Ava Raine, an American wrestler, is currently employed by WWE and goes by the ring name Ava. She serves as the on-screen general manager for the NXT brand, making her the youngest person in company history to hold this position. Johnson comes from a long line of wrestlers, as she is the daughter of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and is connected to the Anoa’i family of Samoan wrestlers.
Ava Raine Bio Details
Full name: Simone Garcia Johnson
Date of birth: August 14, 2001
Age: 23 years (2024)
Zodiac sign: Leo
Gender: Female
Nationality: American
Place of birth: Davie, Florida
Father: Dwayne Johnson
Mother: Dany Garcia
Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight: 143 lb (65 kg)
Early Life & Family
Ava Raine was born in Davie, Florida on August 14, 2001. Her parents are Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, a professional wrestler and entertainer, and his ex-wife Dany Garcia, a Cuban American businesswoman, IFBB professional bodybuilder, and producer. She is their first daughter and has two younger sisters from her father’s second marriage.
On June 1, 2007, Ava’s parents made public their decision to separate and eventually finalized their divorce in May 2008. She is the granddaughter of Ata (née Maivia) and Rocky Johnson on her father’s side, with her grandfather being Samoan and her grandmother being of Black Nova Scotian descent.
As her paternal grandmother is part of the Anoaʻi wrestling family, she is considered a non-blood member of this prominent wrestling dynasty.
Education
Ava Raine served as the Golden Globes Ambassador during the ceremony’s 75th Anniversary in January 2018. She completed her high school education at NSU University School, a private institution, and received her diploma in May 2019.
Ava had originally intended to begin her college studies at New York University in August 2019 following graduation. However, a knee injury in July led her to change her plans and instead stay in Orlando, Florida to pursue her dream of becoming a professional wrestler. She credits her grandmother as the one who sparked her interest in the sport.
Wrestling Career
Ava first revealed her desire to pursue a career in professional wrestling in November 2017. In February 2020, WWE disclosed that she had officially joined the WWE Performance Center and started her training. This made her the first wrestler from four generations of her family and also one of the youngest individuals to sign a contract with the organization.
During the October 25, 2022 broadcast of NXT, Johnson made her debut on television as a member of Joe Gacy’s antagonistic group, Schism. She entered the ring using the name Ava Raine, but this was eventually changed to just Ava on February 14, 2023.
On April 1, Ava Raine’s first appearance in the ring was at Stand & Deliver, where she and Schism were defeated by Chase University. The group, Schism, would gradually dissolve in September 2023, starting with the expiration of The Dyad’s contracts on September 14, and ending with Gacy’s declaration that Schism is no more in a backstage scene in October.
Following Schism, she was appointed as the on-screen aide to Shawn Michaels, the Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative. Her responsibilities include serving as a liaison between talents and Michaels, as well as delivering announcements on behalf of Michaels.
She became the new General Manager of NXT on January 23, 2024. This made her the youngest general manager in WWE history. Three days later, Ava made her first appearance on the main roster during SmackDown. She helped General Manager Nick Aldis choose who would enter the Royal Rumble.
On April 6, Ava Raine showed off the NXT Women’s North American Championship at the NXT Stand & Deliver event. It was created to be like the men’s version. This marked the first time in WWE history that a secondary championship was designated specifically for women.
