Michael Elgin Suing IMPACT Wrestling For Breach Of Contract

Michael Elgin recently claimed he’s a free agent, and now he’s suing IMPACT Wrestling for not adhering to the terms of his contract.

Elgin has not been seen on IMPACT Wrestling programming for nearly two years, but he has claimed that he was still under contract with the company in that time. Recently, Elgin has said that his contract was set to expire on April 15, 2022, and he would be a free agent.

Now, Elgin has issued a statement on his personal Twitter account on March 1 claiming that he is “now out of the contract” as of that day, also revealing that he is suing the company. Elgin did not state how he was let out of his contract or if the two sides came to an agreement to terminate the deal early, but said the legal proceedings would soon become public record.

From Elgin [sic]:

I was due to be a Free Agent on April 15 2022, and I realize that was not something everyone could understand.

In April 2019 I signed a 3 year Deal with Impact which was up April 2022.

But, in June of 2020 Impact Wrestling made it seem to the public that they had fired me after an investigation. I know they made the public feel this was because I found 12 plus wrestling websites that reported Impact Wrestling had fired me due to allegtions.

I have been collecting my salary this entire time. During this time, after many attempts to rectify this there was no movement so I brought fourth a Lawsuit against Impact Wrestling. This has no reflection on the Talented men and women who wrestle for the company, as so many I respect and value as friends and performers.

Feb 15 was the final check that was issued to me, the Feb 28th check was not issued due to me suing the company. Therefore I am not out of the contract and a free agent.

There is a lot that has went on, I know I had many breakdowns during the last year and some publicly. I am sorry for the people I worried, but I hope this makes some of it clearer as to why I was in the state of mind I was in. I have been a pro wrestler since I was 14 years old, this is all I know and not being able to do so truly made me not want to live.

I won’t say much else, as through the legal system everything that has occurred will soon become public record.

Elgin was initially suspended, then ultimately pulled from IMPACT Wrestling programming in June 2020 after he was accused of sending unsolicited sexual photos to women. His alleged role in covering up a sexual assault in 2017 also came back into light during the Speaking Out movement.

At the time of his suspension, IMPACT Wrestling issued a statement to WrestleZone, confirming Elgin will no longer be part of the company’s plans moving forward. WrestleZone requested clarification regarding saying Elgin “will not be appearing” anymore (versus saying he was terminated); we were told that IMPACT Wrestling stands by the statement that was issued.

“IMPACT Wrestling announced that Michael Elgin will not be appearing in any further IMPACT Wrestling programming.”

On March 4, PWInsider.com reported new details about the lawsuit, writing that Elgin (Aaron Frobel) filed a lawsuit against IMPACT Wrestling on February 8 Circuit Court of Davidson County, TN. Frobel is seeking compensatory damages of “not less than” five million dollars due to material breach of his contract with the company.

In the suit, Frobel states that Executive Vice President for IMPACT Wrestling Scott D’Amore stated (via press statement) on June 22 that he was being suspended, pending an investigation into the allegations against him, but there was no investigation into those claims. Frobel claims further conversations with D’Amore (via email) state that IMPACT’s decision not to use him was not based on any investigation “beyond the public disclosures (and your responses thereto) at the time.” Frobel further states that IMPACT “unilaterally canceled” an appearance for Pro Wrestling NOAH in December 2020, which severely damaged his reputation in Japan and he suffered “grievous harm” that included monetary damages and mental anguish.

Elgin also posted a new video on his YouTube channel to explain why he’s suing IMPACT. Elgin went into detail about this being a legal way to clear his name, stating that there’s a public belief that he was fired from the company, despite still being paid and under contract.

Elgin has only wrestled twice since being pulled from IMPACT programming, a pair of matches in February 2021 for IWA Mid-South and Global Syndicate Wrestling.