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Tributes Pour in for The Undertaker Who Is Now Retired in Peace

By Mark Chalifoux
Undertaker Retires
(WWE)

After 30 years of greatness, the Undertaker can finally Rest in Peace (from the professional wrestling world). The iconic WWE superstar made his official final appearance as a wrestler at Sunday’s Survivor Series and got a hero’s send-off as he enters retirement. rid

It’s easy to love the ridiculousness of pro wrasslin’, especially if you grew up in the 80s or 90s. And there’s a reason it was deemed an essential business during the dark early days of the pandemic. But the sad truth behind professional wrestling is very few of its stars get a proper send-off into retirement. There are far more tragic early deaths and bittersweet controversies than proper salutes to legends, which is why Undertaker’s final show was so great.

You know a wrestler has impacted the pop culture fabric like few others when even SportsCenter gives a nod to your retirement. The Undertaker, Mark Calaway’s character he’s embodied for three decades of ups and downs, gave one last heartfelt farewell speech, saying:

“For 30 long years, I’ve made that slow walk to this ring and have laid people to rest time and time again. And now my time has come. My time has come to let The Undertaker rest in peace.”

In an extremely touching twist, the WWE used a hologram of the late Paul Bearer, Undertaker’s longtime manager, recreating their old pose.

It was a fitting end to a career that started 30 years ago at a much different Survivor Series show, but his character impacted pro wrestling like few before or after. And many greats of the wrestling world were quick to highlight that, as The Rock quickly fired off a touching tribute.

Vince McMahon summed up Taker’s impact fittingly: “The measuring stick. The locker room leader. The Phenom. Three decades ago today, Undertaker changed the landscape of sports-entertainment. His legacy is incomparable, his impact immeasurable, ” he wrote on Twitter.

Soon, the #ThankYouTaker hashtag took off, letting other WWE stars chime in with the impact he had, with praise from John Cena, Shawn Michaels (they had some classic matches together), Triple H, Ric Flair, and more.

A truly legendary career, and a retirement tribute fitting of one.

The Rock and Microsoft Unite To Gift Children’s Hospitals With Xbox Series X

By Yael Meshulam
The Rock and Microsoft unite to give children's hospitals Xbox Series X
(Twitter/Therock)

It’s never an easy time to be a kid stuck in the hospital, but because of COVID, it’s more isolating than ever. While there are some “normal” activities children in the hospital can still do, there aren’t a whole lot of resources dedicated to entertainment. On November 9, the night before the release of the Xbox Series X, good old The Rock (The good old Rock?) made an announcement that made it feel like Christmas Eve for kids in hospitals around the country. In a collaborative effort between The Rock and Microsoft, special edition Xbox Series Xs will be gifted to 20 hospitals.

This isn’t the first time The Rock has teamed up with Microsoft. In fact, during the initial release of the Xbox in 2001, The Rock appeared in an unintentionally hilarious commercial with Bill Gates to announce the new gaming system. Wearing itty bitty sunglasses and a suit that makes it look like he just stepped away from his job as a bouncer at a very questionable night club, The Rock (or just “Rock” as Bill Gates repeatedly calls him) shows off his teleprompter-reading skills and helps usher in a new era of gaming.

Now, The Rock has become a staple in pop culture and taken a much deeper dive into the world of acting. He’s experienced a huge amount of success, and that success has only given him more resources to show the world what an enormous sweetheart he really is. The Rock took to Twitter yesterday to share his latest Xbox news, but this time, with normal-sized sunglasses.

The caption explains, “20 yrs ago, @BillGates & I debuted the 1st @Xbox to the world! Now @Microsoft & I have are surprising some brave & awesome kids. With @GamersOutreach we are gifting 20 children’s hospitals one of a kind “ROCK XBOX Series X” consoles for 50,000+ kids!!
Keep smilin’
-DJ”

In the video, The Rock reminisces about that unforgettable Xbox launch in 2001, expressing gratitude for how closely he’s been able to work with the company over the years. The Rock and Microsoft have brought Xbox systems to kids who need some form of escape over the years, often kids who were sick and didn’t have the resources to get the gaming system themselves. Now, The Rock is doing it again – but this time, bigger.

Over the next year, special edition Xbox Series X systems featuring Johnson’s Brahma Bull logo will be donated to kids in 20 hospitals across the country, with the help of an organization called Gamer’s Outreach. The Xbox systems are also engraved with a very special message from the big-hearted star that reads, “Keep smiling and have fun. Love, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.”

It’s the mission of Gamer’s Outreach to provide games and software to help kids cope with the stressors of staying in the hospital, and with their help, portable gaming stations called GO Karts will be available so kids who aren’t able to leave their rooms can still play. Thanks to Microsoft, The Rock, and Gamer’s Outreach, over 50,000 hospitalized kids will be able to play the Xbox Series X.

To the kids who will receive the gaming systems, The Rock says, “I send you love, I send you strength, I send you mana, stay strong.”

The Rock Posts Throwback Photo Wearing Dad’s Wrestling Gear

By Yael Meshulam
The Rock shares photo dressed in dad's wrestling gear
(Instagram/therock)

Kids get a kick out of imitating their parents. Whether it’s relentlessly parroting everything they hear or dressing up in their dad’s uniform 5 minutes before he’s supposed to leave for work, kids are tiny mirrors (for better or for worse). Recently, our favorite wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson shared an adorable throwback photo of himself at 11 years old, dressed up in his late dad’s wrestling gear.

It’s not uncommon for kids to dream of doing what their parents do, given that it’s what they’ve grown up seeing every single day. What is uncommon is for the child of a pro wrestler to actually freaking become a pro wrestler. It’s not the type of gig you can get through nepotism – if you become a pro wrestler through the connections you have rather than your skill, you will straight up die in the ring. Fortunately, The Rock grew from a tiny pebble to the absolute tank of a human being we know and love.

Rocky Johnson, the “Original Rock,” passed away this year at age 75. Rocky was a legend and a trailblazer in the world of pro wrestling, becoming the first black Georgia Heavyweight Champion. In 1983, he won the World Tag Team Championship making Rocky Johnson and his partner Tony Atlas the WWE’s first ever black champions. Those were no small shoes to fill, but Dwayne Johnson got it done.

The Rock honored his late dad in the throwback photo he shared on Instagram, reminiscing about the days he used to dream of following in his incredible dad’s footsteps.

The caption read, “A lil’ throwback action to 1983, when I was 11 years old – I used to LOVE putting on my dad’s wrestling trunks, boots, jacket and championship belts – dreaming of one day becoming a pro wrestling champion.”

Joking about his not-yet-ripped bod he added, “Only thing I forgot to wear was my training bra!! C’mon afro tits, you’re gonna be late for school!”

It’s no secret that Dwayne Johnson is a family man, so losing his dad earlier this year was an especially big blow. Johnson posted a beautiful tribute to his own personal hero, and continues to keep his memory alive.

“I love you,” Johnson captioned the video. “You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru this world. I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

I love you. You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru this world. I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar. The boy you raised to always be proud of our cultures and proud of who and what I am. The boy you raised with the toughest of love. The intense work. The hard hand. The adoring boy who wanted to know only your best qualities. Who then grew to become a man realizing you had other deeply complicated sides that needed to be held and understood. Son to father. Man to man. That’s when my adoration turned to respect. And my empathy turned to gratitude. Grateful that you gave me life. Grateful you gave me life’s invaluable lessons. Dad, I wish I had one more shot to tell you, I love you, before you crossed over to the other side. But you were ripped away from me so fast without warning. Gone in an instant and no coming back. Im in pain. But we both know it’s just pain and it’ll pass. Now I’ll carry your mana and work ethic with me, as it’s time to move on because I have my family to feed and work to accomplish. Finally, I want you to rest your trailblazing soul, Soulman. Pain free, regret free, satisfied and at ease. You lived a very full, very hard, barrier breaking life and left it all in the ring. I love you dad and I’ll always be your proud and grateful son. Go rest high. #ripsoulman #rockyjohnson 🐐

A post shared by therock (@therock) on

The full caption is well worth a read, but ultimately, The Rock’s Instagram posts paint a picture of a boy who loved his dad. He admired him, looked up to him, and love him with all his heart. Looking back at the photo of The Rock as a small boy, we see a kid who wanted to be just like his dad – as so many do. And even though Rocky Johnson is no longer here, Dwayne is carrying on his legacy. And undoubtedly, Rocky Johnson was one proud dad.

