She also says he advertised "a sexual encounter with her" to the wrestler while trying to negotiate a new booking contract.
Ultimately, Grant claims in her suit McMahon distanced himself from her in January 2022 ... claiming his wife, Linda McMahon, had found out about their relationship. Grant says it all led to McMahon's request that she sign a non-disclosure agreement.
In the lawsuit, Grant says she agreed to be paid $3 million to sign the NDA ... but she claims that after receiving $1 million, McMahon didn't make further payments.
Grant says she's been traumatized from the whole ordeal and is now seeking unspecified damages ... as well as for a judge to invalidate her NDA.
Meanwhile, McMahon, the WWE and Laurinaitis have not yet publicly commented on the suit.
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WWE Strikes $5 Billion Deal With Netflix 'RAW' Moving To Streaming
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TMZ Sports talked to WWE Hall of Famer, Eric Bischoff, about the implications of the $5 billion Netflix/WWE deal ... and how it could change professional wrestling moving forward.
Bischoff, of course, was an executive at WCW, effectively taking on Vince McMahon in the 90s during the Monday Night Wars.
Bischoff ultimately joined WWE ... where he worked for decades in numerous positions.
WWE fans are going to get real familiar with Netflix and chill on Monday nights soon ... 'cause the wrestling org. just struck a massive deal with the streaming giant to bring "RAW" to the platform in 2025.
The two companies reached a 10-year, $5 BILLION agreement Tuesday to make it all happen ... and both sides said in statements they're thrilled.
"This deal is transformative," TKO President and COO Mark Shapiro said. "It marries the can’t-miss WWE product with Netflix’s extraordinary global reach and locks in significant and predictable economics for many years."
Who won the battle on the mic tonight on #WWERaw? pic.twitter.com/ptGPHkCXr9
— WWE (@WWE) January 23, 2024 @WWE
Added Netflix honcho Bela Bajaria, "By combining our reach, recommendations, and fandom with WWE, we’ll be able to deliver more joy and value for their audiences and our members."
"RAW" -- which currently airs on USA Network -- hasn't strayed from cable TV since its inception back in 1993 ... and, according to the WWE, it's been a massive success there, bringing in more than 17 million unique viewers throughout a given year.
But, clearly, both sides think the move to streaming will grow it even further ... with WWE president Nick Khan calling Netflix "the ideal long-term home for Raw’s live, loyal, and ever-growing fan base."
The move will officially place in January '25.
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Dwayne Johnson Consigue la propiedad de "La Roca" y se une a la junta de la WWE
Definitivamente, podemos asegurar que La Roca estaba tramando algo, pues ahora está en la nueva junta de la WWE y tiene los derechos exclusivos de su nombre artístico.
Dwayne Johnson fue anunciado como el nuevo miembro de la junta directiva de TKO, que ahora posee la WWE y la UFC. Como uno de los directivos de la organización, no solo obtendrá algún poder ejecutivo en la toma de decisiones, sino otros beneficios también.
Para empezar, él está recibiendo algunas opciones sobre acciones, que están valoradas en $30 millones, y que se devengan con el tiempo. Y lo que es más importante, se le concederá la marca registrada "The Rock", que ha utilizado durante toda su carrera, desde que estaba en el ring.
Como parte de este nuevo movimiento, Dwayne podrá capitalizar su apodo, en concreto, en lo que respecta a merchandising y regalías de la WWE con el uso de 'The Rock'.
THR informa que parte del acuerdo entre Dwayne y TKO con respecto a los derechos de 'The Rock' implican que TKO obtendrá un acuerdo de licencia exclusiva durante 10 años para utilizar la marca para ciertos productos, y durante ese tiempo, Dwayne no puede licenciarlo a otras empresas que sean competencia de ellos. En otras palabras, recibe la marca, pero la WWE obtendrá una década para llevarse los beneficios.
En la noticia, La Roca dijo: "Mi abuelo, el Alto Jefe Peter Maivia, y mi padre, Rocky 'Soulman' Johnson, nunca habrían pensado que llegaría este día".
Y añade: "Por eso siento mucha humildad de tener un asiento en la mesa que tiene décadas de historia y legado familiar para mí. Una mesa que mi familia ayudó a construir. Estar en el Consejo de Administración de TKO y asumir la plena propiedad de mi nombre, 'The Rock', no solo no tiene precedentes, sino que es increíblemente inspirador, ya que mi alocada vida está cerrando el círculo".
