Big news in the ongoing legal drama between Kevin Kelly, the Tate Twins, and All Elite Wrestling: the action-packed courtroom clash has been uprooted from Pennsylvania and body-slammed into sunny Florida. In what some are calling a victory for AEW, Judge Mia R. Perez ruled in favor of transferring the lawsuit to the Sunshine State, citing contractual mumbo-jumbo and “public interest factors” that apparently favor sipping piña coladas in court.
AEW had argued that their contracts demand Florida be the stage for this legal theater. The plaintiffs, however, tried to no-sell that argument, calling the clauses “unfair or unreasonable.” Judge Perez, playing the role of referee, disagreed, awarding the venue change to the defending champs.
“Consolidating all claims in one venue would avoid duplicative trials, streamline discovery, and promote consistent outcomes,” Perez said, likely while considering her frequent flyer miles. She also pointed out that Florida law governs the dispute, and Florida has a vested interest in AEW’s business practices—because nothing screams “Florida pride” like suplex-heavy legal drama.
Plaintiffs’ attorney Stephen P. New, who might as well have entered the courtroom to ominous theme music, gracefully accepted the decision. “We respect the judge’s decision and look forward to litigating the issues in Florida,” he said, with the confidence of a man ready to grapple in enemy territory.
The next match on the docket? Determining if this battle royale will unfold in a public courtroom or if arbitration—a.k.a. “court’s VIP lounge”—will take over. AEW had filed a motion in October to enforce arbitration clauses in the contracts, but no bell has rung on that decision yet.