WWE and MLW have reached a settlement in the ongoing lawsuit that has played out for a while now.
Major League Wrestling filed the amended lawsuit in March, alleging that WWE’s exclusivity agreements (such as Peacock and NBC) caused violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act regarding the pro wrestling media market in the United States.
MLW has argued that WWE was engaging in unfair practices, including attempting to prevent Ring of Honor from running Madison Square Garden by allegedly having Triple H try to stop it. They also alleged WWE prevented AEW from booking an arena in Cincinnati, OH and WWE going after signed MLW talents, including Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Swerve Strickland.
MLW filed an anti-trust lawsuit last year alleging that WWE interfered with potential deals with VICE TV and the Tubi streaming service. In the lawsuit, MLW claimed they had a deal with Tubi in place, but WWE pressured them to drop it, or they would pull SmackDown from FOX since FOX owns Tubi. MLW claimed that WWE SVP Susan Levison called VICE executives to have the deal, reached in May to air archival footage, nixed because Vince McMahon was “pissed” about VICE airing MLW programming.
Per Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics, the settlement is expected to be completed within the next 30 days:
WWE and MLW have come to a settlement in the antitrust case against WWE.
Lawyers for both companies filed today:
“The Parties are in the process of completing the final settlement documents and expect to file the appropriate dismissal papers within the next thirty (30) days” pic.twitter.com/t3507vGJg4
— Brandon Thurston (@BrandonThurston) December 11, 2023
You can keep up with all your wrestling news right here on eWrestlingNews.com. Or, you can follow us over on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
WWE and MLW Settle Ongoing Lawsuit: What You Need to Know
In a significant development in the world of professional wrestling, WWE and Major League Wrestling (MLW) have reached a settlement in their ongoing lawsuit. The lawsuit, which has been playing out for some time now, involved allegations of unfair practices and violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
MLW filed an amended lawsuit in March, claiming that WWE’s exclusivity agreements, such as those with Peacock and NBC, caused violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act in the pro wrestling media market in the United States. They argued that WWE engaged in unfair practices, including attempting to prevent Ring of Honor from running Madison Square Garden and preventing AEW from booking an arena in Cincinnati, OH. MLW also accused WWE of going after signed MLW talents.
Furthermore, MLW filed an anti-trust lawsuit last year, alleging that WWE interfered with potential deals with VICE TV and the Tubi streaming service. They claimed that WWE pressured them to drop a deal with Tubi or risk having SmackDown pulled from FOX, as FOX owns Tubi. MLW also alleged that WWE’s SVP Susan Levison called VICE executives to have a deal with MLW nixed because Vince McMahon was unhappy about VICE airing MLW programming.
However, according to Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics, the settlement is expected to be completed within the next 30 days. Lawyers for both companies have filed documents stating that “the Parties are in the process of completing the final settlement documents and expect to file the appropriate dismissal papers within the next thirty (30) days.”
This settlement brings an end to a legal battle that has captured the attention of wrestling fans and industry insiders alike. While the specific terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, it represents a resolution to the disputes between WWE and MLW.
For wrestling enthusiasts, this settlement may have implications for the industry as a whole. It could potentially pave the way for smoother collaborations and partnerships between different wrestling promotions, allowing for more exciting cross-promotional events and opportunities for talent to showcase their skills on a larger scale.
As always, you can stay updated with all your wrestling news on eWrestlingNews.com, where you can find the latest updates and analysis. You can also follow eWrestlingNews on Twitter and Facebook to stay connected with the wrestling community and join in on the discussions surrounding this settlement and other wrestling-related topics.