AEW files ‘Captain Insano’ trademark ahead of potential Paul Wight return

  • Ian Carey
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Paul Wight’s character from The Waterboy could be headed to AEW soon. 

According to documents on the US Patent & Trademark Office website, AEW filed to trademark “Captain Insano” for wrestling purposes on Friday, January 24, 2025. It’s the second trademark on the term AEW has sought. In 2021, AEW also filed to trademark the name, but for different purposes. 

In 2021, AEW filed for Captain Insano to trademark the term for video games and digital media. The purposes of the filing were listed as: “Video game cartridges and discs featuring wrestling games; Digital media, namely, pre-recorded DVDs, downloadable audio and video recordings, and CDs featuring and promoting wrestling; Downloadable video game software featuring wrestling games; Recorded video game software featuring wrestling games.”

Yesterday’s filing was to trademark the term for “performances by a professional wrestler,” suggesting the most recent application was made in advance of the character possibly performing in-ring. 

“CAPTAIN INSANO identifies Paul Wight, a living individual whose consent is made of record,” reads the filing.

Wight debuted as Captain Insano in the 1998 Adam Sandler film The Waterboy. He appeared under the gimmick again recently at the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards in November. In full wrestling gear, Wight appeared on stage during Bailey Zimmerman’s performance of “New to Country.”

Wight hasn’t wrestled since the Jericho Cruise in January 2024. However, during an appearance on Downunder the Ring last September, Wight said he’s hoping to get back in the ring soon following partial reconstructive knee surgery last year. He wants to portray Captain Insano on the last run of his career. 

“Captain Insano was a pretty cool gift. Tony Khan worked it out, got the intellectual property rights for me. So we’ve been waiting to pull the trigger on that. Just to be honest, a lot of it’s been my fault. Having surgeries and stuff like that. So it’s about me getting in the gym, training, getting ready [to] where I feel comfortable. Because it’s basically a one-shot run.You know, I can’t pull the trigger on this half-assed and go out and fail. When I pull the trigger on Captain Insano, it’s gotto be 100 percent we run that until the wheels fall off and then we ride off into the sunset.”