WWE has locked down the trademark rights to several ring names.
The trademarked names included Drew McIntyre, Dolph Ziggler, Zack Ryder, and Ezekiel Jackson. The company filed for the terms on February 23 under the entertainment services classification with The United States Patent and Trademark Office. Here is the description:
“Trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information; fan club services, namely, organizing sporting events in the field of wrestling for wrestling fan club members; organizing social entertainment events for entertainment purposes for wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely blogs, in the field of sports entertainment.”
WWE filing for the Ezekiel Jackson name is interesting. Jackson worked for WWE from 2007-2014 as he made his main roster debut in 2008. While with WWE, he held the ECW and Intercontinental Titles. He retired from wrestling in 2015.
The Zack Ryder trademark comes after Matt Cardona filed for the trademark rights of his old WWE ring name. He later tweeted that he tried to get it but was denied. While appearing on Jason Powell’s Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast, Cardona revealed WWE fought him on the trademark, so he backed off.
There have been some rumors that WWE may bring him back to the company following the return of his wife, Chelsea Green.
