In a move that’s sure to raise some eyebrows (and maybe a few fists), a recent trademark filing suggests that The Hurt Business could be making a comeback—but this time, outside the WWE ring. Wrestling fans, brace yourselves, because the team once known for their no-nonsense, beatdown-bringing style might just be ready to turn up the heat under a new name: “The Hurt Syndicate.”
Yes, you read that right! The USPTO records show that on August 14, a company called Totally Harmless Concept LLC—sounds trustworthy, right?—filed for the trademark “The Hurt Syndicate,” with plans to slap that name on all sorts of merchandise. If that name rings a bell, it’s because this same company filed trademarks for “MVP” and “Ghetto Strong Style” back in 2013, although those were eventually left in the dust. Could this be a new beginning for some familiar faces?
Rumors of a reunion have been swirling ever since Bobby Lashley and MVP found themselves in the free-agent pool. After months of speculation and contract limbo, it looks like their time in WWE has officially ended, with both men being quietly moved to the Alumni section of WWE’s website—a digital send-off, if you will. And with Shelton Benjamin already out the door after his 2023 release, it’s looking more and more like The Hurt Business (or should we say Syndicate?) might be getting back together to cause havoc elsewhere.
The last few months haven’t been too kind to these former WWE stars. Since Triple H took the reins of WWE’s creative, MVP and Lashley have been about as visible as Bigfoot, with MVP last seen managing Omos before WrestleMania 40 and Lashley’s last match being at a live event in May. And let’s not forget MVP’s pointed remarks about why The Hurt Business never got its much-deserved reunion under Triple H, hinting that there were some, shall we say, “creative differences” rooted in more than just storyline decisions.
But now, with “The Hurt Syndicate” potentially in play, we could be seeing the band back together—just with a new name and possibly a new attitude. After all, the world of wrestling is full of surprises, and if there’s one thing The Hurt Business was known for, it was making an impact. Who knows where they’ll show up next, but one thing’s for sure: the wrestling world better stay on high alert, because business might just be about to pick up again.