The days of Becky Lynch being ‘Big Time Becks’ are officially over as World Wrestling Entertainment has abandoned its trademark on that particular term.
On May 24, WWE filed paperwork to abandon the trademark for ‘Big Time Becks,’ a former nickname of the popular Raw Superstar. WWE first filed for the term in September 2021 but was opposed nine days after the initial filing. The filing was opposed by James K. Duck, who has a trademark on “Bigtime” when it comes to the world of professional wrestling. Legal proceedings were ongoing as recently as April 1, 2024 over the term.
It’s not a huge surprise to see the ‘Big Time Becks’ name go to the history books. Upon her return to programming at SummerSlam 2021, Lynch established herself as a heel and would develop a vain ‘Big Time’ persona who believed she was the biggest thing in women’s wrestling history. This heel turn saw Lynch at odds with Bianca Belair who dethroned ‘Big Time Becks’ at WrestleMania 38 to win the WWE Raw Women’s Championship.
These days, Lynch is once again a babyface and while she remains one of the top women in WWE (if not wrestling as a whole) she doesn’t feel the need to rub it in the faces of the fans or her fellow Superstars.
Lynch’s Trademark Issues
This isn’t Lynch’s first trademark issue as she/WWE were in a battle with Ric Flair for some time over ‘The Man.’ Lynch began using the term in 2018 though Flair believed that the term was his given his “To be the Man, you’ve got to beat the Man” catchphrase.
Becky Lynch has used several nicknames throughout her WWE career, including The Man, which she used during her meteoric rise to the top of WWE. More recently, she’s been going by Big Time Becks, a moniker that takes the confidence of ‘The Man’ and turns the dial up a bit father into the realm of cockiness. Her on-screen character has evolved seamlessly, but ‘Big Time Becks’ may be getting phased out due to WWE’s inability to secure a trademark for the IP.
WWE filed to trademark “Big Time Becks” in September 2021, but this application faced opposition from someone else who felt the name infringed on a mark they had the rights to. Legal proceedings have been ongoing, and the trademark remains listed as “pending” due to these unresolved issues.
‘Big Time’ Roadblock
Here’s a timeline of events that led to WWE’s current legal predicament:
In September 2021, WWE filed to trademark “Big Time Becks,” Becky Lynch’s nickname during her heel run.
The trademark faced opposition nine days after the filing, with ongoing legal proceedings as recent as April 1, according to public records. A discovery conference was ordered in March.
The board recommended using the Accelerated Case Resolution process. Initial disclosures were due May 3, with the process potentially extending to August 2025.
According to the motion document, WWE was aware of the Opposer’s “Bigtime” trademark since 2006, when they received a cease and desist.
In September 2021, WWE filed the “Big Time Becks” mark. Opposer communicated opposition within nine days.
WWE was aware of the opposition and engaged in settlement discussions but did not follow up after March 2022.
Opposer filed two Letters of Protest and initiated Opposition Proceedings in November 2023 and WWE missed the deadline for filing an answer to the opposition.
WWE claimed the Christmas Day deadline caused the delay, but Opposer argues this is implausible given WWE’s resources and prior notifications.
The trademark remains listed as “pending” due to the ongoing legal proceedings.
Previous Nickname Controversies
This isn’t the first time Lynch’s nicknames have faced opposition. Ric Flair previously laid claim to “The Man,” expressing issues with WWE using that moniker for Lynch.
Ric Flair and Becky Lynch’s conflict began in late 2021. Flair accused Lynch of using the nickname “The Man” without his permission. Lynch dismissed the accusation, calling Flair “sad” at one point. This feud was intense but never became a WWE storyline. The behind-the-scenes drama was as engaging as the on-screen action.
Both sides have since reconciled. Becky Lynch and Ric Flair are now on cordial speaking terms. They eventually resolved the matter, and Lynch continues to use “The Man” nickname. You can read all about this settled beef right here:
Scott D’Amore appears poised to return to the world of professional wrestling, mere months after his abrupt departure from TNA Wrestling.
D’Amore was controversially fired as TNA President by parent company Anthem earlier this year, shortly after the highly-praised company relaunch at Hard to Kill 2024. Cutting D’Amore was met with heavy backlash as the Canadian had worked tirelessly for years to rebuild TNA’s standing in the wrestling world and had been an intrinsic part of the relaunch. The decision to replace D’Amore with Anthem’s own President Anthony Cicone also did not go over well with wrestling fans.
