Spike Dudley has signed a WWE Legends deal.
Dudley, whose real name is Matthew Hyson, announced the deal on Facebook on Friday.
“Very happy to announce I just signed a WWE Legends deal. Will keep you posted with merch. Thank you to all friends, family and fans that made it possible!!!!” Hyson wrote.
As of this writing, WWE has not announced the deal.
The “Spike Dudley” trademark
The deal comes a week after WWE filed to trademark “Spike Dudley” on November 6, covering wrestling services and online content.
Hyson had filed his own application for the name on May 13, covering action figures. WWE was granted a 90-day extension on September 25 to decide whether to oppose it. Hyson filed an express abandonment of his application on November 1, according to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records, and WWE filed its own application days later.
It was not Hyson’s first try at the name. He applied to register “Spike Dudley” for wrestling services in 2005, months after his WWE release. The USPTO refused it over WWE’s “Dudley Boyz” registration, and he abandoned that application in 2007.
Spike Dudley’s career
Hyson was with WWE from 2001 to 2005 as Spike Dudley, a name that began in ECW. In WWE, he held the Cruiserweight Championship once, the European Championship once and the Hardcore Championship eight times, and won the WWF Tag Team Championship with Tazz. He has also worked as Brother Runt in TNA.
Hyson, 56, is retired from wrestling and now works in financial services. His most recent wrestling appearance came at TNA Bound for Glory in October 2025, where, as Brother Runt, he came to the ring before Team 3D’s “One Final Table” match against The Hardys. In February, D-Von Dudley called on Triple H to induct Hyson into the WWE Hall of Fame.
WWE also signed Necro Butcher to a Legends deal in October, even though he never worked for the company.