Dwayne Johnson Joins New WWE Board Gets Ownership of 'The Rock'
We can definitely smell what The Rock is cooking now -- dude's whipped up a mogul souffle ... 'cause he's now on the new WWE board, and he's got exclusive rights to his stage name.
Dwayne Johnson was announced as the newest board of directors member for TKO -- which now owns WWE and UFC as a new one-stop shop entity. As one of the shot-callers of the org, DJ will not only get some executive decision-making power ... but other perks too.
For starters, he's getting some stock options -- which are valued at $30 million, and which will vest over time. More importantly, he's being granted the full trademark to 'The Rock' ... which he has pretty much gone by his entire career, dating back to when he was in the ring.
As part of this new move, Dwayne will get to capitalize on his moniker -- specifically, as it pertains to merchandising/royalties the WWE might make by using 'The Rock' in business.
THR reports that part of the deal between DJ and TKO regarding 'The Rock' rights sees that TKO gets an exclusive licensing deal for 10 years to use the brand for certain products ... and during that time, Dwayne can't go and license it to other companies competitive with them. In other words, he receives the trademark ... but WWE gets a decade to milk it.
The Rock said of the news ... "My grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, and my dad, Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, would’ve never thought this day would come."
He adds, "Which is why I’m very humbled to have a seat at the table that has decades of history and family legacy for me. A table that my family helped to build. Being on the TKO Board of Directors, and taking full ownership of my name, ‘The Rock’, is not only unprecedented, but incredibly inspiring as my crazy life is coming full circle."
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WWE Superstar Big E No Timeline On Return ... I Gotta Be Smart!!!
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WWE Superstar Big E says he still has no clue when he'll compete in the squared circle again ... telling TMZ Sports he's not going to rush into a comeback after suffering his scary neck injury nearly two years ago.
We caught up with 1/3 of The New Day out in NYC this week ... and while the 37-year-old recently reunited with his tag team partners Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston after an extended time apart, it doesn't sound like he will be seeing action anytime soon.
"I don't have a timeline, unfortunately, but thank you for asking," Big E said this week.
As for whether he has any concerns about getting back into his wrestling career, the former champ gave a bit of insight into his mindset.
"I just want to make a smart decision," he added. "I didn't start wrestling to end up in a wheelchair, so I just want to make sure I'm just making the best decision for myself."
Of course, Big E hasn't competed since he broke his neck during a tag-team match on "Smackdown" in March 2022 ... after he was dropped on his head.
oh god noo.... Big E dropped on his head. Please be okay #Smackdown pic.twitter.com/QgIgdvGnlW
— 2Sweet4Lyfe (@2Sweet444Life) March 12, 2022 @2Sweet444Life
But the good news, Big E says his bones are connected again ... which is certainly a step in the right direction.
In the meantime, fans have gotta be stoked to see E, Kofi, and Xavier together again ... considering the trio is one of the most beloved groups in the biz!!
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Hulk Hogan Helps Teen Whose Car Flipped ... New Pics Show Wild Scene
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update
9:59 AM PT -- Hulk Hogan's wife, Sky Daily, just posted about the crash ... writing, "Last night, after we left dinner in Tampa, we saw a car flip in front of us! I truly admire my husband @hulkhogan and our good buddy @jakerask for springing into action, puncturing the girls airbag, and getting her quickly out of the car. By all appearances, she was unscathed, just really rattled, which is an absolute miracle!"
9:07 AM PT -- TMZ Sports has obtained new photos from the scene of the crash ... and in them, you can see Hulk and his friend playing real-life superheroes.
Take a look at these pics ... which show an up-close-and-personal view of the action. From the looks of it, the accident was as dramatic as you can imagine -- with the teen's car completely flipped upside down ... and her actually stepping out from the vehicle.
In fact, you can also see Hulk's buddy, Jake (the marine), running over to help. It's like something straight out of a movie -- and fortunately, nobody was seriously harmed.
7:17 AM PT -- More startling details about this accident -- TMZ Sports has learned that the driver was a minor ... a 17-year-old girl, who, we're told, was completely rattled by the whole thing.