The Rock Releases XFL Hype Video, Announces Spring 2022 Return

By Mark Chalifoux
XFL The Rock
(Twitter/TheRock)

Not long after ripping down a gate and getting roasted by Ryan Reynolds, The Rock took to Twitter to announce the return of the XFL, in 2022. Dwayne Johnson, who bought the sports league with partners Redbird Capital Partners and Dany Garcia in August after Vince McMahon ran it into bankruptcy, announced spring 2022 would be when their teams retake the field. Previously, they had considered playing a 2021 season in a one-city bubble, but the ownership group didn’t want to rush things and lose their opportunity to do it right.

Johnson said in his statement, “As owners, we’re proud to champion our XFL players, coaches, cities and fans into an electrifying 2022 season! It’s an uphill battle – but we’re hungry, humble and no one will outwork us. A league of culture, passion, and purpose.”

He also included a pretty strong hype video.

“This will be earned. We’ll give it every last energy of football energy we have in the tank…” the league said in its video. “This is for the players, the coaches, the cities, the fans. We are hungry, we are humble and no one will outwork us. The XFL is back. Back for the love of football.”

COVID crushed the XFL season, which was very entertaining, in its infancy. Then the entire workforce was basically laid off before filing for bankruptcy. The XFL’s president said in a press release the league didn’t want to rush its return and lose the momentum the new ownership group was building.

“For the love of football and for the safety of our players and fans, we’ll be back on the field in 2022,” he said. “The opportunity before us is too big to rush back. We want to do this properly with care and thought for everyone who loves football.”

Spring 2022, life should be back to normal (or something close to it). And I’ve got no doubt The Rock can succeed where that jabroni McMahon failed. And even if he doesn’t, it will be an entertaining go of it.

Ryan Reynolds’ Response to The Rock Ripping Down a Gate is Remarkable

By Yael Meshulam
Ryan Reynolds responds to The Rock tearing down his gate
(Instagram/therock)

Long before taking on the role of Black Adam, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been known for his incredible physical strength. Wrestling with the WWF for nearly a decade and appearing in over 50 movies, The Rock has become our favorite gentle giant. Though the dude looks like the human equivalent of a tank, he has an enormous heart and only uses his superhuman strength for good.

On Saturday, The Rock took to Instagram to share the saga of a metal gate that had the misfortune of getting on his bad side. Evidently, the Black Adam star was about to leave for work when he realized the large metal gate in front of his house wouldn’t open. For most of us, a service person would be our only route to freedom. But most of us don’t have biceps the size of a small child, or the spare cash to buy a new gate every time it malfunctions. Well, the rock has both – so he took matters into his own Hulk-like hands.

He said in his Instagram post, “Not my finest hour, but a man’s gotta go to work.” He explained, “We experienced a power outage due to severe storms, causing my front gate not to open. I tried to override the hydraulic system to open the gates, which usually works when power goes out – but this time it wouldn’t.”

 

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Not my finest hour 🤦🏽‍♂️, but a man’s gotta go to work. We experienced a power outage due to severe storms, causing my front gate not to open. I tried to override the hydraulic system to open the gates, which usually works when power goes out – but this time it wouldn’t. Made some calls to see how fast I can get the gate tech on site, but I didn’t have 45min to wait. By this time, I know I have hundreds of production crew members waiting for me to come to work so we can start our day. So I did what I had to do. I pushed, pulled and ripped the gate completely off myself. Tore it out of the brick wall, severed the steel hydraulics and threw it on the grass. My security team was able to meet the gate technician and welders about an hour later — and they were apparently, “in disbelief and equally scared” 🤣 Not my finest hour, but I had to go to work. And I think I’m 💯 ready to be #blackadam 😄💪🏾 #ripgates

A post shared by therock (@therock) on

With a set full of production crew members waiting on him, he didn’t have time for a service person to come fix the gate. “So I did what I had to do,” he said. “I pushed, pulled and ripped the gate completely off myself. Tore it out of the brick wall, severed the steel hydraulics and threw it on the grass.”

