WWE Acquires 'Wargames' Trademark

Company takes rights to name from MLW.

by Benjamin Richardson
War Games 2018
WWE

According to a report from PWInsider, WWE have reached an agreement to acquire the rights of the Wargames match from Major League Wrestling.

MLW originally began using the Wargames concept during its initial run back in 2003, with a match pitting teams led by Terry Funk and Steve Corino against one another. When the company resurfaced in 2007, they filed for the dormant WarGames trademark, leaning on the fact they'd promoted such a gimmick five years prior.

WWE decided to revive WarGames themselves for Houston's NXT TakeOver in November 2017, only to discover the term could not be trademarked. As a consequence, they set about locking down a number of expired WCW appellations to futureproof themselves against similar legal predicaments.

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A second NXT WarGames took place last November, at which point WWE apparently contacted MLW over acquiring their rights. The concluded agreement stipulates that the relenting party will neither be able to use the name or concept in the future.

The original Wargames, featuring two rings surrounded by a steel cage, was invented by Dusty Rhodes in 1987, and soon became emblematic of both JCP and WCW. The event was used annually until WCW's closure in 2001.

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Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.