According to a new report from POST Wrestling, AEW and its CEO, President and General Manager Tony Khan, filed a petition on Friday (3/14) in the US District Court in the Middle District of Florida, seeking to force their former talent Ryan Nemeth into arbitration.
The filing comes in response to the lawsuit that Nemeth filed in February in Superior Court in Los Angeles, California against AEW, Khan, Phillip Brooks (CM Punk), and 20 John Does to be named. The report also notes that in the suit, Nemeth alleges professional retaliation, being blacklisted from the wrestling industry by the parties which he is suing, and that Brooks assaulted him in the AEW locker room.
In the new petition filed by AEW, the company and Khan argue that Nemeth’s claims should be adjudicated through private arbitration rather than in public in court. The petition states that Nemeth signed three contracts with the wrestling company – March 1, 2021; January 17, 2022; and March 1, 2023. It is stated by AEW and Khan that each contract contains identical arbitration clauses that claim disputes are to be resolved in Duval County, Florida, under JAMS, Inc. arbitration rules.
Brooks is not named as a party in AEW and Khan’s petition in Florida federal court, which is said not to be a surprise due to the fact that Nemeth’s contractual agreements were with AEW and Brooks is no longer under any affiliation with AEW.
AEW and Khan further argue Nemeth has “ignored his contractual obligations and binding authority requiring arbitration” by filing his lawsuit in Los Angeles County. It was also said AEW and its lead executive have made a request from the federal court, asking the court to administer the arbitration clause, thus directing Nemeth to pursue his claims in arbitration and require him to pay for the attorneys’ fees that AEW is incurring by bringing this petition to court.
Furthermore it was stated that Nemeth will have an opportunity to respond to AEW’s petition. The court will ultimately decide whether to uphold the arbitration clause that AEW says is in his talent contract.
POST Wrestling notes that Nemeth and his attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment and their report will be updated, should they respond.
In Nemeth’s lawsuit, he is demanding a jury trial. He is currently signed to TNA Wrestling and makes regular appearances along side his brother Nic Nemeth.