The post continued, “My security team was able to meet the gate technician and welders about an hour later — and they were apparently, ‘in disbelief and equally scared.’”

Hopefully, they left the torn-down gate in the grass as a warning to all future gates that may decide to stop working at inopportune times. The Rock Concluded, “Not my finest hour, but I had to go to work. And I think I’m 💯 ready to be #blackadam.”

It wasn’t long before our favorite smartass, and nice guy, Ryan Reynolds, showed up in the comments to provide some helpful info. “The gate opened the OTHER way,” Reynolds explained, lovingly trolling a man who could break him in half with one metal-crushing hand.

The Rock later posted a video of the damage, showing the busted hinge and the absolutely destroyed metal gate lying lamely on the ground.

 

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Well here’s the destruction 🤦🏽‍♂️ I left behind after pulling my gates off myself and going to work. This footage was taken from my security after I had already left and he arrived on the scene. The second video is of our technicians and welders carrying one of the gates and placing it gently in the grass. As you guys know from my last post, there was a power outage at my house, causing my gates to not open. Sure as hell wasn’t my best hour, but there were a lot of people waiting for me at work so I did what I had to do, hopped in my pick up and went to work. Maybe next time I’ll just hop the gates and call an Uber. Actually, no I won’t. There’s no fun in that 😈 Jokes aside, THANK YOU to the techs and welders who mobilized very quickly in the morning to come over and take care of the destruction. Thank you, gentlemen. Just one of those days where I wasn’t in the mood. We’ve all been there. 🥃 #ripgates

A post shared by therock (@therock) on

“Maybe next time I’ll just hop the gates and call an Uber,” The Rock considered. “Actually, no I won’t. There’s no fun in that.”

“Jokes aside,” he continued, “THANK YOU to the techs and welders who mobilized very quickly in the morning to come over and take care of the destruction. Thank you, gentlemen. Just one of those days where I wasn’t in the mood. We’ve all been there.”

Sure, we’ve all been there. I mean, not EXACTLY there, but we get it. We’re all a little on edge these days, sometimes all it takes is one more little thing going wrong for us to become completely unhinged.

The Rock Gifts New Running Shoes To Local Firefighters

By Mike Julianelle
The Rock Gifts Shoes to Firefighters
(Instagram/therock)

The Rock has had a busy year.

His dad passed away. He bought the XFL. He got COVID. He watched as a word he popularized made it into the dictionary.

Through it all, even through COVID, my man has been on social media being a force for good and just generally making people happy. His latest efforts? Buying new shoes for first responders.

Two days ago, the superstar shared a video on Instagram of a bunch of new shoes being delivered to firefighters in Ridgefield, New Jersey, at Engine #2. He teamed up with Under Armour and the First Responders Children’s Foundation, a New York nonprofit that provides financial support for children and families of first responders, to provide pairs of his new Project Rock PR3s.

In the video, Jillian Crane, president of the foundation, reads the letter The Rock sent along with his gift, thanking them for their efforts.

“During these tough times you’ve protected our families, our loved ones and our communities,” he wrote. “As a small mahalo for all that you do, from myself and Under Armour, here’s my newly released Project Rock PR3s. Hopefully these will help the hardest workers in the room kick ass even more.”

The Rock added more in his caption to the video, again thanking the firefighters for putting themselves in harm’s way to help others.

“Glad you (bad asses) got my note – Ridgefield Fire Department,” he wrote in the caption to the video. “A very small way of us saying, THANK YOU to you guys and all our first responders across our country. I see you and we’re grateful to you for always taking care of our families and communities. Stay safe, stay healthy. Love and respect – DJ.”

