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UPDATE ON LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST WWE AND BOXER FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.

World Wrestling Entertainment has until 6/10 to respond to a copyright infringement lawsuit brought against them and boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. by Anthony Dash, who alleges that Mayweather's Wrestlemania theme music several years back was a version of his originally copyrighted material.

Meanwhile, attorneys representing Mayweather filed a motion on 5/24 in the United States District Court of South Carolina asking that the lawsuit either be dismissed from the venue because nothing in Dash's suit should be tried in the State of South Carolina.  The motion also noted that in the event the suit not be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, it should be transferred to another venue.

Dash's lawsuit claims that in 2005, he created a musical track titled "Tony Gunz Beat."  The lawsuit alleges that Mayweather, in his Wrestlemania 24 bout against The Big Show in March 2008, using theme music titled "Yep."  Dash's lawsuit claimed the track, "is music that includes Plaintiff's Tony Gunz Beat track, with lyrics added to the track."  The lawsuit later refers to the words as "explicit lyrics" added by the defendants.  The lawsuit filing does not attempt to explain how Dash's work may have be misappropriated and turned into the theme music, but Dash claims he owns the filed copyright on the original music. 

Citing that the defendants have made "millions of dollars" from his copyrighted work and requested an accounting of "all gains, profits and advantages from their act of infringement".  Dash's suit alleged that despite numerous cease and desist orders sent to Mayweather, the usage of the track has continued via online videos and DVD sales.  The first went unanswered while the second was returned unopened.

Dash is asking for $150,000 per copyrighted work infringed as well as preliminary and permanent injunctive relief to stop the Defendant's "ongoing infringement of Plaintiff's copyright."  The suit also calls for any and all copies of the Plaintiff's works be destroyed "or otherwise appropriately disposed of."

Also named in the suit were Mayweather Promotions and Philthy Rich Records, Inc.

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