WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson, born Wayde Douglas Bowles, has passed away, the Cauliflower Alley Club reports. He was 75.
Johnson began his professional wrestling career in 1964 as a member of the National Wrestling Alliance. He was trained by "High Chief" Peter Maivia, a "blood brother" of the widely regarded Anoa’i wrestling family who would later become his tag team partner. It was during their time fighting together that Rocky met his wife, Maivia's daughter Ata. The two had their first child, Dwyane, in 1972.
In 1983, Johnson partnered with "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas to form "The Soul Patrol." That same year, they defeated the Wild Samoans to become the first black duo to win the WWF Tag Team Championship. Following his retirement in 1991, Johnson helped train Dwyane, who later took on the moniker "Rocky Maivia," an homage to both his father and grandfather on his mother's side of the family.
Aside from representing his father in the ring, Dwyane "The Rock" Johnson's first acting role was briefly portraying Rocky Johnson in 1999 on the TV series That 70's Show.
