Ron Simmons

At 66 years old, Ron Simmons has this physical status:

Ronald Simmons (born May 15, 1958) is an American retired professional wrestler and football player.

He appeared in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) under his real name and company name, as well as in the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/E) and Faarooq (sometimes mispelled Farooq).

He has joined WWE and is active in the Legends program. Simmons was a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and WWE has named him as the first black world champion in professional wrestling history.

With Butch Reed and Big Josh, he was also a one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion and a one-time WCW United States Tag Team champion.

He was a three-time WWF Tag Team Champion with Bradshaw as one half of the Acolytes Protection Agency in the WWF.

Simmons was a sporadic world championship contender for ECW and the WWF, and he led stable The Country of Domination in the latter period.

Simmons, an American college and pro football player who played for a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL), and the United States Football League (USFL) for four seasons (1980s), was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012.

He played college football for Florida State University and was voted an All-American.

He played for the Cleveland Browns, the CFL's Ottawa Rough Riders, and the Tampa Bay Bandits in the United States.

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Football career

Since he dropped out of high school, Ron Simmons was one of Florida State's most popular recruiting victories. Simmons spent four years (1977-1980) as a defensive nose guard at FSU under coach Bobby Bowden (whom Simmons referred to as "a second father") and was awarded Consensus All-America accolades in 1979 and 1980. Simmons' time at the university, they were 39–8, earning back-to-back Orange Bowl trips after Simmons' junior and senior seasons.

Simmons finished ninth in the Heisman poll in 1979, behind winner Charles White of Washington, D.C., who came in second place. Simmons' jersey (number 50) was retired by FSU in 1988, the third time a number has been suspended in school history. Simmons was inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame for his efforts while playing at Florida State, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

He played briefly in the National Football League (NFL), being selected in the sixth round of the 1981 NFL Draft. He played for the Cleveland Browns in 1981 and 1982, as well as the Tampa Bay Bandits in the United States, from 1983 to 1985, where he was a teammate of future professional wrestler Lex Luger.

Professional wrestling career

Simmons began working with Jim Crockett Promotions in 1986, on the first show of the Great American Bash tour when he defeated The Tahitian Prince in Lakeland, Florida, on July 1. Simmons was only in preliminary level competition this summer, but when he defeated Ivan Koloff in St Louis on August 7, he earned his biggest victory of his career. Simmons defeated Rodney Anoa'i (Yokozuna) and The Barbarian, two teenage boys. In an interview with Tiger Conway Jr. and Shaska Whatley, he was engaged in his first television interview when he was assaulted by them in a live broadcasting interview on October 24.

He remained undefeated in singles until losing to Ivan Koloff on a house show at the Omni in Atlanta on February 14, 1988. Simmons was dominant in the first half of the year against lower-level competition on house shows, including Whatley and The Terminator. Simmons and Steve Williams competed in the 3rd Annual Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup in Greenville, South Carolina, on April 22, 1988. Simmons was defeated in the first round by Mike Rotunda and Kevin Sullivan after being struck with a foreign object.

Simmons began showing signs of a heel turn in his matches, including a non-title match against fellow babyface, then-NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, and a match against Junkyard Dog in March 1989, where he broke the rules during what was supposed to be a face vs. face match against Junkyard Dog. Simmons won the match when referee Teddy Long, Ron's future manager, got a fast count (Long was shot (kayfabe) as referee by Jim Herd immediately after this match). On the 27th episode of World Championship Wrestling, where he competed against Ranger Ross against the Samoan Swat Team as part of a tournament for the uncontested NWA World Tag Team Championship, leaving him in the ring alone when Long came out. Simmons later joined Butch Reed to create Doom. In the beginning, the Doom members were masked and only identified as Doom #1 and Doom #2, which was ruled by Woman. Doom defeated The Steiner Brothers in their pay-per-view debut at Halloween 1989. Doom finished fourth in the "Iron Team Tournament" at Starrcade 1989, losing all three of their matches. Doom's misfortune continued as Woman soon left the team to oversee the Four Horsemen. Then, who were defeated by Rick and Scott Steiner on February 6, 1990, was pushed to unmask.

