Category: Industry News

Broken Matt Hardy Files Trademark For His Name

Broken Matt Hardy has taken his first legal step to own the name. Pro Wrestling Sheet has confirmed that he filed a trademark to officially lock it down.

According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the wrestler filed for a trademark last week on “Broken Matt Hardy” for “Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer.”

As we previously reported, sources close to Matt says his Impact deal gave them the ability to profit off of anything already filmed having to do with ANY gimmick he used throughout the course of his contract … but, once that’s over, he retains ownership of his name and characters.

Impact Wrestling sources, however, say that’s not the case. They claim the current deal specifically states that their company owns all IP creations.

If that’s the case, Impact’s legal team still has time to oppose.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Confusion Over Who Owns The Broken Matt Hardy Name And Character

If Broken Matt wants to continue using that name after leaving Impact Wrestling, he may have a fight on his hands — because right now there’s confusion over who owns the gimmick.

Sources close to Matt says his current deal gives Impact the ability to profit off of anything already filmed having to do with ANY gimmick he used throughout the course of his contract … but, once that’s over, he retains ownership of his name and characters.

However, our Impact Wrestling sources tell us that’s not the case at all. They claim the current deal specifically states that their company owns all IP creations.

As we previously reported, Matt and Jeff do not plan to re-sign with the company because they felt dissed during contract negotiations.

As for a possible non-compete clause, The Hardy Boyz don’t have one (sources told Pro Wrestling Sheet). Which means they could potentially show up in another company as soon as next week.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Broken Matt And Jeff Hardy NOT Re-Signing With Impact Wrestling, Brothers Felt Dissed During Negotiations

Broken Matt and Jeff Hardy will NOT be signing new deals with Impact Wrestling … and it’s because they felt disrespected during contract talks.

Sources with direct knowledge say the Hardy Boyz agreed to terms on a new deal back in December, but needed a few minor changes, and were simply waiting for the finalized offer.

The deal was supposed to be for 1-year in length. Weeks and weeks passed, with Matt constantly checking in, but they were consistently given the run around.

Eventually Matt and Jeff’s lawyer told Impact Wrestling officials that they wanted a creative control clause in their new deals … which was shot down immediately. One source says their lawyer told Ed Nordholm there was interest from other companies and he responded by saying, “Well, tell them to go to WWE then.”

This set Jeff Hardy off, who at that point said he was no longer interested in re-signing. Matt continued talks, but when they sent a new contract last week it was now a 2-year deal and terms had been snuck in which stated they’d receive 10% of all his profits outside of Impact.

Matt’s lawyer said he’d be a fool to sign, so he informed the company he wasn’t interested in doing so — but would still come to the tapings to write off his characters. However, he was told he was crazy to think they’d want him on TV without a contact.

Impact officials are currently trying to get their tag titles back.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Mick Foley And Shawn Michaels To Be Inducted Into The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame

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WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley announced on Facebook that he will be inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame this coming May, along with WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels and others. He wrote the following:

PROUD TO BE INDUCTED

I am very happy to announce that I will be attending the 2017 #ProWrestlingHallOfFame Induction Ceremony on May 20, 2017 in #WitchitaFalls Texas. I am proud to be among a great group of inductees like Sputnik Monroe, Luther Lindsay, Dirty Dick Raines, Yvon Robert, Susan Green and Shawn Michaels. I visited the #PWHF many times when it was located in #Amsterdam NY and I’m really looking forward to visiting the hall in its beautiful new home in Texas. I hope some of my fans in Texas (or anywhere around the country or world) will think about stopping by for the festivities, including a great evening of independent wrestling the night before the induction. For more information on the event, check out pwhf.org/events

Source: WrestlingINC

AAA Legally Threatens Company For Booking Pentagon Jr. And Fenix … Indie Fed Fights Back

Image result for Pentagon Jr and Fenix

 

Lawyers for AAA threatened to sue a company who booked Pentagon Jr. and Fenix on an upcoming show … but the fed isn’t run by dummies, and they fought back with a legal letter.

Lucha Libre FMV — the joint company run by AAA and Lucha Underground — sent a message through lawyers to PCW in Los Angeles earlier this month which states they are “the legitimate owner of the intellectual property related to the name, characteristics, characters and designs of ‘FENIX’, ‘REY FENIX’, ‘PENTAGON Jr.’ and ‘PENTA 0M’, among other trademarks.”

As we previously reported, LL FMV filed for a trademark on Pentagon’s new name one-week after he announced it at a Crash show in Tijuana.

The letter continues, “At the light of the above, we are sending you this communication requesting you to cease and refrain from the unauthorized and misuse of the intellectual property.” Adding, “And also please avoid to hire any person that uses such intellectual property or any other confusingly similar” … otherwise they may exercise legal action.

PCW, however, didn’t take kindly to what seems to be a pretty petty move on FMV’s part.

They fired back with a letter this week that says, “While we thank you for your concern with making sure that we are not going to use the names of performers or characters legally owned by your client, we can assure you that we are only promoting performers by names that either the performers control themselves or which no entity controls as of this date.”

