The lawsuit filed by former AEW announcer Kevin Kelly and former ROH stars The Tate Twins (Brandon & Brent Tate) against AEW and Tony Khan has been ordered to move to private arbitration.
According to a report from Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling, a federal judge in Florida granted AEW’s request to uphold the arbitration clauses present in their talent contracts. The move effectively deactivates the public court case as the process continues behind closed doors.
Background Of The Lawsuit
The lawsuit was originally filed on September 6, 2024. The plaintiffs are seeking to void their arbitration clauses and certify a class-action lawsuit, arguing that AEW misclassifies its talent as independent contractors rather than employees, which is a long-standing issue in the wrestling industry.
The suit also contains specific defamation claims. Kelly alleges defamation by fellow announcer Ian Riccaboni regarding comments made about Kelly’s support of the film Sound of Freedom. The Tate Twins allege defamation by Tony Khan regarding claims that they had no-showed events.
What Happens Next
The judge’s order means the case will now be “administratively closed” on the public docket while the private arbitration process unfolds. The plaintiffs are required to update the court on the status of the arbitration every 90 days.
Stephen P. New, the attorney representing Kelly and The Tate Twins, provided a statement on the ruling. “We look forward to pursuing the plaintiffs’ claims in arbitration,” he said.
H/T to Fightful for the transcription. Thanks for checking out this article. Make sure to follow Jeff Jarrett and all things GFE on Facebook.
