The legal battle surrounding the TKO merger is becoming even more intense after new details emerged about deleted Signal messages, Vince McMahon’s communications with Ari Emanuel, and sanctions handed down ahead of next month’s trial.

According to newly surfaced court details, Delaware Court of Chancery Judge J. Travis Laster ruled that several facts tied to Vince McMahon and WWE President Nick Khan will now be presumed true unless the defendants can disprove them with “clear and convincing evidence,” which is a significantly higher legal standard than normally required in civil litigation.

The plaintiffs had also pushed for additional presumptions connected to McMahon allegedly receiving a non-ratable benefit from the TKO merger through his continued power within the company, along with claims Khan knew about McMahon’s Endeavor negotiations in 2022. Those requests were not granted.

One of the biggest revelations involves a voice memo allegedly sent by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel to McMahon discussing indemnification and legal exposure. The transcription included Emanuel saying:

“I spoke to my lawyer from Latham. Just FYI. Everybody at the DOJ is former Latham lawyers so on that side will be helpful. SEC of course is SEC, but that’s just a penalty. As it relates to everything else, yes we can indemnify you and we will. If it’s criminal of course you can’t stop criminal, but this is not criminal. Call me when you get a chance.”

Emanuel later denied during his deposition that McMahon was ultimately indemnified. The filing also notes that McMahon has not been criminally charged, though investigators were reportedly examining potential financial, securities, and sex trafficking related violations.

Another major focus in the case centers around Signal’s disappearing message settings. Judge Laster’s ruling outlined a timeline showing multiple WWE and Endeavor figures changing auto-delete settings around key corporate and legal developments.

The ruling states that on August 5, 2022, the same day federal prosecutors reportedly requested information regarding McMahon’s alleged misconduct, Nick Khan manually changed Signal settings so messages with McMahon would delete after one hour. The day before, WWE executive Brad Blum reportedly made the same change.

Stephanie McMahon was also mentioned in the filing. After a lunch meeting involving McMahon and Emanuel on August 10, 2022 regarding a possible WWE-Endeavor deal, Stephanie reportedly changed her Signal auto-delete settings to erase messages after one hour as well.

Additional changes reportedly occurred throughout late 2022 and early 2023 as WWE’s sale process intensified. The court filing specifically tracked alterations to Signal settings around meetings with Raine Group banker Jeff Sine, board discussions over McMahon’s return, and WWE’s eventual sale talks.

McMahon’s own deposition testimony regarding Signal also drew attention.

“I was always told about the Signal, and it’s good for business because no one can trace you and so forth. It’s kind of like Proton. You can’t find out much about the call or the text.”

The filing also highlighted a bizarre February 2023 text exchange between McMahon and Khan involving the word “Langis.” After McMahon questioned the meaning, Khan allegedly responded, “Read it backwards!” which spelled “Signal.”

Khan later claimed during his deposition that he had “no idea” why he sent the message, while McMahon similarly distanced himself from the exchange. Judge Laster reportedly described both men’s testimony as “notably strained.”

The sanctions specifically apply to McMahon and Khan rather than the other defendants, which include Paul Levesque, George Barrios, and Michelle Wilson. The ruling does not determine liability ahead of trial, but it does significantly raise the pressure on the defense heading into the June 8 to June 12 proceedings.

The bell rings and Rollins attack Theory from behind. He fires off stomps on him, but Theory rains down right hands on Rollins on the outside and jams his ankle in the ring steps. He stomps on the ring steps to target Rollins’ ankle and dumps him back in the ring, then fires off shoulders on Rollins’ midsection and delivers a back elbow to the side of his head.

Paul pulls Rollins off the ring apron while Theory distracts the referee, and Theory sends Rollins crashing into the barricade near the timekeeper’s area groin first.

During the commercial break, Theory rains down right hands on Rollins back inside the ring. He connects with a suplex on Rollins, but Rollins levels Theory with a pair of clotheslines back from the break and follows it up with a sit-out powerbomb on him as Theory looks to fly through the middle rope from the ring apron.

Theory gets Rollins up on his shoulders and sends him crashing into the mat with a sit-out powerbomb. He goes for a pin, but Rollins kicks out and Theory transitions into a Half Boston Crab. He follows it up with a thrust kick to Rollins and sets up for a Curb Stomp, but Rollins intercepts Theory with a clothesline and ascends to the top rope.

Paul pushes Rollins off the ropes while the referee is distracted by Theory, opening the door for Theory to deliver a Curb Stomp to Rollin and pins him. Rollins kicks out, but a frustrated Theory rains down right hands and left hands on Rollins.

Paul hands Theory his signature pair of brass knuckles, and Theory slides them onto his hand. Paul distracts the referee, but Rollins catches Theory with a superkick and grabs the brass knuckles from Theory. The referee catches Rollins and takes the brass knuckles from him, but Rollins sends Paul crashing off the ring apron. He then delivers a Pedigree to Theory for the win.

Winner: Seth Rollins

After the match, Paul pounces on Rollins and beats him down. Angelo Dawkins runs out to the ring to come to Rollins’ aid, but Paul and Theory overpower him. Montez Ford follows Dawkins, clearly frustrated by Dawkins’ decision to help Rollins. Ford dumps Theory and Paul out of the ring and flies over the ring post to level The Vision members on the outside.

Ford asks Dawkins why he would help Rollins, but Bron Breakker runs out to the ring. Ford pushes Dawkins out of the way as Breakker lines up for a spear on him to take the move. Breakker then levels Dawkins, but Rollins goes after Breakker. Paul trips Rollins, allowing Breakker to spear him.

The Vision looks to attack Rollins using the ring steps, but Adam Pearce and other officials stop them. Breakker goes after Rollins once again, but Pearce and officials separate the pair moments before the show goes off the air.