WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Rocky “Soul Man” Johnson, also father of actor/wrestler Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, passed away on January 15, 2020. WWE issued a statement about his death on Wednesday night but did not give details on the cause. Johnson was 75 years old. 

Born Wayde Douglas Bowles in 1944, Johnson moved from Nova Scotia to Toronto where he began wrestling. At 16, Johnson was initially training to be a boxer but was always fascinated by wrestling. He even sparred with greats such as Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. Johnson began his wrestling career in the mid-1960s, spending much of this time in the National Wrestling Alliance. By the 1970s, Johnson was a top contender in the NWA, receiving title matches against then-World Champions Terry Funk and Harley Race. He also became a force in tag team wrestling, winning several regional championships.

Johnson joined WWE in the 1980s, feuding with wrestling superstars like Don Muraco, Greg Valentine, Mike Sharpe, Buddy Rose, and Adrian Adonis. During this time he formed the successful tag team “Soul Patrol” with Tony Atlas. In 1983, Johnson and Atlas defeated the Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) in the Tag Team Championship to become the first black tag team to hold the tag title in WWE history. Following his retirement in 1991, Johnson trained his son to wrestle with the Rock adopting his moniker from his father. Johnson initially had an on-camera presence at his son’s matches, even jumping into the ring on his behalf at WrestleMania in 1997. 

In his later career, Johnson briefly served as a trainer for the WWE developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling. In 2003, Johnson made a return to the ring defeating Mabel in a boxing match at Memphis Wrestling. Five years later, the Rock inducted his father into the WWE Hall of Fame. More recently, Johnson joined the Board of Directors of the International Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame. 

Johnson is survived by his widow Sheila, his son Dwayne and his two other children, Curtis and Wanda.