Our sources also tell us that Hulk Hogan's buddy, Jake, who dove right in on this is actually a Marine!
Hulk Hogan sloughed off his WWE heel persona in real life this weekend -- jumping to the rescue of a woman who got into a horrific car accident ... and TMZ Sports has the pics.
Sources with direct knowledge tell us the legendary wrestler, his wife Sky Daily and a friend of theirs were cruising along a highway Sunday evening in Tampa, FL when they witnessed a bad wreck play out right in front of them.
We're told a car erratically swerved across the lanes to catch an exit it was about to miss -- and in the process ... clipped another car, which our sources say flipped over and tumbled.
Hulk and co., our sources explain, pulled over immediately -- with HH and his pal, Jake, rushing over to render aid to the driver ... a woman whom we're told was rattled. Since they were first on the scene, we're told Hulk and Jake actually helped get her out of the car.
Our sources say Jake popped the woman's airbag with some tools that Hulk had on hand -- and they both unbuckled her seatbelt and assisted her in safely leaving the vehicle. We're told paramedics eventually arrived on the scene, and Hulk and his crew looked on.
In the end, our sources say the woman appeared to be okay ... and HH was happy to help.
Pretty terrifying obviously -- and while, thankfully, everyone seemed alright in the end ... you gotta imagine the woman who was saved must've been surprised to see none other than Hulk himself being her personal hero. Again, he's often played the villain in the ring.
Turns out, he's the nicest guy and then some when called upon ... well done, brother!
Originally Published -- 6:37 AM PT
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Logan Paul compra los NFT de CryptoZoo por 2.3 millones de dólares
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Logan Paul dice que está comprometiendo más de 2.3 millones de dólares para corregir los errores de su fracasado CryptoZoo y también está presentando una demanda contra la gente que afirma que descarriló su juego.
Logan está cumpliendo su promesa de volver a comprar Base Egg y Base Animal tokens no fungibles de CryptoZoo, por su precio de compra original a través de un sitio web donde los inversores pueden presentar reclamaciones.
Recordemos que Logan anunció el juego CryptoZoo en 2021, facturando el proyecto animado NFT como "un juego muy divertido que hace dinero." Según se informa, el juego se inspiró en Pokémon y a las personas que pagaron $1.100 se les dijo que podían incubar, criar, coleccionar y comercializar híbridos de animales exóticos en la blockchain. La primera tanda de 11.000 NFT se agotó rápidamente, pero CryptoZoo nunca llegó a comercializarse.
Logan dice que tenía "las mejores intenciones" para CryptoZoo y "nunca ganó un solo centavo con el proyecto". Dice que gastó $400K desarrollando el juego y dice que se completó a principios de 2023, pero no fue lanzado debido a "obstáculos con la regulación que no comprendía realmente en un principio".
Logan añade: "Al igual que usted, yo estaba muy decepcionado porque el juego no fue entregado".
Logan dice que su programa de recompra de 2.3 millones de dólares "no está destinado a compensar a aquellos que apostaron en el mercado de criptomonedas y perdieron".
Además de la recompra de NFT, Logan también está tomando medidas legales, alegando en una nueva demanda que el desarrollador principal de CryptoZoo —Eduardo Ibáñez— y el "Crypto King" Jake Greenbaum son los culpables del fracaso del juego y no él.
En los documentos obtenidos por TMZ, una de las primeras banderas rojas en el proyecto ocurrió justo después del día de lanzamiento, con la actividad comercial sospechosa sucediendo, donde parecía docenas de personas ajenas al proyecto que de alguna manera obtuvieron información de la existencia del nuevo mercado de ZOO Tokens.
La demanda afirma que la actividad comercial poco clara hizo que la capitalización de mercado de ZOO Tokens cayera de unos 130 millones de dólares a 26 millones de dólares.
En cuanto al CryptoZoo, Logan dice que el juego no se lanzará, pero todavía podría haber una oportunidad para que él consiga un poco de justicia en los tribunales.
Logan Paul Buying Back $2.3M In CryptoZoo NFTs Suing Over Derailed Game
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Logan Paul says he's committing more than $2.3 million to right the wrongs of his failed CryptoZoo ... and he's also filing a lawsuit against the folks he claims derailed his game.
