Wrestler Rocky Johnson, Dwayne Johnson's father, dead at 75
Source: AP
By DAN GELSTON
Rocky Soulman Johnson, a WWE Hall of Fame wrestler who became better known as the father of actor Dwayne The Rock Johnson, has died. He was 75.
WWE issued a statement on Johnsons death Wednesday night. Johnson and Tony Atlas became the first black world tag team champions in WWE history when they defeated The Wild Samoans on Dec. 10, 1983.
A loss for every fan of @WWE, Rocky Johnson was a barrier-breaking performer. Our thoughts are with his family at this time, WWE executive and wrestler Paul Triple H Levesque tweeted.
Johnson later helped train his son, who adopted the Rocky moniker from his father. Johnson came to his sons aid after a match at WrestleMania in 1997. The Rock inducted his father into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008.
In this undated photo provided by WWE, Inc., "Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews Rocky "Soul Man" Johnson. Johnson, a WWE Hall of Fame wrestler who became better known as the father of actor Dwayne The Rock Johnson, died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020. He was 75. (WWE, Inc. via AP)
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Wabbajack_
(1,300 posts)I didn't know his dad was a wrestler too.
ripcord
(5,408 posts)His maternal grandfather was High Chief Peter Maivia and through him he was related to the Anoa'i family which has produced a large number of well known Samoan wrestlers.
JohnnyRingo
(18,636 posts)and I rarely watched wrestling. Didn't know that was Duane's dad.
Seems to have died relatively young.
Polybius
(15,428 posts)So many have passed away way too soon.