Thesis.com: The $100K Domain Matt Mullenweg Bought to Block His Rival

In 2014, Matt Mullenweg—co-founder of WordPress and one of the most influential figures in open-source software—made a domain purchase that had nothing to do with building a business.

He bought Thesis.com for $100,000.

According to Chris Pearson, the developer of the Thesis WordPress theme, Matt bought the domain for one reason: to prevent Chris from owning it.

This wasn't business. It was domain warfare.

The Thesis Theme

Chris Pearson created Thesis, a premium WordPress theme that became one of the most popular commercial themes in the WordPress ecosystem. It was powerful, customizable, and generated significant revenue for Chris through direct sales.

But there was a problem: Chris refused to license Thesis under the GPL (GNU General Public License), the open-source license that WordPress itself uses.

Instead, Chris used a proprietary license that gave him more control over how the theme was distributed and used. He argued that Thesis was an original creation and not a "derivative work" of WordPress, so the GPL shouldn't apply.

Matt Mullenweg strongly disagreed.

The GPL Battle

Matt believed that all WordPress themes and plugins are derivative works of WordPress. Since WordPress is GPL-licensed, anything built on top of it must also be GPL-licensed. That's how the license works.

Chris countered with legal arguments, citing an attorney's article titled "Why the GPL Does Not Apply to Premium WordPress Themes." His position: Thesis couldn't function without WordPress, but it was still an independent creation deserving its own license.

The dispute became philosophical: Can you build a proprietary business on top of an open-source platform? Where do you draw the line between derivative work and original creation?

Matt's stance was clear: if you're building on WordPress, you follow GPL rules. No exceptions.

The Infamous Debate

In July 2010, the conflict exploded into public view. Chris and Matt appeared together on a live podcast hosted by Andrew Warner on Mixergy, and the discussion quickly turned heated.

The debate became legendary in WordPress circles—not just for the technical arguments about licensing, but for the personal tension between the two founders. It was clear this wasn't just about legal interpretation. It was about principles, business models, and fundamentally different views on how open-source ecosystems should work.

Matt argued that developers could still profit from GPL-compliant themes by charging for support, updates, and premium features. The code could be open while the business remained viable.

Chris maintained that forcing GPL compliance would kill innovation and prevent developers from building sustainable businesses around WordPress products.

Neither side backed down.

The Domain Move

Eventually, Chris released a split-license version of Thesis—PHP code under GPL, while JavaScript and CSS remained proprietary. It was a compromise, though not one that resolved the underlying tensions.

But in 2014, four years after the infamous debate, Matt made a move that Chris claims was purely strategic: he bought Thesis.com for $100,000.

According to Chris, Matt bought the domain specifically to keep it out of Chris's hands. It wasn't about launching a competing product or building a new business. It was about controlling the brand space around "Thesis."

For Chris, who had built his business around the Thesis name, this was a power move—proof that the conflict had never really ended.

The Legacy

The Thesis vs. WordPress dispute left a lasting mark on the WordPress community. It forced developers to confront questions about:

• How GPL licensing applies to themes and plugins
• Whether proprietary businesses can coexist with open-source platforms
• What happens when commercial interests clash with open-source principles

Today, the WordPress theme directory only lists GPL-compliant themes, cementing Matt's vision for how the ecosystem should work. Developers who want exposure through official channels must follow GPL rules.

Chris Pearson's Thesis still exists as a proprietary product, but the domain Thesis.com? That belongs to Matt.

The Thesis.com acquisition is a rare example of strategic blocking: domains purchased not to build a business, but to prevent someone else from building theirs. For $100,000, Matt Mullenweg reportedly acquired not just a domain, but leverage in a long-running dispute with a former rival.

Whether you view this as a smart strategic move or a petty power play depends on your perspective. For Chris Pearson, it was a reminder that in domain disputes, the person with the deepest pockets—or the quickest trigger finger—often wins. And for Matt Mullenweg? It was a $100,000 insurance policy that Chris Pearson would never own the perfect domain for his flagship product.

You can follow Chris Pearson on Twitter at @pearsonified for more on his work with Thesis and views on WordPress development.