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>The suit alleges WWE executive “Triple H” Paul Levesque called Madison Square Garden in 2018 to urge the venue to cancel its scheduled event to be held by Ring of Honor and New Japan, the eventual G1 Supercard that took place on Wrestlemania weekend in April 2019. MSG did cancel the show, but rescheduled it only after Sinclair Broadcasting, ROH’s then-parent company, threatened legal action, MLW claims.
>According to MLW, WWE blocked AEW from running at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati in 2019 and early 2020.
>When it comes to interfering with talent, MLW says WWE hired away then-current MLW champion Stephon Strickland (current AEW wrestler Swerve Strickland, known as Isaiah “Swerve” Scott in WWE). WWE’s talent executive at the time, Canyon Ceman is alleged to have encouraged Strickland to opt out of his MLW contract. In July 2021, WWE allegedly hired Davey Boy Smith Jr. away from MLW. Smith subsequently only appeared in one dark match for WWE, which “made clear [WWE’s] intent to impair MLW’s ability to build its brand and viewership by removing one of its successful wrestlers.”
>MLW says AEW demanded WWE stop contacting many AEW wrestlers who WWE was trying to hire away. The claim seems related to AEW CEO Tony Khan’s assertion that AEW wrestlers have told him WWE has approached those wrestlers and tried to get them to break their contracts with AEW.
>MLW points out WWE ran two premium live events on Labor Day weekend, one the day before AEW’s All Out pay-per-view and another earlier on the same day, which the plaintiff alleges was intended to prevent the success of the AEW event.
>According to MLW, WWE blocked AEW from running at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati in 2019 and early 2020.
>When it comes to interfering with talent, MLW says WWE hired away then-current MLW champion Stephon Strickland (current AEW wrestler Swerve Strickland, known as Isaiah “Swerve” Scott in WWE). WWE’s talent executive at the time, Canyon Ceman is alleged to have encouraged Strickland to opt out of his MLW contract. In July 2021, WWE allegedly hired Davey Boy Smith Jr. away from MLW. Smith subsequently only appeared in one dark match for WWE, which “made clear [WWE’s] intent to impair MLW’s ability to build its brand and viewership by removing one of its successful wrestlers.”
>MLW says AEW demanded WWE stop contacting many AEW wrestlers who WWE was trying to hire away. The claim seems related to AEW CEO Tony Khan’s assertion that AEW wrestlers have told him WWE has approached those wrestlers and tried to get them to break their contracts with AEW.
>MLW points out WWE ran two premium live events on Labor Day weekend, one the day before AEW’s All Out pay-per-view and another earlier on the same day, which the plaintiff alleges was intended to prevent the success of the AEW event.
