Rocky Johnson, father of Dwayne Johnson, dies at 75; wrestlers pay heartfelt tribute

WWE Hall of Famer and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's father Rocky Johnson passed away on Wednesday at the age of 75. His cause of death currently remains unknown. Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, Rocky Johnson (birth name Wayde Douglas Bowles) along with Tony Atlas was part of the first African-American tag team to win the World Tag Team Championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment (erstwhile World Wrestling Federation or WWF).

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Rocky Johnson and his wrestling career

Rocky Johnson began his professional career in 1964 and soon found his way into the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in the 1970s. Known as a tag team specialist, Johnson joined WWF in 1982, before retiring in 1991. During his stay with the company, Rocky Johnson had memorable feuds with the likes of Greg 'The Hammer' Valentine, Don Muraco and Adrian Adonis. However, arguably he achieved some of the biggest wins of his career by teaming up with Tony Atlas in the form of 'The Soul Patrol'. The two men became the first African-American World Tag Team Champions in WWE history when they defeated The Wild Samoans on December 10, 1983.

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After retiring as a wrestler, Rocky Johnson trained his son Dwayne Johnson. Johnson along with the legendary Pat Patterson were influential in Dwayne Johnson's early rise in WWF.  While Dwayne Johnson has gone one to become a top draw in WWE and in Hollywood, Rocky Johnson remained associated with the wrestling business after his retirement. He was inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008 by Dwayne Johnson himself.

Rocky Johnson death: Wrestlers and promotions pay tribute

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