WWE And 2K Move To Dismiss Lawsuit Over Bloodline Gesture Claim

WWE and 2K are pushing back hard against a lawsuit that claims The Bloodline’s signature pose was lifted from an independent Arkansas wrestling promotion.

Nathaniel Tatha-Nanandji, who promoted WCWA Wrestling in Springdale, Arkansas, filed a 30-page lawsuit alleging that WWE copied a “distinctive, repeatable visual sequence” he created in 2019 for a faction known as Tier 1. He claims the sequence — not any single pose — was later used by The Bloodline on WWE programming and even licensed into the WWE 2K video game series.

Now, WWE and 2K have filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that the promoter has “inadequately alleged facts to support each claim.”

According to the filing, Tatha-Nanandji failed to demonstrate that WWE had access to the footage in question. The defendants argue that without proof of access, there can be no valid claim of copying. They also contend that because there is no viable allegation of direct copyright infringement, any secondary infringement claim cannot stand.

WWE and 2K further challenged the lawsuit’s trade dress claim under The Lanham Act. In their motion, they argue that the alleged sequence is an expressive work, which raises First Amendment concerns. The motion 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 to the defendants’ work, and it explicitly misleads as to the source or the content of the work by stating that the work is endorsed or affiliated with the plaintiff.”

The defendants also argue that the claim of “unauthorized exploitation” of audiovisual material is preempted by copyright law because it seeks to prevent reproduction of material that falls squarely within the scope of copyright protections.

In the original lawsuit, Tatha-Nanandji detailed what he described as a carefully staged sequence: a faction halting action, forming a hierarchical formation facing the hard camera, pausing intentionally, raising single fingers in staggered succession, and culminating in a static tableau meant to convey dominance and unity.

He specifically stated that he was not claiming ownership over any individual arm raise or gesture, but over the structured combination of staging, timing, camera framing, and narrative presentation. Two WCWA events were cited as copyrighted works, with registrations issued by the U.S. Copyright Office in September 2025.

The lawsuit alleges that an unnamed wrestler who previously performed for WCWA later appeared on WWE SmackDown and had requested WCWA footage for WWE scouting review. Tatha-Nanandji also claims a WWE employee attended a WCWA event in 2019 and maintained contact with him through 2021, giving WWE what he describes as a “reasonable opportunity” to view and study the sequence before The Bloodline debuted a similar presentation in September 2021.

He is seeking a jury trial, damages, profits allegedly derived from the sequence, removal of the material from WWE programming and WWE 2K video games, destruction of allegedly infringing materials, attorney’s fees, and corrective advertising.

Public records show that WCWA Wrestling was founded in 2012 in Springdale, Arkansas. However, its website has not been updated in years, its Facebook page has not posted since May 2021, its YouTube page has been inactive since April 2021, and a Google listing for the promotion lists it as permanently closed.

With WWE and 2K now formally seeking dismissal, the case could hinge on whether the court finds the alleged sequence to be legally protectable and whether there is sufficient evidence of access and copying.

Do you think The Bloodline’s presentation is unique enough to avoid this claim, or could this lawsuit gain traction despite WWE’s motion to dismiss? Share your thoughts below.