PA/therock/InstagramSimone Johnson, daughter of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, is set to become the very first fourth-generation Superstar in WWE history after officially signing up with the sports entertainment franchise.
Now set to kick off her training at the Florida-based WWE Performance Center, 18-year-old Simone is following in the deeply impressive footsteps of her father, The Rock, as well as her grandfather, Rocky Johnson, and her great-grandfather, Peter ‘High Chief’ Maivia.
The teenager has some pretty big boots to fill, with each of her three predecessors having racked up prestigious accolades during their own time in the ring. The Rock is, famously, a 10-time world champion, while both High Chief and Rocky were inducted into the Hall of Fame.
PAThe Rock, 47, clearly couldn’t be prouder of his gifted daughter, making the following heartfelt statement via Instagram:
Dreams ain’t just for dreamers. Congrats to my #1 born, Simone Johnson on officially signing her wrestling contract with @wwe @wwenxt and on her way to becoming the first ever 4th generation WWE athlete.
Carry our family name proudly, but your road will always be yours to create, earn & own. So proud. Live your dream. Let’s work. #humblehungry #hardestworkersintheroom #4thgeneration
Simone will now join a talented group of future Superstars at the Performance Center, learning the ropes from a legendary coaching team headed up by Head Coach Matt Bloom and Assistant Head Coach Sara Amato.
In a statement released by the WWE, Simone said:
It means the world to me. 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.
WWE executive vice president Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque made the following statement:
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.
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.
For the little girl who fell in love with wrestling & was determined to make this dream a reality – this is for you. I’m beyond thankful for this opportunity & ready to get after it.
Let’s do this. @WWE @WWENXT pic.twitter.com/5lSKbWnHf7
— 𝖘𝖎𝖒𝖔𝖓𝖊 (@SimoneGJohnson) February 10, 2020
Speaking about Simone’s exciting journey ahead, Head Coach Bloom said:
Simone knows she has a lot to learn. She’s hungry to learn and picks the coaches’ minds, and the veteran Superstars’, as well. She’s not going to rest on her laurels. It’s been a short time, but she’s been crushing it.
Assistant Head Coach Amato added:
Simone is a wonderful girl. 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.
PAMany congratulations to Simone Johnson as she carries forward her family’s incredible sporting legacy.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.