Dwayne Johnson, The Trock, TKO Holdings

Dwayne Johnson Is Now Owner Of 25 Names And Catchphrases, Including ‘If You Smell What The Rock Is Cooking’

Under the agreement Dwayne Johnson signed, he was given the rights to names like "The Rock" along with 24 other names and phrases


It was announced in January that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had joined the board of directors of the company that owns World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), TKO Group Holdings. Under Johnson’s agreement with the group, he was given the trademark to his moniker, “The Rock.” Now, he is the owner of 24 more phrases and names that have been associated with him throughout his illustrious wrestling career.

The TKO Group has transferred the intellectual property rights to several names and catchphrases wrestling fans have heard over the years from Johnson while wrestling in the WWE. In a Feb. 27 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company divulged the 24 names and taglines given to Johnson that the WWE previously owned.

The items were transferred to the Jumanji actor based on an agreement from TKO when he acquired logos and service marks as well as “all other nicknames, caricatures, voice, signature, gestures, routines, costumes or parts of costumes, accessories [and] crowns” that were attributed to him as a WWE performer.

Johnson is now the owner of the following:

“The Rock,” “Rocky Maivia,” “Team Corporate,” “Rock Nation,” “The Nation,” “Roody Poo,” “Candy Ass,” “Jabroni,” “If you smell what The Rock is cooking,” “The Samoan Sensation,” “The Blue Chipper,” “The Brahma Bull,” “The People’s Champion,” “The Great One,” “Know Your Role and Shut Your Mouth,” “Team Bring It,” “The Rock Just Bring It,” “The People’s Elbow,” “Rock Bottom,” “Finally, The Rock has come back to…,” “It doesn’t matter what…,” “Blue Hell,” “The millions… (and millions),” “Rockpocalypse,” “Project Rock” and “The most electrifying man in sports and entertainment.”

The previous announcement regarding Johnson joining the TKO Group’s Board of Directors stated that the company would help with his promotional, licensing, and other services regarding intellectual property.

Johnson’s appointment to the board included receiving $30 million in TKO stock that vests in “installments through the end of 2025, for a promotional services contract.” The actor also received $491,000 in royalty payments from WWE in 2023 and “will continue to receive such annual royalties from WWE and will be entitled to receive royalties in connection with the sale of licensed products that utilize the Assigned IP and his name, likeness and other intellectual property rights in accordance with the Services Agreement,” per the SEC filing.


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