D’Amore’s next chapter in the industry could see him play a huge role in his native Canada, according to a new trademark. The Maple Leaf Wrestling promotion has filed to trademark its name, with Michael E. Dockins making the filing. Dockins, the self-professed ‘Gimmick Attorney’ has covered several wrestling-related trademarks in recent years with Sting and FTR benefitting from his services.
The address listed on the filing is the same address as the Border City Wrestling School, which is owned and operated by D’Amore. The filing allows for the use of the Maple Leaf Wrestling term on various pieces of merchandise as well as at wrestling events. At this time, D’Amore hasn’t publicly commented on the filing.
The history of Maple Leaf Wrestling dates back to the 1970s when Frank Tunney operated the promotion out of Toronto. The promotion was initially known as the Queensbury Athletic Club, which started in back in 1930.
The Maple Leaf Wrestling name was acquired by the WWF in 1984. In 1986, the name was used for broadcasts of WWF Superstars in Canada. The name was used by the WWF until 1995 with the final show being held at the Maple Leaf Gardens in September of that year.
More from Scott D’Amore
Here are some recent articles regarding Scott D’Amore as the former TNA President seems poised to return to the world of wrestling in his native land:
Jinder Mahal won’t let his release from WWE prevent him from achieving his goals in the ring and will be competing under a new name.
Mahal was among those released by WWE earlier this month as part of the first wave of cuts under the promotion’s new era. The former WWE & United States Champion was previously released from the company in 2014 but returned two years later.
Mahal will have to wait for his non-compete clause to expire in July before he works elsewhere, but the Modern-Day Maharaja has already been making plans. Mahal recently trademarked the term ‘The Maharaja’ for its use on merchandise as well as the name ‘Raj Dhesi.’ It seems the Dhesi name will be what Mahal competes under going forward. These filings were made under Mahal’s real name Yuvraj Dhesi.
GCW could certainly do with Mahal being a top heel in their company to replace the injured Matt Cardona. Whether Mahal goes to GCW or somewhere else, expect to see plenty more of Raj Dhesi when his non-compete clause with WWE is a thing of the past.
More from Jinder Mahal
Here are some recent articles about Jinder Mahal as the former WWE Superstar prepares to be a free agent once again:
Alex Shelley recently (3/19) filed to trademark the names ‘Motor City Machine Guns’ and ‘MCMG.’
With Shelly and partner Chris Sabin’s TNA contracts expiring very soon, the timing of this business move indicates they’ll be shopping themselves on the open market when they’re legally able to.
According to the US Patent & Trademark Office database, the Goods and Services usage descriptions cover the usual wrestling-related examples, such as appearances and merchandise.
Shelly and Sabin are each former TNA World Champions, as well as multi-time World Tag Team Champions together.
TNA’s New Era
TNA Wrestling officially ‘rebranded’ for 2024, reverting to the company’s original identity. Hard to Kill, the first PPV back under the TNA banner, was well-received. They’ve brought in some big names as of late, including Nic Nemeth, Mustafai Ali and Alex Hammerstone.
TNA talent contracts do not all expire at the same time, so as contracts do expire, it will be very interesting to see who sticks around and who decides to look elsewhere, now that the company is under new leadership.
The Motor City Machine Guns are set to wrestle for Smash Wrestling in London, Ontario, Canada on April 21. Interestingly, TNA will hold its TV taping on the same night. You can draw you own conclusions about what this indicates about Shelly and Sabin’s plans moving forward.
AEW secured Mercedes Mone months ago, but she just made her big debut. Now, it appears that she is gearing up to continue cashing in on every piece of intellectual property she can.
Mercedes Moné filed to trademark the term “Bo$$ton” via her company Soulnado, Inc, on March 14. That Bo$$ton word was used on the Big Business poster to hype Mercedes’ impending debut without directly promoting it.
Mercedes’ New Trademark
As reported by Fightful, the trademark’s description states: “Mark For: BO$$TON trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of hats; Shirts; Shirts and short-sleeved shirts; Sweatshirts; Hooded sweatshirts.”
“Bo$$ton” appears to be a play on the words “boss” and “Boston,” which is the hometown of Moné. Of course, she was The Boss in WWE, a trademark she didn’t take with her, along with her Sasha Banks name.
