The Rock’s daughter comments on feedback to new name
The Rock’s daughter Ava Raine (aka Simone Johnson) took to Twitter this week to respond to negative fan feedback over her WWE NXT name change.
We noted before how Simone is now being called “Ava Raine,” which could be a sign that WWE has plans for her call-up to NXT TV soon. As you can imagine, this new name change leg to fan criticism on social media.
Raine responded to one Twitter user who said it’s “completely nonsensical” to give The Rock’s daughter a new ring name.
They wrote, “Not portraying Arianna Grace as Santino Marella’s daughter is one thing. Giving [Simone]Johnson, the daughter of THE ROCK, a new name is completely nonsensical. Will hold judgement until she debuts, but if WWE doesn’t acknowledge her dad is The Rock that’s ridiculous.”
Raine responded and said she doesn’t understand why it’s such a big deal that she’s being portrayed as a separate individual from her family, adding that a name does not discredit any prior accomplishments from any family.
“i probably sound like a broken record & hopefully this is the last i’ll mention this but i don’t understand why people being portrayed as separate individuals from their family name is such a heated topic. a name doesn’t discredit any prior accomplishments from any family [woman shrugging emoji],” Raine wrote.
Raine added in a follow-up tweet, “i could build my entire career around my father & people would still bash me anyway [woman shrugging emoji]”
Raine also responded to a fans who joke about her not being called names like “The Pebble,” which you can see below as well.
WWE announced back in February 2020 that Raine had began training at the Performance Center. It was then announced in May 2020 that she had signed a WWE contract.
i beg of you guys to find a new joke. anything. https://t.co/40ZEJ1HFSL
— ava 🃏 (@AvaRaineWWE) May 29, 2022
nothing in this category please xx https://t.co/Z2u4Fug8dM pic.twitter.com/ls17RBCQOG
— ava 🃏 (@AvaRaineWWE) May 29, 2022
i probably sound like a broken record & hopefully this is the last i’ll mention this but i don’t understand why people being portrayed as separate individuals from their family name is such a heated topic.
a name doesn’t discredit any prior accomplishments from any family 🤷🏽♀️ https://t.co/vsr44PeUqc
— ava 🃏 (@AvaRaineWWE) May 29, 2022
i could build my entire career around my father & people would still bash me anyway 🤷🏽♀️ https://t.co/LjkQdoOpws
— ava 🃏 (@AvaRaineWWE) May 29, 2022
Almost every 2nd or 3rd generation wrestler who has come into WWE lately has been given a different name. Brian Christopher, Curtis Axel, Bo Dallas, Bray Wyatt & Braun Breakker have used different names & their family history has been acknowledged.