MLW Responds To WWE's Attempt To Halt Discovery In Lawsuit

The legal battle between Major League Wrestling and WWE appears to be far from over, MLW's attorney just filed a response to WWE's attempts to halt its recent discovery requests, according to PWInsider. The legal battle between the two promotions started in January 2022 after MLW filed an antitrust suit against WWE based on allegations of talent poaching and monopolizing the professional wrestling market by interfering with contracts and other business deals.

On January 5, WWE filed a motion with the United States District Court, Northern District of California, San Jose Division seeking a protective order from the court that would suspend WWE's obligation to search for and produce materials requested by MLW. WWE is arguing that the process of unearthing all of the documents and materials MLW requested could ultimately cost the company millions of dollars. WWE feels that if the lawsuit was dismissed, the cost would have been for no reason.

In MLW's attorney's response, as per PWInsider, MLW is requesting that this "Court denies WWE's motion for administrative relief." MLW feels that the WWE's motion fails on both procedure and substance and that WWE's motion "was made without the meet and confer required under the Local Rules of the Northern District of California." It was also noted, WWE had "unlawfully maintained its monopoly power in violation of the Sherman Act."

MLW claimed that WWE used its decades-long relationship with every major arena in the United States to make it harder for its competitors to book those arenas. Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling were used as examples, due to plans for their joint show at Madison Square Garden being reportedly canceled after WWE intervened. ROH and NJPW later overcame WWE's efforts and moved forward with their G1 Supercard event at MSG in 2019.