They recovered and defeated The Steiner Brothers for the NWA World Tag Team Championship at Capital Combat in 1990. They held the title for nine months, defeating teams like The Rock 'n' Roll Express and feuding with The Four Horsemen. During their championship reign, Arn Anderson and Barry Windham were fighting in a no-contest when Windham pinted Simmons while Reed simultaneously pinned Anderson. Doom were first champions of the WCW World Tag Team Championship in January 1991, before losing the titles to the Freebirds at WrestleWar in February 1991. Doom eventually broke down, with Simmons turning face and feuding with Reed, defeating him in a cage match at the first SuperBrawl. Simmons defeated midcarders including Oz and The Diamond Studd, then unsuccessfully challenged Lex Luger for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Halloween Havoc, losing the best-of-three falls match one to two.

Simmons spent the first half of 1992 with Cactus Jack, whom he defeated by pinfall at SuperBrawl II. After Jake Roberts (kayfabe) injured Sting, a scheduled championship match between Sting and WCW World Heavyweight Champion Big Van Vader was postponed on August 2, 1992 at a Baltimore, Maryland. Bill Watts, the WCW's president, responded by staging a lottery to determine the top contenders. Simmons claimed the lottery and defeated Valiant with a snap scoop powerslam to win the championship. Simmons became the first female African American WCW World Heavyweight Champion and the second African American wrestler to win a World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Vader.

Simmons ruled the country for five months after winning the title for the first time. He and Cactus Jack continued to feud with him, with Jack bringing The Barbarian to face Simmons at Halloween Havoc. Simmons had intended to wrestle Rick Rude but instead, Simmons faced "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, limiting Simmons to a disqualification victory after the match. Valiant defeated him to regain the crown two days later on December 30, 1992, two days later.

Simmons was later promoted to mid-card status, eventually becoming a bitter heel who cried out of him after losing the championship. During Simmons' last months with WCW, Simmons unsuccessfully challenged Dustin Rhodes for the United States Heavyweight Championship and Paul Orndorff for the World Television Championship. Simmons was still working for WCW without being signed to a contract in the spring of 1994, but Sherri Martel briefly managed Simmons at that time. Simmons won his 1st round match against Marcus Bagwell but lost the next round to Sting. He will continue to feud with Sting and Bagwell, who are mainly competing in tag matches. On the September 10, 1994 edition of WCW Worldwide, his last match was a win over Scott Armstrong.

In September 1994, Simmons made his debut in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). He began working with 2 Cold Scorpios in November 1994, when the pair unsuccessfully challenged The Public Enemy for the ECW World Tag Team Championship. Simmons failed to defeat ECW World Heavyweight Champion Shane Douglas in November 1994, who was on the back of a riot. In December and January, he met Douglas again, but he was unable to win the title. Simmons stunned Hack Meyers at Extreme Warfare in March 1995, putting the game on hold and choked Simmons. Simmons lost to Mikey Whipwreck because he choked the referee; the next month, 911 attempted to hurt Simmons, but Simmons refused to punch him in the chest; after the match, Simmons landed 911 for a low blow and choked him. 911 defeated Simmons after chokeslamming him off the top rope at the Hostile City Showdown later this month. In May 1995, Simmons made his last appearances with ECW.

Simmons defeated New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in Japan between January and February 1995 as part of the "Fighting Spirit" tour. During the tour, he mainly competed with others American wrestlers like Flying Scorpio, Mike Enos, and Scott Norton in tag team matches and six-man tag team competitions, facing opponents like Kensuke Sasaki, Masa Saito, Shinya Hashimoto, and Tada Yasuda. Simmons appeared on NJPW in May and June 1995, second time in a row with American wrestlers such as Arn Anderson, Mike Enos, and Steve Austin.

Simmons went into semi-retirement after his appearances with ECW and NJPW. He began working as a warehouse manager for a Coca-Cola plant on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia.

