WWE Involved In Trademark Dispute Over Adult Entertainment Company

EVOLVE trademark filing brings legal complications for WWE.

WWE EVOLVE
WWE/WWN

WWE's attempts at trademarking "EVOLVE" have hit a brick wall in the form of the United States Patent & Trademark Office.

USPTO has refused the promotion's application on the grounds that it would likely be confused with "EF EVOLVED FIGHTS MIXED WRESTLING," which is an existing trademark owned by Greatest of All Time Entertainment, LLC, for "providing a website featuring entertainment information in the field of adult entertainment."

Sal Hamaoui (owner of EVOLVE's old parent company, WWN Live) had previously attempted to trademark "EVOLVE" in November 2019. This was refused due to issues with the documentation, with the USPTO claiming "the specimen does not show the applied-for mark in use in commerce in connection with any of the goods and/or services specified in the application." No response was issued, leaving the trademark abandoned.

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WWE filed on 4 August, following on from their recent move to purchase the now-defunct indie promotion. Now, they have hit another stumbling block.

EVOLVE effectively ceased operations in early March, with the global health crisis forcing the cancellation of their entire WrestleMania 36 weekend schedule, bringing financial doom to the group. WWE has already started uploading their tape library to the Network following the purchase.

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(Source: Wrestling Headlines)

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.