Randy Orton is ‘torn” when it comes to Vince McMahon.
He has “no idea really what to think” about the allegations of sexual harassment and sex trafficking against the former WWE chairman in a bombshell federal lawsuit filed by a former female WWE employee.
The 43-year-old Orton had worked closely with McMahon creatively during his 24-year WWE career and doesn’t know any of the information about the allegations other than what he’s seen online.
“I’ve seen the horrible things online that I don’t want to believe because this man has done so many things for me,” Orton said in a phone interview with The Post. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have been given second and third chances [in WWE]. I wouldn’t be in the position that I’m in now if it wasn’t for that man.
“So part of me wants to not believe it and then the other part of me understands that he could have done all these wonderful things for me and the business and created this amazing thing that will go on and on well after he’s gone, but on the other hand he’s human and he made some f–king terrible mistakes.”
In the lawsuit, former WWE employee Janel Grant accuses McMahon accuses the McMahon of causing her physical harm with his fists and other objects (including sex toys), along with locking her in a WWE office before he and another WWE executive took turns sexually assaulting her, according to the lawsuit.
She also accused McMahon, 73, in the lawsuit of forcing her into sexual relationships to keep her job and passing around pornographic pictures and videos of her to other men, including fellow WWE employees.
He is also under federal investigation over the allegations in the lawsuit.
Mahon, who resigned as executive chairman of WWE’s parent company TKO days after the lawsuit became public has denied Grant’s claims.
“I stand by my prior statement that Ms. Grant’s lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth,” McMahon said in a statement to Deadline last month. “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.”
Orton, who will wrestle in the men’s Elimination Chamber match on Saturday in Perth, Australia, said it’s hard to speak on specifics, and he hasn’t heard McMahon’s side.
He agreed with fellow WWE star Cody Rhodes’ assessment of the situation after the Royal Rumble that it’s all brought “a little bit of a dark cloud over everything” in WWE.
“There’s three sides to every story,” Orton said. “Their side, the other side and then the truth. I think a lot more has to come out before I can really speak on any of this. I think that would be the case for any talent that you ask, but I do know about Vince McMahon the man that I’ve known for the past 24 years personally and I owe him for everything he’s done for me.
“I say that with conviction because I won’t be in this position without a lot of help from him. But if these allegations are true, then it’s some horrible s–t right there. I’m torn. It’s hard.”