What’s Next for Mercedes Mone
Fans can probably expect to see some Bo$$ton clothing merch soon with this trademark. She already has an AEW t-shirt that is a play off her relationship to Snoop Dogg.
Moné recently debuted for AEW at the Big Business edition of Dynamite, in front of her hometown crowd in Boston. She was warmly welcomed, even expressing that she felt “so cool” like Steve Austin.
After Dynamite went off the air, Moné came out to the ring following a dark match between Willow Nightingale and Riho. Seeing Julia Hart and Sky Blue attacking Nightingale after the match, Moné, donning her new ring gear, rushed to her aid. She swiftly took out Blue and delivered her signature move, the Mone Maker, to Hart.
Mercedes Turned Down WWE
Moné received a “generous offer” from WWE before her debut in the rival promotion. However, her gut instinct led her to choose AEW instead. More details can be found here.
The women’s division at AEW played a big role in Mercedes Moné’s decision to sign with the company. While there’s no official word yet on her first match or opponent, Moné has hinted at potential feuds. She mentioned having “unfinished business” with Willow Nightingale, suggesting a possible rivalry. Britt Baker also expressed interest in facing Moné last year, hinting at another potential matchup.
Of course, Mone also got a bit of heat within AEW over that comment concerning how she believes she will be back in WWE. She said that before her debut, but she was still with the contract under contract for two months prior to that.
WWE’s latest trademark filings have shown that the promotion is serious about keeping Shawn Spears around following his recent return to the promotion.
Spears returned to WWE last month as part of the NXT brand, five years almost to the day that he left the promotion in February 2019. Spears returned by attacking Ridge Holland. On this week’s episode of WWE NXT, Spears defeated Uriah Connors in the on-screen debut of the recently renamed Brogan Finlay.
Shawn Spears is Locked In
WWE has now filed to trademark the Shawn Spears name, confirming that he will use this name going forward and ditch the Tye Dillinger moniker. The trademark filing covers the use of the Shawn Spears moniker for use at wrestling events and through broadcast media. It also covers the use of the name online in the field of ‘Sports Entertainment.’
More Trademark Filings
Shawn Spears isn’t the only WWE Superstar to get his name trademarked. WWE has also filed for the name of fellow WWE NXT Superstar Dijak. The former Retribution member has been making waves as part of the gold brand and is one of the more prominently featured Superstars appearing on Tuesday nights.
WWE has also filed a trademark for the name of WWE SmackDown Superstar Berto. The young wrestler has undergone several name alterations throughout his career. He debuted as Humberto Carrillo, which was later shortened to Humberto. He would later get his last name back before it was shortened again and has since be shortened further to just Berto.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson now officially owns the rights to his iconic wrestling persona, according to the WWE 2023 Earnings release. The announcement showed the transfer of intellectual property from WWE to Johnson’s affiliates.
Per an IP Assignment Agreement (via PWInsider), WWE assigned ‘The Rock’ trademark along with associated trademarks, service marks, ring names, taglines, and other related intellectual property assets to Johnson’s affiliates.
A search of the US Patent & Trademark Office database shows marks such as‘The Rock’ are now owned by a Florida-based entity called DJIP, LLC.
According to a new SEC filing, Johnson’s new IP includes the following nicknames and catchphrases:
Names:
The Rock
Rocky Maivia
Team Corporate
Rock Nation
The Nation
Roody Poo
Candy Ass
Jabroni
The Samoan Sensation
The Blue Chipper
The Brahma Bull
The People’s Champion
The Great One
The Most Electrifying Man in Sports and Entertainment
Catchphrases:
If you smell what The Rock is cooking
Know Your Role and Shut Your Mouth
Team Bring It
Just Bring It
The People’s Elbow
Rock Bottom
Finally, The Rock has come back to …
It doesn’t matter what…
Blue Hell
The millions… (and millions)
Rockpocalypse
Project Rock
The most electrifying man in sports and entertainment
Additionally, WWE entered into an Independent Services Contractor and Merchandising Agreement with Johnson and his affiliates, wherein Johnson agreed to provide promotional services to WWE.
Dwayne Johnson is a business, man
Under the terms of the agreement, Johnson will license the assigned IP and his name and likeness to WWE for use in certain licensed products related to professional wrestling for up to 10 years. In exchange for his services and the IP licenses, Johnson received restricted stock units worth $30,000,007 in Class A common stock.
