"I hope they weren't true" - JBL speaks on Ashley Massaro's horrific allegations against Vince McMahon and WWE

Ashley Massaro won the WWE Diva Search in 2005, earning $250,000 and a one-year contract with the company. She remained in the then-Vince McMahon-led global juggernaut until her release on July 9, 2008. One week before, Massaro announced that she asked for her release due to her daughter being sick. Now JBL has opened up on what happened in the Middle East during a specific tour.

The Dirty Diva joined a class action lawsuit related to an unsafe working environment against WWE in November 2016. Massaro also alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a man posing as a doctor on a U.S. military base during a WWE tour of Kuwait in 2006, in which McMahon and Layfield were on.

Ashley further accused officials of apologizing but convincing her not to report the incident as it would impact the company's relationship with the military. The lawsuit was dismissed in late 2018, like many anti-WWE suits brought forth by attorney Konstantine Kyros.

Massaro tragically passed away by suicide on May 16, 2019. She would have turned 40 years old ten days later. Shortly after her tragic death, WWE revealed an October 2018 email from Massaro where she allegedly expressed regret for being involved with the lawsuit that was dismissed in late 2018.

A previously unpublished affidavit from Massaro surfaced this year, where more shocking allegations were made against Vince McMahon.

Massaro's aforementioned affidavit was released by the law firm that represented her after passing away. However, WWE was adamant that executives did not know of the allegations, but John Laurinaitis' lawyer revealed in February 2024 how the upper-level management learned of the alleged incident and ensured all of the company's proper protocols were in place, including Massaro's privacy.

On Something To Wrestle With, John Bradshaw Layfield was asked about the incident in Kuwait.

"They’re horrific allegations, and I hope they weren’t true. I have no idea if they were or not. I don’t doubt Ashley at all, by the way. I had no idea. I didn’t hear [about it] on the tour, but that’s not something that you would probably hear about, unless somebody had witnessed it or something. So, I don’t know. I wish I could give you a better answer, but I didn’t hear any of it. I hope it’s not true, but I don’t doubt Ashley or anything [that] was said. I have no idea what happened," JBL said. [H/T to Fightful]

Massaro's last match was a 12-woman tag team match on RAW in late April 2008, when she teamed with Kelly Kelly, Cherry, Maria Kanellis, Mickie James, and Michelle McCool to defeat Layla, Melina, Victoria, Natalya, Beth Phoenix, and Jillian Hall. This came one night after the heels won the same match at Backlash 2008.

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JBL and Ron Simmons reunite with former WWE champion

Former WWE Superstars regularly reunite at various conventions around the country. The annual WrestleCade is one of the premier conventions for pro wrestling, held around Thanksgiving weekend in Winston-Salem, NC, each year.

JBL and Ron Simmons often appear together as The APA. Layfield recently took to Instagram and shared a photo of APA's reunion with The Great Khali.

"Ron and I are going to Bollywood," JBL joked with the photo below.

Khali continues to act and run his CWE wrestling school in India. The one-time World Heavyweight Champion was inducted into World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2021.

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If you use any quotes from the article's first half, please credit Something on Wrestle With and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.