Logan's delivering on his promise to buy back Base Egg and Base Animal non-fungible tokens from CryptoZoo for their original purchase price ... via a website where investors can submit claims.
Remember ... Logan announced the CryptoZoo game back in 2021, billing the animated NFT project as "a really fun game that makes you money." The game reportedly drew inspiration from Pokémon and folks who paid .1 Ethereum were told they could hatch, breed, collect and trade exotic animal hybrids on the blockchain. The first wave of 11,000 NFTs quickly sold out but CryptoZoo was never released.
Logan says he had "only the best possible intentions" for CryptoZoo and "never made a single penny from the project." He says he spent $400K developing the game and says it was completed in early 2023 but wasn't released due to "regulatory hurdles that would need to be cleared that I did not originally understand."
LP adds ... "Like you, I was highly disappointed the game was not delivered."
Logan says his $2.3 million buyback program "is a way for me to make whole those who intended to play CryptoZoo. The buyback is not intended to compensate those who gambled on the crypto market and lost."
In addition to the NFT buyback, Logan is also taking legal action ... claiming in a new lawsuit that CryptoZoo lead developer Eduardo Ibanez and "Crypto King" Jake Greenbaum are to blame for the game's failure and not him.
In the docs -- obtained by TMZ -- one of the first red flags in the project happened just after launch day, with suspicious trading activity happening ... where it appeared dozens of project outsiders somehow got info of the existence of the new market for ZOO Tokens.
The lawsuit claims the sketchy trading activity caused the market capitalization of ZOO Tokens to drop from about $130 million to $26 million.
As for CryptoZoo, Logan says the game will not be released ... but there still might be a chance for him to get some justice in court.
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The Rock Returns To WWE ... Calls Out Roman Reigns!!!
Dwayne Johnson returned to the WWE on Monday night, making a surprise appearance at RAW -- and it's safe to say following an electric few minutes on the mic and in the ring ... the crowd definitely smelled what he was cooking.
The 51-year-old -- who hasn't been seen in the WWE since September -- shocked fans at Pechanga Arena in San Diego when he interrupted Jinder Mahal's anti-American rant to open up a can of whoop ass.
The Rock slowly made his way to the ring after Mahal had bashed the U.S. in a minutes-long promo ... and when he eventually stood in front of the former WWE champ, Dwayne popped off insult after insult after insult.
In fact, at one point, Dwayne was able to get the crowd to call Mahal a "douche bag" over and over again in a unified chant.
Ultimately, a brawl between the guys broke out -- but The Rock put an end to things quickly with a Spinebuster followed by his signature People's Elbow.
THE ROCK STILL GOT IT 🗣️‼️#WWERAW pic.twitter.com/JctC61s20N
— s e t h (@futurafreesky) January 2, 2024 @futurafreesky
After Mahal ran away, The Rock electrified the crowd further ... calling out Roman Reigns.
Unclear when the two wrestling titans will now square off following the tease ... but you can bet it'll be sooner than later -- something WWE fans are clearly thrilled about.
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La Roca Regresa a la WWE... Desafía a Roman Reigns!!!
Dwayne Johnson regresó a la WWE el lunes por la noche, haciendo una aparición sorpresa en RAW, y luego de escucharlo unos minutos en el micrófono y verlo en el ring, la multitud definitivamente captó lo que está planeando.
El luchador de 51 años, que no ha sido visto en la WWE desde septiembre, sorprendió a los fans en el Pechanga Arena de San Diego cuando interrumpió el discurso anti-estadounidense de Jinder Mahal para acabarlo.
La Roca lentamente se dirigió al ring después de que Mahal había estado criticando a los Estados Unidos por varios minutos, y cuando finalmente se puso delante del excampeón de la WWE, Dwayne estalló en insulto tras insulto.
De hecho, en un momento dado, Dwayne fue capaz de conseguir que el público llamara a Mahal un "idiota" una y otra vez en un canto.
En última instancia, estalló una pelea entre ambos, pero La Roca puso fin a las cosas rápidamente con un Spinebuster seguido de su firma codazo de pueblo (People's Elbow).
THE ROCK STILL GOT IT 🗣️‼️#WWERAW pic.twitter.com/JctC61s20N
— s e t h (@futurafreesky) January 2, 2024 @futurafreesky
Después de que Mahal huyera, La Roca encendió a la multitud aún más, llamando a Roman Reigns.
