Randy Orton's Tattoo Artist Suing WWE & 2K Games

Legal troubles stretch all the way back to 2009...

WWE 2K18 Randy Orton
2K Games

According to TMZ Sports, the tattoo artist responsible for Randy Orton's distinctive ink work is suing both WWE and 2K Games for copyright infringement.

Catherine Alexander, based in Illinois, has been chasing WWE and 2K since 2009, and claims that they have repeatedly used her designs without permission for almost a decade now.

The tatts in question include the tribal ink on Orton's back and that signature sleeve work on both his arms. Alexander said she owns the copyright for designs like the "Bible verse, to a dove, skulls and a rose" that's again visible in WWE 2K18.

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When the artist first raised her concerns with WWE in 2009, she was offered (and turned down) $450 for the rights to her designs. It's unclear how much Alexander wants now, but she's clearly irritated by WWE/2K's repeated use of her work.

This isn't the first time 2K have been taken to task for rendering ink in their games. The tattooist who worked on personalised designs for basketball star LeBron James also took the developer to court for tattoos on James' in-game model in NBA 2K17.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood.