New update has emerged on the Vince McMahon-Ring Boy lawsuit.
Earlier today, Linda McMahon filed a response to the Ring Boy lawsuit filed against her, Vince McMahon, and WWE. As reported by Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling, McMahon’s attorneys have argued to dismiss the lawsuit.
Soon, another report by Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling noted that Vince McMahon and WWE have filed motions in U.S. District Court in Maryland to dismiss the Ring Boy lawsuit. According to Thurston, McMahon, and the wrestling promotion have argued for the case to be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction in Maryland, where the Child Victims Act of 2023 has recently removed any statutes of limitations on civil lawsuits related to child sex abuse or negligence leading to child sex abuse.
In another separate filing, they argue that they don’t have ties to Maryland, and pushed back against allegations from the plaintiffs, who alleged that they were sexually abused in the 1980s by former ring announcer Mel Phillips, including on occasions in Maryland when the WWF held events there.
WWE’s filing states that:
“Plaintiffs appear to have selected Maryland as their forum of choice in an attempt to benefit from the recently enacted Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023. But the Plaintiffs’ claims do not belong there.”
While, McMahon’s filing reads:
“Five unnamed adults—none of whom are from Maryland—have come to this jurisdiction pleading decades-old allegations from the 1980s in an attempt to capitalize on the recent Maryland Child Victims Act [MCVA] of 2023.
The Complaint attempts to manufacture such knowledge by spouting a broad catalog of negative press, unfounded opinions, speculation, and multi-level hearsay from a hodgepodge of characters (many of whom are deceased).”
McMahon’s attorneys assert his lack of awareness and involvement in the abuse, dismissing the complaint as a compilation of unreliable sources.
WWE and its parent company, TKO Group Holdings, dispute the claim that they are legally responsible. In their filing, they argue that the lawsuit incorrectly treats them as the same entity as the now-defunct World Wrestling Federation. WWE rebranded from WWF in 2002, and TKO was formed in 2023 following the merger of WWE and UFC.
The wrestling promotion’s lawyers argue that the plaintiffs failed to adequately claim “successor liability” — a legal principle that allows a new company to be held responsible for the actions of an earlier one. According to WWE, the lawsuit doesn’t clearly explain why they or TKO should be accountable for the actions of WWF employees from the 1980s.
It has also stated that the alleged hiring of the plaintiffs by Phillips doesn’t tie the company to the former ring boys.
“To the contrary, the Complaint alleges that Phillips hired Plaintiffs and that Phillips paid Plaintiffs money for the work he requested.”
The defendants requested a hearing on their motions, which Judge James K. Bredar hasn’t scheduled yet.
Former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon Is Currently Involved In Different Controversies
Apart from the ongoing Ring Boy lawsuit, the former TKO Chairman, Vince McMahon, is currently involved in multiple controversies, including the Janel Grant lawsuit.
In other news: A former Divas Champion has signed a new ‘Legends deal’.