The company goes on to point out that Rey Fenix filed his trademark for the name last year, long before FMV, and they have reason to believe it will get approved. As for Pentagon, they’re confident the company’s trademark attempt will be denied after he fights it in court.

PCW also mentions promotional materials don’t refer to either wrestler as Fenix or Pentagon Jr.

The initial letter and scathing response can both be found by CLICKING HERE.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

TNA Impact Wrestling News: Stars Heading to NOAH, Company Returning to Old Soundstage

Pro Wrestling NOAH officially announced James Storm and Eddie Edwards will be joining Moose on March 12th in Yokohama, Japan. Their opponents have not been announced at this time.

For their March TV tapings, TNA will back in the original Impact Zone, soundstage 21. This is the larger sound studio that the company had a full-time lease with years ago.

Source: Pwinsider.com via 411Mania

Chavo Guerrero Sr. Passes Away At Age 68

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Chavo Guerrero Sr. passed away yesterday at the age of 68. He was the older brother to Eddie Guerrero and the father of Chavo Guerrero Jr. Chavo Jr. took to his Instagram to send out a tribute to his father:

WWE issued this statement on his passing:

Chavo Guerrero Sr. passes awayWWE is saddened to learn that Chavo Guerrero Sr., the legendary wrestler, brother of WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero and father of Chavo Guerrero, Jr., passed away Saturday at age 68.

His death was first announced on Instagram by his son, former WWE Superstar Chavo Guerrero Jr.

“Today the world lost a true rebel,” Guerrero Jr. wrote on Instagram. “He did things “HIS” way. Not always right, not always wrong, but He always followed what he believed in. He was diagnosed with Liver Cancer in early January of this year.”

Chavo Classic, as the elder Guerrero came to be known in the WWE Universe, was born Salvador Guerrero III on Jan. 7, 1949, in El Paso, Texas. He was the oldest of six children in a family that’s synonymous with sports-entertainment — from the early efforts of his father, Gory Guerrero, to the later success of his brothers, including Mando, Hector and Eddie.

His exploits made him a household name around the world and especially in the NWA Hollywood Wrestling territory, where he was a celebrated 15-time champion and a longtime rival of WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

In 2004, Chavo Classic formally introduced himself to the WWE Universe, landing right in the middle of an ongoing rivalry between brother Eddie and son Chavo Jr. Chavo Classic made WWE history that same year by becoming the oldest Superstar to win the original Cruiserweight Championship.

WWE extends its condolences to Chavo Guerrero Sr.’s family, friends and fans.

After news broke on the passing of Chavo Guerrero Sr., WWE stars and wrestling personalities took to social media to give their thoughts:

Source: WrestlingINC

Lucha Underground posted:

NJPW New Beginning Results 2/11/17 (Osaka)

* Taka Michinoku defeated Henare
* Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima defeated Kushida and Yos–tatsu
* Juice Robinson, Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask and Yuji Nagata defeated Gedo, Hirooki Goto, Jado and Yoshi-Hashi
* Minoru Suzuki, Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Beretta, Kazuchika Okada and Rocky Romero
* Bushi, Evil and Sanada defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi and Ryusuke Taguchi (c) (NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship)
* Katsuyori Shibata (c) defeated Will Ospreay (British Heavyweight Championship)
* Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano (c) defeated Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma and Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Takashi Iizuka (IWGP Tag Team Championship)
* Hiromu Takahashi (c) defeated Dragon Lee (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship)
* Tetsuya Naito (c) defeated Michael Elgin (IWGP Intercontinental Championship)

NJPW New Beginning iPPV In Osaka 2/11/17

NJPW New Beginning (Osaka) will be taking place on February 11th, which will air live (3am EST) on NJPW World with English commentary by Kevin Kelly and Don Callis. Here is the final card:

* Henare and Tomoyuki Oka vs. Hirai Kawato and Yos–tatsu
* Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Kushida vs. Taka Michinoku and Takashi Iizuka
* Gedo, Hirooki Goto, Jado and Yoshi-Hashi vs. Juice Robinson, Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask and Yuji Nagata
* Beretta, Kazuchika Okada and Rocky Romero vs. Minoru Suzuki, Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
* Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi and Ryusuke Taguchi (c) vs. Bushi, Evil and Sanada (NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship)
* Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Will Ospreay (British Heavyweight Championship)
* Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano (c) vs. Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer (IWGP Tag Team Championship)
* Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. Dragon Lee (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship)
* Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Michael Elgin (IWGP Intercontinental Championship)

TNA Impact Wrestling Announces Partnership With Japan’s Pro Wrestling NOAH

TNA Impact Wrestling issued the following today:

As announced earlier today in Tokyo, Japan, IMPACT Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH have come to terms on a working relationship. This is an exciting time for both companies with a more formal announcement coming soon.

In a Press Conference held earlier today, NOAH President Masayuki Uchida made the official announcement.

We look forward to making a formal announcement soon in Tokyo and seeing IMPACT Stars compete at NOAH’s Yokohama event on March 12. We are thrilled to build this relationship even further with more details to come.

Stay close to impactWrestling.Com and all of our social media channels for more on this exciting partnership.