Ava IMAGO / Dreamstine

The Rock's Daughter Ava Announces She's Leaving WWE

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI
By Ethan Schlabaugh | Last updated Jan 30, 2026 5:31 PM ET

Simone Johnson, a.k.a. Ava, joined WWE in 2020 and would become a member of the faction Schism, alongside Joe Gacy and The Grizzled Young Veterans on NXT.

That stint lasted about a year before Ava stopped working as a professional wrestler and took on the role of General Manager of NXT.

As General Manager, Ava was the authority figure of the show, interacting with stars on the roster, introducing championships, setting matches and more. Much like Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis on Raw and SmackDown, respectively.

Ava announces she's leaving WWE

It looks like NXT is in need of a new General Manager now, as Ava herself confirmed via an Instagram post that she will be parting ways with the WWE after six years.

"This past Tuesday was my last appearance on NXT & subsequently WWE. Thank you to all who have cheered, watched, and supported me through my journey. While my decision to not renew my contract was very difficult, it's also new turning point in my life. It has been an honor & a privilege to be Ava," she wrote.

Ava's professional wrestling career

As noted, Ava started working with WWE in 2020, joining the WWE Performance Center early that year. This came after she and her father confirmed that she was interested in following in her family's footsteps and getting into the squared circle.

While her in-ring career didn't last long, getting to become the on-screen assistant to Shawn Michaels and later the General Manager of NXT gave her the chance to work on her mic skills and have some memorable segments on television.

Some of those segments include her interacting with NXT stars Blake Monroe and Ethan Page. She also played a small role in the Bloodline storyline during a segment with Paul Heyman. And, of course, she had the chance to appear on-screen with her father, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Ava also had some fun moments with Stevie Turner, who originally started as Ava's co-assistant General Manager on NXT before getting to run the new brand of Evolve.

Another highlight of her career saw her get to make her WWE 2K debut as she was featured as one of the selectable General Managers for the MyGM mode and had a character model that could be used as a manager during matches.

I loved being your mayor. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
— A V A (@avawwe_) January 30, 2026

It isn't clear yet what Ava will be doing after leaving WWE, whether that is continuing her wrestling career elsewhere or moving on to something entirely different. The best of luck to her and whatever she decides to do.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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