Anthony Duane Wilson’s lawsuit against both WWE and AEW has been re-filed.
The initial lawsuit was dismissed on November 3rd, 2023 in the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Youngstown. It has since been re-filed according to PW Insider.
The new lawsuit closely mirrors the original one, where Wilson accused both companies of plagiarism, market damages, product damages, personal damages, and financial damages. In the original hand-written filing, Wilson claimed that WWE, its contractors, and employees had used his creative works without permission, infringing on his wrestling gimmicks, names, slogans, and likeness.
Wilson also alleged that his plans to start his own promotion, involving members of the Bullet Club, were sabotaged. He claimed they stole the plans from his social media pages, cutting him out without giving credit or the entitled portion as the creator.
In the lawsuit, Wilson stated that the situation resulted in market damages, product damages, personal damages, and financial damages. He asserted that WWE and AEW continue to use infringing works, not crediting or compensating him, many of which are not for sale. Wilson claimed these actions have negatively impacted his career inside and outside professional wrestling, causing a loss of fans and income. He also alleged malicious infringements aimed at damaging his reputation and career.
As a writer and professional wrestler, Wilson considered his creative works as his livelihood. He sought control of AEW, removal of stolen works, a public apology, and a financial settlement for damages. Wilson expressed his determination that these issues would persist throughout his career. Additionally, he sought WWE Board Chair, WWE Stock for freelance work, and a resolution regarding his business tactics. The lawsuit also included a demand for the return of all “ships and plunder.” Wilson was seeking $250,000,000 in damages.
