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[Outcast2004]

Huge Inside Update On WWE Legal Team Targeting Everyone
Date Added: September 09, 2005
Story By: Ryan Clark
Credit: PWInsider

WWE's legal team has been on a terror as of late by going after anyone and everyone they think might infringe on their copyrights and trademarks, most especially ones concerning ECW. Here are some of the people they have threatened with letters just recently.

Mark LoMonica is forbidden from using the names "Bubba", "Buh-Buh", "Bubba Ray Dudley" or "Buh-Buh Ray Dudley" on independent shows and appearances as they caught a company using the name "Bubba" on advertising for a recent New York indie show and then they sent him and the indy promotion cease and desist letters to stop him from using that name or any name similar to his old name for that matter. Devon Hughes cannot use the name "D-Von" or "D-Von Dudley", although they can't stop him from using the name "Devon" as that's his real name. And of course, they can't use or be referred to as "The Dudleys", "The Dudleyz", "The Dudley Boys", or "Dudley Boyz" period.

WWE is also claiming rights to their catchphrases and costumes. They can't wear camouflauge or wrestle wearing glasses. WWE is also not allowing the term "get the tables" be used in advertising for them as a press release was pulled with new phrasing as WWE wouldn't allow the NY indie group to use the term, "get the tables." There is also a possibility that WWE will claim the terms "3-D" and "D-Von, Get the tables", although they can't ban them from using the manuever. WWE is claiming broad rights to everything associated with The Dudley Boyz gimmick.

Hughes and LoMonica have talked about fighting WWE legally because they left ECW with the idea that they owned the rights to their names and gimmick, but it could end up being a costly fight which is why they might not challenge WWE in court. The former Dudleyz are currently brainstorming a new gimmick for the team and they will let TNA know what the gimmick is after they trademark it themselves.

The WWE legal team has sent a letter to BigVanVader.com, saying that Leon White (Vader) has given them the right to legal use the name. They want the site owner to transfer the domain to them, despite the fact that he runs it as a fan site and has done so at a financial loss, because it's now their property.

WWE have sent a cease and desist letter to Peter Polaco, aka Justin Credible. Apparently, he can no longer use the "Justin Credible" name on wrestling shows anymore.

Johnny Ace recently informed Pete Gruner (Billy Kidman) that he not use the name "Billy Kidman" or "Kidman" on the independent scene when his 90-day no-compete clause expires next month.

The WWE legal team informed the webmaster of Spike Dudley's official website, SpikeDudley.net, that they can no longer use photos of him taken during his WWE tenure on his site. The WWE legal team says it constitutes copyright infringement and threatened him with a $150,000 damage case per photo. Some official WWE photos are still up on the site as of this post, but I'd imagine they'll be taken down sooner rather than later.

Also, the WWE legal team is currently looking at the folks who put together the "Hardcore Homecoming" shows for any potential legal hole they can nail them with. There's nothing specific yet, but WWE is claiming that the shows were infringing on WWE's trademarks and intellectual properties.

And in one last bit of legal news, I have actually been contacted myself by the WWE legal department who have told me that I must remove any images on this website dealing with WWE. You would think they'd have better things to do but apparently not.

 

[dskillzhtown]

Interesting. WWE trying to apply business trademark practices to wrestling. This is going to be a landmark case if it gets to the courts. But weren't most of the people mentioned in the article doing those gimmicks before they came to the WWE?

 

[DarienA]

Interesting. WWE trying to apply business trademark practices to wrestling. This is going to be a landmark case if it gets to the courts. But weren't most of the people mentioned in the article doing those gimmicks before they came to the WWE?

Well the Dudley Gimmicks came from their time in ECW... I don't know what(if anything) they were doing before ECW... so if those gimmicks were created while in ECW... and the WWE now owns all rights/etc of ECW... then unfortunately I think WWE gets the upperhand.

 

[Outcast2004]

The Dudley thing is a bit more complicated....

Turns out that Paul Heyman promised them the fll rights to their gimmick when they left ECW, but due to a paperwork snafu that never happened.

Now they are pulling dirty/downright mean tactics about the ECW trademarks and copyrights... which really aren't being used anyway.

Part of me thinks this is just builidng more credibility to the rumor of ECW coming back after Mania and the trademakr thing being used for leverage with the talent. Can't workunder your established gimmick anywhere else, why not come back to WWE?

 

[DarienA]

Now they are pulling dirty/downright mean tactics about the ECW trademarks and copyrights... which really aren't being used anyway.

Dude the WWE almost always does this whole can't take your gimmick with you thing... that part isn't new... it's just the legal folks over there seem to have really gone on a tear.

 

[Outcast2004]

Dude the WWE almost always does this whole can't take your gimmick with you thing... that part isn't new... it's just the legal folks over there seem to have really gone on a tear.

Oh I'm more than aware of the gimmick situation. It's always like that. But, thats not what I'm getting at...

