Ron Simmons

Ron Simmons (born May 15, 1958) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He was the first African American to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, and was thus the first officially recognized African American World Champion. (Bobo Brazil, who won the NWA Championship in 1962, was not officially recognized for his win.)

Simmons was a Florida State University All-American football player, and played for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League and the Ottawa Rough Riders in the Canadian Football League. He became a professional wrestler in 1986, and went on to wrestle in World Championship Wrestling under his real name and in the World Wrestling Federation under both his real name and the ring names Faarooq Asad and Faarooq. He is currently under contract with the WWE and does public relations work. He also appears in backstage segments on RAW.

Championships and accomplishments

 * Memphis Championship Wrestling
 * MCW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Bradshaw as the A.P.A.


 * National Wrestling Alliance
 * Regional
 * NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time) - with Butch Reed as Doom


 * Ohio Valley Wrestling
 * OVW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Bradshaw as the A.P.A.


 * Pro Wrestling Illustrated
 * PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year award in 1992
 * PWI ranked him # 108 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
 * PWI ranked him # 91 of the best tag teams of the PWI Years with Butch Reed.


 * World Championship Wrestling
 * WCW United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Big Josh
 * WCW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * WCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Butch Reed as Doom


 * World Wrestling Federation
 * WWF World Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Bradshaw as the A.P.A.