A new legal battle has entered the WWE News cycle as WWE and 2K Sports move to dismiss a lawsuit claiming The Bloodline’s signature presentation was copied from an Arkansas independent promotion. The suit, filed by Nathaniel Tatha-Nanandji of WCWA Wrestling, alleges that WWE lifted a “distinctive, repeatable visual sequence” first used in 2019 by a faction called Tier 1. According to the complaint, the structured formation, timing, and single-finger gesture sequence were later used by The Bloodline and subsequently licensed into the WWE 2K video game series.
In their motion to dismiss, WWE and 2K argue that the plaintiff has “inadequately alleged facts to support each claim.” Central to their defense is the issue of access. The filing asserts that without proof WWE had meaningful access to the allegedly protected footage, there can be no viable claim of copying. The defendants also maintain that because there is no valid claim of direct copyright infringement, secondary claims must also fail.
The motion further challenges the trade dress argument under the Lanham Act, raising First Amendment protections tied to expressive works. The filing states, “To avoid violating the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a Lanham Act claim related to an expressive work can only be maintained if the alleged infringement has no artistic relevance… and it explicitly misleads as to the source.” WWE and 2K also argue that the plaintiff’s “unauthorized exploitation” claim is preempted by federal copyright law.
The lawsuit seeks damages, profits, removal of the material from WWE programming and WWE 2K games, destruction of allegedly infringing materials, and a jury trial. With WCWA Wrestling reportedly inactive in recent years, the court’s analysis may center on whether the alleged sequence is legally protectable and whether sufficient evidence exists to establish access and substantial similarity.