Simmons returned to professional wrestling in 1996 after signing a World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He made his debut on Monday Night Raw's July 22, 1996, episode. Sunny's first gimmick was "Faarooq Asad," a gladiator/street thug outfit with a misshaped helmet and a black and blue hat, and he was escorted to the ground by Sunny. Simmons began his feud with Ahmed Johnson before shorteneding his name to Faarooq. Faarooq and Shawn Michaels were slated as the feud started when Faarooq struck Johnson during a tag team match pitting Johnson and Shawn Michaels against the Smoking Gunns. Johnson canceled the WWF Intercontinental Championship due to his injuries. Faarooq lost in the finals to Marc Mero in the subsequent tournament.

Faarooq's gladiator gimmick died, parted with Sunny, and formed the Nation of Domination (NOD), a stable closely based on the Nation of Islam and the Black Panther Party, though the stable's members were not mainly African American. They fought with Ahmed Johnson in the beginning. Johnson defeated Farooq by disqualification at the Royal Rumble 1997. Johnson injured himself after he saw Faarooq in the aisle and ran after him in the Royal Rumble match. Faarooq was forced to return and attack him with a 2x4. In a Chicago Street Fight, the NOD was defeated by WrestleMania 13 Johnson and the Legion of Doom.

Faarooq remorsnted Crush and Savio Vega for their loss after losing to WWF champion The Undertaker at the 1997 King of the Ring and kicked them out of the NOD. Both groups, namely the Disciples of Apocalypse and Los Boricuas, and Faarooq, recruited more African Americans for the NOD, including half-Samoan Rocky Maivia. Throughout 1997, the three stables feuded with one another. Faarooq lost a tournament final for the WWF Intercontinental Championship in 1997, this time to Owen Hart after Stone Cold Steve Austin intervened. Austin, who had forfeited the title due to Hart's injury, needed to win so he could reclaim the crown.

Faarooq's leadership of the NOD was increasingly challenged by Maivia, who had shortened his name to The Rock and felt he should be the leader since he was now Intercontinental Champion. All five NOD members were in the ring at the same time and often brawled with each other, including Faarooq and Mark Henry, who were also one of the final three alongside the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Faarooq wanted the Rock to help him get out of Austin, but Faarooq refused and removed Faarooq. In Your House, the Country of Domination lost a 10-man tag team match against Ken Shamrock, Ahmed Johnson, Chainz, Skull, and 8 Ball when The Rock was admitted to an ankle lock by Shamrock earlier this month. Faarooq and The Rock nearly came to blows after the match. Faarooq and Kama were dissatisfied with the tag team war at Wrestlemania XIV. Faarooq was the only NOD member absent from The Rock's title defense against Ken Shamrock later in the evening. Faarooq staggered to the ring but refused to help him and walked away, with the crowd cheering his verdict, thus turning him face. The Rock assumed the NOD's leadership and booted Faarooq out of the group the following night. Faarooq spent the next few months feuding with his former coworkers.

Faarooq feuded with The Rock after being kicked out of the country, but they failed to win the Intercontinental title. Simmons joined 2 Cold Scorpio for a brief period of time. Simmons began working with Bradshaw as The Acolytes, a violent tag team with occult symbols on their pants and chests in late 1998. They were withheld by The Jackyl until he left the WWF, at which point they were reintroduced as representatives of The Ministry of Darkness led by The Undertaker. Phineas I. Godwinn and Mabel were recruited by the Acolytes to the Ministry by kidnapping and brainwashing them (renaming them Mideon and Viscera, respectively), and feuded with The Undertaker's rivals, such as D-Generation X and The Brood, who later joined the ministry as well.

The Acolytes had two short reigns as tag team champions during this time; they defeated Kane and X-Pac's team but lost the title to the Hardy Boyz. They won the title back in a no disqualification handicap match against Michael Hayes and Hardyz in 1999. They lost the championship to Kane and X-Pac in their second reign.

The Ministry of Darkness disbanded after the Undertaker sustained an injury in late 1999. Faarooq and Bradshaw continued to collaborate with one another, eventually adopting the gimmick of two brawlers who loved drinking beer and smoking cigars. The Acolytes Protection Agency was renamed after Bradshaw began recruiting mercenaries and bodyguards as mercenaries and bodyguards. (APA). Faarooq adopted his "Damn" around this time. catch the latest catch. The team won their third tag team title by defeating the Dudley Boys in June 2001, but lost the championships to Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Kanyon after Test interfered.

