A lawsuit filed against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and WWE over Mayweather’s entrance song at WrestleMania 24 has been dismissed. The suit had been filed by Anthony Dash, who claimed that the song was a version of his originally copyrighted material. He filed it in 2010 claiming he created a song titled “Tony Gunz Beat” in 2005 and that WWE used the song, with additional lyrics added, for Mayweather’s match against The Big Show as well as on a later Raw broadcast under the song title “Yep.”

Dash said he owned the copyrighted on the music and wanted $150,000 per copyrighted work infringed, plus as well as preliminary and permanent injunctive relief in order to stop the Defendant’s “ongoing infringement of Plaintiff’s copyright.” WWE said they had licensed a 50 Cent song for Mayweather for the appearances, but that someone in Mayweather’s camp suggested the song in question instead, saying that had the rights to use it. Mayweather’s side backed those claims.

On May 11th, the judge ruled in favor of Mayweather and WWE, dismissing the case. The judge noted that Dash could not prove that the use of the song led to increased profits for WWE and/or Mayweather and therefore was not entitled to any of the profits via damages.

The judge also pointed out that the defendants did not “directly sell the work” and that Dash failed to prove that he was entitled to any damages from the inclusion of the song, in addition, since Dash “failed to register his copyright” of the song, he was limited legally in what damages he could pursue.

WWE had stopped producing copies of the Wrestlemania 24 DVD while the lawsuit was going on, but will be free to begin again if they wish.

(Source: PWInsider)

You may also be interested in...