Settlement Reached in American Nightmare Trademark Suit

A settlement has been reached in a federal lawsuit over the "American Nightmare" trademark, resolving a dispute between musician Wesley Eisold and professional wrestler Cody Rhodes, along with WWE and its merchandise partner Fanatics. The parties notified a California federal court on November 11, 2024, of their agreement to end the case, which Eisold filed in September 2024 alleging trademark infringement and breach of contract.

Eisold, frontman of the band American Nightmare and also known for his work with Cold Cave, claimed that WWE and Fanatics violated a 2021 licensing agreement by selling apparel that featured the trademark without clear ties to Rhodes or professional wrestling. Under the prior deal, Rhodes paid Eisold $30,000 for permission to use "American Nightmare" as his wrestling persona. The agreement stipulated that any related merchandise must include references to Rhodes' name, his likeness, or wrestling-specific imagery to avoid confusion with Eisold's music brand.

According to court filings, Eisold argued that the defendants' products, which prominently displayed the phrase, failed to meet these requirements and risked misleading consumers in both the music...