WWE Legal Disputes and Controversies That Have Made the News

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Harry Slash and the Slashtones Lawsuit

In June 2003, Harry “Slash” Grivas and Roderick Kohn sued WWE for using the song without their permission or payment for their DVD programming. Additionally, it claimed that WWE had violated the rights to the original music that ECW had used when telling the 2001 Invasion narrative. A deal was reached that saw WWE buy the library outright in January 2005, resolving the dispute on both parties.

Ultimate Disagreements Involving Warriors

Jim Hellwig, formerly known as “The Ultimate Warrior” in the WWF, legally changed his name to Warrior in 1993. All legal records connected to Warrior contain this one name, and his offspring are legally known as Warrior. In a series of litigation and court proceedings between 1996 and 1998, Warrior and the WWF argued that they were the legal owners of the characters Warrior and Ultimate Warrior under both contract law and copyright law. The court determined that Warrior had a legal right to employ the character’s gimmick, attire, face paint patterns, and demeanor.

The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior, a DVD documentary on Warrior’s past professional wrestling career, was published by WWE on September 27, 2005. The DVD included highlights of his more noteworthy confrontations and contests, as well as commentary from former and current WWE stars (most of which are unflattering). Due to Warrior’s claims that WWE had libeled him, the DVD has generated some controversy. Warrior had initially been requested to assist in the DVD’s development, but because he refused to cooperate with WWE, there was considerable tension between the two parties due to Warrior’s accusations of bias on the part of WWE.

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Warrior filed a second lawsuit against WWE in January 2006 in an Arizona court about how his professional wrestling career was portrayed on the DVD The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior. The Arizona court dismissed Warrior’s claim on September 18, 2009.

In order to get his Hall of Fame induction, Warrior went back to WWE. During his induction, he suggested that WWE establish the Jimmy Miranda Award, named for a longtime deceased WWE employee, as a way to recognize individuals who work in the background. Three days after being enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame, Warrior passed away. The Warrior Award was established by WWE as a reward for those “who embraced the spirit of the Ultimate Warrior.”

Later recipients of the honor included Eric LeGrand, Joan Lunden, and Connor Michalek, a young person who passed away from cancer, cancer, and a journalist, respectively. WWE utilized the slogan “Unleash Your Warrior” to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October 2017. Since Warrior’s passing, WWE has been under fire for allegedly covering up and downplaying the controversial and discriminatory remarks he made in the past. Pro Wrestling Torch claimed that Warrior had publicly made “vile, racist, cruel, judgmental comments” in real life, using Bobby Heenan’s cancer diagnosis as an example. Warrior had reportedly added, “Karma is just a wonderful thing to watch.”

For a firm that at least outwardly tries to appear progressive, inclusive, and varied, totally whitewashing his past and raising his image to a bland symbol of corporate generosity is astonishingly tone-deaf, according to Vice.

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