It is a name that has become almost synonymous with professional wrestling but its bearer, Dwayne Johnson, has never legally owned 鈥淭he Rock.鈥
That will change under a new agreement with the WWE under which Johnson will also join the board of TKO Group, the sports and entertainment company that houses WWE and UFC.
鈥淭he Rock鈥 is a name is derived from Johnson's father, WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson, who was the first Black champion in WWE history (alongside partner Tony Atlas), according the WWE.
Johnson, a movie and wrestling star, has a business portfolio that includes production company Seven Bucks Productions, tequila brand Teremana Tequila, energy drink company ZOA Energy, Project Rock apparel brand and the United Football League.
"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," Johnson said in a prepared statement. "I've been there, I'm still there and this is for them."
TKO Group Holdings Inc. says Johnson's board appointment, effective Tuesday, reflects its "commitment to delivering long-term value and strong performance for shareholders through strategic growth initiatives across both UFC and WWE."
Johnson began his wrestling career with WWE in 1996. The third-generation wrestler became famous for rivalries with wrestlers including "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Triple H and his finishing maneuver, The Rock Bottom, according to his biography on WWE's website. He has won eight WWE championships, has a New York Times bestselling autobiography, "The Rock Says," and starred in movies including "Fast X," "Black Adam," "Jungle Cruise" and "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle."
Johnson has recently appeared on World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.'s "Smackdown" and "Raw" television programs, with rumours swirling that he may compete at this year's WrestleMania.
"I am thrilled to partner with Dwayne and welcome his immense talent to TKO's Board," TKO CEO Ariel Emanuel said in a prepared statement. "Dwayne brings an incredible track record of creating content and building globally recognized consumer brands, and he will play a key role in realizing our ambitions for TKO."
TKO also announced Tuesday that Brad Keywell will become a board member. Keywell has co-founded and led multiple companies, including Groupon, Echo Global Logistics, MediaOcean, and Uptake Technologies, where he is currently founder and executive chairman.
The additions of Johnson and Keywell will increase TKO's board from 11 to 13 members.
Shares of TKO Group surged 20% at the opening bell after TKO announced WWE's weekly television show "Raw" will move to Netflix next year as part of a major streaming deal.
Lebanon's Hezbollah group confirmed on Saturday that its leader and one of its founders, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut the previous day
Here is an interactive hurricane map using live tracking data from the NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC), following Hurricane Helene's observed and forecasted paths.
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A 72-year-old inmate serving a life sentence for a brutal murder that happened in Chilliwack in 2016 has died, according to the Correctional Service of Canada.
For months, New York City Mayor Eric Adams 鈥 a former cop 鈥 refused to criticize the federal authorities investigating his administration. Not anymore.
An explosion at a gas station in Russia鈥檚 southern region of Dagestan killed at least 13 people and injured 23 others, officials said Saturday.
Seventeen people, including 15 women, were killed in two mass shootings that took place in close proximity to each other in a rural town in South Africa, police said Saturday.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz knows how to lean into abortion rights on the debate stage. He's done it before.
When two of his Republican rivals for an Ohio Senate seat nearly came to blows on live statewide television two years ago, JD Vance appeared unimpressed.
A paralegal at a New York City district attorney's office has been arrested after he attempted to make an explosive to bomb a migrant shelter located across from his apartment, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday.
Defence Minister Bill Blair says there is a ship in place near Lebanon, as well as 150 deployed additional Canadian Armed Forces members prepared for a military-assisted departure of stranded Canadians, if more violence in the region requires it.
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A former Canadian military reservist has been sentenced to house arrest after posting a video of himself firing a shotgun at a picture of a member of Parliament whom he accused of being a 'communist agent' for China.
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鈥婼ean 'Diddy' Combs wants to testify at his criminal trial for charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, according to his attorney.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said Friday it had fined Air Canada US$250,000 for operating flights in 2022 and 2023 in prohibited Iraqi airspace.
Canada's gross domestic product expanded at a faster-than-expected 0.2 per cent rate in July, driven by growth in retail trade and public sectors, but the economy likely stalled in August, Statistics Canada data showed on Friday.
Two weeks of testimony suggested the company responsible for an experimental deep-water submersible that imploded, killing five people, either recklessly ignored warning signs in the name of profits or represented the nation's explorer spirit in taking calculated risks to push humankind's boundaries.
It's often said there is a thin line between love and hate, but is it OK to sometimes hate your long-term partner? If you ask actress Jamie Lee Curtis, it's practically necessary.
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The Toronto Raptors have confirmed that Vince Carter's No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.
Canadian legend Christine Sinclair announced Friday that she will retire from playing professional soccer at the end of the season.
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A U.S. driver somehow squeezed her vehicle through a parkade hallway at a Metro Vancouver casino Thursday, before getting stuck at an elevator bank.
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A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
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Windsor, N.S. has long-claimed to be the 'birthplace of hockey.' Local historians believe the game has roots in the town, located in Nova Scotia鈥檚 Annapolis Valley.
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In the aftermath of a fire that destroyed Snow White Family Restaurant in Biggar Saskatchewan, a GoFundMe has been created to help the owner start over.
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A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
Windsor, N.S. has long-claimed to be the 'birthplace of hockey.' Local historians believe the game has roots in the town, located in Nova Scotia鈥檚 Annapolis Valley.
It's often said there is a thin line between love and hate, but is it OK to sometimes hate your long-term partner? If you ask actress Jamie Lee Curtis, it's practically necessary.
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Several heavily armed officers descended on a home in the southeast area of Barrie Thursday afternoon after reports of a man armed with a crossbow.
A multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 in Bradford caused some traffic backups ahead of the weekend.
Motorists planning to drive near the intersection of Essa Road and Anne Street South in Barrie over the weekend may have to pack their patience.
Windsor Fire Service is on the scene of a house fire in South Windsor this morning. A single family dwelling was reported to have been the location of an early morning fire.
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The sentencing for three men convicted of helping lead and coordinate the COVID-19 protest blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 has been delayed.
A 10-year-old boy from Lethbridge is being praised as a hero after a routine summer outing at the pool nearly turned tragic for his friend.
A man and woman have been charged after a Lethbridge ice creamery was broken into earlier this week. Staff arrived at Cookie Crimes, in the 300 block of Sixth Street South, just before 5:30 a.m. on Monday to discover the front window broken.
Thankfully, there were no fire calls Friday morning in Elliot Lake when the Stanley Cup arrived at the fire hall.
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At its meeting Oct. 1, city council in Sault Ste. Marie will vote on a staff recommendation to buy the former Sault Area Hospital site on Queen Street East and Lucy Terrace.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
Newfoundland and Labrador sponsored a minor football team in England, now they鈥檙e about to play one of the biggest clubs in European soccer.
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
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