WWE: Renee Young on Her Departure, More on NXT Iron Man Match, EVOLVE Trademark Issues

WWE

Sep 2, 2020

Renee Young Comments on Her Reasons for Leaving WWE

A recent episode of the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast had former WWE interviewer and commentator Renee Young as the guest and one of the topics discussed included Young’s reasons for her recent departure from WWE.

“So, I don’t know that there was like a definitive, ‘I’m leaving now.’ I think when Backstage got cancelled, that was really the moment for me. Backstage got cancelled, I got COVID, a lot of sh*t just happened but the COVID thing aside, that was just sort of the icing on the cake. I’m at home, I get my diagnosis. That same day I find out that Backstage gets cancelled but it was really with that with Backstage being cancelled that I was like, ‘What am I doing? Like I’m not really doing anything anymore’ and my skill set of being a host, there’s just nowhere for me to do it anymore. Even with Talking Smack coming back and I had heard the rumblings that Talking Smack was making its way back and I was planning on perhaps maybe doing that, but I was like, ‘You know what? I’m just feeling like I’m taking steps backwards. I’m sort of spinning my wheels.’ To go back and do a show, to not be doing it with [Daniel] Bryan, to not be doing it with Michael Mansury [Former WWE VP of Global Television Production] who’s also no longer with WWE, but that was sort of the magic of what that show was to me. It’s doing its own cool thing right now. Kudos to Big E, Miz and Kayla Braxton with everything that they’ve been doing but, it was all that stuff kinda happening at once and just being like, ‘What am I doing here? I’ve checked off all the things I’ve been able to do, stepping away from doing commentary’ which ultimately kind of left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. So going and working for FOX was incredible and I’ll still be doing stuff for FOX as we’re kind of figuring out what that looks like with WWE and FOX but I’m still gonna be working with them on that side of things so that’s cool but, it’s just not really having any platforms within WWE and just spinning my wheels and I’m turning 35. It’s kinda, ‘Should I get off the boat?’ It’s time to start making some other moves, other-wise I’m just gonna stay here forever and not really be proud of my accomplishments anymore.”

Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com

More on NXT Title Iron Man 4-Way Match

This Tuesday’s episode of NXT featured a four-way Iron Man match for the NXT Championship. This match ended in a tied score between Finn Balor and Adam Cole resulting in NXT General Manager William Regal declaring that a “sudden death” match will be held between the two at next week’s episode to crown a new NXT Champion.

WrestleVotes reported on Twitter that NXT officials had considered two plans for the finish of the Iron Man match.

The first plan involved the idea to end the match in a tie and hold a “sudden death overtime” match the following week, which was the actual plan used.

The other plan involved Pat McAfee interfering at the end of the match to cost Adam Cole the match and NXT championship.

The two ideas for the finish of tonight’s Iron Man match were either Pat McAfee costing Adam Cole the match -OR- the match ending after 60 minutes tied and starting the sudden death overtime next week as the show comes on the air.
— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) September 1, 2020

WWE Reportedly Having Issues with Trademark Filings for EVOLVE

WWE reportedly has been dealing with issues regarding their attempts to trademark EVOLVE following their purchase of the company this past July, according to Fightful.

Jeremy Lambert reported that WWE’s issues revolve around the original trademark filing by former EVOLVE owner Salem Hamaoui in November of 2019. Hamaoui’s filing was given an initial rejection due to improper documentation and later was abandoned due to him not responding in time to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

WWE reportedly was recently informed by the USPTO that their trademark would not be approved due to potential confusion with an existing trademark for “EF Evolved Fights Mixed Wrestling.”

Official statement from USPTO:

“Applicant seeks to register the mark EVOLVE with a design for entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer. The registered mark is EF EVOLVED FIGHTS MIXED WRESTLING with a design and disclaimer of FIGHTS and MIXED WRESTLING for providing a website featuring entertainment information in the field of adult entertainment.
The registered mark is EF EVOLVED FIGHTS MIXED WRESTLING with a design and disclaimer of FIGHTS and MIXED WRESTLING. Applicant’s mark is EVOLVE with a design. Although marks are compared in their entireties, one feature of a mark may be more significant or dominant in creating a commercial impression. Greater weight is often given to this dominant feature when determining whether marks are confusingly similar. Because consumers use the literal portions of marks to call for the services, word elements dominate over designs. Thus, EVOLVE is the dominant portion of the applied-for mark. Similarly, because disclaimed terms are less distinctive, non-descriptive/disclaimed terms dominate the recollection of consumers. Since EF merely reinforces EVOLVED FIGHTS, EVOLVED is the dominant portion of the registered mark. The dominant portions of the marks are very similar: EVOLVE versus EVOLVED.
Applicant’s services are entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer. The registered mark is for providing a website featuring entertainment information in the field of adult entertainment. The adult entertainment featured in the registered mark is MIXED WRESTLING, as evinced by the disclaimer of the wording. Applicant’s wrestling exhibits and performances are provided not only by a professional wrestler, but by an “entertainer” who may potentially provide adult entertainment that is the subject of registrant’s services. It is important to note that registrant’s mixed wrestling is within the scope of applicant’s wrestling exhibitions.”

WWE reportedly has six months to respond or else the EVOLVE trademark will be abandoned for a second time in a row.