On December 26, the United States District Court California Northern District in San Jose, CA officially dismissed Major League Wrestling’s anti-trust lawsuit against World Wrestling Entertainment with prejudice, after the two sides came to a settlement that was filed with the Court on December 22. The matter is now officially closed.
Back on January 11, 2022, MLW filed the anti-trust lawsuit, arguing that WWE was engaging in unfair practices, which included the following:
-Attempting to prevent Ring of Honor (then owned by The Sinclair Broadcast Group), from running a show in Madison Square Garden, claiming Paul Levesque stepped in to stop the show temporarily.
-WWE prevented AEW from booking an Arena in Cincinnati several years back
-WWE went after signed MLW talents, including Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Swerve Strickland, neither of whom are currently with WWE. Smith was scheduled to headline the 10/14 MLW Slaughterhouse event on FITE+ in Philadelphia before surgery prevented that appearance.
Then on March 2023, Major League Wrestling filed an amended lawsuit against WWE, which included the following:
-WWE’s predatory conduct further impeded MLW in its ability to compete in the licensing of its programming for distribution on streaming services and continues to threaten to deprive MLW of its ability to license its programming for distribution on cable. As a result of WWE’s misconduct, MLW is at risk of its business being irreparably destroyed.
-WWE’s exclusivity agreements create violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act as it pertains to the pro wrestling media market in the United States.
In February 2023, MLW’s new media partner, REELZ announced a distribution deal with streaming service Peacock. But as a direct result of WWE’s exclusivity arrangement with NBCUniversal, which prohibits any other professional wrestling programming on Peacock, MLW’s programming was excluded from this streaming deal, which further suppresses competition in the Relevant Market. MLW also is reportedly at risk of losing its cable deal with REELZ as a result of WWE’s exclusivity with Peacock.”
Back on October 5, REELZ confirmed the relationship between MLW and the cable network would not continue. An MLW source stated REELZ declined to explain further. Only 13 full episodes of MLW programming aired on the cable network.
MLW had also stated that Stephanie McMahon interfered with a MLW deal with the FOX-owned streaming service Tubi, leading to the deal being canceled the night before it was to be announced and a potential deal with VICE TV, which aired only one original MLW special and several older MLW TV shows. WWE had conceded that McMahon, who has since left the company, did have contact with the Tubi Executive, but denied any connection to that discussion and MLW’s Tubi deal being canceled the day before it was set to be publicly announced.
Back on December 11, WWE and MLW came to a settlement.
Since the original lawsuit had been filed, WWE was acquired by UFC’s parent company, Endeavor to form TKO Group Holdings, consisting of a UFC-WWE merger.
Source: PWInsider
MLW’s law firm issued the following statement back on December 22 regarding the matter:
Kasowitz Secures Settlement on Behalf of MLW Media Against World Wrestling Entertainment in Antitrust Suit
New York, NY, December 22, 2023 — Kasowitz Benson Torres, on behalf of professional wrestling promotion company MLW Media (MLW), has reached a settlement with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) over MLW’s antitrust and state law claims against WWE for monopolizing and attempting to monopolize the market for the sale or licensing of media rights for professional wrestling programming in the United States. On December 22, 2023, MLW filed a stipulation and proposed order of dismissal of its lawsuit against WWE with the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, notifying the court that the parties have entered into a settlement agreement.
The settlement follows MLW’s successful defeat of WWE’s motion to dismiss, as well as its successful motion to strike numerous affirmative defenses in WWE’s answer to the amended complaint. The parties agreed to resolve the matter on mutually acceptable terms.
The Kasowitz Benson Torres team representing MLW is led by partners Marc E. Kasowitz and Christine A. Montenegro and includes partner Nicholas A. Rendino.