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We've had several readers ask if there are any updates on former WWF champion Ultimate Warrior of late. Warrior hasn't made any recent public statements via his website, nor has he made any public appearances in recent months. I know that filmmaker Andrew Wright had been working on an Ultimate Warrior-approved documentary about Warrior's life and professional career, but haven't heard as to the current status of the project. However, on the legal front, there are several developments.
Warrior vs. THQ
In a confidential, sealed settlement, Warrior settled his lawsuit against WWE video game publisher THQ on 9/29.
The lawsuit, which was filed in April 2005, featured claims by Warrior that the publisher had used Warrior's " likeness, moves, trade dress, marks, and other intellectual property" associated with him without his permission in their Create-A-Wrestler mode of WWE video games, allowing players to "create a character that has a similar build, face paint, and logo symbol as Warrior, that uses the entrance and finishing moves found under the label ‘OUW’ that are similar to Warrior’s, that has the call name ‘The Warrior’ or ‘Warrior,’ and is from ‘Parts Unknown.’"
Warrior had negotiated with THQ in 2003 in regard to licensing his intellectual property for the videogames but discussions ended without any contractual agreement. Warrior contended that THQ had utilized and circumvented his trademarks and copyrights by allowing users the ability to build and create a Warrior character and thus, created the confusion that he had given his permission and was associated with the game.
Warrior vs. WWE
The Warrior's lawsuit against World Wrestling Entertainment in regard to their release of the 2005 "Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior" DVD featured many different facets, including the issue of whether WWE had violated a previous Settlement Agreement between the two sides from a previous lawsuit.
The issue of whether the older settlement had been violated was moved to the United States Court of Appeals in November 2006 by World Wrestling Entertainment. In a decision rendered on 11/17, Judge Roslyn O. Silver decreed that any issues arising from the original Settlement Agreement should be handled under the jurisdiction of Arizona State Court and closed the appellate case.
There has been no other movement in the Warrior's lawsuit against WWE in several months as the two sides have been in discovery mode.
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