Legal action could be taken for using Tessa Blanchard's image in the new WWE game

By Lennard Surrao
Modified Sep 18, 2020 10:30 IST
Tessa Blanchard and Vince McMahon.
Tessa Blanchard and Vince McMahon.

As we had reported earlier, Tessa Blanchard's photo was shown in the new WWE 2K Battlegrounds game. HeelByNature took a screenshot of the Royal Rumble match loading screen of the game in which Tessa Blanchard's image likeness was used. The photo was from newLEGACYinc's Twitch stream of the early copy of the game.

The photographer who took the photo in question has called out WWE Games on Twitter for using the image without his permission. Basil Mahmud, the IMPACT Wrestling photographer who clicked the picture, also alluded to the fact that he may take legal action against WWE Games.

Hey @WWEgames you wanna tell me why you took my photo without my permission to use it in your game?
Wrong, fair use act is if you use the picture for explanation purposes. Not for art in a game that your make money off of.

The fans were quick to note that when you run a google search for 'woman wrestler winning,' the Tessa Blanchard photo from IMPACT Wrestling is the first one that pops up.

What's the latest update about Tessa Blanchard's future?

The image of Tessa Blanchard being used in the WWE 2K Battlegrounds game has naturally kicked off speculation about the 25-year-old star being WWE-bound.

The WWE has reportedly shown interest in signing the former IMPACT Wrestling World Champion; however, there have been minimal updates on the potential negotiations that may or may not have taken place.

Blanchard made her in-ring return for the first time since being released from IMPACT Wrestling recently for the Warrior Wrestling promotion. She lost the Warrior Wrestling Women's Championship to Kylie Rae.

Blanchard was released from IMPACT Wrestling in July after being stripped of the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship. While the hype surrounding her free agency was a big deal in the weeks following her release, the talks have died down, and not a lot has been said regarding her future.

AEW and WWE seem like ideal destinations for Tessa Blanchard, who has prior experience of wrestling for Vince McMahon's promotion. Blanchard's father, Tully Blanchard, works for AEW, making Tony Khan's company an attractive avenue to explore.

However, who would she choose? Is there more than what meets the eye when it comes to her appearance in WWE 2K Battlegrounds? Will WWE Games and 2K respond? We'll keep you updated.

What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.