The Johnson Equity Award will vest in stages: 25% immediately, 25% upon completion of specified services, 25% by December 31, 2024, and the remainder in equal monthly installments from January 31, 2025, to December 31, 2025.
Cashing in on his brands
Prior to this agreement, Johnson received annual royalties from WWE for his appearances in WWE-produced content, merchandise, and services, totaling approximately $491,000 for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Following the agreement, Johnson will continue to receive annual royalties from WWE and will also earn royalties from licensed products utilizing the assigned IP and his intellectual property rights, as outlined in the Johnson Services Agreement.
This comes after Johnson was appointed to TKO Group Holdings Board of Directors in January. He said at the time:
“My grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, and my dad, Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, would’ve never thought this day would come. Which is why I’m very humbled to have a seat at the table that has decades of history and family legacy for me. A table that my family helped to build. Being on the TKO Board of Directors, and taking full ownership of my name, ‘The Rock’, is not only unprecedented, but incredibly inspiring as my crazy life is coming full circle.”
Sasha Banks walked out of WWE in May 2022, along with Naomi, because they were tired of Vince McMahon’s booking. Mercedes Mone arrived in NJPW at the following Wrestle Kingdom, but her time in Japan could be over now. With a rumored WWE return on the horizon, The Boss is filing new trademarks.
Mercedes Mone’s New Trademarks
Mercedes Mone is gearing up for her return to the wrestling scene, leaving fans in suspense about her next destination. Adding an unexpected twist, she has recently secured rights to new trademarks.
According to PW Insider, Mone filed for trademarks like “Mone Wear,” “Time Is Mone,” and “Mone Talks” on December 22nd with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The filings were facilitated by patent attorney Michael E. Dockins, who has become famous for helping pro wrestlers lock down trademarks. In a day where intellectual property is king, Dockins is the man to call for pro wrestlers.
Those new trademarks for Mercedes Mone encompass entertainment and clothing purposes, hinting at a potential venture into the fashion world for Mone. She may just be locking down those names for safe keeping as well.
Mercedes Mone’s Career After WWE
Post-WWE, Mone’s wrestling journey included a big victory where she captured the IWGP Women’s Championship at NJPW Battle in the Valley in February 2023. She went on to drop that title to Mayu Iwatani in April 2023. However, during a match for the inaugural NJPW Strong Women’s Championship, she injured her ankle, and that put her out of action for months.
That unexpected injury saw Willow Nightingale win that match, even though she wasn’t booked to win.
Mercedes Mone’s Expected WWE Return
Mercedes Mone has teased that she has WWE on her mind. This is no secret, as she is no longer under NJPW contract. Fans are speculating in massive fashion that the 2024 Royal Rumble will see her return.
Sasha Banks left WWE because of Vince McMahon, who is no longer a creative factor anymore. Now that Triple H is running the ship, and Mercedes Mone saw what he did with Damage CTRL, that might give the former Women’s Champion a bigger reason to return.
That being said, Sasha Banks will command a huge pay day upon her return to WWE. The good news is that WWE has a ton of money to spend on top talent right now.
The Acclaimed (Max Caster and Anthony Bowens), along with “Daddy Ass” Billy Gunn, are having the most successful run of their AEW careers.
They’ve developed into a very capable tag team, having just wrapped up a run as AEW World tag team champions. In-ring work aside, it’s the ‘sports entertainment’ aspect of their act that’s really connected them to the fans.
Caster’s freestyle raps, and their music videos, are often controversial and highly entertaining. However, it’s their love for scissoring’ that has gotten them the most attention. A new trademark filing from Max Caster reveals his plans to do a lot more scissoring in the near future.
Max Caster’s ‘Scissoring’ Trademarks
On February 27, Max Caster filed to trademark “Scissorfest” for the purposes of entertainment events and “Scissor Me” for merchandise purposes.
According to the United States Patent & Trademark Office. the Goods and Services usage description for the marks include:
SCISSORFEST: trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of conducting of entertainment events in the nature of meet and greets, wrestling exhibitions, and music; Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests; Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a professional wrestling and sports entertainers; Entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, televised appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainer; Organization of entertainment events in the nature of meet and greets, wrestling exhibitions, and music; Providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; Providing online interviews featuring a professional wrestler and sports entertainer in the field of professional wrestling and sports entertainment for entertainment purposes.
