A number of wrestlers were impacted by the Speaking Out movement, with many stars ending their careers after their alleged crimes came to light.
This included WWE, AEW and British wrestling stars. The movement was a wake-up call for many in the UK, as it saw a host of top stars who were previously beloved outed as horrible people.
What was the Speaking Out Movement?
The “Speaking Out Movement” was wrestling’s answer to Hollywood’s “#MeToo Movement”. It was a grassroots movement in professional wrestling in mid-2020, exposing a number of sexual predators in the business.
Multiple women came forward about their experiences via social media. The accused were mainly members of the British wrestling community, although a handful of international stars were also involved.
The sheer scale of abuse running through the British Wrestling scene was such an issue that British Parliament even launched an investigation into it. It made mainstream news, and dealt a huge blow to the BritWres revival.
Speaking Out was one of the reasons for the sharp, sudden fall of British Wrestling in 2020.
In this article, we’re going to detail every wrestler who was accused of sexual misconduct in the Speaking Out movement. You can click to read more about ever case when you reach the section you’d like to learn more about.
David Starr
David Starr was the first person accused during the Speaking Out Movement, and allegations against him kick-started the entire movement. He quit wrestling soon after.
Jimmy Havoc
AEW’s Jimmy Havoc was one of the biggest stars accused during Speaking Out. He entered rehab soon after the allegations, and was fired from AEW in the summer of 2020.
Read More About Jimmy Havoc’s Speaking Out Allegations
Marty Scurll
Marty Scurll had the world at his feet. He was part of the Elite and the ROH Booker, but threw it all away when allegations came out about him taking advantage of a trainee.
Read More About Marty Scurll’s Allegations
Will Ospreay
Will Ospreay was accused of getting one woman blackballed from the industry, following an alleged sexual assault in 2017.
Read More About Will Ospreay’s Allegations
Jack Gallagher
WWE fired “Gentleman” Jack Gallagher in 2020, after he allegedly admitted to crimes he was accused of in the Speaking Out movement.
Read More About Jack Gallagher’s Allegations
JD McDonagh
The former Jordan Devlin kept his job in WWE, soon becoming JD McDonagh, despite abuse allegations being levied against him in 2020.
Read More About JD McDonagh’s Allegations
El Ligero
Despite being one of the top stars on the British Wrestling scene, El Ligero’s past came back to haunt him during the Speaking Out campign.
Read More About El Ligero’s Allegations
Joey Ryan
Disgraced wrestler Joey Ryan was accused of sexual abuse by numerous women, ending his wrestling career as more and more victims came forward.
Read More About Joey Ryan’s Allegations
Trent Seven
TNA’s Trent Seven was accused of “hitting on” several underage girls after a wrestling show, although this was later disputed by multiple people.
Read More About Trent Seven’s Allegations
Sid Scala
AEW star Mariah May accused Sid Scala of abusing and controlling her while she trained with him. Others came forward to back up her claims of bullying.
Read More About Mariah May Accusing Sid Scala
Ricky and Saraya Knight
The mother and father of AEW’s Saraya (Paige in WWE) were accused of trading sexual favours for bookings in the Speaking Out scandal.
Read More About Saraya’s Family Accusations
Tyler Bate
TNA’s Trent Seven was accused of “hitting on” several underage girls after a wrestling show, although this was later disputed by multiple people.
Read More About Trent Seven’s Allegations