Raj Dhesi, who previously wrestled in WWE as Jinder Mahal, has begun a dispute with WWE over trademarks. Dhesi applied for trademark ‘The Maharaja’ with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in April 2024, but the application was rejected on November 15, 2024. The rejection was due to the likelihood of confusion with WWE’s trademark for ‘The Maharajah’, which has been in use since 2017.
The USPTO then rejected Dhesi’s application again on June 4, 2025. Dhesi is still looking to gain ownership of the term ‘The Maharaja.’ However, he filed a petition for cancellation against WWE’s trademark of ‘The Maharajah’ on December 4, 2025.
Dhesi Claims He Used The Name Before WWE
In the filing, Dhesi has argued that he began using ‘The Maharaja’ in professional wrestling in early 2015, while WWE didn’t file to trademark ‘The Maharajah’ until April 2017. He has also claimed WWE filed its trademark under false pretences. WWE has until February 3, 2026, to respond to Dhesi’s petition for cancellation.
Jinder Mahal first wrestled for WWE from 2010 until his release in 2014. He then performed on the independent wrestling scene until WWE re-signed him in July 2016, and he remained with the organisation until his second release in April 2024. During his second run, Mahal had a 170-day reign as WWE Champion in 2017 and an eight-day reign as United States Champion in 2018.
Despite the trademark dispute, the former Jinder Mahal has performed as ‘The Maharaja’ Raj Dhesi while wrestling on the indies since his second WWE release. The star established himself as a top heel during his time in WWE and continues to use the persona outside the company.
