Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has become a household name through his various successes in athletics and acting career, but few take the time to consider how this Samoan athlete-turned-actor has used his platform for good.

Johnson is part of the 2024 Class of The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, alongside other influential athletes of Hawaiian descent.

🌴 INTRODUCING THE POLYNESIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2024 🌴

– DWAYNE “THE ROCK” JOHNSON of Samoan Ancestry
– DOMATA PEKO of Samoan Ancestry
– RENO MAHE of Tongan Ancestry

View full release here: https://t.co/jvNszOyB7j pic.twitter.com/KQsvXpqdQZ

— Polynesian Football (@PolynesianFBHOF) November 9, 2023

Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Chairman, Co-Founder, and Inductee Jesse Sapolu told Hawaii News Now that “these men represent the very best of our Polynesian people,” and it is obvious why with the Rock’s impact on Hawaiian sports.

Success as an Athlete

Johnson played college football at the University of Miami and helped them win the 1991 National Championship. Although he mostly stuck to the background, he is known as having been an avid student speaker advocating for young adults to stay in school and away from drugs.

With his first taste of the spotlight, Johnson demonstrated to the world that a Hawaiian athlete could make it to the national stage.

After a stint on the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL, Johnson went on to have a long career in professional wrestling. In 1996, he began wrestling under his real name but then took the stage name “Flex Kavana,” where he managed to catch the eye of the WWE and was signed.

Johnson chose to make his debut in WWE under the name Rocky Maivia, which combined both his father’s and grandfather’s wrestling names. After a rocky stint with fans (no pun intended), Johnson dubbed himself “The Rock” in 1997.

27 years ago today, The Rock made his WWE debut as Rocky Maivia 🤙🏼 @TheRock pic.twitter.com/pMNcEOPLfS

— 90s WWE (@90sWWE) November 17, 2023

His extensive career in the WWE shot him to stardom and further demonstrated to young Hawaiian athletes that they could achieve great things in the world of sports. The program would be nothing without avid viewers, and one way to support the sport is to bet on the WWE.

Promotion of Hawaiian Issues using his Platform

Johnson has often used his platform for activism and to donate to various charities and organizations, including Malama Kauai, a nonprofit organization to help repair flood damage in Hawaii, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. His activism has furthered his positive impact on Hawaiian sports in a substantial way.

In 2018, the former WWE legend donated a gym to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickman, a military base in Hawaii. In an Instagram post, Johnson got personal as he explained, “When I was a little punk kid living in Hawaii, my grandfather (wrestler, High Chief Peter Maivia) used to promote tiny wrestling shows on this base every week and would draw a few hundred people at best.”

By donating the gym, Johnson honored the military men and women at the base while also showcasing how Hawaiian sports integrate with Hawaiian life and culture.

In 2020, Johnson purchased the XFL football league and helped their relaunched season in 2023. His acquisition provided the group with opportunities to potentially expand into additional live sports and entertainment programming beyond just football.

BREAKING: @therock has purchased the bankrupt football league, the XFL, for $15 million, split evenly between Johnson and investment partner Redbird Capital. pic.twitter.com/zg6Nz0ibud

— pointspreads (@pointspreads11) August 3, 2020

The deal gave the XFL control over intellectual property rights that could be used for future growth into related live events and original entertainment content.

When asked why the XFL in Hawaii is so important, Johnson said, “To be able to come back, put the showcase on, help create an opportunity for local boys, something that I once was because I will always be one.”

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