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Taylor appealed the verdict and asked for a new trial or a reduction in the damages. This week, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that effort and upheld the judgment.

The appellate opinion was particularly harsh about the way Taylor handled the original lawsuit. Circuit Judge Diane Sykes wrote:

"Taylor did not take the litigation seriously… He evaded process, trolled Rainey on social media, dodged a settlement conference, and did not bother to show up at trial. His attorney asked for a continuance, but the judge denied that request, dismissing Taylor's proffered excuse as an elaborate ruse."

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The court also rejected Taylor's argument that the damages were excessive.

Addressing the $1.13 million compensatory award, Sykes wrote that the amount represented "fair and reasonable compensation" for the conduct established at trial. She was equally firm in defending the additional $6 million punitive award, pointing to both the underlying conduct and Taylor's actions afterward.

"The truly egregious nature of Taylor's conduct supports the size of this punitive award even with the significant compensatory award. The sheer maliciousness of the tort is extreme. And the public humiliation of this assault, combined with Taylor's post-assault insults and threats, warrant a substantial punitive award."

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The court described Taylor's behavior toward Rainey as "deeply reprehensible."

The ruling represents another significant setback for The Game, who has been fighting the verdict for nearly three years. He previously tried a different strategy by suing Viacom for $20 million, arguing that the company failed to properly vet Rainey before casting her on "She's Got Game."

For now, however, the original judgment stands. The Game remains responsible for paying Rainey roughly $7.13 million, and with the federal appeals court rejecting his request for a new trial or reduced damages, his options for overturning the award have become significantly narrower.