Thank god the man and his family have recovered from COVID. We need his energy to survive the rest of 2020!

Dictionary Officially Adds ‘Jabroni,’ The Rock Credits The Iron Sheik

By Mike Julianelle
Jabroni Added to Dictionary
(Instagram/therock Twitter/the_ironsheik)

The last I heard about The Rock, he bought the XFL, and then his family was recovering from the coronavirus. I think they’re all okay, and hopefully, he’ll be healthy enough to run for president in 2024. IT’S WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT!

Either way, we have some news that might make him feel better.

Years after it was allegedly coined by legendary 80s wrestling heel (and hilariously bizarre Twitter personality) the Iron Sheik and then popularized by The Rock when he was the biggest name in wrestling, the word “jabroni” has officially been added to the dictionary.

Dictonary.com made the announcement on Twitter last week. Jabroni joined the official lexicon as part of the dictionary’s biggest update ever. More than 15,000 entries saw tweaks, including 650 brand new words. Including The Rock’s favorite insult, as well as “amirite,” “ish” and “janky.”

“Jabroni” is defined, broadly, as “a stupid, foolish, or contemptible person; loser,” The Rock brought the word to the forefront as a wrestling term, with Dictionary.com defining that usage as “a wrestler whose purpose is to lose matches against headlining wrestlers in order to build up the status and fame of the headliners.”

ESPN unearthed a quote from a documentary in which The Rock gave all credit to The Iron Sheik for the coining of the term and more.

“His impact on my career has really been profound,” Johnson said in a documentary about the Iron Sheik. … “Now the word jabroni is connected to me. When a lot of people think, ‘oh, jabroni, oh, yeah, yeah, it’s The Rock’s word.’ No, no, no, no. It’s not my word. It’s The Iron Sheik’s word.”

Regardless of who came up with the word, it is now officially enshrined in the dictionary, and one thing’s for sure: neither The Rock nor The Iron Sheik is a jabroni.

And thankfully, “Dad Joke” was added last year by Webster’s.

The Rock Announces His Family Tested Positive for COVID-19

By Mark Chalifoux
The Rock's Family got COVID-19
(Instagram/therock)

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage around the world, one of the most famous people in the world has now tested positive. On Wednesday, The Rock announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. Dwayne Johnson wasn’t the only one who tested positive, as he announced his wife and their two young daughters, ages 4 and 2, also contracted the virus.

Like all of us, it’s been a tough year for The Rock. In January, his dad, a professional wrestling icon, passed away. In the wake of the tragedy, The Rock opened up about what his dad taught him about fatherhood and being a man, and his eulogy for his dad was truly touching.

And now, this. There are some that say the virus doesn’t do much to those who are young and healthy. Well, you can’t get much healthier than The Rock, and in his Instagram video he said it was one of “the most challenging and difficult things we have ever had to endure as a family, and for me, too, personally as well.”

The Rock said he wished he was the only one who contracted the virus and the fact that his wife and kids got it too was “a real kick in the gut.” He added that the virus was so different because his No. 1 priority, like for all of us he added, is to always protect family. “And protect my children, my loved ones.”

Johnson said the family contracted the virus from close family friends, who are devastated they unwittingly spread the virus. Johnson did say his family is through the worst of it, and no longer contagious. He said his young daughters had mild symptoms, but that he and his wife “had a tough go of it.”

The Rock urged everyone to take COVID seriously and continue to practice social distancing. He said his family wears their masks in public every day and that we all need to work together to keep as many people safe as we can. He urged people to avoid making it a political issue.

“The other thing is wear your mask… we wear our masks every day,” Johnson said. “This baffles me that some people out there, including some politicians, will take this idea of wearing mask and make it a political agenda of a political agenda, politicizing. It has nothing to do in politics. Wear your mask. It is a fact, and it is the right thing to do. And it’s the responsible thing to do,” he said.

