Update On Trademark Ownership Of ‘Ultimo Dragon’ Name

Yoshihiro Asai, better known as Ultimo Dragon, filed an application with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) to trademark his legendary ring name in the United States. Asai filed the application on Saturday. The filing states the trademark is to be used for "entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer."

Ultimo Dragon's ring name had previously been trademarked in the US by WWE from 2003-2015. "El Ultimo Dragon" was briefly trademarked by Univision. With an appearance already lined up at Philadelphia's Expo Lucha convention later this week, the filing suggests that Asai is looking to use the Ultimo Dragon name in the United States. Dragon has mainly been wrestling in Japan's Dragongate promotion as of late.

Originally debuting in 1987, Asai debuted as "Ultimo Dragon" in 1991 in Mexico's CMLL. Under the shining hood, he caught the eye of World Championship Wrestling, where he was a two-time WCW Television Champion, as well as a two-time WCW Cruiserweight Champion. Dragon's first reign with the Cruiserweight Title united it with the eight other titles that Ultimo Dragon was holding at the time, as J-Crown Champion across the NJPW, Michinoku Pro, NWA, CMLL, WAR & WWF promotions.

During this period, Dragon also founded the Toryumon project, which was made up of the students from his Ultimo Dragon Gym. After the end of WCW and the initial end of Toryumon, Ultimo Dragon went to WWE for just a year. Afterward, he returned to Japan, and then even resumed training. One of Ultimo Dragon's most accomplished students is current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada.