Since signing with the WWE in 2020, Simone Johnson has been working hard to get ready for her debut, and after dealing with a few injuries that have slowed her progress, she’s ready, able, and willing to appear on NXT 2.0.
The next step in the process was coming up with a ring name, and on May 29, Simone took to her Instagram to announce her new WWE name, and it’s pretty cool.
Ava Raine is born
She made the announcement with her new name written in red on a black background with lightning from one side to the other, but there’s been a couple other stories tied to this.
While she’s celebrating the next step in her career, some fans have taken offense at her not carrying on the Johnson name in some way.
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
— A V A (@avawwe_) May 29, 2022
As most of us know, she’s Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s oldest daughter and is the WWE’s first 4th generational wrestler as she follows “High Chief” Peter Maivia, the “Soulman” Rocky Johnson, and The Rock, keeping the family tradition alive.
And that’s why fans have taken exception to her name change.
Everyone wants her to honor the Rock and we’re sure she will as the WWE won’t miss a chance to promote her family tree as she continues in the business.
In fact, he name will probably change when or if she moves up to the main roster, and maybe a few more times after that depending on fan reaction.
She’s defended her position and made a great point about making her way by not relying on the draw of her family’s name.
What’s to come
With her debut seemingly on the horizon, we’re excited to see what’s next for her and what feuds she’s going to be involved in.
Whatever her name will end up being, Ava Raine will always be fondly remembered as her first one and hearing her being announced for her first match will me a moment to remember for her and Dwayne.
While we’re reserving any judgement or criticism until we see her in the ring, one thing to remember is if her new name doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world.
I’m one of the few that like the Rocky Maivia character, but it wasn’t until her dad became the Rock that he really found himself and hit his stride to become one of the greatest ever.
What do you think of her new name? Let us know in the comments below.
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