“So wear your masks. I’m not a politician. I am a man though, who cares about my family deeply and will do everything I can to protect them. But I’m also a man who cares about all of you guys,” he said. “I don’t care what political party you’re affiliated with. I don’t care what part of the world you’re from. I don’t care what your skin color is, what your job is, what your bank account says. I don’t care. I do care about all of them. And I do not want you or your entire family to get COVID-19.”

“Use me as your example,” Johnson said, wrapping up his video. “Remember these takeaways that I shared with you and stay healthy, my friends, and I’ll see you down the road.”

Scary news for the biggest movie star in the country, and as a parent, nothing makes a dad more worried than the helpless feeling of watching your kids get sick, but it’s good to see that he and his family are through the worst of it.

The Rock Just Bought the XFL

By Mark Chalifoux
XFL The Rock
(Twitter/TheRock)

The Rock bought the XFL. It’s the type of fun story we don’t have enough of in 2020. A pro sports league, run by a wrestling promoter, that’s full of promise and potential with its reboot. Then a pandemic hits, everyone gets laid off, and that promoter sells it to…his most famous wrestler. Dwayne Johnson partnered with RedBird Capital and bought the bankrupt football league for a bargain at just $15 million.

And sure, everyone is gonna make the same joke about how this sounds like it could be a story arc in The Rock’s HBO Show “Ballers”, where he plays a former NFL player-turned-financial investor.

While COVID crippled the season and left the future of the league in doubt, it was fun for a (brief) while, and there’s loads of potential there for whenever a restart is feasible. If you watched some of the new XFL, you probably enjoyed it!

The Rock issued a statement about his acquisition (of which he’s a 50-50 partner).

“The acquisition of the XFL with my talented partners, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale, is an investment for me that’s rooted deeply in two things – my passion for the game and my desire to always take care of the fans.”

“With pride and gratitude for all that I’ve built with my own two hands, I plan to apply these callouses to the XFL, and look forward to creating something special for the players, fans, and everyone involved for the love of football.”

Even his quote, about applying his callouses to the XFL and creating something special…I mean, is there anyone as motivational as The Rock? Fans, and most importantly, players, should feel optimistic for the first time in a long time, because of Johnson’s overwhelming track record of success. He’s become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood and has been killing it in movies and TV (and now he’s branching out into tequila and sports leagues). And I’m sure he’d be gratified to succeed where Vince McMahon failed.

The Rock Raps Moana Song to Daughter During Hand Washing Session

By Mark Chalifoux
The Rock's Moana Handwashing Rap
(Instagram/therock)

Washing your hands is one of the most important things you can do these days. I mean sure, it was always important, but now it’s like recycling, it’s about saving everyone, not just yourself. It’s right up there with social distancing as the twin pillars that rule our daily conduct. Even our cultural leader, Dwayne The Rock Johnson, is helping drive that point home.

In an especially adorable clip Johnson posted on Instagram, he illustrated the new way he helps his daughter wash her hands, by singing part of his hit song “You’re Welcome” from Moana (written by a terrific dad himself, Lin Manuel-Miranda).

“We realized a few weeks ago that the rap portion of the song is perfect timing when getting your little ones to have fun washing their hands,” he wrote in his post. “Stay healthy and safe, my friends.” He also made note of his daughter’s hilarious impatience with him explaining the video before breaking into his song.


I mean come on, he remixes his massively popular song, throws in a diss about the virus, and uses his enormous platform to encourage lengthy handwashing technique. Strong dad game. He doesn’t even care that he’s only wearing a towel in the video, which would qualify as the typical type of embarrassing stuff dads do if he wasn’t built like a rock.

Here at The Dad, we hope you, your families, and communities stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the latest information, please utilize online resources from local public health departments, the Centers for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization to remain as informed as possible.

The Rock’s Daughter Signs With WWE and Begins Training

By Mike Julianelle
Simone Johnson Signs with WWE
(Instagram/simonegjohnson)

In the wake of Kobe Bryant’s tragic death, the #girldad hashtag took off. The hashtag celebrated both Kobe’s relationships with his daughters, especially young GiGi, who was on that fateful helicopter ride with her dad and the relationships all dads have with their female offspring. Kobe was especially vocal in his support for his daughters and dismissed the idea that he needed a boy to carry on his legacy.

