The Rock Addresses Ownership of the Term “Jabroni”

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s most iconic wrestling catchphrases have become pop culture landmarks, but one word that fans constantly associate with him—jabroni—may not have actually started with him at all.

During his appearance on New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, The Rock was asked directly if he owns the word jabroni, a term often used in WWE to insult opponents and clueless authority figures alike. While Rock admitted it’s become part of his personal brand, he was quick to point the credit in another direction. After the Kelce brothers joked about using “Jabroni” as a nickname for their fans, The Rock responded:

“I do not own the word Jabroni. I think it’s just out there. I own the name The Rock… not Jabroni.”

Then, in true Rock fashion, he teased that the line between what he does and doesn’t own might be a little blurry:

“Wait — I might own that because I own everything associated with The Rock… like ‘It doesn’t matter,’ ‘If you smell…’”

But rather than take all the credit, The Rock gave a respectful nod to the man who truly made the term famous long before it ever left the locker room.

“Let me give him props — The Iron Sheik made that word famous. He used it, especially in the locker room. ‘Oh this jabroni, that jabroni.’ He would call people jabroni. That’s where I got it from.”

Even though jabroni is now officially in the Webster’s Dictionary—with The Rock getting the recognition—he was adamant that it’s The Iron Sheik who made it legendary.

“It’s actually in the Webster’s Dictionary now and I get the credit for it… but it’s really The Iron Sheik.”

The legacy of jabroni lives on, now used in locker rooms, sports arenas, memes, and press conferences around the world. And even though it’s forever tied to The Rock’s WWE run, he never forgets where it came from.

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