Joey Ryan Files Another Multi-Million Dollar Defamation Lawsuit

Update: 10/23

Our original report did not name the defendant in this lawsuit. He has since commented on the lawsuit, and we has started a GoFundMe to fight legal fees.

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Joey Ryan Files Seventh Lawsuit, Seeking Millions In Damages

Joseph Meehan, better known in wrestling circles as Joey Ryan, has filed another defamation lawsuit, seeking upwards of $15 Million.

On 10/20, Meehan filed a lawsuit at the California Central District Court against a man in Pennsylvania, citing several claims, including emotional distress, libel, false light, and intentional interference with prospective economic advance.

HeelByNature.com has obtained a copy of the complaint, which includes over two dozen statements made by the defendant against Meehan.

The 63-page lawsuit, which is similar to others he recently filed, outlines a number of statements this person made against Meehan on social media.

The filing includes a number of Twitter posts directed at Meehan, the first being in June, at the beginning of the #SpeakingOut movement. Meehan believes this statement falsely tied him to the movement.

Defendant’s First Statement was published at the beginning of the #SpeakingOut movement. Defendant’s Frist Statement was not intended by Defendant to “speakout” about a sexual assault but so that Defendant could be part of, and be a participant in, a movement that was gaining traction in the professional wrestling community. Defendant intended on being included in the class of victims that encompassed the #speakingout movement, albeit Defendant’s intentions were misplaced. 

The filing included a tweet made in July, which claims Meehan raped someone the defendant knew.

The statement is meant to have greater impact because it is a statement of another person vouching for the credibility of the rape accusation. It is a false statement that Plaintiff committed the crime of rape upon any person in any way shape or form

The filing included a series of tweets speaking on Meehan’s Youtube Channel, which posts free matches from his Bar Wrestling events.  Meehan believes these tweets are a “call to action” to prevent him from making money from Youtube.

Statement is an unequivocal call to action by defendant to his followers and any person who happens on Defendant’s Twitter account to prevent Plaintiff from earning income through YouTube, Bar Wrestling and any, and all, past, present or future ventures related to professional wrestling.

The filing also included a tweet which tagged several wrestling promotions asking for them to no longer do business with Meehan.

Statement is an assault on Plaintiff’s right to make any form of income big or small in the professional wrestling world, past, present and future.

Another tweet indicated Patreon and Cameo would be contacted, which Meehan believes will prevent him from making money through those services.

Defendant intended to prevent Plaintiff from generating income through Plaintiff’s use of Patreon and Cameo, in Defendant’s quest to prevent Plaintiff from realizing any income related to professional wrestling

The filing includes a total of 26 statements made by the Pennsylvania man. Meehan states this has caused him to be shamed, ridiculed, and hated. He also says the statements discouraged others from associating with him.

Because of the facts and circumstances that were known to the hundreds to thousands of readers of the defamatory statements, including that Plaintiff was a professional wrestler and wrestling promotor in California,

(1) The defamatory statements tended to injure Plaintiff as a professional wrestler and wrestling promotor, and otherwise injure Plaintiff whether or not as a professional wrestler and wrestling promotor;

(2)The defamatory statements exposed Plaintiff to hatred, contempt, ridicule, and shame by (1) persons residing in California; (2) persons involved and interested in professional wrestling and wrestling promotions; and (4) those persons using the world-wide-web interested in Plaintiff, professional wrestling and wrestling promotions; and

(3)The defamatory statements discouraged others from associating or dealing with Plaintiff.

In total, Meehan is seeking $200,000 in economic damages, $5,000,000 in non-economic damages, and $10,000,000 in punitive and exemplary damages.

He is ordering the defendant cease publishing defamatory statements,  retract any defamatory statements made int he past, as well as direct any websites to delete defamatory statements.

Award Plaintiff $200,000.00 in economic damages as to each defendant or the amount lost by Plaintiff as a result of defendant’s conduct multiplied by the months from June 21, 2020 to the date of the award of economic damages;

2. Award Plaintiff $5,000,000.00 as to each defendant in non-economic damages.

3. Order an injunction permanently restraining and enjoining defendant as set forth in Claim VII including: a. Preventing defendant from making and publishing the defamatory statements or any iteration of the defamatory statements as set forth above and herein; b. Ordering defendant to retract the defamatory statements as set forth above and herein; c. Ordering defendant to direct any, and all, websites that defendant posted the defamatory statements as set forth above and herein, to delete the defamatory statements;

4. Award Plaintiff his actual damages;

5. Award Plaintiff his costs, investigatory fees and expenses to the fullest extent provided by law;

6. Award punitive and exemplary damages against defendant and in favor of Plaintiff in the sum of $10,000,000.00 by reason of defendants’, and each of them, malice, hatred, ill-will, despicable and intentional acts.

7. Awarding Plaintiff such additional and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.

In total, Meehan has filed seven lawsuits, including one against IMPACT Wrestling for breach of contract.

Like other lawsuits Meehan filed, he is demanding a jury trial.