SCISSOR ME: trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of bandanas; Hats; Shirts; Socks; Sweatshirts; Shirts and short-sleeved shirts; Hooded sweatshirts.”
The Acclaimed has been embroiled in a feud with The Gunns (Austin & Colten Gunn). They will collide for the AEW Tag Team Titles at AEW Revolution in a four-way match that also features Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett and Orange Cassidy & Danhausen.
WWE has filed for several trademarks centered around slogans as the filing was made on Friday, December 23, 2022
WWE applied to trademark the terms “All Heart All In,” “Inspire The Impossible,” From Dreams To Destiny,” “Desire. Determination. Destiny.” and “Where The Stars Align” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Purpose
The trademarks all list the same Goods and Services usage descriptions, which are for general pro wrestling and sports entertainment use, as well as merchandise and other common uses.
Earlier in the month of December, WWE filed trademarks on its logo for metaverse-related purposes earlier this month. WWE has spoken in the past about its interest in breaking into the metaverse, which is why it opened an NFT shop, WWE Moonsault. There are occasional NFT drops to go along with holidays or premium live events.
Regarding e-sports, a field largely untapped by WWE for now, Stephanie McMahon is on the Board of Directors for FaZe Clan, a popular e-sports franchise.
As of this writing, there’s no word yet on what the new trademarks are for. Most recently, WWE filed to trademark its logo for various categories.
On December 8, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. applied to trademark, “WWE King and Queen of the Ring.”
(USPTO database)
According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database, the Goods and Services usage description for the “LIVE” trademark includes:
Entertainment services, namely, a show about professional wrestling;
Entertainment services, namely, the production and exhibition of professional wrestling events rendered through broadcast media including television and distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media;
Providing wrestling news and information through broadcast media including television and distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media;
Providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment through broadcast media including television and distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media;
Providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information;
It’s been rumored that WWE would be bringing back the King of the Ring tournament and holding the first-ever Queen of the Ring tournament since last year.
Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE’s Chief Content Officer, has spoken about his intention to reimagine the WWE’s approach to themed premium live events. While shows like Hell in a Cell are expected to be retired, it seems increasingly likely that King and Queen of the Ring will be added to the calendar next year.
AEW filed a new trademark application last week. On Wednesday, November 30, filed an application on the phrase, “Hat Trick.” These trademark applications often provide a glimpse what wrestling companies and wrestlers have planned in the coming months.
According to the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) database, the Attorney of Record for the live trademark is Bradley M. Stohry.
The Goods and Services usage description for the Hat Trick trademarks includes:
Entertainment services in the nature of live wrestling performances; Entertainment services in the nature of production of television shows and multimedia entertainment content featuring wrestling programs and events;
Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a group or individual wrestlers;
Hat Trick is a phrase that means, “three similar successes” and is often used in sports when three goals are scored in a game/match.
AEW has utilized sports-related phrases for its special events, including Grand Slam and The First Dance, so it could be an event name. There’s also Jake Hager of the Jericho Appreciation Society, who really likes his purple hat.
Wrestling Trademarks
Here’s some more recent news about pro wrestling trademarks:
Earlier this week, AEW filed a trademark for a new show called, Blood Moon Rising.
According to the USPTO database, All Elite Wrestling, LLC applied to trademark the name on May 17th. The Goods and Services usage description for Blood Moon Rising reads:
“G & S: Educational and entertainment services, namely, a continuing program about wrestling accessible by radio, television, satellite, audio, video and computer networks; Entertainment services in the nature of live wrestling performances; Entertainment services in the nature of production of wrestling programs and events; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing multimedia program featuring wrestling distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing series featuring wrestling provided through a global computer network; Entertainment services, namely, production and distribution of ongoing television programs in the field of wrestling; Entertainment services, namely, providing ongoing webisodes featuring wrestling via a global computer network; Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests; Providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network.”
What is Blood Moon Rising?
Interestingly, the day before the Blood Moon Rising trademark application filing, Tony Khan tweeted the following photo of a blood moon on Instagram.
He included the caption, “@AllEliteWrestling presents Blood Moon Monday, live on pay-per-view. (No, not a real pay-per-view show, just a caption.)”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdmvmC1tKzE/
AEW also recently sent out a survey to fans discussing a new reality show coming soon to TBS.
