The battle over intellectual property hits the ring

Professional wrestling is rarely contained between the turnbuckles these days. The real action occurs in trademark offices, where the pursuit of branding superiority dictates who owns the history of the sport. Will Ospreay, currently making waves in All Elite Wrestling, has officially filed to secure the rights to the United Empire moniker. This move forces a reckoning regarding the identity of the faction he built during his tenure in Japan.

The United Empire debuted in October 2020, positioning itself as a dominant force within New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Ospreay filing these papers suggests he intends to carry the weight of that legacy into his current home. It is a bold play. By asserting ownership, he signals that the brand identity is tied to his persona rather than the promotion that housed its inception.

WWE’s aggressive push into new territory

While Ospreay secures his past, Stamford has been busy drafting future concepts. WWE recently filed to trademark both 'Shido Ash' and 'The Mog Squad'. These filings indicate a specific intent to expand their intellectual property portfolio beyond the current roster staples. The company is clearly looking to identify and protect new character archetypes before they even reach the television screen.

However, the strategy is not without its risks. The 'Mog Squad' filing raises eyebrows among talent observers who worry about the homogenization of character branding. If WWE is indeed pushing for these specific terms, they are likely attempting to avoid the naming issues that have plagued recent call-ups. This is a defensive move to ensure that internal creative teams retain total control over character assets from day one.

The Ospreay dilemma

Ospreay’s recent trademark application serves as a direct counter-policy to the standard promotion-first ownership model. He is testing the limits of what a performer can claim when they transition across borders. If he wins this, it establishes a precedent for other stars to strip-mine their previous identities for personal gain.

The downside is the inevitable tension with existing partners. The United Empire's history is ingrained in the NJPW product. By pulling the name under his own corporate umbrella, Ospreay risks alienating the promotion where he achieved global recognition. This is a high-stakes power move that could sour future negotiations if they ever need to cross paths again.

The verdict

Expect Ospreay to secure the name, but at a cost. He gains control of the branding, yet he loses the goodwill of the Japanese office. The trademark will likely be granted given the lack of direct commercial overlap in current US-based operations. My prediction: Ospreay gets the rights, but we see a rebranding within 18 months to avoid legal friction in international markets. WWE, meanwhile, will continue to scoop up abstract nouns until they own the dictionary, yet they will invariably struggle to make 'The Mog Squad' sound like anything less than a mid-card afterthought.