PWInsider is reporting that the WWE has filed a motion seeking a summary judgment that would end the lawsuit brought against them by Vito LoGrasso and Evan Singleton, better known as Big Vito in WWE and Adam Mercer in NXT.
The lawsuit was originally brought forth in 2015, stating:
"Under the guise of providing entertainment, the WWE has, for decades, subjected its wrestlers to extreme physical brutality that it knew, or should have known, caused created latent conditions and long-term irreversible bodily damage, including brain damage."
The lawsuit stated that Singleton, who performed for the company's developmental division from 2012 to 2013, is now disabled because of brain trauma he suffered while in the employ of WWE. LoGrasso suffers from migraines, depression, deafness and memory loss after nearly a decade with the WWE, the lawsuit claimed.
Unfortunately for LoGrasso and Singleton, all but one of their claims have been thrown out over the past two years.
The only one left alleges that in 2005, WWE “became aware of and failed to disclose to its wrestlers information concerning a link between repeated head trauma and permanent degenerative neurological conditions.”
The court had ruled it was within reason that there was a possibility that WWE had a “greater knowledge” of the dangers via information cultivated via Wellness Policy data. WWE filed a motion on April 17th, stating that the plaintiffs “never had any factual basis to allege that WWE was aware in 2005 of a link between repeated head trauma and permanent degenerative conditions, and no basis to allege fraud.”
The lawsuit alleges that a study done by the Mayo clinic which linked repeated head trauma to CTE was available to WWE's doctors, but they couldn't prove that the doctors were even aware of the report. Another allegation uses former WWE wrestler Chris Nowinski's book as evidence, even though a judge ”already rejected the Plaintiffs’ argument that Mr. Nowinski had any information relevant to the discovery order, on two different occasions.”
Basically, the WWE is saying the plaintiffs can't prove fraud in this case, and since that's the only leg they have to stand on, the case should be thrown out.
Many more details on the lawsuit and the motion filed by WWE can be found at this link.
This has no bearing on the class-action lawsuit filed against WWE by over 50 former performers, including lead plaintiff Joseph “Road Warrior Animal” Laurinaitis, which states that the WWE “placed corporate gain over its wrestlers’ health, safety and financial security, choosing to leave the plaintiffs severely injured and with no recourse to treat their damaged minds and bodies."
