poor Bubba and D-von
 

1Wrestling.com's Bob Ryder is reporting that "WWE is apparently preventing Bubba Ray & DVon Dudley from using those names now that they have left WWE." The Wrestle Reunion Web site refers to them as "Team 3D," and the Hardcore Homecome site has announced that they will participate in upcoming shows, but does not refer to them by name either.

According to Ryder, Bubba and Dvon were told by Paul Heyman after leaving ECW that they would have rights to the name, but they never actually filed for trademark protection.

WWE, as they do with wrestlers under contract for the most part, does have trademarks on Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley as well as the Dudley Boyz.

Pretty sad really. Does Vince McMahon think the Dudleyz are going to take another Federation to the top?

Name recognition.

dang that bites

I doubt it, but why take the risk that even another dollar might be drawn when you can take the petty and evil route?

Damn. Sucks for them.

But if a tag division ever gets moving again in WWE (hopefully Cade/Murdoch will jump start it), then I could see the Dudleyz making a return.

What are their real names, anyway?

Couldn't remember. I knew they weren't really Dudleys, but....

So their not actually brothers :shifty:

Weren't they always acknowleged(sp?) as half brothers?

Buh Buh and Devon Dudley? Can they get away with that?

The Dudley Boys?

No.

Trademark infringement includes any notion of market confusion. Remember the Sharkboy suit?

What I do not understand is that the Dudley Boyz had their name(s)/gimmick LONG before they signed with the WWF(E). Unless, since the WWE now owns ECW, and ECW is the promotion that created the Dudley Boyz gimmick, that it now makes it the WWE's gimmick.

The question IS one of who owns the intellectual property here.

Both groups have a legit claim, but the Dudleyz lose because the WWE (Who has a legit claim) have the trademark.

Trademarks, really

That sucks but they really should have covered their asses when they had the chance, and this could have all been avoided.

Unfortunately, I think that's what it boils down to.

There would probably still be a problem with him using "Bubba", but he might be able to get away with it. All he would have to do is drop Dudley from it, and simply be known as "Bubba" (likewise with "D-Von"). Just be referred to by one name is all.

They might have chance of getting one by, especially in "D-Von"'s case, where Devon is his real name. Of course, they wouldn't be The Dudleys - but they'd keep their first names, which is good enough. It may not work in the case of "Bubba", but if you have the right people working for you, it'd definitely work in Devon's case.

Just go back to the old ECW ways.

Re name him Buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh - Ray Dudley

They didn't trademark Buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh did they?

This is another example of why Paul Heyman is THE MAN!

Sucks for them because if they ever went to TNA they would get the worst names known to man.

Could they go by "Tioansdlknmlaskndglkn" and "Doiandglkansdflknadfh" "ASdguioadng"


Pronounced Bubba and D-Von Dudley?

how come the WWE could use:

Rhino but not Rhyno then...

is it something to do with the animal

Righto. They can't stop them from using Devon, since it's his real name and all.

Bubba might be a problem, but I doubt the WWE would go after another promotion for that.

Might be a little marketing confusion. Motorboat stutter and whathaveyou

I thought the WWE DID use Rhyno.

Yup, and the actual wrestler (can't think of Rhino's name at the moment. :o) apparently still had the rights to the Rhino name.

At any rate, with the Dudley situation, that's kind of sad, considering they were told beforehand that they could take the name with them, but whatcha gonna do?

Interestingly enough, the only "Rhyno" trademarks are marked "Dead" on the Trademark and Patent office search.

"Rhino" Is harder to do, since there are thousands of trademarks relating to Rhino.

Interesting.

Supposeduly the WWE has abandoned all Rhyno TMs.

Interesting: The Dudley Boyz trademark was challenged in 2004.

What's the big deal about having rights to a name? We all know who they're, so what are the WWE doing other than punishing the Dudley Boyz for leaving the WWE?(Can't remember if they were fired or quit)

They couldn't agree to a new contract or something, I think they left on good terms though.

Granted, it would be worse if they had a real gimmick, gimmick [say it were Shark Boy or The Undertaker], but they still won't have their names. For all the indy promoters who use them, it's no big deal - because they can still advertise them as The Dudleys, or "formerly known as" The Dudleys, etc. - but for any major groups, they now only have face value, not name value.

I don't think it has any major impact on anyone in particular, but I'm sure after working with one name for so many years, one would like to keep it.

We all know who they are, but we can't buy the merchandise, they can't promote themselves based on their former accomplishments...

No big deal...

Bubba and Devon - Team 3D. They could use that right? I think it sounds good. I hope they go to TNA. Bubba was even quoted as saying 'it is the new ECW' and he hopes it does real well.

That really sucks ass. That's like a hospital firing a doctor and the hospital saying "btw you can't call yourself dr anymore" friggen ridiculous

At the end of the day, everyone knows they are the Dudley Boys so it doesn't really matter what their name is.

Except Doctor isn't a registered trademark, and quite often, doctors fired are fired for reasons that DO make them lose the right to their practice. :|