Ex-WWE star Ryback is threatening a legal war with Ezekiel Elliott ... claiming the Cowboys player has NO RIGHT to get a "Feed Me" trademark -- despite the RB's new tat.
"I'll tie him up for years," Ryback said this week. "He ain't using it. So he better get a good tattoo artist to go have him cover that sh*tty tattoo up on his stomach."
If you're unfamiliar, Ryback popularized the phrase "Feed Me More" during his time in the WWE -- and it became so big, crowds chanted it at arenas for YEARS.
Ryback claims he now owns the trademark for the phrase ... and when he heard Elliott applied for a similar "Feed Me" trademark this month, he was straight-up PISSED.
"This is exactly my phrase," Ryback said. "It's exactly. And it's the same meaning. And that will cause confusion."
Ryback says he believes Elliott -- a wrestling fanatic -- actually STOLE his whole "Feed Me" bit from watching him in the squared circle.
To be fair, this isn't anything new for Zeke ... he's been doing his "Feed Me" routine since he entered the NFL in 2016 -- and even got a massive tat on his belly to immortalize it this offseason.
Unclear how the trademark office will rule on the decision, but Ryback says he's more than willing to fight the legal battle against Elliott over the phrase.
In the meantime, he's slamming the NFL All-Pro for even attempting to make the move.
"I think it's low-life, scum sh*t, quite frankly," Ryback said ... "You're literally trying to latch onto somebody else's brand and then take it and make it your own."
Ryback continued, "It's like, come on, be a little more creative."