Lucha Underground's King Cuerno Files Dispute Regarding Contract

As reported by Pro Wrestling Sheet, King Cuerno (who also goes by El Hijo del Fantasma in AAA) has filed a dispute against El Rey Network in relation to his contract. The document, which sees Cuerno become the latest wrestler to go against Lucha Underground, contains the following information.

Plaintiff brings this action seeking to invalidate illegal provisions of a contract between himself and Defendants. Defendants is enforcing contracts with Plaintiff which are illusory, in that they require Plaintiffs to stop engaging in their lawful trade, while Defendants have no obligation to provide work to Plaintiffs, and only have an obligation to pay Plaintiffs if they are provided work on their show. This contract also violations California Business and Professions code 16600 and California public policy as they restrain Plaintiffs from working in their lawful profession.

The current contract that wrestlers signed with Lucha Underground require that wrestlers not perform services for other wrestling companies anywhere in the world without Defendants permission, but does not require Defendants to use Plaintiffs in their wrestling-theme television show.

While Plaintiffs are obligated to restrict their trade under the contract (which is illegal), Defendants are not required to use or pay Plaintiffs. Defendants have the option to use Plaintiffs, and IF Defendants use Plaintiffs, Defendants will pay Plaintiffs. IF Defendants chose not to use Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs are prohibited for working for years, are not paid, but still under the restrictive contract until it expires.

Most wrestlers under a Lucha Underground contract make less than $4,000 a year. Wrestlers working for other wrestling promotions make a living wage, usually starting around $50,000 a year and entering either 6 or 7 figures.

In addition to the aforementioned suit, there’s also a class action lawsuit being filed by several wrestlers. As mentioned by Cuerno’s lawyer Andre Verdun to Lucha Central, it will aim to “invalidate certain portions of their contracts that we believe are illegal.”