A copyright lawsuit accusing WWE of using material from an independent wrestling promotion as inspiration for The Bloodline has been dismissed with prejudice, according to Wrestling Headlines.
The suit was brought by independent promoter Nathaniel Tatha-Nanandji, who promoted WCWA Wrestling in Arkansas. He alleged that WWE copied a recurring visual sequence used by his Tier 1 faction, including the group forming together and raising up, and claimed the sequence had been repurposed for The Bloodline’s entrance, with the dispute extending to the group’s appearance in the WWE 2K video game series, per 411Mania.
District Judge David Clay Fowkes dismissed the case, writing in his decision that “the Tier 1 Sequence does not appear to be consistent across the Plaintiff’s exhibits as alleged in the Complaint,” while noting that “Defendants’ alleged infringing material is consistent in each iteration of the exhibits provided,” according to Slam Wrestling.
With the dismissal being entered with prejudice, the ruling bars the plaintiff from refiling the same claims against WWE. The lawsuit had targeted both WWE and 2K Games over the use of the entrance sequence in the WWE 2K game franchise, according to 411Mania.
