AEW fans still dont know when Wardlow will be back on television, but the former TNT Champion just made a major move behind the scenes. On May 1, 2025, Wardlow officially filed to trademark his ring namepotentially signaling long-term plans either inside or outside of AEW.
According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the application covers a wide range of uses, including wrestling performances, personal appearances, and online interviews. The filing specifically notes it is for entertainment services, namely, televised appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainer and providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network.
This move comes as Wardlow remains sidelined with a knee injury that has kept him off AEW programming since his March 13, 2024 match against Samoa Joe on Dynamite. Though no official recovery timetable has been announced, It was previously reported that Wardlow was backstage at AEW Revolution, even though he wasnt used. Hes reportedly been spending time in Los Angeles while working on other projects.
Wardlow was also pulled from Pandemonium Pro Wrestlings The House Always Wins event, originally scheduled for April 17. The promotion announced his absence on March 10, citing circumstances outside of our control. Former WWE star Duke Hudsonnow wrestling under the name Dukereplaced him in a six-man tag match.
While AEW hasnt said anything publicly about Wardlows status, fans and insiders continue to speculate about his return and what the future holds. Filing for a trademark could be Wardlows way of taking control of his brand before any major next steps.
Wardlows absence has left a gap in AEWs roster, and his next movewhether back in the ring or elsewhereremains a question mark. With this new filing, though, its clear hes thinking ahead.
What do you think Wardlows next move will be? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
