Over the past few weeks, trademark news has once again become a big thing in wrestling. On the AEW side of things, Chris Jericho has attempted to trademark his "Hi guys!" catchphrase, while the promotion itself made the more substantial move of attempting to trademark "Shockwave" for a potential TV show, one that some believe could land on a Fox network. Then there's WWE, which is attempting to trademark the name of newly arrived star Giulia, and now is trying to strengthen the trademark on one of wrestling's most famous catchphrases.
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On Monday, WWE filed to trademark "Austin 3:16," which fans may recognize as one of the many notable sayings from WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. For many, this filing, which is still awaiting examination, would appear unusual, as WWE already owns the trademark for the phrase, having acquired it all the way back in 1999 during the height of Austin's popularity.
As it turns out, the reason for WWE's refiling is quite simple. Records for the 1999 filing show that WWE trademarked "Austin 3:16" for "Entertainment services in the nature of live and televised performances rendered by a professional wrestler/entertainer." The most recent filing is significantly more comprehensive, with WWE now seeking the trademark for several other entertainment services, including "exhibitions and performances," "wrestling news," and others.
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The Austin related trademark appears to be a good sign that things remain pleasant between WWE and their former biggest star. The "Texas Rattlesnake" has seldom appeared for the promotions since WrestleMania 32, when he defeated Kevin Owens in a comeback match and delivered his trademark Stone Cold Stunner to Pat McAfee and Vince McMahon, though he has left the door open for one last match in the right situation.