No está claro cuándo se enfrentarían los dos titanes de la lucha libre después de la insinuación, pero pueden apostar que será más pronto que tarde, algo por lo que los fans de la WWE están claramente emocionados.
The Miz Travis Kelce Would Kill It In WWE ... Could Tag Team W/ Jason!!!
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Travis Kelce would be awwwweeeeesoooome in the squared-circle ... so says WWE Superstar The Miz, who tells TMZ Sports he'd love to see the Kansas City Chiefs superstar -- AND his brother, Jason -- take their talents to wrestling!!
Remember, we spoke with Travis back in April about possibly seeing him follow fellow tight end greats like Rob Gronkowski and George Kittle by getting into wrasslin' ... and he said he's already talked to Miz about making it happen.
Naturally, we had to ask Mike all about it when we caught up with him at LAX this week ... and while it doesn't sound like anything concrete just yet, it's clear he's put a lot of thought into it.
Miz -- who admitted he's blown up Travis' DMs over the subject -- said it would be perfect to see the Kelce bros team up for a special appearance at WrestleMania ... especially considering it'll be in Philadelphia, a city Jason is VERY familiar with.
Of course, Miz knows firsthand what it's like to go up against NFL stars -- he took on both Kittle and Pat McAfee at the same time at SoFi Stadium earlier this year.
Miz also feels like WWE could see a similar boost as Roger Goodell's org. if it happens ... thanks to the Taylor Swift effect.
There's more -- we also spoke with Miz about his beloved Cleveland Browns ... and he thinks Joe Flacco has a legitimate shot at taking them to the Super Bowl!!
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Calvin Johnson Roman Reigns Was 'A Badass' At GT ... Legendary WWE Career Not Surprising!!!
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Calvin Johnson says it's no surprise to him that Roman Reigns has become one of the most legendary WWE Superstars of all time ... telling TMZ Sports the dude was a total "badass" at Georgia Tech.
Believe it or not, the guys were actually teammates for the Yellow Jackets' football team in the mid-2000s ... and Johnson says he knew right away that Reigns had mega-star potential.
"He was just always like a badass," the Hall of Fame wide receiver explained. "He didn't say much, but when he did say something, you listened."
Reigns went by his real name, Joe Anoa'i, when he was playing defensive line at the time ... and he performed so well alongside Johnson, many believed he had a bright future in the NFL.
His battle with cancer derailed those aspirations, however -- but Johnson said that all clearly ended up being "a blessing in disguise" for him ... as he's now poised to break numerous records in the squared circle.
"My man is killing it out here," Johnson said.
Of course, Reigns has remembered his time at Georgia Tech with Calvin fondly as well ... telling us back in 2021 Megatron's potential was evident even when he was just a true freshman.
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Calvin Johnson dice que Roman Reigns era "un malote" en Georgia Tech
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Calvin Johnson dice que no es ninguna sorpresa para él que Roman Reigns se haya convertido en una de las más legendarias superestrellas de la WWE de todos los tiempos y le mencionó a TMZ Sports el tipo era un total "badass" en Georgia Tech.
Lo creas o no, los chicos eran en compañeros de equipo en el equipo de fútbol de los Yellow Jackets a mediados de la década del 2000 y Johnson dice que supo de inmediato que Reigns tenía potencial de mega-estrella.
"Siempre fue un tipo duro", explica el receptor del Salón de la Fama. "No decía mucho, pero cuando decía algo, lo escuchabas".
Reigns iba con su verdadero nombre, Joe Anoa'i, cuando jugó en la línea defensiva y se desempeñó tan bien junto a Johnson que muchos creían que tenía un futuro brillante en la NFL.
Sin embargo, su batalla contra el cáncer desbarató esas aspiraciones, pero Johnson dijo que todo eso terminó siendo claramente "una bendición disfrazada" para él, ya que ahora está a punto de batir numerosos récords en el círculo cuadrado.
"Mi hombre está arrasando", afirmó Johnson.
Por supuesto, Reigns ha recordado su tiempo en Georgia Tech con Calvin con cariño también, diciéndonos que en 2021 el potencial de Megatron era evidente, incluso cuando era solo un verdadero estudiante de primer año.