WWE has filed a new trademark for the name of a top NXT stable. On November 4, 2025, the company filed a trademark for “DarkState” under the entertainment services category.
The filing description covers a wide range of uses for the name, including: “Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered live 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.”
Who Is ‘DarkState’?
The group consists of leader Dion Lennox, Cutler James, Saquon Shugars, and Osiris Griffin. The faction was formed earlier this year following a change in attitude from Lennox. The group made their official debut at NXT Vengeance Day on February 15, 2025, when Lennox, James, Shugars, and Griffin attacked multiple wrestlers, including Josh Briggs, Axiom, Nathan Frazer, and NXT Champion Oba Femi. The group’s name was officially revealed as DarkState the following week on NXT.
A Dominant 2025
DarkState has been a dominant force on the NXT brand throughout 2025 and even appeared in TNA Wrestling. On the July 3 episode of TNA Impact!, the group made their debut for that promotion by attacking Matt Cardona.
The stable’s members Dion Lennox and Osiris Griffin are the current NXT Tag Team Champions, holding the titles for the second time. They first won the championships at NXT Heatwave by defeating Hank Walker and Tank Ledger. Their first reign was ended by The Hardy Boyz at the NXT vs. TNA Showdown on October 7. However, Lennox and Griffin regained the titles just a few weeks later at NXT Halloween Havoc on October 25, defeating The Broken Hardys in a “Broken Rules match”.
