WWE's RKO trademark bid rejected as Randy Orton feuds with Cody Rhodes
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The gist
The US Patent and Trademark Office rejected WWE's July claim to trademark RKO over confusion with RKO Pictures.
Orton faces Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel this weekend.
Background
Randy Orton is a WWE wrestler, 14-time world champion and former member of the Evolution and Legacy groups. His feud with Cody Rhodes, his former Legacy mentee, began when Orton betrayed Rhodes on WWE SmackDown on the road to WrestleMania 42; Rhodes beat him at WrestleMania 42, and Orton won their September rematch at Sunday Night's Main Event. The trademark dispute surfaced because WWE tried in July to claim the RKO name — Orton's finisher — and the US Patent and Trademark Office rejected it over 'likelihood of confusion' with RKO Pictures, the Hollywood studio behind films such as Citizen Kane and It's A Wonderful Life.
How it unfolded
- Jul 2026WWE submitted a trademark claim for the RKO name; the US Patent and Trademark Office threw it out due to 'likelihood of confusion' with trademarks owned by RKO Pictures.
- Sep 6, 2026Orton defeated Cody Rhodes at Sunday Night's Main Event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga.
- Nov 2, 2026Orton cut a promo on WWE Raw taking aim at his former Legacy mentee Cody Rhodes.
- Nov 4, 2026WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray praised the November 2 promo on 'Busted Open Radio' as the best of Orton's career.
- Nov 5, 2026Reports of the WWE/RKO trademark dispute emerged; Orton is set to clash with Rhodes in a Last Man Standing grudge match at Crown Jewel this coming weekend.
Key terms
- RKO
- A professional wrestling finishing move in which a wrestler grabs an opponent's head and drives it into the mat.
- Last Man Standing
- A professional wrestling match fought inside an enclosed cage surrounding the ring.
- promo
- A scripted speech or interview in professional wrestling used to build storylines and hype matches.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Expert
- WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray called Orton's November 2 promo 'the best promo I've ever heard Randy Orton cut in his entire career,' citing the line 'You've been in zero Last Man Standing Matches.'
- Analysts
- Yahoo Sports reported Orton 'surely wouldn't have to rename his finisher, but merch could be impacted across the board,' adding nothing is certain until courts resolve it.
Still unverified
Whether Orton would have to rename his finisher or whether merchandise would be affected by the trademark dispute is not certain until courts resolve it, per Yahoo Sports.