How come some wrestlers are allowed to use their ring names outside of the WWE but others can't ?

[jminter2698]

When Hulk Hogan went to WCW and later TNA outside of his WWE career why he was able to use his Hulk Hogan name ? Even when he did movies he was always "Hulk Hogan" and never Terry Bollea. The Rock had also used his wrestling name in his movies in the earlier half of his movie career but it's only in more recent years he's been known under his actual name Dwayne Johnson. What's up with that ?

 

[Mr. Roman Empire]

WWE typically owns the rights and trademarks for wrestlers character names. Thats why most wrestlers have a made up name and dont use their real ones.

When Dwayne Johnson used the name The Rock in his movies, he had to get special permission from WWE to do so. Hogan, im not so sure about.

When WWE wrestlers go to another company, they are not legally aloud to use their WWE name, unless an agreement is made for them to have rights to the trademark. I think Ryback went through a loophole and actually legally changed his name so he could use it if im not mistaken lol

 

[Jay-Ashley]

Copyright.

 

[Doxo]

If WWE invents it, you can't use it. WWE didn't invent Hulk Hogan, WWE didn't invent Samoa Joe, WWE didn't invent CM Punk, ect. WWE did invent, say, Evan Bourne, which is why he has to be Matt Sydal now