The Rock Reveals Unseen Footage from His Father’s Funeral

The Rock comes from a family of wrestling legends, learning the business from his father, Rocky Johnson. He always had deep love and respect for his dad, even if they didn’t always agree. In honor of Black History Month, The Rock has shared never-before-seen footage of himself speaking at his father’s funeral.

The Great One took to his Instagram and uploaded a video of himself looking at a photo of his father and Tony Atlas winning the WWE Tag Team Titles. He would then share footage from his father’s funeral, where he had a lot to say about his legendary dad.

At his father’s funeral after his passing in 2020, The Rock talked about the word “trailblazer” and how it described his dad. He explained that a trailblazer is someone who does things no one has done before and can change how people think and act.

The Rock stated that when his father started wrestling in the 1960s, people in small towns, where The Rock would later wrestle, changed their views. They cheered for a Black man in a time when that was rare.

“The phrase ‘trailblazer’ is connected to my dad’s name. It means doing things that have never been done before. When someone is a trailblazer, they have the ability to change behavior—the audience’s behavior, people’s behavior.

For my dad, when he broke into the business in the mid-’60s, all these small towns—where I would later wrestle—changed their behavior. They cheered for this Black man, which was a big deal at the time.”

The video then showed The Rock looking at a photo of his dad and Tony Atlas winning the WWE Tag Team Titles. He said the picture meant a lot to him because it captured a special moment. His father and Tony Atlas became the first Black tag team champions in WWE history. Seeing the pride and happiness on his dad’s face made The Rock wish he could hug him and say, “I’m proud of you. You did it.“

“When I saw the picture of my dad, the reason it moved me so much was because it showed this amazing moment when he and Tony Atlas won the WWE Tag Team Titles. They became the first Black tag team champions in WWE history.

In that moment, there was just this unbridled joy and pride on my dad’s face. I saw it, and I thought, ‘Man, I would’ve loved to have given him a hug and just said, “I’m proud of you. You did it.”‘

As the video returned to the funeral, The Rock said this wasn’t a goodbye but a “see you later.” He thanked everyone for their time and support, saying his family appreciated them. He ended his speech with a final tribute to his father, saying, “See you down the road, Soulman.” The Rock would then hover over his father’s coffin and had a gentle smile on his face, as he bid goodbye to his father.

“This isn’t a goodbye—this is just an ‘I’ll see you down the road.’ We’ll see you down the road. I thank you guys so much for your time. I love you all—we love you all. My family, thank you very much. I’ll see you down the road, Soulman.”

Rocky Johnson truly made a huge impact on the wrestling world, inspiring future generations. His contributions helped shape the industry, and his legacy lives on through his son, The Rock. The Rock’s tribute was a heartfelt reminder of their deep bond and the lasting influence of “The Soulman’s” career.

What are your thoughts on Rocky Johnson’s legacy in professional wrestling? Share your memories and thoughts in the comments below!

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