It's the tactics and extremes (no pun intended) that their legal department is going to. Couldn't they have contacted said talents about buying out their gimmick? Instead they want to bully indy prooters who of no threat to them.

 

[DarienA]

Oh I'm more than aware of the gimmick situation. It's always like that. But, thats not what I'm getting at...

It's the tactics and extremes (no pun intended) that their legal department is going to. Couldn't they have contacted said talents about buying out their gimmick? Instead they want to bully indy prooters who of no threat to them.

Yeah same old shit from Vince.... stamp the competition down before they can even become competition...

 

[Outcast2004]

Yeah same old shit from Vince.... stamp the competition down before they can even become competition...

I really think he's views TNA as more of a threat than he's letting on. If anything this screams of a scare tactic.

 

[G4life98]

Yeah same old shit from Vince.... stamp the competition down before they can even become competition...

this smells of steph to me as she has had a mad hate for ecw lately.

 

[Nameless]

Well that is sort of dirty, but msot business usually is in some way. If you're a professional wrestler not using your real name, I would think the first think you would want to do is gain the rights to your alias. Mix-ups with paper work happen all the time, they should have made sure that it was taken care, especially considering it's importance.

But I'm confused, Rhryno is current wrestling under the same name just with a different spelling(Rhino) and he was flat out fired from the WWE. I don't see why they couldn't go by Bubbuh Rae and DeVon Dudlee or something to that effect.

 

[Mr Gump]

Um they arent allowed to say "get the tables" anymore? That is fucked up :lol

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

Fuck the WWE. Besides all of this shit... Their product is fucking horrible. Earlier this week I deleted my Tivo season pass for Smackdown and Raw. I won't even give them the satisfaction of recording their shows and then having to fast forward through 85% of the trash.

TNA can't start on Spike soon enough.

 

[bishoptl]

Rhino was using that moniker (and held right to it) before entering the WWE, which is why they switched it to "Rhyno" during his tenure there.

Really here, I have absolutely no problem with the WWE doing what they're doing in regards to the wrestling name trademarks - Paul Heyman had no right to promise the Dudleys rights to their names since they were part and parcel of the ECW package that Vince bought up lock, stock, and barrel. If anything, he should have made Vince aware of what he wanted to give the Dudleys - hell, if they were truly promised ownership of the names ahead of time, the Dudleys should have spoken up themselves when the transfer was taking place. Don't come crying to me because you can't perform due diligence on something that's supposed to be so incredibly important to your livelihood. That also applies to Spike Dudley as well.

If there's anything to be upset on the Dudleys' behalf about, it's the legal attack on their wrestling attire. That just smacks of WWE intransigence, and it's not like the camouflage is an integral part of their gimmick (unlike say, The Hurricane). If there's any sort of leeway to be found, it's on this issue.

Instead they want to bully indy prooters who of no threat to them.

You bully those promoters before they pose a threat to you. Seriously - I don't understand the shock here. This is Vincent Kennedy McMahon we're talking about. And as far as TNA goes, you know that he doesn't want any gimmicks created on his watch going over to Spike and helping them become successfull. Lock that shit up.

I'm not saying that it's fair, but it is business.

 

[WordofGod]

Rhino was using that moniker (and held right to it) before entering the WWE, which is why they switched it to "Rhyno" during his tenure there.

Really here, I have absolutely no problem with the WWE doing what they're doing in regards to the wrestling name trademarks - Paul Heyman had no right to promise the Dudleys rights to their names since they were part and parcel of the ECW package that Vince bought up lock, stock, and barrel. If anything, he should have made Vince aware of what he wanted to give the Dudleys - hell, if they were truly promised ownership of the names ahead of time, the Dudleys should have spoken up themselves when the transfer was taking place. Don't come crying to me because you can't perform due diligence on something that's supposed to be so incredibly important to your livelihood. That also applies to Spike Dudley as well.

If there's anything to be upset on the Dudleys' behalf about, it's the legal attack on their wrestling attire. That just smacks of WWE intransigence, and it's not like the camouflage is an integral part of their gimmick (unlike say, The Hurricane). If there's any sort of leeway to be found, it's on this issue.


You bully those promoters before they pose a threat to you. Seriously - I don't understand the shock here. This is Vincent Kennedy McMahon we're talking about. And as far as TNA goes, you know that he doesn't want any gimmicks created on his watch going over to Spike and helping them become successfull. Lock that shit up.

I'm not saying that it's fair, but it is business.

Are you on the WWE payroll?

j/k

 

[bishoptl]

Nope - although I do work for a THQ-owned studio, which has the WWE license...so yeah, full disclosure and all that. Doesn't mean I don't bash the Fed when it needs it.

That said, how does that make what I just posted invalid?

edit: nm, I thought you were serious

 

[bjork]

They need to get a mexican dudley and say levante los mesas or whatever "get the tables" is in spanish.