Former AEW Wrestlers File Lawsuit Against Company

Kevin Kelly and The Tate Twins (Brandon and Brent Tate) have filed a lawsuit against All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and several individuals, including Tony Khan and Ian Riccaboni, in the Philadelphia County Court. The plaintiffs seek to void the arbitration clause in their contracts and are requesting class-action certification, alleging AEW misclassifies its wrestlers as independent contractors instead of employees. Kelly claims defamation due to comments made by Riccaboni regarding his alleged ties to QAnon, and he is also pursuing damages for breach of contract following his termination from AEW. The Tate Twins, who were released in April, contest claims by Khan that they no-showed events, asserting miscommunication as the cause of their absence. Attorney Stephen P. New praised the plaintiffs for their initiative, emphasizing the need to challenge the misclassification of wrestlers. The case highlights ongoing tensions within the wrestling industry regarding employment status and contractual rights.