WWE and John Cena are being sued over a sample used in his entrance theme, “My Time Is Now.” The lawsuit claims the horn arrangement in the intro and outro was copied from a 1974 recording arranged by Canadian bandleader Pete Schofield. The complaint was filed by Schofield’s daughter, Kim Schofield, who owns the copyrights to that arrangement.
She says she settled with WWE in 2017 for $50,000, but now alleges the company withheld information during those negotiations. The lawsuit names WWE, TKO, Cena, producer Jake One (Jacob Brian Dutton), music publisher Pix-Russ Music, and Cynthia Jo Russell as defendants.
The claim states that the horn elements used in Cena’s theme were not part of the original Bobby Russell song and were sampled by Dutton in 2003 to create Cena’s theme. Schofield seeks to invalidate the 2017 settlement, claims damages exceeding $150,000, and cites WWE’s 2019 release of the song under the title “The Champ Is Here” as a contract violation.
Legal Battle Over John Cena’s “The Time Is Now” Samples
“The Time Is Now” was produced by Jake One and released by Columbia Records and WWE Music Group. The song also includes samples from M.O.P.’s 2000 track “Ante Up,” which itself sampled Sam & Dave’s “Soul Sister, Brown Sugar.” Previous disputes over these samples have occurred, including a 2008 lawsuit by M.O.P., which was later dropped.
Schofield says her family learned of Cena’s use of the song in 2015 and settled in 2017, but later realized they owned publishing rights to parts of the 1974 recording. She claims WWE misled her about the settlement’s scope and about licensing the sample from Bobby Russell’s heirs. The lawsuit also names Russell’s heirs, alleging they have been collecting royalties that Schofield believes are hers.
Legally, Schofield’s case may face challenges. Decade-old claims could be barred by the statute of limitations or the earlier settlement. Covers usually grant rights only to the recording, not the underlying composition, making ownership of publishing rights a complex question. Representatives for Cena and WWE have not publicly commented.
John Cena vs. Gunther Set for Final WWE Match at Saturday Night’s Main Event
John Cena will have his final WWE match on December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C. His opponent will be Gunther, who earned the spot by winning “The Last Time is Now” tournament. Gunther defeated LA Knight in the finals on the December 5 episode of SmackDown.
Gunther, known as “The Ring General,” previously defeated Goldberg in a retirement match. Cena, called “The Greatest of All Time,” is expected to give a tough fight, making this match a high-profile clash between WWE’s past and future stars.
Cena retired from in-ring WWE competition at SummerSlam last year and went on a worldwide retirement tour. During the tour, he wrestled past rivals like Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, and CM Punk and turned heel for the first time in his career. As a heel, he defeated Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41 to win his 17th world championship. He later returned to being a fan favorite before his SummerSlam rematch against Rhodes.
FAQs
Q. Who filed the lawsuit against WWE and John Cena?
A. Kim Schofield, daughter of Canadian bandleader Pete Schofield, filed the lawsuit over the horn arrangement in Cena’s entrance theme.
Q. What is the lawsuit about?
A. The lawsuit claims that the horn elements in “My Time Is Now” were copied from a 1974 recording and that WWE withheld information during a 2017 settlement.
Q. Who else is named in the lawsuit?
A. The lawsuit names WWE, TKO, John Cena, producer Jake One, music publisher Pix-Russ Music, Cynthia Jo Russell, and Bobby Russell’s heirs.
Q. Who will face John Cena in his final match?
A. “The Ring General” Gunther will face John Cena at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
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