Gigi was set to follow her father’s footsteps, aspiring to play basketball at UCONN and then professionally, and Kobe couldn’t have been prouder. A mere weeks before the helicopter crash, the paid was spotted courtside at the Staples Center, watching the Lakers, with Kobe schooling his daughter on the intricacies of the game. The Lakers legend was clearly supportive of his daughter’s dreams.

Something tells me that fellow #girldad Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson feels the same way Kobe did, and he must be beaming today.

Simone Johnson, The Rock’s 18-year-old daughter, has officially signed with WWE to become a professional wrestler and has already begun training at the performance center in Florida.

“It means the world to me,” Simone said in a statement from WWE. “To know that my family has such a personal connection to wrestling is really special to me and I feel grateful to have the opportunity, not only to wrestle but to carry on that legacy.”

Simone follows in the footsteps of her father, obviously, but also her great-grandfather, “High Chief” Peter Maivia, and her grandfather, the late Rocky Johnson. This makes Simone the first fourth-generation wrestler in the history of WWE. And the organization is thrilled to have her.

“Simone Johnson’s unbridled passion and incredible drive has earned her a coveted spot training with the elite athletes from around the world at the WWE Performance Center,” said WWE Executive Vice President and former wrestling Superstar Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

The Rock himself has yet to speak about his daughter’s accomplishment, but I’m sure he smells what she’s cooking, and is more proud than ever.

Simone took to Instagram proudly sporting a WWE t-shirt to make the announcement:

He also recently gave a beautiful eulogy celebrating his pioneering father.

The Rock Opens up About How His Dad Shaped His View on Fatherhood

By Mark Chalifoux
RIP Rocky Johnson
(Instagram/therock)

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently suffered the loss of his dad, a decorated professional wrestling icon in his own right, and he recently spoke at length about his complicated relationship with the man and what he meant to his own development as a dad.

The Rock had a sit-down with the queen of celeb sit-downs herself, Oprah Winfrey, as part of her arena interview series (which is featuring various megastars at each stop along the way).

The Rock spoke about how his relationship with his dad wasn’t always perfect, the regrets he felt about things he could’ve/should’ve said, but also said that his dad made him a better man. He said his dad preferred the “tough love” style of parenting (is that really a surprise to learn about a professional athlete from the 80s?) and that he still feels a strong connection to his dad, even after his passing.

“The day he died, that night I went to bed, I felt so grateful and moved,” he told Oprah. “I realized, ‘Oh wow, I have a new relationship with you. Clean slate. No regrets. No pain. No complications. Just me and you.”

It wasn’t all introspection, as Johnson is currently on a major publicity tour for his new tequila, Teremana. So, of course, you knew that was going to come up, as he and Oprah shared a taste on stage. Oprah raised a glass to the late Rocky Johnson, praising him as a dad who helped make The Rock who he is, and wishing him well for this new chapter of his relationship with his dad.

Perhaps the most poignant part of the entire interview was when he talked about his relationship with his own children (he has three daughters) and how his relationship with his dad shaped his views about the type of dad he wanted to be.

“My dad loved me with the small capacity with which he was capable of. With my daughters, I want to be as full and as present as I can,” he said. “I want my daughters to know I love them truly unconditionally. As I told my 18-year-old daughter, Simone, ‘I love you. I’m going to tell you I love you every day.’ But I also told her, ‘I’m unattached. You don’t have to text me back. It’s without condition.’”

The thousands in attendance showed a lot of love for The Rock, and the love the son still had for the dad was clear. He said it best on Instagram shortly after his dad’s passing:

“You lived a very full, very hard, barrier-breaking life and left it all in the ring. I love you Dad and I’ll always be your proud and grateful son.”

