WWE Removes Jey Uso's Yeet / Kasey Huffman Yeet Trademark Dispute

Overview

WWE Removes Jey Uso's Yeet or Kasey Huffman Yeet Trademark Dispute refers to the controversy surrounding the copyright and trademark dispute between professional wrestler Jey Uso, and his usage of the slang term yeet in merchandising and as a catchphrase, and indie wrestler Kasey Huffman, who has owned the trademark to the word since 2021. The policy from the WWE to no longer use the term came down during the December 4th, 2023, episode of RAW, leading to fan backlash online over its removal and posting memorials to the "Yeet Era" of Jey Uso.

Background

On October 8th, 2023, at a press conference, pro wrestler Jey Uso used the word "yeet." The press conference was later used in memes, with a short edit of it being uploaded to YouTube by the channel Rawb^[1] later that night, which showed Uso's use of the word in the clip (shown below).

On December 4th, 2023, it was confirmed during the episode of RAW that the word "yeet" had trademark issues attached to it, and therefore Jey Uso wouldn't be allowed to use it in merchandising or as his catchphrase from that moment onward. This news was first reported by the X account @WrestleVotes,^[2] where it gained over 2,000 likes in two hours for informing wrestling fans (shown below).

According to the sports website SportsManor,^[5] the trademark owner of the catchphrase "yeet" is pro wrestler Kasey Huffman, who has reportedly wrestled in the All-Star Wrestling (ASW) and held the trademark right to the word "yeet" since 2021. Huffman’s ring name is also reportedly "Huffmanly, The Leader of the #YEET Movement."

Online Reactions

Fan reaction and backlash to the announcement were immediate, with many wrestling fans seemingly liking Jey Uso's use of yeet and subsequently expressing their displeasure with the news shortly after. For example, on December 4th, 2023, the X account @JulianWks^[3] uploaded a picture of a tombstone with the word yeet and the dates of Uso's usage of it written on it. In the epitaph, it says that it was more than a word, it was a movement, showing the love fans had for it (shown below).

Other wrestling fans mourned the end of an era by posting their favorite "yeets," with X user @rhodecross^[4] uploading a compilation of yeets on December 5, with a gray filter and funeral music played on top of it, earning over 400 likes in one hour (shown below).

Search Interest

External References