Even as New Allegations Arise, Vince McMahon Wants Back In

The Wall Street Journal is out with a story about potentially big trouble for Vince McMahon, former head of World Wrestling Entertainment. Specifically, two women have filed new legal claims alleging that he sexually assaulted them years ago. However, the story also includes a surprising revelation given that context: It says McMahon wants to return as CEO to the wrestling organization he led for 40 years. McMahon resigned in July over payments he made to multiple women to settle claims of sexual misconduct. Now McMahon is telling friends that he got bad advice to step down and that he could have weathered the controversy had he stayed, per the Journal.

One of the new claims is by former wrestling referee Rita Chatterton, who last month demanded $11.75 million in damages after accusing McMahon of raping her three decades ago. The other claim, never previously reported, is from the former manager of a spa, who says McMahon assaulted her in 2011. The 77-year-old McMahon is reportedly refusing to pay settlements to either woman. A post at Cageside Seats suggests it's unlikely, though not impossible, that the WWE board would reinstate McMahon. In his favor: He remains the majority owner and stakeholder at WWE and has more individual voting power than anyone else there, per Bleacher Report. (More Vince McMahon stories.)