Faarooq was drafted to the SmackDown in 2002, and the APA worked together until 2002. Brand. Around this time, Ron Simmons began battling under his real name as the terrorist group Al-Qaeda ran a training camp named Al-Faarooq. Simmons had a brief heel when he teamed with Reverend D-Von until he left television in December 2002, but with Bradshaw and the APA reunited in June 2003, he returned to WWE.

SmackDown fired him in his last WWE storyline. After the APA lost a match for the WWE Tag Team Championship, GM Paul Heyman was fired. The APA was believed to have been shot but Heyman told Bradshaw that he was allowed to remain. Simmons resigned from his in-ring career, accusing Bradshaw of not being a faithful friend in this storyline. Simmons, who had intended to retire due to his health and age, became a backstage agent for the corporation the day this angle was broadcast on SmackDown!

Simmons said during a rebroadcast of the 1981 Orange Bowl on Sun Sports, that he wants to continue or even enhance his wrestling role. He began making short cameos on Raw to announce his catch, "Damn," often in awe or surprise at strange occurrences.

Ric Flair had chosen Simmons to replace the injured Roddy Piper at the Survivor Series on November 20, 2006, against the Spirit Squad. He was the first person to be ruled out by countout. On the "Master Lock Challenge" episode on January 15, 2007, he was seen in the ring with Chris Masters, which culminated in Super Crazy interference. Simmons' escape from the Master Lockout was not revealed. Simmons was named the best man for Theodore Long and Kristal's wedding on July 27, 2007, the 2007 version of SmackDown!

Simmons also feuded with Santino Marella. Simmons was assaulted by Marella on the September 10, 2007 episode of Raw. Simmons returned to the ring and stunned Santino Marella by counting out after Marella left the match and walked out on September 24, 2007. Simmons appeared on WWE Heat occasionally, taking on jobbers from the town where the show is being taped. Simmons held a microphone at the end of each match, pulling it closer and away from his mouth as the audience applauded him until he finally uttered his catch. Hornswoggle recruited Simmons and Bradshaw to assist him in a no disqualification handicap match against Jonathan Coachman and Carlito on December 3, 2007.

Simmons interrupted wrestlers who were dancing in the ring on Raw's 800th episode on November 3, 2008. During the 2008 Slammy Awards, he gave The Great Khali the DAMN Moment of the Year. Simmons was suspended from WWE due to budget cuts in 2009, but he has appeared on several WWE shows to avoid uncomfortable situations with his catchphrase. Episodes from WWE Old School Raw (November 15, 2010 and January 6, 2014) and Raw (May 2, 2011 and January 28, 2013) were included in the series.

Simmons competed in the independent circuit from 2008 to 2012. He appeared in his last match at Crossfire Wrestling in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 17, 2012.

Simmons was also lauded for being the first African American world heavyweight champion in WCW. Simmons was named as one of WWE's "Attitude Era" in which he appeared as a memorable character. John "Bradshaw" Layfield, his APA colleague, appeared on March 31. "Damn" was the final word in his Hall of Fame address once more. On the 1000th episode of Raw, Simmons and Layfield reunited as the Acolytes Protection Agency (APA), giving them their signature shield and back-up for Lita during her match against Heath Slater. Simmons yelled "Damn!" as Layfield's Clothesline from Hell sank Slater.

Simmons was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012. Simmons appeared on many occasions in Maryland's "Autumn Armageddon" tour in 2014.

Simmons came out to support the nWo (Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Sean Waltman) and The New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Road Dogg) and John "Bradshaw" Layfield against the Ascension on January 19, 2015 (Konnor and Viktor).

Simmons attended the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame in January 22, 2018 at the Raw 25 Years show on January 22, 2018. In a backstage segment involving Mike and Maria Kanellis, Eve Torres, and Jimmy Hart, he also appeared at the Raw Reunion show on July 22, 2019 chanting "Damn!"

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