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AEW, Tony Khan Getting Sued By Kevin Kelly And The Tate Twins, Judge Seals Contracts [Updated Sep 27)

All Elite Wrestling is facing a new battle on their hands.

Steven Muelhausen

Tony Khan, the son of Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan on the sidelines before the start of Monday night's game. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Cincinnati Bengals at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida for Monday Night Football, December 4, 2023. The Jaguars were tied 14 to 14 at the end of the first half. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]
Tony Khan, the son of Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan on the sidelines before the start of Monday night's game. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Cincinnati Bengals at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida for Monday Night Football, December 4, 2023. The Jaguars were tied 14 to 14 at the end of the first half. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union] / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

After a successful All In 10 days ago and a looming All Out this Saturday, the momentum has hit a bump in the road.

The Wrestling News reported on Wednesday morning that former AEW announcer Kevin Kelly and The Tate Twins (Brandon and Brent), also known as The Boys, have filed a lawsuit against All Elite Wrestling, CEO and Owner Tony Khan, and ring announcer Ian Riccaboni.

The suit filed on Aug. 30 in the Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas by the plantiffs attorneys Stephen P. New and Benjamin Baer, says they are looking to void the arbitration clause of their AEW talent contracts. They also ask the court to certify a class-action lawsuit against the wrestling organization by stating AEW is misclassifying the wrestlers as independent contractors instead of employees.

"I am proud to represent Kevin Kelly and the Tate Twins in this lawsuit," New said in an email statement to The Takedown. "I am looking forward to them having their day in Court and the truth coming out about their situations.  Finally, I hope this lawsuit is the genesis of a change in the pro wrestling industry wherein we can make pro wrestlers the employees they are instead of “independent contractors” which they are not and never have been."

"AEW does not comment on pending litigation," an AEW spokesperson told The Takedown.

Riccaboni hasn't responded for comment at the time of publication.

Tony Khan
Feb 22, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; AEW President Tony Khan during AEW Dynamite at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

After stints in WWE, Ring of Honor, and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Kelly started with AEW in June 2023 as part of the announcing team on AEW Collision alongside Nigel McGuiness and eventually Tony Schiavone. However, Kelly was fired by the company in March allegedly because of comments he made on social media about Riccaboni and AEW on social media. Kelly claims Riccaboni was libelous after Riccaboni said Kelly was part of QAnon.

The Wrestling News also reports Kelly is looking for monetary damages from AEW and Riccaboni as he claims AEW breached his contract and caused him to being unable to find work along with the QAnon accusations defamed Kelly.

The Tate Twins were released by AEW in April. The crux of the defamtion allegation from them against Khan is because he said in a media call to promote ROH Supercard of Honor that the brothers missed multiple events and stood by those comments after The Tate Twins denied Khan's allegation.

UPDATE [September 27, 2024]

On Friday, September 27th, Brandon Thurston reported the judge overseeing the lawsuit approved the sealing of their talent contracts, tweeting:

The judge in the Kevin Kelly & Tate Twins lawsuit against AEW has approved the sealing of their talent contracts (which are submitted as exhibits) and the redactions in their complaint that references their contracts.

It would have otherwise been the first time any AEW talent contracts were made public.

The Takedown will provide updates to this story more news develops.

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Steven Muelhausen
STEVEN MUELHAUSEN

: Steven Muehlhausen is a veteran combat sports writer for various outlets including Sporting News and Yahoo Sports. He can be reached at stevemuehlhausen@yahoo.com and followed on Twitter @SMuehlhausenJr.

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