According to PWInsider, the scheduled hearing on WWE’s Motion to dismiss the Amended lawsuit brought against them by MLW before the U.S. District Court California Northern District, San Jose has been moved up to June 15. The hearing was initially scheduled for July 20.
MLW filed their Amended lawsuit back in March, alleging WWE’s exclusivity agreements, such as NBCUniversal with Peacock and USA Network, causes violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act as it pertains to the pro wrestling media market in the United States.
MLW has argued since the promotion first filed its first lawsuit, that WWE was engaging in unfair practices, including attempting to prevent Ring of Honor (then owned by The Sinclair Broadcast Group) from holding an event in Madison Square Garden.
MLW also alleges the following in their ongoing lawsuit against WWE:
– Paul Levesque stepped in to stop ROH from temporarily from running their show, which did take place as a pay-per-view with NJPW
-WWE prevented AEW from booking the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, OH back in 2019 and pre-pandemic in 2020
-WWE sought after signed MLW talents, including Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Swerve Strickland, neither of whom are currently with WWE
-Then-WWE executive, Canyon Ceman, encouraged Swerve Strickland to opt out of his MLW deal to join WWE. Strickland is now under contract with AEW and also makes appearances for DEFY Wrestling out of Seattle, WA
-WWE interfered with an MLW deal with FOX-owned streaming service Tubi, leading to that deal being canceled the night before it was to be announced
-WWE interfered with a potential deal with Vice TV, which only aired one original MLW special and several older MLW TV shows