A lawsuit filed against ICW: No Holds Barred and the parent company behind The Heart Ballroom in Newark, New Jersey, has now taken another turn after nobody representing the promotion appeared for a scheduled settlement conference earlier this year.
According to PWInsider.com, the lawsuit was originally filed in 2024 by Rachel Price, who alleges she suffered serious injuries while working at an ICW: NHB event on June 25, 2022.
Price claims there was an announcement during the event instructing people parked in a nearby lot to move their vehicles. According to the lawsuit, she exited the venue through a side door to move her car and allegedly fell at least three feet due to poor lighting, missing railings, lack of signage, and no employees stationed near the exit.
The lawsuit alleges Price suffered permanent injuries and is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.
Court records show that the parent company connected to The Heart Ballroom never responded to the lawsuit, resulting in a summary judgment being entered against them. It remains unclear whether any damages were recovered.
ICW: No Holds Barred responded separately to the lawsuit and argued that responsibility for the venue conditions fell on the building operators rather than the promotion itself since ICW had only rented the location for the event.
However, the situation became more complicated earlier this year after ICW: NHB’s attorney withdrew from the case on January 29 due to relocation. Since then, the court has not heard from new legal representation for the company or from ICW owner Danny Demanto directly.
A settlement conference had been scheduled for March 10, but according to PWInsider, nobody representing ICW: NHB appeared.
The court later advised on April 30 that Price could seek a summary judgment against the promotion within 30 days. If that request is not made, the court could potentially move toward dismissing the lawsuit for lack of prosecution.
Demanto previously referenced the lawsuit publicly during an ICW event and on social media, suggesting the legal situation could negatively impact the future of the promotion.
Despite the ongoing lawsuit, ICW: No Holds Barred still currently has live events scheduled for Atlantic City, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Red Bank, Tennessee later this year.
What do you think about the ongoing lawsuit situation involving ICW: No Holds Barred? Let us know your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.