Rocky Johnson, born Wayde Douglas Bowles in Amherst, Nova Scotia, started wrestling as early as 16
years of age. He worked as truck driver after moving to Toronto, Canada, where he was training to
be a boxer initially and ever sparred with the likes of Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. But it
was wrestling that always fascinated him and that is the line he followed.
He began his career in 1964, and also legally changed his name to Rocky Johnson. In the 1970s, he
was a top contender in the NWA, and also wrestled occasionally in the Memphis promotion.
Rocky Johnson debuted on WWE (then WWF) in 1983. Among his more popular feuds were Mike
Sharpe, Greg Valentine, Buddy Rose, Adrian Adonis and Don Muraco. He paired up with Tony Atlas
as part of a tag team by the name The Soul Patrol. Together they defeated the Wild Samoans – Afa
and Sika and grabbed the Tag Team Championship in 1983.
He retired from WWE in 1991, and trained his son Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to wrestle.
Rocky Johnson married into a famous Samoan wrestling family, by marrying the High Chief Peter
Maivia’s daughter Ata Maivia. Dwayne, who would go on to become yet another wrestling legend,
was the couple’s firstborn. He now lives in Davie, Florida and has had the honour of being the first
non-Samoan to be named High Chief. Both Rocky Johnson and Peter Maivia were inducted into the
Hall of Fame in 2008 by The Rock.
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