With The Rock fully back in the WWE fold as a member of the TKO Board of Directors, there are some new facts on the Final Boss’ WWE talent contract.
According to Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, there is some insight into the talent contract signed by the Rock when he joined the TKO Board back in January.
To begin, Dwayne Johnson is permitted to use “third party service providers in connection with developing concepts, scripts, and storylines” with WWE’s agreement. In that regard, WWE will reimburse Johnson’s Seven Bucks production firm for the costs of hiring these service producers.
The contract names only one person, whose identity is suppressed. Many assume this redacted identity to be the Rock’s longtime associate Brian Gerwitz, however that cannot be confirmed.
The Johnson Equity Award provides the Great One with a total of $30 million in TKO equity paid out in installments until 2025. As Thurston points out, it’s unclear whether this amount is guaranteed in the unlikely event that TKO/WWE decides to dismiss The Rock.
Johnson now owns his Rock name as well as some of his catchphrases and nicknames, and none of them can be used for political, tobacco, marijuana, pornography, medical items, or pop-up commercials unless Johnson first gives permission. On that note, at the end of 2023, the People’s Champion got $491,000 in royalties from the sale of things with the aforementioned names and slogans.
The Rock was last seen on WWE television on the Raw following WrestleMania XL, where he faced Cody Rhodes and said that he had to go for a while, but that he’ll be back for the American Nightmare when he returns. As for “go away for a while,” Dwayne Johnson is presently filming A24’s The Smashing Machine, in which he will play famed MMA fighter Mark Kerr.