*The father of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson died on Wednesday at age 75.
World Wrestling Entertainment confirmed the news of Canadian professional wrestler Rocky Johnson’s death on their website, writing, “WWE is saddened to learn that Rocky “Soul Man” Johnson (born Wayde Douglas Bowles), a WWE Hall of Famer, former World Tag Team Champion, and father of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has passed away at age 75.”
Sports journalist and editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Dave Meltzer first broke the news on Twitter, writing, “What horrible news, Rocky Johnson passed away, Dwayne’s father. Our best to Dwayne, Ricky, Ata and the entire family.”
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Rocky, member of the WWE Hall of Fame, was born in Nova Scotia, Canada as Wayde Douglas Bowles. He began his wrestling career at age 16 and went on to win several championships throughout the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, including the National Wrestling Alliance Georgia Champion, PEOPLE reports.
In 1983 he joined the WWE and began wrestling with Tony Atlas. As the first Black American tag team, the duo became known as The Soul Patrol and won the World Tag Team Championship in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
Rocky retired in 1991 but went on to train his son Dwayne to become a wrestler.
He is survived by his sons, Dwayne and Curtis, and daughter Wanda. The cause of death is not currently known.
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