Vince McMahon, Triple H, Nick Khan Set To Testify In WWE/TKO Merger Trial

Several key figures tied to WWE’s merger with Endeavor are expected to testify in the upcoming shareholder lawsuit surrounding the creation of TKO Group Holdings.

According to Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling, former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel, WWE President Nick Khan, and WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque are all scheduled to testify as part of the trial proceedings.

The trial is set to begin on June 8 in Delaware Court of Chancery. A recently submitted pre-trial order reportedly listed the names of multiple witnesses expected to be involved in the case, including the high-profile executives tied directly to the WWE-Endeavor merger.

The lawsuit centers around allegations that McMahon structured the TKO merger in a way that would protect and preserve his power within WWE following the sexual misconduct allegations that surfaced against him in 2022.

Plaintiffs claim McMahon favored Endeavor and Emanuel specifically because of their existing relationship and because Emanuel was viewed as someone willing to keep McMahon involved after the merger was completed.

The suit further alleges that other potential bidders were not given a fair opportunity to pursue a deal to acquire WWE.

McMahon and Emanuel are both expected to testify live in court.

Additional names listed by the plaintiffs include TKO executive Mark Shapiro and Raine Group banker Jeff Sine, who advised WWE during the merger negotiations.

One notable detail is that McMahon has retained separate legal counsel from the other defendants involved in the case, including Khan, Levesque, and former WWE board members George Barrios and Michelle Wilson.

Featured below is the list of names who are intended to be called live and those could be called on in court:

Plaintiffs intend to call live:

Vince McMahon, then-WWE/TKO Executive Chairman
Ari Emanuel, TKO CEO & Chairman, and then-Endeavor CEO
Mark Shapiro, TKO President & COO, Endeavor President
Jeffrey Sine, Raine banker
Frank Riddick, then-WWE Chief Financial Officer and board member
Andrew Schleimer, TKO CFO and then-UFC CFO
Brendan Houlihan, expert witness
James Canessa, expert witness

Plaintiffs may call live or by deposition:

Jeffrey Speed, then-WWE board member
Stephanie McMahon, then-WWE executive and board member
Marty Patterson, Liberty Media President & CEO
Steve Pamon, then-WWE board member

Defendants intend to call live (several witnesses also appear on the plaintiffs’ list):

George Barrios, then-WWE board member and former WWE executive
Brad Blum, former WWE executive
Ari Emanuel
Daniel Lee, Moelis Managing Director (an advisor in the process)
Paul Finger, JP Morgan Managing Director (advisor)
Nick Khan, WWE President and then-board member
Steve Koonin, TKO board member, then-WWE board member
Paul Levesque, WWE Chief Content Officer, then-WWE board member and executive
Vince McMahon
Frank Riddick
Andrew Schleimer
Mark Shapiro
Jeffrey Sine
Michelle Wilson, then-WWE board member and former WWE executive
Mark Zhu, TKO Chief Strategy Officer and then-Endeavor executive
Doug Perlman, expert witness
Professor Steven Salaga, expert witness
Professor David C. Smith, expert witness
Matthew Archer, shareholder plaintiff
Dennis Palkon, shareholder plaintiff