Tony Khan secures major AEW legal victory before Summer Blockbuster 2025, just as anticipation grows for the event. The courtroom decision arrives at a pivotal moment, clarifying the legal landscape for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), with the dispute now shifting out of public view.
Background of the Lawsuit Involving AEW and Released Talent
In the previous year, a lawsuit was initiated by Kevin Kelly, who was joined by the Tate Twins—formerly called The Boys—against Tony Khan and Ian Riccaboni. The allegations centered on a breach of contract after their termination from AEW. The plaintiffs argued that Tony Khan’s press conference remarks had harmed their professional reputations. Separately, Kevin Kelly claimed that Riccaboni had referred to him as a far-right conspiracy theorist, adding another dimension to the dispute.
Court Orders Arbitration as the Path Forward
Developments escalated with POST Wrestling’s Brandon Thurston sharing that a federal judge backed AEW’s approach. The legal order now requires that Kevin Kelly and the Tate Twins address their grievances outside of court, under arbitration. This process assigns an independent arbitrator to make a final, binding decision on the matter, bypassing a public trial. Thurston summarized the outcome as follows:
“Kevin Kelly & Tate Twins’ dispute against AEW will go to arbitration. Judge Harvey Schlesinger grants AEW’s motion to compel arbitration, citing the arbitration clauses in the plaintiffs’ talent contracts. Tony Khan and Ian Riccaboni are also named defendants in the case,” Thurston reported.
Judge Schlesinger’s Justification for Arbitration
Judge Harvey E Schlesinger, presiding over the case, cited the contractual agreement between AEW and its talent as the basis for his decision. Arbitration clauses, he emphasized, were included in the contracts and mandated that issues like this be resolved outside traditional courts. A detailed excerpt from the ruling states:
“[A]ll disputes between Talent and AEW, including, without limitation, any dispute relating to any matter arising under this Agreement or any dispute concerning the performance, application or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the application of this Section 16 to any dispute), shall be resolved for final, binding, and conclusive arbitration conducted before a single arbitrator in Duval County, Florida and administered by JAMS, Inc. pursuant to its Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures.” [H/T POST Wrestling]
What This Means for Tony Khan, AEW, and the Plaintiffs
This legal outcome shifts a potentially damaging public trial into a closed-door process, offering Tony Khan, Ian Riccaboni, and AEW a measure of privacy and control. For Kevin Kelly and the Tate Twins, their allegations of a breach of contract and reputational harm now rest in the hands of an impartial third party, as dictated by their own agreements. The binding nature of the decision will force all parties to accept the arbitrator‘s outcome, shaping how AEW and its talent handle future disputes. With Summer Blockbuster 2025 on the horizon, the focus now returns to AEW’s in-ring action, while the off-screen legal drama moves quietly into arbitration.