 

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I love you. You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru this world. I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar. The boy you raised to always be proud of our cultures and proud of who and what I am. The boy you raised with the toughest of love. The intense work. The hard hand. The adoring boy who wanted to know only your best qualities. Who then grew to become a man realizing you had other deeply complicated sides that needed to be held and understood. Son to father. Man to man. That’s when my adoration turned to respect. And my empathy turned to gratitude. Grateful that you gave me life. Grateful you gave me life’s invaluable lessons. Dad, I wish I had one more shot to tell you, I love you, before you crossed over to the other side. But you were ripped away from me so fast without warning. Gone in an instant and no coming back. Im in pain. But we both know it’s just pain and it’ll pass. Now I’ll carry your mana and work ethic with me, as it’s time to move on because I have my family to feed and work to accomplish. Finally, I want you to rest your trailblazing soul, Soulman. Pain free, regret free, satisfied and at ease. You lived a very full, very hard, barrier breaking life and left it all in the ring. I love you dad and I’ll always be your proud and grateful son. Go rest high. #ripsoulman #rockyjohnson 🐐

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The Rock Writes Heartfelt Instagram Post For His Late Father

By Mike Julianelle
The Rock Pays Tribute to His Late Dad
(Instagram/therock)

Superstars are real people too, and they have parents, and heroes, just like everyone else. Sometimes, their parents are their heroes. In Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s case, that’s definitely true, and the Fast and Furious star made that abundantly clear after his father’s passing.

The Rock followed in his father’s footsteps when he became a wrestler, and he took to Instagram on Friday to pay tribute to the man who helped shape him into the beloved movie star and pop culture we know him as today. As part of the WWF’s Soul Patrol, Rocky Johnson was the first black tag-team champion in wrestling history and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame a decade ago.

He praised his father for being a pioneer, breaking the color barrier in wrestling and paving the way for someone like his own son. “You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru this world.”

The Rock speaks glowingly of his dad for raising him well, setting a good example and teaching him about the value of hard work.

“I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar. The boy you raised to always be proud of our cultures and proud of who and what I am. The boy you raised with the toughest of love. The intense work.”

His dad passed away earlier this week at the age of 75, and his son expressed his wish for more time, for one more chance to say goodbye.

“Dad, I wish I had one more shot to tell you, I love you, before you crossed over to the other side. But you were ripped away from me so fast without warning. Gone in an instant and no coming back.”

Usually, The Rock uses Instagram to have fun with his fans, often sending them messages and interacting with them in hilarious, heartwarming ways. But this time he’s the one who needs a boost, because it doesn’t matter how much you can bench or how big your box office returns are, losing your dad is never easy. The Rock isn’t afraid to admit it.

“Im in pain. But we both know it’s just pain and it’ll pass. Now I’ll carry your mana and work ethic with me, as it’s time to move on because I have my family to feed and work to accomplish.”

Ultimately, Rocky Johnson’s son is proud of his dad and knows he couldn’t have achieved all he has without him blazing the path before him, and raising him the way he did.

“You lived a very full, very hard, barrier breaking life and left it all in the ring. I love you dad and I’ll always be your proud and grateful son. Go rest high.”

Here’s the entire post:

 

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I love you. You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru this world. I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar. The boy you raised to always be proud of our cultures and proud of who and what I am. The boy you raised with the toughest of love. The intense work. The hard hand. The adoring boy who wanted to know only your best qualities. Who then grew to become a man realizing you had other deeply complicated sides that needed to be held and understood. Son to father. Man to man. That’s when my adoration turned to respect. And my empathy turned to gratitude. Grateful that you gave me life. Grateful you gave me life’s invaluable lessons. Dad, I wish I had one more shot to tell you, I love you, before you crossed over to the other side. But you were ripped away from me so fast without warning. Gone in an instant and no coming back. Im in pain. But we both know it’s just pain and it’ll pass. Now I’ll carry your mana and work ethic with me, as it’s time to move on because I have my family to feed and work to accomplish. Finally, I want you to rest your trailblazing soul, Soulman. Pain free, regret free, satisfied and at ease. You lived a very full, very hard, barrier breaking life and left it all in the ring. I love you dad and I’ll always be your proud and grateful son. Go rest high. #ripsoulman #rockyjohnson 🐐

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