See more of our coverage in your search results.
An Illinois security guard alleged that WWE star Montez Ford performed a “sexualized lap dance” on him during a live Netflix broadcast of “Monday Night Raw.”
Noel Lucas accused Ford, whose real name is Kenneth Crawford, and the WWE of assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and other claims, according to the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, which was obtained by Post Wrestling and confirmed by The Post.
Lucas alleged the incident unfolded as Ford and his Street Profits tag team partner, Angelo Dawkins, made their entrance before their televised match at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. on July 6.
Lucas, an officer with the Cook County Sheriff’s Department who was working off-duty security at the event, claimed Ford approached him without warning or consent and began dancing in a “sexually provocative” manner.
“Defendant Crawford then began performing a sexually provocative dance immediately in front of and over Plaintiff [Lucas], repeatedly thrusting and gyrating his hips and pelvis towards Plaintiff, performing a sexualized ‘lap dance,’” the lawsuit, filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, stated.
Lucas alleges Ford moved increasingly closer to Lucas as the dance continued and that his “left inner thigh repeatedly rubbed against Plaintiff’s leg.”
The lawsuit alleges 14 counts, including violations of the Illinois Gender Violence Act.
Ford is seen intently thrusting his hips and dancing over Lucas, who appears uncomfortable and initially looks away before eventually cracking a smile, according to fan footage.
The July 6 episode of “Raw” drew an estimated 12,500 fans at Allstate Arena and recorded 2.5 million global views on Netflix over seven days, according to Wrestlenomics data reported by “Wrestling Inc.”
The episode currently available on Netflix appears to cut away early during the Street Profits’ entrance, leaving out the interaction described in the lawsuit.
Lucas claimed footage of the encounter spread across social media, drawing hundreds of thousands of views, including on WWE’s and Ford’s own accounts.
The alleged fallout continued the following day when Lucas returned to his full-time job at a courthouse.
“Members of the public recognized him from the videos of the encounter that had circulated on social media and mocked him, thrusting their hips in his direction, imitating the sexual movements” allegedly performed during the broadcast, the lawsuit stated.
Lucas also claimed his children were “mocked and ridiculed” at school over the footage.
The lawsuit alleges Lucas has suffered “humiliation, embarrassment and emotional distress” and continues to be affected because the video remains available online.
He also accuses WWE and Ford of using his image for commercial purposes without authorization, citing the Illinois Right of Publicity Act.
Lucas is seeking unspecified monetary damages, punitive damages, legal fees and a court order barring the defendants from using his identity.
Lucas also supervises security guards for private firm Monterrey Security, which assigned him to the WWE event.
According to the complaint, a WWE employee directed him to take up a position near ringside.
A case management hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10.
Ford signed with WWE in 2015 and teamed up with Angelo Dawkins as the Street Profits in 2017, going on to win tag team titles across NXT, Raw and SmackDown and become WWE Tag Team Triple Crown champions in 2020.
