Tag: Ava Raine

The Rock’s daughter has arrived on WWE TV

Ava Raine says Schism helps her defy “preconceived notions of who I’m supposed to be.”

Wherever Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was last night, he had to be feeling a sense of pride as his daughter made her first appearance on WWE TV. Ava Raine (real name: Simone Johnson) was revealed on NXT as the mysterious hooded member of the Schism faction, removing her mask after group leader Joe Gacy insisted there was no going back.

“The love and acceptance the Schism has given me defies any preconceived notions of who I’m supposed to be,” Raine said, in what could be read as a sly reference to her real life father. “This family completes me.”

You can watch the entire reveal below.

Raine began working at the WWE Performance Center in the summer of 2020, and did her first non-televised in-ring promo in July, signaling that she was further along in her development, and began working NXT house shows. At the time, Johnson discussed how important it was for his daughter to “blaze her own path” but that he’d be watching and supporting while she did so.

At least to start, it appears that path will have Raine working as a heel instead of a fan favorite. That might work out for the best however, given that her dad did the same after his initial introduction as clean cut babyface Rocky Maivia didn’t take with the fans. In any case, it will be worth watching Schism even more carefully now that Raine is in the fold, and one suspects that was the point of putting her in the group all along.

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The Rock on daughter Ava Raine: ‘It’s very important for her to make her own way’

With Ava Raine poised to make her in-ring debut soon, The Rock complimented his daughter for making her own way in the business.

After her first in-ring promo within the past week, we’re getting closer to an in-ring NXT debut for Ava Raine, real name Simone Johnson. Her father is someone you may have heard of: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

But while Johnson is undoubtedly anxious to see his daughter get after it in a televised match as well, don’t expect him to be looming backstage. During a screening for his latest movie, “DC League of Super-Pets,” The Rock made it clear in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that Raine isn’t leaning on nepotism at all as she makes her way in the world of sports entertainment.

“She is fiercely independent,” Johnson said. “It’s very important for her to make her own way. Blaze her own trail. Blaze her own path. She doesn’t come to me looking for a lot which I respect that. And I’m here watching and supporting.”

Raine may initially be positioned as someone the fans may boo instead of cheer, given that her first promo took shots at Cora Jade — though Jade just turned heel herself, so that’s not guaranteed. It’s an interesting move considering most people will be aware that Raine is related to The Rock, one of the most beloved WWE superstars of all time.

Yet Johnson himself spent plenty of time as an arrogant, villainous character, and famously was booed at the beginning of his WWE career even though the company tried to push him hard as fan favorite Rocky Maivia. That attempt to directly link him to his grandfather, “The High Chief” Peter Maivia, backfired, so WWE has that experience to draw from as it helps Raine take her first steps.

One thing that should come as no surprise is how delighted Johnson is at seeing his daughter take those steps, which should lead her to TV soon.

“She’s fourth, [generation],” he said to ET. “She’s made history. Very very proud of her.”