Ava Raine, the daughter of WWE icon Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has stepped into a public spotlight that extends far beyond professional wrestling. Days after confirming her departure from World Wrestling Entertainment, Raine delivered a blunt and unmistakable political message aimed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Trump administration—one that immediately reverberated across social media and entertainment news.
The message, posted on Sunday, carried an unmistakable tone of anger and finality. In a tweet that quickly spread online, Raine condemned ICE and what she described as the “entire administration,” punctuating her words with a raised middle finger emoji. The timing was impossible to ignore. Just two days earlier, she had announced that she would not be renewing her WWE contract, formally ending a six-year association with the organization that had shaped much of her early adult life.
For Raine, the separation from WWE appeared to coincide with a sense of newfound freedom. In her tweet, she suggested that no longer being bound by professional obligations allowed her to speak openly and “with [her] full chest.” The comment resonated with supporters who viewed her departure as a turning point—one that enabled her to use her platform without restraint, even at the risk of controversy.
Raine joined WWE in 2020, following in the footsteps of her father, whose career helped define modern professional wrestling. Her journey, however, was never a simple inheritance of legacy. Before entering the wrestling world, Raine had been accepted to New York University, where she planned to pursue a different path. An injury sidelined those plans and forced her to reconsider her future. She later described that setback as a sign—an unexpected redirection toward wrestling, the industry she had grown up around but never assumed would become her own.
Her early years in WWE were marked by experimentation and evolution. After training at the company’s performance center, Raine made her on-screen debut and eventually aligned herself with Schism, a faction that played a prominent role in NXT programming. When the group’s storyline unraveled following a significant loss in 2023, Raine faced a pivotal decision. Rather than pushing forward solely as an in-ring performer, she transitioned into a behind-the-scenes role.
That move would prove consequential. Starting as an assistant, Raine steadily climbed the ranks of NXT management. At just 22 years old, she became the youngest General Manager in the brand’s history, a milestone that underscored WWE’s confidence in her leadership and creative instincts. In 2024, she helped launch the NXT Women’s North American Championship, establishing the first-ever secondary women’s title in WWE and expanding opportunities for female wrestlers across the developmental brand.
Despite those achievements, Raine announced last week that she would be stepping away. In a statement shared on Instagram, she described the choice as “very difficult” and acknowledged the emotional weight of leaving a role that had defined her identity for years. She thanked fans who had supported her throughout her journey and reflected on what it had meant to represent WWE.
“This past Tuesday was my last appearance on NXT and subsequently WWE,” she wrote. “While my decision to not renew my contract was very difficult, it’s also a new turning point in my life. It has been an honor and a privilege to be Ava.”
Her political message followed shortly after—and landed amid a tense national moment. In recent weeks, immigration enforcement actions had sparked protests across the United States, particularly in Minnesota, where ICE raids escalated into violence. Two residents—a nurse named Alex Pretti and a mother, Renee Good—were fatally shot during encounters involving federal agents. The deaths intensified scrutiny of ICE’s tactics and fueled public outrage.
That outrage culminated in a wave of demonstrations, including a “national shutdown” on Friday in which participants refused to shop or work as a form of protest against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The actions were part of a broader “ICE Out” initiative, with thousands taking to the streets in cities like Minneapolis for consecutive weeks. The city became a focal point in the administration’s intensified crackdown on undocumented immigration, drawing national attention and celebrity involvement.
Raine’s tweet placed her among a growing list of public figures who have openly criticized ICE and federal immigration enforcement. Artists such as Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish had also used their platforms to denounce the raids and express solidarity with affected communities. For supporters, these statements represented a willingness to leverage fame for advocacy; for critics, they raised questions about celebrity influence in political discourse.
What distinguished Raine’s message was its timing and context. Unlike many entertainers who speak out while remaining firmly embedded in their careers, Raine had just walked away from a powerful corporate institution. To some observers, the sequence suggested that professional constraints may have previously limited her public commentary. To others, it marked a deliberate attempt to redefine herself beyond wrestling, signaling that her next chapter would involve more outspoken engagement with social and political issues.
Raine has not elaborated further on her plans, but her background suggests a capacity for reinvention. As the child of two prominent figures—Dwayne Johnson and business executive Dany Garcia—she grew up witnessing the intersection of fame, discipline, and reinvention. Johnson’s own career arc, from wrestling to Hollywood to entrepreneurship, looms large as an example of how a public figure can repeatedly reshape their identity.
At the same time, Raine’s path has been distinctly her own. Her rise within WWE management was not guaranteed, nor was her decision to leave. The choice to speak out so forcefully on a polarizing issue reflects a willingness to accept backlash in exchange for honesty—a tradeoff that many public figures hesitate to make.
Reactions to her tweet were swift and divided. Supporters praised her courage and authenticity, applauding what they saw as a moral stance taken without hedging. Critics accused her of being inflammatory or uninformed, arguing that such blunt language oversimplified a complex issue. The polarized response mirrored the broader national debate surrounding immigration enforcement and executive power.
What remains clear is that Ava Raine is no longer operating solely within the boundaries of professional wrestling. Her departure from WWE, combined with her political statement, positions her at a crossroads—one where personal conviction, public scrutiny, and future ambition intersect. Whether she pursues activism, entertainment beyond wrestling, or a quieter path altogether, she has made one thing evident: she intends to speak in her own voice, on her own terms.
In stepping away from the ring and into a wider public conversation, Raine has signaled that her story is far from over. Instead, it has entered a phase defined less by scripted storylines and more by real-world stakes—where words, timing, and conviction carry consequences that cannot be choreographed.
Emily Johnson is a critically acclaimed essayist and novelist known for her thought-provoking works centered on feminism, women’s rights, and modern relationships. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Emily grew up with a deep love of books, often spending her afternoons at her local library. She went on to study literature and gender studies at UCLA, where she became deeply involved in activism and began publishing essays in campus journals. Her debut essay collection, Voices Unbound, struck a chord with readers nationwide for its fearless exploration of gender dynamics, identity, and the challenges faced by women in contemporary society. Emily later transitioned into fiction, writing novels that balance compelling storytelling with social commentary. Her protagonists are often strong, multidimensional women navigating love, ambition, and the struggles of everyday life, making her a favorite among readers who crave authentic, relatable narratives. Critics praise her ability to merge personal intimacy with universal themes. Off the page, Emily is an advocate for women in publishing, leading workshops that encourage young female writers to embrace their voices. She lives in Seattle with her partner and two rescue cats, where she continues to write, teach, and inspire a new generation of storytellers.
