Simone Johnson, also known as Ava, wanted to follow in the footsteps of her famous father, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, at WWE. Now she has surprisingly announced her departure. She had not been active as a wrestler for some time.
She wanted to follow in the footsteps of her famous father at WWE—an idea that apparently did not develop as hoped.
Simone Johnson, daughter of Hollywood megastar and WWE icon Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, announced her departure from the wrestling market leader shortly before the traditional Royal Rumble event: The 24-year-old, known as Ava in the developmental roster NXT, officially announced via Instagram that she would not be renewing her expiring contract – and that her appearance on this week’s NXT TV show was her farewell performance.
WWE: Simone Johnson leaves the league
“My decision not to renew my contract was very difficult, but it is also a personal turning point in my life,” Johnson wrote after thanking her fans: “It has been an honor and a privilege to be Ava.”
Ava has announced her departure from WWE. pic.twitter.com/rBsiTFH3kI
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) January 30, 2026
Johnson signed with WWE in 2020 and made history as the first performer to represent her family in the league in four generations – following in the footsteps of her great-grandfather “High Chief” Peter Maivia, grandfather Rocky Johnson, and her father.
In April 2023, Ava made her ring debut at WrestleMania weekend in Los Angeles – but that was followed by only five more matches, the last of which was in the summer of the same year. Instead, Ava slipped into the role of fictional general manager of the NXT roster at the beginning of 2024. It seems as if she had long since shelved her ambitions to become a wrestler.
Her final departure from WWE comes as a surprise – there had been no indication of her imminent departure during her last appearance.
The league acknowledged in a brief farewell statement that Johnson had “done an outstanding job as Ava and beyond: ”Her passion, dedication, and impact were felt throughout the NXT and WWE community. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”