Former AEW Broadcaster Kevin Kelly Explains Why He’s Suing Over Departure – Wrestling Inc.

While Kelly was waiting for HR to follow up, however, he was replaced as “Collision’s” play-by-play commentator by Tony Schiavone; he was also left off commentary on AEW PPV events. Kelly said he was eventually told by an HR representative that the matter had been handled privately, which didn’t satisfy Kelly, who stressed he didn’t want to see Riccaboni fired.

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“I just wanted an apology and to move on,” Kelly said.

Kelly said he was assured by Executive Producer Michael Mansury that nothing was wrong in terms of Kelly’s standing in the company, but when Kelly was left off of Sting’s retirement weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, he unleashed an angry tirade on both the HR representative and on social media. 

“I don’t remember what I said, but I’m sure it was stiff,” Kelly said, assuring host Eric Bischoff that he was sober at the time. Infuriated by a series of comments on an AEW video about his supposed right-wing beliefs, Kelly said he tried to take advantage of in-house psychiatric help for his mental health, only to be fired from the company, instead.

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“I got let go for the things I was saying publicly about the company on social media and the voice message I had left for the nice HR lady,” he said. At that point, Bischoff asked Kelly if he was going to sue AEW.

“Yeah, of course,” Kelly said. “Have to.”