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Omaha Steve

(99,073 posts)
Thu Jan 16, 2020, 12:56 AM Jan 2020

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 Johnson’s 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 son’s 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)


Read more: https://apnews.com/daa2e5b8ad1bf764f9307896afa8cba5

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Wrestler Rocky Johnson, Dwayne Johnson's father, dead at 75 (Original Post) Omaha Steve Jan 2020 OP
RIP Wabbajack_ Jan 2020 #1
He comes from a family of wrestlers ripcord Jan 2020 #4
I remember him. JohnnyRingo Jan 2020 #2
For a wrestler from the steroid era, 75 is like 100 Polybius Jan 2020 #3

ripcord

(5,084 posts)
4. He comes from a family of wrestlers
Thu Jan 16, 2020, 09:56 AM
Jan 2020

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

(18,581 posts)
2. I remember him.
Thu Jan 16, 2020, 03:00 AM
Jan 2020

and I rarely watched wrestling. Didn't know that was Duane's dad.

Seems to have died relatively young.

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