A description for the new show reads, “AEW’s top performers are ushering in a new behind-the-scenes wrestling series like no other… Every episode will track our core cast on the road at AEW events as they try to hold onto the titles they have or win back the ones they’ve lost, with everything culminating at the biggest Pay-Per-View event of the year.”
More on the new AEW reality show is available right here:
Jonathan Good, better known to wrestling fans as Jon Moxley, filed some interesting trademarks on August 11th. Moxley filed to trademark the terms “The Switchblades” and “Switchblade Conspiracy” for wrestling purposes.
The terms are former team names used by Jon Moxley and Sami Callihan. Joe Gacy has also been associated with them in the past. In 2010, Moxley and Callihan held the WXW tag-team titles for 310 days. They defended the titles for months in Germany before dropping them to the American Wolves on a show from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
Moxley and Callihan are set to team up for the first time in years this October. They will reform the Switchblade Conspiracy on a show for Callihan’s Pro Wrestling Revolver promotion.
In 2019, Callihan spoke about his relationship with Moxley on the WINCLY podcast.
“It’s a weird relationship of ‘little brother, big brother’ and it’s always the two of us striving to see who’s better. We’re both weird human beings and messed-up individuals. One day we’re gonna get back in the ring together as grown-ass adults and see who’s better.”
Some thought Moxley may have chosen Sami Callihan as his partner at NJPW Resurgence. Moxley teamed with Yuji Nagata on the show and lost to the Good Brothers, however.
Lucha Libre FMV LLC filed to trademark the term “Lucha Underground” on March 31st, 2021. The company was formerly a joint venture between MGM Television, AAA Lucha Libre, and FactoryMade Ventures.
AAA and Lucha Libre FMV have been involved in a legal battle over revenue earned by AAA in the United States as of late. The filing of Lucha Underground trademarks may be related to this. The legal battle has also resulted in the removal of AAA shows from YouTube in the United States.
Lucha Libre FMV is suing Promociones Antonio Pena for breaching an agreement made in 2014 which gives Lucha Libre FMV the right to monetize AAA content in the United States.
Lucha Libre FMV is suing AAA for a minimum of $2.5 mil (YouTube amount unknown, Marvel figure not known, most numbers thru last June, so could end up higher)
The original trademark filings for the term were made in 2014. The recent filing lists “A downloadable television series featuring wrestling” as the purposes for the trademark.
Is Lucha Underground Returning?
PW Insider is reporting that they spoke with people at MGM who denied the show is returning. In MLW, however, the Mil Muertes character is part of a faction known as Azteca Underground. The group is being teased as the remnants of Lucha Underground.
MLW’s Azteca Underground faction was addressed recently in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
“The Lucha Underground reboot we wrote about a few weeks ago is actually a project of Konnan and Court Bauer which has to do with the angle they’ve been running on MLW television. The idea is to have Azteca Underground as the spiritual successor to the old Lucha Underground group.”
AEW World Champion Kenny Omega recently filed several new trademark applications.
On December 27th, the United States Patent & Trademark Office shows that attorney Michael Dockins filed the applications on behalf of Omega’s ‘KO 7 Productions’ LLC for:
The names “Kenny Omega” and “The Cleaner”
The “Omega” Greek symbol
According to the filing, Omega first began using his ring name in 2001 and the Cleaner name in 2014. All three marks include the following usages:
“Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests; Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainment personality; Entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by a professional wrestling and sports entertainment personality; Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer”
The Kenny Omega name also includes a usage for dietary and nutritional supplements. Omega recently partnered with the Redcon1 nutrition company to introduce his own ‘Total War’ pre-workout supplement.
Here are some of the latest trademark filings from earlier this week:
AEW star Red Velvet (Stephanie Cardona) filed to trademark her ring name on 11/22.
Taz (Peter Senerchia) filed for his moniker, The Human Suplex Machine on 11/22. The news of the HSM trademark comes just days after Taz’s son, Tyler Senerchia, trademarked the name “Hook” and appeared on this week’s AEW Dynamite using that name.
John Morrison (John Hennigan) filed to trademark SLAMTOWN on 11/23. The primary use for the SLAMTOWN mark is for, “Providing sports information in the field of wrestling.”
