Major Update On United Empire In AEW (AEW News)
Latest on who has the rights to the United Empire name.
With Will Ospreay recently deciding to start his own United Empire in AEW, many have questioned whether or not the United Empire name can actually be used for this faction.
United Empire was formed in NJPW in late 2020, originally consisting of Will Ospreay, Bea Priestley, and Great-O-Khan, before adding Jeff Cobb shortly after forming. With several names having come and gone over the years, TJP had a spell leading the group in Ospreay's absence, and it's Callum Newman now heading up United Empire in New Japan.
So, when Ospreay announced plans to form his own United Empire in AEW, that threw up questions over the ownership of that name, possible copyright issues, and whether United Empire was a term exclusive to NJPW, particularly with how Jay White's AEW faction had to rename themselves the Bang Bang Gang rather than Bullet Club Gold.
In an update on this, Fightful Select notes that ownership of the United Empire name actually belongs to Will Ospreay, with the current AEW World Champion having trademarked that term back in April of this year. From speaking to sources familiar with this topic, Fightful confirms that Ospreay has the freedom to use the United Empire name however he sees fit.
As for Will's new United Empire, so far we've seen Andrade El Idolo, 'Speedball' Mike Bailey, Alex Windsor, and Jamie Hayter join the stable, all while Ospreay's United Empire remains on good terms with Callum Newman's United Empire. Well, for now, at least, as mild tensions have started to be teased at times between Ospreay and Newman.