WWE and TKO Push to Pause Sexual Abuse Lawsuit as Maryland Supreme Court Weighs Child Victims Act

Attorneys for WWE and its parent company, TKO, are making a major move in the ongoing sexual abuse lawsuit filed by five former “ring boys,” seeking to halt proceedings until Maryland’s Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of the Maryland Child Victims Act.

“If the [Child Victims Act] is found to be unconstitutional, the claims here cannot go forward,” WWE’s legal team argued in court filings submitted Monday via Post Wrestling. WWE is asking the court to stay the case, emphasizing that this legal question is “fundamental and potentially case-determinative.”

The lawsuit alleges that former WWF ring announcer Mel Phillips sexually abused five unnamed plaintiffs—identified as Joe Doe 1 through 5—when they worked as ring boys in the 1980s. The plaintiffs claim the abuse occurred while helping assemble wrestling rings for the company. Phillips, who passed away in 2012, was accused of misconduct decades ago, but the Maryland Child Victims Act has now opened the door for victims to sue beyond the previously established statute of limitations.

Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon, who were leading WWE executives during the time of the alleged abuse, are named in the suit as defendants. WWE attorneys have stated they believe the case hinges on the Maryland Supreme Court’s ruling, expected by August 31, 2025, regarding whether the Child Victims Act can be upheld. Oral arguments in the consolidated case took place in September.

In addition to requesting the pause, WWE’s legal team, represented by powerhouse firm Paul Weiss, is pushing to move the case from Baltimore County Circuit Court to federal court. Their reasoning? The parties involved reside in different states, and the plaintiffs are seeking significant damages. Vince McMahon’s attorney, Jessica T. Rosenberg, and Linda McMahon’s attorney, Laura Brevetti, have both filed separate motions agreeing to this strategy.

Rosenberg, who is also defending Vince McMahon in a separate sex trafficking case filed by Janel Grant, didn’t hold back in dismissing the current claims. “These are the same absurd, defamatory, and utterly meritless statements raised in 1992,” she said. “We will vigorously defend Mr. McMahon and are confident the court will find these claims to be untrue and unfounded.”

Brevetti, a former WWE General Counsel, described the ring boys’ allegations as “based upon thirty-plus-year-old allegations” and “filled with scurrilous lies, exaggerations, and misrepresentations.”

WWE is also asking the federal court to extend its December 9 deadline to respond to the ring boys’ complaint. According to the filings, WWE attorneys reached out to the plaintiffs’ lawyers for an extension, but the request was denied. Now, WWE wants the court to fast-track the plaintiffs’ response deadline to their extension request, setting it for this Thursday, December 5.

Judge James K. Bredar, assigned to the case, will decide on WWE’s motions.

As this legal battle heats up, the spotlight remains on how the Maryland Supreme Court’s decision could influence the case. With such high stakes for both sides, all eyes are on the legal maneuvers shaping this high-profile lawsuit.

What do you think about WWE’s attempts to pause the case and move it to federal court? Do you agree with their strategy, or do you think the lawsuit should proceed without delay? Share your thoughts in the comments below!