AEW has filed for two trademarks possibly related to a potential new video game. According to documents publicly available on the US Patent and Trademark Office website, AEW has filed for terms potentially related to a GM mode in a new game.
The filings are for two terms: “Elite GM” and “All Elite Wrestling General Manager.”
The purposes of the trademarks are listed as:
“Downloadable game software, Downloadable computer game software for use on mobile and cellular phones, Downloadable electronic game software for use on handheld computers and mobile gaming devices; Downloadable video game programs; Recorded video game software.”
The applications were filed on September 10th.
ALL ELITE WRESTLING: ELITE GENERAL MANAGER "Downloadable game software; Downloadable computer game software for use on mobile and cellular phones; Downloadable electronic game software for use on handheld computers and mobile gaming devices…"https://t.co/1otg0zkzWVpic.twitter.com/M4iZl8xfTG
AEW Co-Executive Vice President Kenny Omega spoke about a possible AEW video game recently in an interview with Venn.
“Yes, we are in production of a video game. We have a lot of creative minds at work at the new video game right now. I think people are going to like it. And I think that what the fans are hoping for is, in fact, going to come to fruition.”
“I’m hoping that it really is sort of a brand new take on something that’s like the No Mercy game of old. So, if you liked WrestleMania 2000, No Mercy, VPW – we are very much hoping to recreate the same feel, the same fun-factor, the same pick-up-and-play ability of those games in the past. So, look forward to that. We are working diligently to give you guys something in the near future.”
WWE and Chris Jericho have reportedly reached an agreement on various trademarks. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the two sides have reached a deal allowing Jericho to use his name but WWE will keep the rights to various other trademarks, including the term “Y2J”.
“WWE agreed to give Jericho the rights to use the name in exchange for Jericho giving WWE the rights to own the intellectual property of anything created by either of them,” wrote Dave Meltzer. He continued to speculate this would mean Jericho is not able to use the Money in the Bank match concept. Jericho is said to have come up with the match idea while in WWE.
“Jericho wouldn’t be able to use the term Y2J or any of the trademarks of his other characters in WWE,” Meltzer continued.
The report continues to state that Jericho would have been able to use the name “Chris Jericho” regardless, however. This is due to his past use of the name outside of WWE. The agreement struck involves WWE acknowledging that Jericho can use the name, however.
Jericho faces Chris Jericho in a “Mimosa Mayhem Match” at All Out on September 5th, 2020. Thus far, no trademark has been granted to anyone for the term “Mimosa Mayhem”.
There is speculation that WWE could be bringing back Saturday Night’s Main Event as the company filed new trademarks for it back on August 11th.
Whether this leads to the theme of the show being brought remains to be seen.
Saturday Night’s Main Event aired a few times per year on NBC from 1985 until 1991 before going to FOX in 1992 and then it went on hiatus. The company brought back the show on NBC from 2006 until 2008.
The “Saturday Night Main Event” trademarks are for the following:
“Toys, namely, action figures, accessories therefor; dolls; cases for action figures; toy wrestling rings; toy vehicles; board games; hand-held units for playing electronic game other than those adopted for use with an electronic display screen or monitor; tabletop action skill games; playing cards; puzzles; stuffed toys; plush toys; toy belts; knee and elbow pads for athletic use; toy foam hands; costume masks; costume masks; novelty face masks; Christmas tree decorations”
“Cardboard and paper hangtags; packaging, namely blister cards; paper for wrapping and packaging; collector albums for sticker collectables; stickers; sticker albums; collectable photos; photo albums; photographs; framed pictures; labels, namely printed paper labels; folders; paper place mats, paper table mats, paper napkins; paper tablecloths; paper table linens; paper lunch bags; postcards; greeting cards; pictures; calendars; posters; decals; temporary tattoo transfers; trading cards; brochures, magazines and newspapers concerning sports entertainment; coloring books; children’s activity books; souvenir programs concerning sports entertainment; books concerning sports entertainment; books featuring pictorial biographies; comic books; picture books; book covers; paper book markers; notebooks; memo pads; note pads; date books; address books; agenda books; markers; pens; pencils; calendars; pencil sharpeners; pencil cases; rubber stamps; stamp pads; chalks; paper banners; printed paper signs for doors; drawing rulers; erasers, rubber erasers, chalk erasers, blackboard erasers; bumper stickers; window decals; lithographs; paper party bags; paper party favors; stencils for tracing designs onto paper; paper gift wrap; paper cake decorations; paper; stationery; indoor ornaments of paper”
“Downloadable ring tones, graphics and music via a global computer network and wireless devices; decorative refrigerator magnets; video and computer game tapes, video and computer game discs, video and computer game cassettes, video and computer game cartridges, video and computer game CD-roms, video output game machines for use with televisions; video and computer game software; cinematographic and television films, namely, motion picture films in the nature of sports entertainment; pre-recorded phonograph records, pre-recorded compact discs, pre-recorded video tapes, pre-recorded video cassette tapes, pre-recorded DVDS and pre-recorded audio cassettes, all featuring sports entertainment; interactive video game programs and computer game cartridges; mouse pads; disposable cameras; sunglasses; sunglass cases; prescription glasses; and optical cases, namely, cases for spectacles and sunglasses; walkie talkies, protective helmets; sports helmets”
WWE also recently filed trademarks for several NXT and NXT UK wrestlers in addition to The Heritage Cup, NXT UK Heritage Cup, Raw Underground and Intercontinental Championship.
