AEW has moved to secure the intellectual property rights for its signature year-end tournament. On January 2, the company filed trademarks for “Continental Classic” and its popular abbreviation, “C2.” The filings were made with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) shortly after the conclusion of the 2025 edition of the tournament.
The trademarks are listed for entertainment purposes, specifically covering “Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests; Entertainment services in the nature of live professional wrestling performances; Entertainment services in the nature of production of professional wrestling programs and events; Entertainment services, namely, production and distribution of ongoing television programs in the field of professional wrestling.”
The Continental Classic, often referred to as the C2, is an annual round-robin tournament held by AEW that typically runs from November through December. The competition features two blocks of six wrestlers, with the top scorers advancing to the finals. The tournament recently wrapped up its third iteration at the Worlds End pay-per-view on December 27, 2025, where Jon Moxley defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the AEW Continental Championship.
By trademarking “C2,” AEW is officially claiming the shorthand name that has been widely adopted by fans and commentary since the tournament’s inception. The tournament has become a staple of the AEW calendar, with previous winners including Eddie Kingston (2023), Kazuchika Okada (2024), and Jon Moxley (2025).
