Dave Meltzer, on the June 2, 2025, Wrestling Observer Radio, reported that a threatened sponsorship withdrawal by Slim Jim was a principal factor leading to Vince McMahon’s resignation from WWE and TKO. This action occurred during the period of intense scrutiny following the Janel Grant lawsuit.
Discussing the repercussions of the lawsuit, which includes allegations of sex trafficking and sexual abuse against McMahon, Meltzer stated:
It was the key reason that Vince got nailed… that Vince had to resign. I mean, he would have had to anyway—that lawsuit was just too much. But what forced it was Slim Jim. Slim Jim was the first one. They came out and said, ‘We’re pulling our sponsorship if he’s still around.’
Meltzer indicated this ultimatum from Slim Jim led to a direct discussion between McMahon and Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel.
Ari Emanuel told Vince, ‘This is the deal.’ And Vince understood. Because if Vince had stayed and they pulled, it would’ve been a domino—you know, where everyone else would’ve [followed]. I’m not saying everyone else would have done it, but it would have been a domino thing. It would have been a disaster for the company from a PR standpoint.
McMahon formally resigned in January 2024, shortly after Grant’s lawsuit became public. While his departure was widely seen as a response to the legal proceedings, Meltzer’s account suggests that direct pressure from a major sponsor like Slim Jim played a more decisive role than previously understood.
Despite this pivotal intervention, WWE and Slim Jim have since renewed and expanded their commercial relationship. The brand is now integrated into elements like folding tables used across WWE RAW, SmackDown, NXT, and Premium Live Events, and is slated to be the center-ring sponsor for WWE RAW upon its move to Netflix in 2025.
The report underscores the significant influence commercial partners can exert on WWE’s corporate decisions, even concerning its highest-profile figures.
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