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Dwayne Johnson has solidified his name in the world of fighters as well as the world of entertainment as the undisputed tough guy. “The Rock” returned to the WWE after a brief hiatus and it seems like he has already earned the trust of their parent company as Johnson is now a significant part of the TKO group. But why did the TKO group make “The Rock” a part of its management? Well, the obvious answer is his popularity but a UFC insider revealed that the 10x World Champion is getting much more out of the deal than one can imagine.
The news came as a surprise for many as no one was expecting The People’s Champion to hold such a big responsibility in the organization. UFC’s fighter-turned-insider, Big John McCarthy explained why both parties would benefit from the partnership. “I think it’s a perfect match up because he is involved with the UFC already. He was absolutely involved with the WWE; he’s one of their biggest stars…Okay, every one of us is gonna make mistakes…But I do believe he’s got a good name for the most part.”
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He further added, “I’m part of the real fighting world too, you know, this, and I think it helps him. It helps his brand. It’s going to help his brand even more, you know, being part of both of those. So, I think it’s a good thing for both him, and I think it’s a good thing for TKO.”
McCarthy emphasized that Johnson’s involvement in the board would not only help him but also help the company maintain its image as well. Fighter-turned-actor Dwyane Johnson was inducted as a board member of TKO Holdings (the parent company of UFC and WWE) earlier this week.
Dwayne Johnson officially owns “The Rock”
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“Being on the TKO Board of Directors, and taking full ownership of my name, “The Rock”, is not only unprecedented, but incredibly inspiring as my crazy life is coming full circle,” said Johnson in a statement.
It might come as a surprise for everyone that Dwyane Johnson never actually owned the name. Till last week, WWE was the sole owner of that moniker. However, Johnson’s dealing with the TKO Group Holdings also included the complete ownership of his name.
After the hubbub, “The Rock” said “I’m very motivated to help continue to globally expand our TKO, WWE and UFC businesses as the worldwide leaders in sports and entertainment — while proudly representing so many phenomenal athletes and performers who show up every day putting in the hard work with their own two hands to make their dreams come true and deliver for our audiences.”
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Johnson, although not actively involved in wrestling since 2016, surprised fans by showing up on WWE Raw earlier this month. This has fueled speculation about a potential return to the ring, and there’s even talk of a match against his cousin, WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. This epic showdown is being discussed for WrestleMania 40 in April.