Anthony Duane Wilson's Lawsuit Against WWE and AEW Gets a Second Chance

Anthony Duane Wilson's legal battle against both WWE and AEW has been resurrected. After an initial dismissal in the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Youngstown on November 3rd, 2023, the lawsuit has now been re-filed, as reported by PWInsider.

The renewed lawsuit closely mirrors its predecessor, with Wilson accusing both wrestling giants of plagiarism, market damages, product damages, personal damages, and financial damages. In his original handwritten filing, Wilson asserted that WWE, its contractors, and employees had unlawfully used his creative works, infringing upon his wrestling gimmicks, names, slogans, and likeness.

Wilson further claimed that his plans to establish his own promotion, involving members of the Bullet Club, were derailed. He alleged that they pilfered his ideas from his social media pages, effectively cutting him out without due credit or the entitlement he deserved as the creator.

Within the lawsuit, Wilson emphasized the resulting market damages, product damages, personal damages, and financial damages. He argued that WWE and AEW continued to employ infringing works without offering credit or compensation, with many of these works not even available for purchase. Wilson contended that these actions had a detrimental impact on his professional wrestling career, causing a loss of fans and income. He also accused the companies of malicious infringements intended to tarnish his reputation and career.

For Wilson, as a writer and professional wrestler, his creative works were his livelihood. His demands included gaining control over AEW, the removal of stolen works, a public apology, and a financial settlement for the damages he incurred. Wilson expressed his unwavering commitment to resolving these issues throughout his career. Additionally, he sought WWE Board Chair, WWE Stock for freelance work, and a resolution regarding his business tactics. The lawsuit also featured a demand for the return of all "ships and plunder," with Wilson seeking a staggering $250,000,000 in damages.