Anthem Wrestling is asking a judge to dismiss Jeff Jarrett‘s copyright infringement lawsuit for several reasons, according to new documents.

As reported by PWInsider, Anthem filed motions last week with the United States District Court of Tennessee attempting to have the recently amended lawsuit dismissed.

While Jarrett alleges copyright infringement in regards to Impact airing GFW content as pay-per-views, the motion states no copyrights had been filed on the content prior to Jeff filing a lawsuit. They also claim to have aired all but one of the specials while he was employed by the company.

The filing goes on to explain the nature of the GFW/Anthem merger, stating that “Jarrett’s company would merge into Anthem Wrestling in exchange for an officer-level position with a large salary, a job for Jarrett’s wife, and an equity interest in Anthem Wrestling.” The filing then claims that, as Chief Creative Officer, it was actually Jarrett himself that would oversee the release of the GFW content.

The document notes, “Remarkably, Mr. Jarrett is suing over the very conduct that he oversaw and conducted as an officer of Anthem Wrestling.”

The company also disputes Jarrett’s claim that Anthem “violated [his] exclusive property rights to his own name, photograph, and other likeness,” arguing that they took over a trademark on the name “Jeff Jarrett” after acquiring Impact Ventures, LLC from Dixie Carter.

In response to Jeff’s claims of state and federal trademark infringements, Anthem argues Global Force Wrestling LLC’s trademark filing for “GFW” actually featured the cover art of Impact’s GFW Amped! DVD release. This would imply that Jarrett himself provided proof of Impact’s existing permission to use the GFW logo and name.

A second motion filed by Anthem explains that Anthem Sports is a holding company based in Canada, and as such would not be subject to the jurisdiction of the District Court of Tennessee.

Anthem additionally alleges that when Jeff Jarrett came in as Chief Creative Officer for Anthem, part of his non-disclosure agreement included a clause stipulating any legal issues that may arise would be subject to New York law. Thus, Anthem could not be sued in Tennessee.

The motions filed by Anthem also make reference to a declaration from Ed Nordholm, Executive VP of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, in which Nordholm explains that “Anthem Wrestling was formed in order to acquire the assets of an entity called TNA Entertainment LLC, when Fight Media foreclosed on certain loans to that entity.”

This basically means Dixie Carter was unable to repay the loan given to Impact after Billy Corgan stopped funding the company in October 2016, allowing Anthem to foreclose and claim ownership.

The ball is now in the court of Jarrett and GWE, who will have to respond to Anthem’s motions before the court issues its rulings on whether or not the case will proceed.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Jeff Jarrett and Global Force Entertainment Inc. have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Anthem Sports and Entertainment alleging the GFW merger never went through and Impact has been wrongfully making money off their IP.

Pro Wrestling Sheet obtained the full lawsuit — which was first reported on by PWInsider — in which Jarrett/GFW claim discussions to merge GFW into Anthem began in December ’16.

In May ’17, the two sides signed a term sheet regarding Jarrett’s employment as Chief Creative Officer of Anthem Wrestling and for the GFW merger. The term sheet, however, allegedly said GFE would retain all rights to the show they filmed called Amped.

Five months later, Jeff Jarrett was released from his position.

As we previously reported, Jarrett was fired from Impact Wrestling while on a leave of absence. The next day a promoter in Canada accused him of passing out in the locker room due to drinking, then insisting on wrestling a match.

Jeff subsequently entered rehab and months later was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

In the lawsuit documents, Jarrett and co. claim the merger was never officially completed yet Anthem “reproduced, distributed, publicly displayed, offered for sale, and sold the GFW Amped content without providing any compensation or royalties to GFE or Mr. Jarrett.”

Global Force Entertainment also has an issue with Impact’s Global Wrestling Network, pointing to the similarity of the logos and claiming Anthem doesn’t have a license to show the Amped footage.

GFE is seeking “an award of punitive and/or treble damages for at least three times the amount of Defendants’ profits or GFE’s damages, whichever is greater, due to the nature of Defendants’ wanton and willful conduct.”

They also want all copies of GFW content erased/deleted from Anthem’s archive.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Read the full documents below.

Jeff Jarrett/GFW Sue Impact Wrestling by Anonymous bxLafqTarx on Scribd