Ava Raine, the daughter of WWE legend Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has drawn criticism after posting about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk following his assassination.
Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot last Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University.
In the wake of his killing, Raine re-posted a remark from comedian Gianmarco Soresi to her Instagram story, which read: “If you want people to have kind words when you pass, you should say kind things when you're alive.”
The 24-year-old wrestler later doubled down on the sentiment, writing on X: “and i'll stand behind this. be kind, now more than ever.”
Her stance quickly divided fans, with some questioning her place in WWE.
One wrote: “Hey @TripleH and @WWE do you want this representing the younger part of the company [just wondering]?”
Others added: “You need to be fired,” and “Disappointed and disgusted.” Another critic said: “You're an absolute moron. I hope you get canned,” while one more blasted: “I swear new WWE is just full of Nepo losers.”
Several even responded by sharing a viral clip of her father’s wrestling days, where he shouts: “Shut up b**h.”*
Raine, whose real name is Simone Johnson, is not the only sports figure to spark backlash after Kirk’s death.
Charlie Rock, a former communications coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, was fired after mocking the killing.
Gerald Bourguet, who covered the Phoenix Suns for the ALLCITY Network, lost his role after calling Kirk an “evil man.”
He later clarified: “‘Political differences’ are not the same thing as spewing hateful rhetoric on a daily basis, and refusing to mourn a life devoted to that cause is not the same thing as celebrating gun violence. Just so we're 100% clear on that.”
Meanwhile, major sports teams have honored Kirk since his death. The Yankees, Packers, Jets, Dolphins, Titans, Saints, Steelers, Cowboys and Cardinals all held moments of silence in his memory.
Kirk leaves behind his wife Erika and their two children.