Dwayne Johnson doesn't play checkers. he plays chess, thanks to his deal with TKO Holdings.
When The Rock asks the millions and MILLIONS of fans around the world if they “smell what the rock's cooking?” or uses some of his other catchphrases and nicknames, he can do so knowing that he owns the copyright to them.
It has been detected VarietyDwayne Johnson has earned the rights to a plethora of nicknames, insults, and catchphrases that he famously used during his wrestling career, including “Candy Ass” and “Jabroni.”
Per Variety:
As announced last month, Johnson owns the rights to his famous ring, “The Rock.” In its Feb. 27 10-K filing with the SEC, TKO revealed two dozen additional names and taglines — previously owned by WWE — that are now under Johnson's control.
Here's the full list: 'The Rock', 'Rocky Maivia', 'Team Corporate', 'Rock Nation', 'The Nation', 'Roody Poo', 'Candy Ass', 'Jabroni', 'If You Smell What The The rock cooks”, “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, Rock's Back in…”, “No Matter What…”, “Blue Hell”, “The Millions … (and Millions), “Rockpocalypse,” “Project Rock,” and “The Most Electrifying Man in Sports and Entertainment.”
As part of his deal with TKO, the parent company of the Vince McMahon-less WWE, he now also owns the rights to “all other nicknames, caricatures, voice, signature, gestures, routines, costumes or costume parts, accessories [and] crowns,” he used during his beloved wrestling career.
The Rock went bust with this deal.