Everything you need to know about MLW’s anti-trust lawsuit against WWE

Everything you need to know about MLW’s anti-trust lawsuit against WWE

WWE is no stranger to controversy for its business practices. The company was built on trying to monopolize the professional wrestling industry and on absorbing smaller competition, which it continues to try to do even today. There have been a few occasions where the smaller wrestling promotions have stood up to WWE’s aggressive business tactics, with the newest among these being Major League Wrestling (MLW).

Major League Wrestling (MLW Media LLC) filed an antitrust lawsuit against World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) on Jan. 11, 2022, alleging that WWE had attempted to influence third parties into canceling current contracts and potential business deals with them as per their press release.

An example of this was said to have occurred during MLW’s talks with VICE TV in 2021, a relationship that WWE owner Vince McMahon was allegedly angry about and did not want to happen.

WWE’s behavior is said to have resulted in losses on all levels for MLW, with the professional wrestling juggernaut also allegedly blocking a streaming deal that could have been very beneficial to MLW’s business. They aim to use this lawsuit as a means to recoup the losses caused by WWE’s actions and hope to prevent them from repeating them in the future.

Statement from MLW CEO on lawsuit against WWE

Major League Wrestling CEO Court Bauer had this to say about the lawsuit via a press release

“WWE has been wrongfully depriving its competitors of critical opportunities for many years, but its latest conduct has been even more unconscionable. I think we speak for the rest of the professional wrestling world when we say that this anti-competitive behavior has to stop”

It will be interesting to see where this lawsuit goes and how its aftermath affects the future of professional wrestling for the WWE, fans, and smaller promotions such as Major League Wrestling.

The case is captioned MLW Media LLC v. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. with MLW being represented by Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP.