This 21-year-old Schism member’s father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were wrestlers, while her great-grandmother was one of wrestling’s first women promoters.
Ava Raine made her World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) debut. Many wrestling enthusiasts consider wrestling to be fake. But I can tell you; it’s real entertaining.
A Little Wrestling Background
How many of you remember when Vince McMahon was only an announcer for the Capitol Wrestling Corporation? Back in the ‘70s, when Bruno Sammartino, Victor Riviera, Haystacks Calhoun, Andre the Giant, Professor Tanaka, and others roamed the ring.
Several of those wrestlers were my childhood heroes. You couldn’t tell me it wasn’t real.
Vince took ownership from his father for around $1 million in 1982 with the help of Gorilla Monsoon, Phil Zacko, and Arnold Skaaland.
Skaaland was a wrestler known as the “Golden Boy,” who became a well-known manager and promoter for WWF champions like Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund.
Now, it’s a multi-billion dollar entertainment corporation.
A Deadly Sport or Well-Choreographed Entertainment
Whether you believe it’s real or highly choreographed wrestling matches, it is a dangerous sport, and more than one wrestler has met their demise in the ring.
In fact, more than ten wrestlers died there, including two women, Jeanette Wolfe and Plum Mariko. The most notable wrestler who died in the ring was Owen Hart.
Known as the “Blue Blazer,” he was to make a flying entry from the rafters 78 feet above the ring, suspended by an elaborate device of wires. Something went wrong, and he plunged to the mat and collapsed. He later died in the hospital.
So, yeah, it might be well-scripted, entertainment-based theatrics, but it is still perilous. The participants must remain in great shape to perform the moves.
Back to Ava Raine
Although many fans had a problem with her wrestling under the name Ava Raine, her father says:
"She's made history [becoming WWE's first fourth-generation wrestler]. Very, very proud of her. She is fiercely independent. 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."
So, do you have any guesses who this fourth-generation future champion is?
Ava Raine revealed as Schism’s fourth member: WWE NXT, Oct. 25, 2022
Yes, she none other than Simone Johnson, daughter of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and granddaughter of Rocky Johnson. Peter & Lia Maivia were her wrestling great-grandparents.
I find it refreshing that she has chosen her own identity. However, her family is just too famous. Dad’s films have garnered more than $5 billion at the box office, including the Fast & Furious films, Jumanji, Moana, San Andreas, and more.
Her mother, Dany Garcia, Chair of the XFL, the American Football League, tweeted:
Ava Raine (Simone Johnson) First Live Promo - NXT Live Event
BTW, have you seen The Rock’s latest film, Black Adam? Despite the reviews, we enjoyed it. The casting was excellent, in my opinion.
Black Adam - Official Trailer
Final Thoughts
Congratulations, Ava Raine. May your days as a member of the Schism and the WWE be filled with success.
Stephen Dalton is a retired US Army First Sergeant with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and a Certified US English Chicago Manual of Style Editor. Also, a Top Writer in Nutrition, Investing, Travel, Fiction, Transportation, VR, NFL, Design, Creativity, and Short Story.
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