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“Gimmick Infringement”: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Threatened With Lawsuit for ‘Final Boss’ Character Before WrestleMania XL

Published 03/22/2024, 1:44 AM EDT

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For the past few weeks, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has been using the moniker the ‘Final Boss’. While this does hold weight in his feud with Cody Rhodes and in supporting The Bloodline, one WWE Legend believes this is gimmick infringement. The ‘Final Boss’ moniker has been a staple in the world of pro wrestling, with many taking up the mantle. So, is Johnson really stealing someone’s gimmick, or are people not talking about it because he sits on the Board of TKO?

The title of ‘Final Boss’ was used by Meiko Satomura, Ryan Davidson, and even Hall of Famer Booker T once used the gimmick. This is where his opinion on the matter comes into play. In his ‘Hall of Fame podcast’, Booker and Brad Gilmore addressed the issue of Johnson calling himself the ‘Final Boss.’ Gilmore stated, “Need to call gimmick infringement. You know what I mean for our guy, Ryan Davidson…”

To this, the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion responded that even he had used the moniker, and when others wanted to do so, they would call him for permission. Davidson worked in Impact Wrestling before moving to Booker’s own ‘Reality of Wrestling’ promotion, where he won the ROW Heavyweight Championship once.

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The WWE legend continued, “You know, Rock, though, he feels like, you know, since he on the board, he could do what he wants. But we gonna have to check his a*s and you know, lawsuit might be coming.” 

However, he added that he was willing to settle the matter out of court. Nevertheless, this is not a new topic that has come up in the limelight. Cody Rhodes too has denied that the Great One is the ‘final boss’ at WrestleMania. He stated that Johnson is not everyone’s favorite heel.

Amid all this, a loyal supporter of ‘The Rock’ denied claims that he had coined the term for the Hollywood star. What did he say?

Dwayne Johnson’s writer claims he did not come up with the ‘Final Boss’ title

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On the last episode of WWE RAW, Cody Rhodes took a shot at The Rock’s new persona. This came after Johnson criticized Rhodes’ mother on SmackDown. He claimed that Rock’s writer Brian Gewirtz had coined the term for him. Initially, many fans didn’t understand the Gewirtz reference Rhodes made, but once they did, they knew the fire was only getting bigger. However, Gewirtz was quick to take to social media and dismiss the claims.

On X, he wrote, ““Final Boss” isn’t anything I came up with @TheRock calls himself that because he is that. If it makes you feel better @CodyRhodes, I was the first to tell him about your spectacularly stupid goofy a*s dog.

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As per the information available, Gewirtz, a key figure in WWE Creative and a former WWE head writer holds a substantial role at The Rock’s ‘Seven Bucks Productions’ as the Senior Vice President of Development.

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Additionally, Johnson and Rhodes’ feud is now on the next level and appears quite personal. Plus, Johnson’s Hollywood persona seems to be seeping in, heading into WrestleMania XL. So, is the moniker gimmick infringement? Does Booker T have a point? Tell us your thoughts down below.

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Written by:

Christopher Paul

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Christopher Paul is a WWE reporter at EssentiallySports. With over eight years of experience as a writer and a childhood passion for pro wrestling, Chris is now a voice for kayfabe fans. He has a penchant for covering live events and enjoys breaking the latest developments in the WWE Universe.
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Edited by:

Amal Joyce