Joey Mercury Reveals Kelly Klein's Salary, Continues To Go After ROH GM Greg Gilleland

By Joshua Gagnon

Earlier this week it was reported Joey Mercury was released from Ring of Honor. He began his time in May of 2018 and oversaw the company's dojo along with work as a producer and on the creative team.

Yesterday, Mercury went after ROH GM Greg Gilleland for his treatment of talent, fans, and how the company has handle live events.

"Unsafe environment for Talent in and out of the ring," Mercury wrote. "No Security. No medical staff. No Women on creative, worst looking wrestling on or off tv. No job description. Nothing in terms of anything I've suggested. Total BREACH on YOUR end- and everyone involved that bulls–t, non punctuation using, grammatical pigf— of a contract."

Mercury also revealed that Shane Taylor will not be re-signed on January 1, but Taylor and his family have not been informed on the decision. He also stated via being hypothetical that the contracts of Taylor and Bandido expire on January 1 while P.J. Black's expires on February 1.

Regarding the Women of Honor brand, Mercury called out Gilleland for not implementing a proper concussion protocol, using Kelly Klein as an example after allowing her to travel to South Africa following a "brain injury." Klein responded to Mercury's post, joining his side on the matter.

"I love Ring of Honor and I want someone guiding the company who will work for the best interests of the product and protest the talent who work hard to make it happen," Klein stated. "We had someone who wanted to do that and tried to do that, and eventually gave up trying to do that when it became clear that he didn't have the support he needed to make those positive changes. I love Ring of Honor and I want to make it better. I want us to be allowed to make it better."

Mercury tweeted out more today, with Klein's permission, he showed e-mails sent between Klein and Gilleland, revealing that she was making under $24,000 a year with the promotion in her 2019 ROH contract.

"Hello Greg, I wanted to speak with you about a few items in the contract," Klein wrote in an e-mail to Gilleland last December. "When we spoke briefly on Friday, I did not have questions regarding the amended portion of the contract. However, I have since re-read the rest of the contract and I have a few things that I would like to clarify. In regards to the amendment, when we spoke on the phone, I asked if it was possible to make the yearly amount $24,000 to make each monthly check an even $2,000. You said you couldn't do that because then you would have to pay all of the other women that amount. As each agreement is for each individual, I do not believe that my contract should have any bearing on anyone else's, just as no one else's contract has bearing on mine. There is also, of course, the confidentiality section in the contract, which should further prevent this from being an issue.

"Three items I would like clarified and potentially modified in the contract include sections 8, 9b, and 19.

"In section 8, the company has the ability to terminate the contract at any time with 30 days notice, however I did not see any termination rights for me. I would also like the right to terminate the contract with sufficient 30 days notice.

"In section 9b, Release and Grant of Rights, there is mention of some royalties that only appear to be applicable during the term of the contract. If the company retains rights to my likeness and rights to sell any products using my name and likeness, I would like it to be clear that any and all of the royalties would be paid even after the end of the contract.

"Finally, section 19, Waiver and Release of Liability release the company of any responsibility including in instances of negligence. I understand and acknowledge the inherit risk of performing in the manner of professional wrestlers. However I am not comfortable waiver liability in instances of negligence.

"Please let me know when you have time to clarify these items. I am happy to scheduled a phone call or meeting before or after my work day, or during a break if time allows. Thank you for your time and for all of your help with this. – Kelly Klein"

Mercury then posted Gilleland's e-mail back to Klein about her questions regarding her contract.

"Hi Kelly, While we have the NDA language, unfortunately it seems that everyone knows everyone's deal regardless. I'm not suggesting that you would divulge it at all, it's just an assumption that I have to make. However it is more so a fairness internally, aligning the completions for the division as it continues to grow. It things take off or change for the better, we can review/renegotiate at any time.

"In section 8, this is protection that we reserve in all deals and one that legal has resisted change to over the year. It is one that we have not used to date/would never use "just because." It's self-governing in that if we were to exploit or abuse this language, then our deals would mean nothing and talent would not want to work here. If we gave a mutual right, then the contract is essentially a month to month contract is that what you want?

"9b. Royalties are paid after your contract expires at 10% even though the contract rate expires and we reserve the right to continue selling compilations and T-shirts with your likeness. With that said, we wouldn't produce new apparel after you left anyway. It would simply be liquidating old stock. We can add a sell-off period or enter into a separate merchandising agreement at the end of any expiring talent agreement if you wish to do so.

"Section 19 will involve an internal review by our legal team. This is our standard liability language and would involve an extension risk analysis and management decision to change. I can raise the case."

In addition, Klein's husband, BJ Whitmer (who gave a letter of resignation to ROH last December and is currently with AEW as a coach) wrote on Twitter, "From someone that actually worked in that office with Greg Gilleland, everything Joey is saying is 100% true."

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