Tag: cody runnels

Cody files for trademark on ‘Cody Rhodes’ name

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: AEW/Lee South

Taking advantage of WWE allowing their trademark to lapse, Cody Runnels filed for a trademark on the “Cody Rhodes” name with the US Patent and Trademark Office on April 13th.

Fightful was the first to report the news.

WWE had owned the rights to the name since filing for it in June of 2007. Fightful noted WWE was notified in October 2018 that the mark was set to expire in a year, plus an additional six month grace period. WWE didn’t refile so Runnels made the move the first day he was able to.

When Runnels left WWE in 2016, he went by his real name and eventually just Cody in order to avoid any legal issues. He said last year that he could use the Cody Rhodes name, but chose not to. It’s unclear whether he will adopt the full name in AEW if he is successful in acquiring the trademark.

Runnels has been active with trademarks on certain terms or concepts that his father created or came up with. One example is AEW using the Bash At The Beach name earlier this year which WWE objected to despite Runnels owning the rights.

Runnels also owns trademarks like The American Dream, The American Nightmare, Dusty Rhodes, Battlebowl, Bunkhouse Stampede, The Prince of Wrestling, and The Match Beyond, all related to wrestling use.

Cody Runnels returns!

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Cody Runnels has sent a tease that he will be available to work in just under three months. On Twitter, with him using the name Cody Rhodes, a point of contention since he started using that name in WWE, but it had been the family wrestling name for almost 50 years, he sent out a tweet earlier today listing the 8/19 date with the words “After 8/19.” 

Runnels also listed almost a bucket list of opponents he was interested in working with. The names on the list were Adam Cole, Dalton Castle, Kurt Angle, Chris Hero, The Miracle (Mike Bennett), Moose, Pat Buck, Young Bucks, Trevor Lee, Katsuyori Shibata and Roderick Strong.

Also listed on his list of things to check off were BOLA (the PWG Battle of Los Angeles tournament in late August), “the streamers thing” which likely means ROH (or some minor Japanese groups)  and “Personal ring announcer,” which could be construed as travelling with his wife, who is a ring announcer.