Some wrestlers found in-ring fame after a contrasting job, some before it.
Few, however, have swapped the glory and stardom of the wrestling ring for the relatively mundane life of a warehouse and gone back the other way to become a bigger star than ever – but Ron Simmons is no ordinary man.
A generation of fans remember Ron Simmons as half of the APA in the Attitude EraWWEFrom WCW champion to Coca-Cola warehouse worker
His legacy as a sporting icon was established well before he even stepped foot in WWE.
A standout defensive lineman at Florida State University, Simmons was a two-time All-American and later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. His number was retired by the Seminoles – an honour reserved for only the most iconic figures in the school’s sporting history.
He went on to play professionally in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, and later in the USFL, before transitioning into wrestling.
In 1992, Simmons defeated Big Van Vader to become WCW World Heavyweight Champion – making him the first African-American man to win a recognised world title in professional wrestling. It wasn’t just a milestone; it was history in real time.
His take on it, speaking to school students many years later, was beautifully insightful. He explained: “I feel that it is a tremendous accomplishment. I never thought this was something that I would see in my lifetime.
“America is a wonderful place and I feel that we have proven ourselves to be the land of opportunity, especially during these past several decades. When I won the WCW belt, I feel that in a way broke down a barrier for other ethnicities to become successful in my business.”
The years that followed his WCW run included international appearances and stints with ECW, but the full-time schedule and demands of the industry took their toll.
For a time, Simmons took a step away from the business, unable to agree terms of a fresh WCW deal, returning to a more routine life in Georgia.
Far from the bright lights of the wrestling ring and the untold fan adulation of a world championship reign, Simmons found himself grafting as a warehouse manager for Coca Cola, the heavy weights of his in-ring foes switched for the hefty lifting of crates and pallets.
But that normality didn’t last forever – and just as well for the legions of wrestling fans who loved watching him perform.
Simmons made history far beyond the wrestling ring in WCWWWE Simmons adopted a catchphrase but remained a legendWWEBy the tail end of 1996 and two years removed from his WCW exit, Simmons was back in the business with WWE under a new gimmick as Faarooq Asad, complete with blue gladiator-style helmet and manager Sunny at his side. The presentation may have raised eyebrows, but Simmons made it work – as he often did.
Soon, he dropped the helmet and formed The Nation of Domination, simply as Faarooq – leading a stable that helped launch the careers of future megastars like The Rock.
But it was his work with Bradshaw as part of the APA that truly cemented his place in Attitude Era folklore.
The duo were hard-hitting, beer-drinking enforcers who handed out brutal beatdowns and backstage security services in equal measure. Simmons was no longer just a world champion – he was a character, a presence, and one heck of a punchline.
Ron Simmons: Attitude Era enforcer to Hall of Fame trailblazer
His delivery of a single word – “Damn!” – became a meme years before memes were even a thing.
D’Lo Brown, who had been a part of The Nation and worked alongside Simmons during the late 1990s, later told Wrestling Inc of his partner’s legacy: “Ron Simmons could walk into any locker room in the world and get immediate respect. He’s one of those guys who just commands it.
WWE immortalised Simmons with a 2012 Hall of Fame inductionWWE Mercifully the brutal blue headgear is a mere footnote in a phenomenal career for SimmonsWWE Few in the industry have a bad word to say about the iconic Simmons, football star, wrestler, warehouse workerWWE“Legitimately one of the toughest, most real dudes you’ll ever meet.”
Simmons was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012 and remains one of the most beloved figures in company history, complete with a resume that includes the glory of the WCW summit and three tag team championship reigns in WWE.
Not many men go from WCW champion to a Coca-Cola warehouse, then become an Attitude Era staple and Hall of Famer. But Simmons did.
Because for all the title belts, catchphrases, and broken doors, his real power was in grinding away to achieve dreams and make memories – no matter what aisle he was walking down.
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