Dwayne Johnson is a popular name in the entertainment industry and one of the highest-paid actors. Black Adam star has been part of Hollywood for a long time now and has given numerous hits like the Jumanji franchise, Central Intelligence, Fast and Furious series, and more. Though he has a strong presence as an actor, he was initially a professional wrestler with the moniker of The Rock. Johnson was one of the most popular and iconic wrestlers of WWE during the Attitude Era.
There have been rumors about The Rock taking over the ownership of WWE. The Jumanji star recently spoke on the topic and confirmed the news.
Dwayne Johnson to takeover WWE from Vince McMahon
There is no doubt that WWE has been an integral part of the career of Dwayne Johnson. The bodybuilder star wrestled for the WWE (earlier WWF) for eight years before pursuing an acting career. Johnson’s father Rocky Malvia, a professional wrestler himself, assisted him to secure a contract with the WWF in 1996.
Dwayne Johnson is a 10-time world champion, two-time Intercontinental Champion, and a five-time Tag Team Champion. He is also a 2000 Royal Rumble winner and WWE’s sixth Triple Crown champion. Thus, the actor’s attachment to WWE does not need any more explanation.
There have been rumors about WWE going bankrupt and that the authorities are planning to sell it off. And The Rock’s name has been popping up as a strong contender for saving the WWE. Vince McMahon is back as the chairman and there have been speculations for The Rock to take over the charge.
In an interview with CNBC, Johnson talked about the rumors of WWE being sold. He said,
“The fan base is very large and very passionate, and there’s nothing like the WWE. So, I think with the new owners, if there are new owners and acquirers that are gonna come in, I think they have to share that same passion for the company and for the world of pro wrestling, which isn’t always easy to do.”
With Johnson’s name in the forefront as one of the top buyers in the list, the fans of the actor and WWE have been rooting for him to take over.
Ari Emanuel and Vince McMahon’s merger deal
It was announced in April that Endeavor, which is the parent company of the UFC, has acquired the WWE. They have planned to form a new two-headed sports entertainment company that would be anchored by the two megabrands. Dana White remained the president of UFC, and Vince McMahon stayed as WWE’s executive chairman.
The new company would be overseen by Ari Emanuel, CEO at Endeavor. It would have a 51 percent controlling interest in a new company, and the former WWE shareholders would have control over the other 49 percent. The deal is valued at $21.4 billion.
Dwayne Johnson’s comment on UFC and WWE merger
In a recent interview with CNBC, Johnson spoke about the merger of WWE and UFC. The actor said that the merger would be smooth sailing as Ari Emanuel and Vince McMahon have known each other for a long time. The actor also shared about his tough times,
“This has been a long time coming. I remember my seven bucks moment, I had seven bucks in my pocket when I was cut from the Canadian football league. Vince had his seven bucks moment when he leverages everything he had for the first Wrestlemania. Years later he creates a merger with Ari, which is in billions of dollars. They are adamant about creating an incredible conglomerate that is going to entertain the masses. I am excited about this merger.”
Dwayne Johnson is focused on his acting for some time, but his heart has always been with WWE. With his recent comments on WWE, it seems probable that he is in the running to take on the wrestling giant company, WWE.
