Kevin Kelly and The Boys (Brendan and Brandon Tate) filed a lawsuit against Tony Khan's company, AEW.
Kelly alleges defamation by Ian Riccaboni and AEW, because Riccaboni commented on a discord channel on Kelly's participation in Qanon conspiracies. He seeks monetary compensation claiming that AEW breached his contract and that the situation has made it difficult to find work elsewhere. Kelly was fired from AEW in March.
The Tate twins were fired in April. Tony Khan publicly declared that their layoffs were due to the fact that they had not appeared to the events, which the brothers then attributed to a lack of communication between them and the management after they were scheduled a flight from an airport different than they normally use. The statement that they did not appear to the events is the center of their demand for defamation against Khan and AEW.
Kelly and the Tate twins also ask the Court to certify a collective claim against AEW because the company erroneously classifies its talents as independent contractors instead of employees.
“The courage of these plaintiffs applaud when presenting this demand, which should have been submitted for a long time, to challenge the erroneous classification of professional fighters as independent contractors instead of employees. We know that a long and difficult fight awaits us, but in the end, I think justice always prevails,” said lawyer Stephen P. New.
Kelly, who joined AEW in June 2023 after working as an English -speaking commentator for New Japan, was fired from her position as a AEW announcer in March, after she made her frustration with the company and Riccaboni public on her social networks.
Jim Ross doubts the success of the demand against AEW
While talking in Grilling JR Jim Ross was asked about Kevin Kelly's demand against AEW. Jim Ross expressed skepticism about Kevin Kelly's chances of success in his demand against AEW.
“Well, sign your contract, accept the terms, and that would include being an independent contractor. I will say this: I suppose the plaintiffs, Kevin Kelly and those guys, they will run out of money before Tony Khan. I have no hope that they will get any kind of agreement, but maybe I am wrong. I am not a judge or lawyer or anything like that. that the types could meet and solve something before spending their money on a lawyer who probably does it on a contingency basis: if you earn, you get this; if you do not earn, there is no damage, there is no lack.
