Rocky Johnson, the hard-bodied professional wrestler known as Soul Man who battled racism early in his career and later helped train his son, the actor Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson, has died. He was 75.
His death was announced on Wednesday in a statement by World Wrestling Entertainment. No cause was given.
Mr. Johnson rose from small-town Canada to fame in the 1980s as a muscular wrestler who bounded off the ropes, delivered punishing jabs and called himself “the king of the dropkick” for his ability to dispatch opponents with that singular move.
Tributes have poured in from the world of wrestling after Rocky’s passing.
Former world champion Mick Foley wrote: “I am so sorry to hear of the passing of the great Rocky Johnson. Always a gentleman, I always enjoyed talking with him. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the fans who loved him. A very sad day for wrestling.”
His opponents included well-known figures in the professional wrestling world, like Greg (the Hammer) Valentine, Don Muraco and Adrian Adonis. But he was perhaps best known for pairing with another black wrestler, Tony Atlas, in a tag team known as the Soul Patrol.
