WWE vs. wine school; trademark smackdown!

By Eriq Gardner

World Wrestling Entertainment has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Wine School of Philadelphia over a wine series that was to be called "Sommelier Smackdown."

The WWE claims trademark rights to the term "smackdown" and wants to cork the school's attempt to hold a competition that pits a professional sommelier's food and wine pairings against those of a member of the Wine School team.

According to our sober investigative efforts, in August 2005 the WWE filed for a trademark on "Friday Night Smackdown," the show that garners more than 3 million viewers each week. That's three years earlier than the Wine School's registration attempt and also beats Stellar Productions' attempt to trademark "Movie Smackdown." 

Looks like WWE chairman Vince McMahon has an edge in this trademark battle, but perhaps the Wine School can show their mark won't confuse consumers or dilute the WWE mark.

In a press release, Wine School founder Keith Wallace challenges McMahon and WWE superstar Chris Jericho to a wine-tasting double-team cage match, saying, "They don't have a leg to stand on. I am not going to bow down to a bully."