AEW Files Trademark For 'A Group Or Individual'

Tony Nese and Josh Woods' new team name is set to become official if an AEW trademark filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is anything to go by. 

According to the USPTO website, All Elite Wrestling has filed for the name "Varsity Athletes." The filing occurred on October 7, with the trademark set to be used for "Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a group or individual wrestlers; Entertainment services, namely, television appearances by a group or individual wrestlers." As of this publication, the trademark filing is still "live," meaning that the application is still in progress. 

Last week on "AEW Rampage," after Nese and Woods defeated Brian Pillman Jr. and Griff Garrison in tag team action, their manager "Smart" Mark Sterling revealed that he had copyrighted the name "Varsity" throughout professional wrestling, thus preventing Pillman Jr. and Garrison from utilizing the Varsity Blonds tag team name they have been using since 2020. Following the surprise announcement, Sterling revealed that his clients will be known as the Varsity Athletes moving forward. 

Neese and Woods teamed up for the first time on "AEW Dark: Elevation" on August 4, defeating Damian Chambers and Dean Alexander with ease. After losing to Swerve In Our Glory (Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland) in a Street Fight days later on "AEW Rampage," the duo went on an undefeated run before losing to Samoa Joe and Wardlow on the Grand Slam episode of "AEW Rampage" on September 23. Nese and Woods and Nese got back to their winning ways by overcoming the Varsity Blonds and Action Andretti and Myles Hawkins in tag team matches.