WWE has filed for a dozen new trademarks in the past week, which includes trademarks for some factions and the names of various superstars.
The most interesting one of these trademarks is for the name Retribution for goods and service, specifically for being used as a name for wrestling character, which the company filed on August 4.
Retribution is the new faction which debuted on the August 3 episode of Raw and they have since made their presence felt during the following episode of SmackDown as well.
Other trademarks filed on the same day include Mustance Mountain, Karrion Kross, James Drake, Jake Atlas, Indi Hartwell, and Kacy Catanzaro which are similar in nature to the Retribution trademark.’
Though this is not all as the company filed an application for additional trademarks the next day on August 5, including Gallus, Indus Sher, Grizzled Young Veterans, Legado del Fantasma and Imperium.
These trademark applications suggest that the company has big plans for the Retribution in future and we can expect to see a lot more of the new faction in coming times.
It would also be interesting to see how the promotion utilises the other trademarks and if filings such as the one for Imperium could mean that we might start seeing them on the main roster sooner rather than later.
All signs are pointing towards The Revival leaving WWE once their contracts expire and it appears that the company is also preparing for their departure.
PWInsider is reporting that the company has filed an application to trademark terms The Mechanics as names for wrestlers and No Flips Just Fists as a tag line for merchandise.
The Mechanics is the original tag team name the Revival used during their initial days in NXT, and No Flips Just Fists is the popular catchphrase that has been used by the duo.
This move comes after the former Raw Tag Team Champions
applied for a number of trademarks themselves including the name Top Guys and
phrases such as ‘Say Yeah’, ‘No Flips, Just Fists’ and ‘Shatter Machine.’
While not confirmed, it’s believed that the Revival is trademarking the terms in preparation for their post-WWE careers and Top Guys is the name they are planning to use.
On the other hand, WWE is likely trying to trademark the terms to try and stop them from using them in indies or any other promotions if the duo does leave the company.
Scott Dawson’s current contract is set to expire in April while WWE has added 10 weeks to Dash Wilder’s deal for the time he missed due to injury, meaning that he will become a free agent sometime in June.
John Cena’s latest film, “Dolittle,” was released this past weekend and the results of earnings from the box office for the opening slate have surfaced online.
The film was estimated of pulling in $$57 million worldwide with a budget of about $175 million. According to Box Office Mojo, the film did $30,000,000 domestically and $27,300,000 internationally.
Rotten Tomatoes has the film on its Tomatometer of 18 percent and an Audience Score of 76 percent. It should be noted that the movie did go up against the opening of Bad Boys For Life that did $106 million worldwide.
Cena plays an upbeat polar bear in the film, which also stars Robert Downey Jr, Jessie Buckley, Harry Collett, Rami Malek, Octavia Spencer, Kumail Nanjiani, Emma, Thompson, Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, and Oscar winner Jim Broadbent.
You can watch the official trailer here:
New WWE Trademarks
WWE has once again filed new trademarks. The company did so on Tuesday, January 14 for the following names: Trish Stratus, Epico, Ever-Rise, Chase Parker, Matt Martel.
For those who may not know, WWE is rebranding the former 3.0 team of Martel and Parker, as Ever-Rise. They previously used the ring names Shane Matthews and Scott Parker.
