Rocky Johnson (real name Wade Douglas Bowles,pseudonym in the ring Soulmen) - a former professional wrestler from Canada. He was born on August 24, 1944 in Amherst, Nova Scotia. Johnson's coaches at different times were Peter Mayvia, Kurt von Steiger and Rocky Beaulieu.
Main Achievements
During his sports career, Rocky becamewinner in the National Championship of Georgia according to the version of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and in the competition of heavyweights Southern Heavyweight in Memphis, and also won in many other competitions on a variety of different arenas. Participants in the first African-American wrestling team, who won the World Wrestling World Championship (WWF), were Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson.
The height, weight of the boxer is 188 cm, 112 kg.The year of the wrestling career began in 1964. Crown receptions of Soulman are "Boston crab" (Boston crab), "Dropkick" (Dropkick) and branded series of punches "Johnson Shuffle" (Johnson Shuffle).
Rocky Johnson is the father and the first coacha famous actor and professional wrestler named Duane Scala Johnson. In 2008, the son returned the debt to the parent, contributing to the recognition of the achievements of Rocky Johnson in the field of sports entertainment and achieving his presentation in the Hall of Fame WWE. In his first television acting, Duane Johnson appeared as his own father in one of the episodes of the Season 1 television series "That Wrestling Show".
early years
Rocky Johnson, whose biography begins 24August 1944 in the Canadian town of Amherst, is one of the five sons of Lillian and James Henry Bowles. His family belongs to the descendants of the "black loyalists," black supporters of the British crown, who moved from the United States after the American War of Independence to the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, which was under the control of the metropolis. Brother Ricky Johnson also achieved some success in the wrestling field.
At the age of 16, Rocky moved to Toronto, wherebegan to struggle, while earning a living, working as a truck driver. Initially, Rocky dreamed of becoming a boxer, later he even managed to participate in sparring with such stars as Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, but the greatest recognition he achieved in wrestling.
The beginning of a professional career: the National Wrestling Alliance
Johnson's career as a professionalThe wrestler began in the mid-1960s. In the 1970s he was the first contender for the title of champion in the National Wrestling Alliance, but could not win this title from then-leaders Terry Funk and Harley Reis. He was excellent for participating in team competitions and won in several regional championships. Johnson regularly fought in the arena of Memphis, demonstratively feuded with Jerry Lawler, eventually defeating him with a break of just one point. Rocky also participated in battles in the arenas of the Mid-Atlantic region, where he appeared in a mask under the pseudonym Ebonite Diamond.
World Wrestling Federation
In 1983, Rocky was invited to perform in battlesWorld Wrestling Federation, where he fought against Don Murako, Greg Valentine, Mike Sharpe, Buddy Rose and Adrian Adonis. November 15, 1983 on a couple of Tony Atlas, they won a team Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika), who were members of the dynasty, which belonged to Father-in-law Rocky. After this victory, they became team wrestling champions, as well as the first to win this title with a team of blacks.
Rocky and Tony were crown owners foronly six months, but the significance of this victory will remain forever. The wrestling duet of Johnson and Atlas was called The Soul Patrol. After some time after the loss of "gold" Rocky left the arena, but did not become the last in the Johnson / Mayavia dynasty.
Retirement
After retiring in 1991, Johnson took upthe training of Dwayne's son. At first, he did not want his son to follow in his footsteps because of the extreme complexity of this path, but eventually agreed to train him, provided there were no indulgences. Rocky Johnson played a very important role in the career of Dwayne, who subsequently took the name of Rocky MaiVia for performances, combining the pseudonyms of his father and grandfather.
Originally Rocky Johnson and Dwayne Johnsonoften together got into camera lenses. For example, on WrestleMania 13, my father jumped into the ring to help his son fight off the attack of several opponents. Rocky Johnson stopped appearing on his son's matches after the latter gave up the name of Rocky Mayavia. But it was after this step that Dwayne achieved worldwide recognition as a daring, charismatic "heel", nicknamed Scala.
From January to May 2003, Rocky Johnson workedcoach at Ohio Valley Wrestling, on the WWE training base. February 25, 2008 became a candidate to hit the Hall of Fame WWE along with his father-in-law Peter Mayvia, who in the world of wrestling was called the Supreme Leader. They were both introduced to the Hall of Fame on March 29, 2008 by the younger representative of the Dwayne dynasty.
Personal life
Although the athlete is part of one of the mostknown and influential families in the sports and entertainment industry, the very Soulman Rocky Johnson is rightly called the wrestling legend.
Johnson made a marriage with Ata Mavia, daughterknown fighter Peter Mayvia, nicknamed the Supreme Leader, who was a member of the legendary Samoan clan of Anoi wrestlers. "And after marrying Peter's daughter, Rocky Johnson also joined this dynasty.
The girl's father was not thrilled with this relationship,although he had nothing against Johnson himself. It was in their profession: Peter knew very well how difficult it was for the families of wrestlers, who had to wait for a long time while the heads of families were on the road. On May 2, 1972, the couple had a son, Duane.
Currently, Rocky Johnson lives in the cityDavy, Florida. Their marriage with Atoy fell apart in 2003. Rocky has two more children from his first marriage, imprisoned in 1967: son Curtis and daughter Wanda.
Conclusion
For his long sports career and after hercompletion Rocky has repeatedly participated in the filming of movies and television series about the history of wrestling, such as WWWF Championship Wrestling (1972-1986), WWF Superstars of Wrestling (1984-1996), WWE WrestleMania, WWE: Greatest Stars of the "90s, as well as screen version of his son's biography The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment (2008) and many others.
Johnson, known to different generations of fansfor various reasons, is one of the greatest African-American pioneers of the ring. Representatives of one generation know him as the greatest superstar in the history of American wrestling, others have heard of him as the son-in-law of the famous Supreme Leader Peter Mayvia, and for the third Rocky is primarily the father of a super-popular actor named Duane Scala Johnson. But it is clear that as the first African American to win a gold medal in the team wrestling championship, Rocky Johnson will forever remain a legend of the world sports and entertainment industry.
