AEW Sued Over Moxley Incident, Ricochet Makes It Worse
All Elite Wrestling and Jon Moxley are being sued in connection with an incident that occurred during the May 10, 2023 episode of AEW Dynamite in Detroit, Michigan. The civil lawsuit, filed May 30 in Wayne County Circuit Court, was brought by Christopher Dispensa, a production crew member contracted through Broadcast Service Group.
According to court documents, Dispensa was stationed ringside during Moxley’s steel cage match against Kenny Omega and was instructed to hand Moxley a screwdriver. The suit alleges that instead of taking the object, Moxley shoved Dispensa to the floor, causing severe injuries to his neck and shoulder. Dispensa subsequently underwent cervical fusion and shoulder surgery and continues to receive treatment.
The lawsuit accuses Moxley and AEW of negligence, civil assault, and battery. It also claims Moxley had a “history of disciplinary issues” and that AEW failed to provide proper training or supervision. AEW has not commented publicly, but sources within the company told Sports Illustrated that Moxley is regarded as a locker room leader and that they were unaware of any prior disciplinary concerns.
Dispensa is being represented by attorney Stephen Goethel of Michigan-based Goethel Engelhardt PLLC, and by Dan Christensen of DC Law, a firm based in Austin, Texas.
The incident sparked further controversy after WWE’s Ricochet posted on X (formerly Twitter), “We live in a world of pussies.” The post was widely criticized and deleted shortly after it was published. Ricochet has not issued a public statement since removing the tweet, and WWE has not addressed the situation.
The case is pending, and no court date has been set.
My take: Ricochet’s comment wasn’t just tone-deaf—it was reckless. Mocking someone for filing a workplace injury lawsuit, especially one involving surgeries and long-term damage, sends a message that wrestlers and crew should just “tough it out” no matter the cost. That attitude is exactly what led to decades of unspoken injuries, trauma, and exploitation in the industry. Whether or not Moxley intended harm, the legal process will play out. But Ricochet’s post wasn’t a defense - it was dismissal, and that reflects poorly not just on him, but on any company that stays silent about it.
Sources: Sports Illustrated, Cageside Seats, PWInsider