Ron Simmons

This article is about the professional wrestler. For the politician, see Ron Simmons (politician). For other people with similar names, see Ron Simmons (disambiguation).
"Faarooq" redirects here. For other people with similar names, see Farooq.

Ron Simmons
Simmons in 2020
Born
Ronald Simmons

(1958-05-15) May 15, 1958 (age 66)[1]
Perry, Georgia, U.S.[2]
Alma materFlorida State University
Ring name(s)Doom #1[3]
Faarooq[1]
Faarooq Asaad[1]
Ron Simmons
Billed height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)[4]
Billed weight270 lb (122 kg)[4]
Billed fromWarner Robins, Georgia
"The Mean Streets"
(as Faarooq Asaad)[4]
Trained byHiro Matsuda[1][4]
Debut1986[1]
RetiredMarch 17, 2012[5]
American football career
Career information
High school:Warner Robins (GA)
College:Florida State
Position:Defensive tackle
NFL draft:1981 / round: 6 / pick: 160
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
College Football Hall of Fame

Ronald K. Simmons[6] (born May 15, 1958) is an American former professional wrestler and football player. He is best known for his tenures in WWE and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Simmons played football as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL) and United States Football League (USFL) for four seasons during the 1980s.

Simmons played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was recognized as an All-American. He played professionally for the NFL's Cleveland Browns, the CFL's Ottawa Rough Riders and the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits.

Simmons performed for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) under his real name, and in the World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/E) under both his real name and the ring names Faarooq Asaad[1] (sometimes spelled Asad) and Faarooq (sometimes spelled Farooq).[1] In WCW, Simmons was a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion;[1][7] as the first African American to win the title,[8] he is recognized by WWE as the first Black world champion in professional wrestling history.[9] He was also a one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion with Butch Reed and a one-time WCW United States Tag Team Champion with Big Josh.[10][11] He was one of the most prominent stars in the WWF in the early Attitude Era.[12] In the WWF, he was a three-time WWF Tag Team Champion with Bradshaw as one half of the Acolytes Protection Agency.[13] Simmons was a sporadic world title contender between ECW and the WWF,[14] and led the Nation of Domination stable in the latter promotion. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012.[4]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Ron Simmons". Online World Of Wrestling. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  2. ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 of the PWI Years: 108 Ron Simmons". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States: Sports and Entertainment publications LLC. May 21, 2003. p. 28. June 2003.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference KreikenbohmDoom was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d e "Ron Simmons". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  5. ^ "Ron Simmons".
  6. ^ "Ron Simmons". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  7. ^ "WCW World Championship." WWE Retrieved on August 14, 2012.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference nff was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Twenty-Three Years Ago, Ron Simmons Became the First African-American Professional Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion". Complex.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference wcwtag was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference WCWUS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference vids.wwe.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "World Tag Team Championships". WWE. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
  14. ^ "Ron Simmons: Profile & Match Listing". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved July 27, 2017.