UFC champion Conor McGregor fights back with trademark opposition

Mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor has fought back against a European Union trademark (EUTM) application that uses his name.

Manchester-based Tabassum Gazala Khan filed an application to trademark ‘Conor McGregor the Notorious’ in July this year.

The application, filed on July 23, covers classes 3, 8, 9, 14, 16, 18, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 35, 41, 43 and 44, which cite goods including jewellery, clothing and beer.

Just days earlier, Khan filed three UK trademark applications: ‘Conor the Notorious McGregor’, ‘Conor McGregor the Notorious’ and ‘The Notorious Conor McGregor’.

Khan also formed a company called Conor McGregor the Notorious in the same month and, according to  The Independent newspaper, has registered the following websites: conormcgregorthenotorious.com, conorthenotoriousmcgregor.com and thenotoriousconormcgregor.net.

Law firm FR Kelly, on behalf of McGregor, filed an opposition to the EUTM application on Thursday, November 3.

It claimed that McGregor had, through his use of the trademarks ‘Conor McGregor’ and ‘The Notorious’, “built up a substantial reputation” such that use of the applied-for trademark would take “unfair advantage of, or be detrimental to, the distinctive character or the repute”.

McGregor is the current featherweight champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.