Independent promoter claims faction sequence was copied and commercialized
Summary
– Arkansas-based promoter filed a federal lawsuit against WWE, TKO, and 2K Games
– Lawsuit alleges The Bloodline ritual copied a protected WCWA audiovisual sequence
– Plaintiff is seeking damages, injunctions, and removal from WWE programming and games
WWE is facing a new federal lawsuit tied to one of its most recognizable on-screen factions. Nathaniel Tatha-Nanandji, the promoter behind WCWA Wrestling, has accused WWE and multiple corporate partners of copying a creative audiovisual sequence he claims originated in his promotion.
The lawsuit was filed on December 30, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Western Division of Arkansas. Named defendants include WWE, its parent company, TKO, WWE’s video game licensee, 2K Games, and several related entities. The complaint outlines Tatha-Nanandji’s role as WCWA’s creative lead, responsible for booking, filming, staging, and publishing its content.
According to the filing, WCWA introduced a faction called Tier 1 in 2019 that used a specific, repeatable on-screen ritual. The sequence allegedly involved deliberate pauses, camera-facing alignment, staggered arm raises with a single finger extended, and a held formation meant to convey hierarchy and control. The lawsuit states the claim is based on the full sequence as an audiovisual work, not on any single gesture.
The complaint alleges that WWE had access to WCWA material through publicly available content on platforms such as Facebook and YouTube, as well as through industry scouting exposure. It claims that in 2021, WWE introduced a substantially similar ritual for The Bloodline faction after WCWA had already used its sequence publicly.
Tatha-Nanandji further claims the alleged sequence was later licensed for use in the WWE 2K video game series. He says he first noticed the similarities in January 2024 and formally notified the defendants in October 2025 that he was asserting WCWA’s common law trademark and trade dress rights.
The lawsuit cites two WCWA videos that were registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in September 2025. The plaintiff is seeking a jury trial, a declaration of infringement, financial damages, profits tied to the alleged use, removal of the content from WWE programming and video games, destruction of the material, attorney’s fees, and corrective advertising.
Public records indicate WCWA was formed in 2012 and remains listed as active, though its online presence has been dormant for several years. As of this writing, court records show the defendants have not yet been formally served, and no responses have been filed.
