It is a name that has become almost synonymous with professional wrestling but its bearer, Dwayne Johnson, never legally owned "The Rock."
That will change in a new agreement with the WWE, under which Johnson also will join the board of TKO Group, the sports and entertainment company that houses WWE and UFC.
"The Rock" is a name derived from Johnson's father: WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson, the first Black champion in WWE history (alongside partner Tony Atlas), according the WWE.
Johnson, in an interview on CNBC, would not discuss the financial value of the deal with WWE but said the name "The Rock" means a lot to him personally.
"I owe that name everything," Johnson, a movie and wrestling star, said. "Without that name, there'd be no wrestling career. There'd be no Hollywood career."
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson participates in a Wrestlemania XXVII news conference Mar. 30, 2011, at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square in New York.
Johnson has a business portfolio that includes his production company Seven Bucks Productions, tequila brand Teremana Tequila, energy drink company ZOA Energy, Project Rock apparel brand and the United Football League.
Johnson said on CNBC that this will be his first time serving on the board of a publicly traded company.
"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."
Wrestler John Cena, top, chokes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at a Wrestlemania event April 7, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J.
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 recently appeared on World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.'s "Smackdown" and "Raw" television programs, with rumors swirling that he may compete at this year's WrestleMania.
TKO also announced Tuesday that Brad Keywell will become a board member. Keywell co-founded and led multiple companies, including Groupon, Echo Global Logistics, MediaOcean and Uptake Technologies, where he is founder and executive chairman.
The additions will increase TKO's board from 11 to 13 members.
Shares of TKO Group surged more than 19% in morning trading after TKO announced WWE's weekly television show "Raw" will move to Netflix next year as part of a major streaming deal worth more than $5 billion.
