Jim Ross has shared his thoughts on the ongoing WWE shareholder lawsuit and the recent court ruling involving allegations that evidence was destroyed, suggesting the case could create major problems for Vince McMahon as it heads toward trial.

During a recent episode of Grilling JR, Ross discussed the situation after Conrad Thompson outlined the latest developments from the Delaware Court of Chancery. Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster recently ruled that McMahon and WWE President Nick Khan allegedly destroyed evidence through the use of Signal's auto-delete messaging feature. As a result, the court will presume five potentially damaging facts to be true when the trial begins on June 8.

Ross made it clear that he believes the ruling paints a troubling picture for those involved.

"Well, as the old cliche goes, where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and there’s fire here. I think that’s a very unique case. It’s going to expose a lot of conversations and things of that nature, I think, but it’ll be very wordy, it will be very hostile, I think, because you’re talking about, if I’m thinking the right way, a ton of money, a ton of money."

The WWE Hall of Famer went on to discuss what he sees as McMahon's legal position as the case moves forward.

"I feel bad for, you know, I don’t know Nick, I’ve never met Nick Khan, I don’t know what kind of guy he is, he’s done well for them, but Vince, he’s got a noose around his neck, it would seem to be so, and it won’t be a case that’s over quickly, I don’t think, too much verbiage, too much what you mean by this, and whatever."

Ross also pointed to the potential disruption the lawsuit could cause behind the scenes at WWE. With several high-ranking executives expected to spend significant time dealing with legal matters, he questioned how much attention could be diverted away from running the company during a crucial period.

"It’s taking people that have major responsibilities in WWE away from their designated task, and right now it’s not the time to have your eye off the ball, and that’s what it looks like, it’s traveling in that way."

The lawsuit names several notable WWE and TKO figures as defendants or witnesses, including WWE President Nick Khan and Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque. Their involvement could require substantial participation throughout the proceedings.

At the center of the case are allegations that McMahon influenced the 2023 merger that created TKO Group Holdings in order to protect his own position within the company following the public emergence of sexual misconduct allegations in 2022. Plaintiffs argue that McMahon viewed Endeavor as the only potential partner willing to keep him involved and that other interested parties were not given an equal opportunity during the sale process. Those accusations have been strongly denied by the defendants.

The financial stakes are also considerable. If shareholders are successful, damages could reach into the millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars. Because the matter is being heard in Delaware's Court of Chancery, there will be no jury. Instead, Vice Chancellor Laster will ultimately decide the outcome following the completion of the trial, with a final judgment expected at a later date.