Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s daughter is officially entering the family business.
Simone Johnson, the 18-year-old daughter of the professional wrestling legend-turned-actor, has begun training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., the company announced today.
“It means the world to me,” Johnson said in a release provided by 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.”
Johnson is on a path to becoming the first 4th-generation WWE star. Her great-grandfather, “High Chief” Peter Maivia, grandfather Rocky “Soul Man” Johnson, and father, Dwayne, all wrestled for Vince McMahon’s wrestling promotion.
Johnson would also become the latest member of the famed Anoa’i family, which includes current stars Roman Reigns, the Usos and Nia Jax, to join WWE’s ranks.
The Performance Center in Orlando is the first step for budding WWE stars. Since moving into the realm of talent development, Paul “Triple H” Levesque has overseen the creation of the facility and helped usher new talent into WWE, specifically the NXT brand.
“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,” Levesque said in the release. “Not only does Simone now have an opportunity to cultivate and display her passion for WWE within the Performance Center, but she’ll carry on the tradition of her incredible family lineage while creating her own impact as WWE’s first fourth generation Superstar.”
Johnson will train alongside longtime WWE coaches Matt Bloom and Sara Amato in Orlando. According to WWE’s announcement, Johnson has expressed an eagerness to learn the trade.
“She’s hungry to learn and picks the coaches’ minds, and the veteran Superstars’, as well,” Bloom said. “She’s not going to rest on her laurels. It’s been a short time, but she’s been crushing it.”
“Simone is a wonderful girl,” Amato added. “She’s like a sponge, it’s pretty amazing. She knows what it takes to succeed and all the hard work and sacrifice that goes into it. I wouldn’t have expected anything less.”
The announcement came shortly after WWE revealed it will hold WrestleMania 37 in Hollywood in March 2021.
