Jon Moxley Facing Lawsuit From Injured AEW Crew Member

For every star that shines under the bright lights of a wrestling ring, there are dozens of unseen hands working in the shadows—the production crew, the camera operators, the technicians who make the spectacle possible. They are the essential, yet invisible, cogs in a machine built on choreographed violence. A new lawsuit filed against All Elite Wrestling and one of its top stars, Jon Moxley, tells the story of what happens when one of those hands is allegedly crushed by the very performance it was meant to support.

a production crew member named Christopher Dispensa, has filed a suit alleging civil assault, battery, and negligence. The core of his claim stems from a single, unscripted moment during an episode of AEW Dynamite on May 10, 2023. The plan was simple: Dispensa was to hold a screwdriver for Moxley to grab as part of a match. The lawsuit alleges that after taking the tool, Moxley, without warning, violently shoved Dispensa to the ground.

The alleged consequences of this unscripted act were severe and life-altering. The lawsuit details extensive injuries culminating in cervical spine surgery and shoulder surgery, painting a grim picture of the human cost behind a fleeting moment of television.

But the legal complaint goes deeper than a single shove. It raises profound questions about corporate responsibility. The negligence claim against AEW alleges that the company knew or should have known about a supposed history of “disciplinary issues” and “unpredictability” with Moxley, and that their failure to manage this was a direct cause of Dispensa’s injuries. While sources close to AEW have disputed this characterization of Moxley, noting he is widely respected, the allegation itself puts a spotlight on a company’s duty of care to every single person on its payroll.

Perhaps most troubling is the narrative of the aftermath described by Dispensa’s legal team. It paints a picture of confusion and alleged indifference. The ringside doctor was reportedly upset that the stunt was unapproved. An official incident report was never filed. And after a time, Dispensa was allegedly told he would no longer be treated by AEW’s training staff, with the incident never being acknowledged again by the company. It suggests a system that, when faced with an uncomfortable reality, simply chose to look away.

AEW has offered the standard “no comment on pending litigation,” and the legal process will now determine the facts. But beyond the courtroom, this lawsuit tells a human story. It’s about the vulnerability of the men and women who work just outside the ropes, whose safety depends on the discipline and professionalism of the larger-than-life characters they support.