Ron Simmons

Ron Simmons is a semi-retired professional wrestler. He was most recently employed by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) doing public relations work and occasionally appearing and wrestling on WWE television before being released from the company on January 13, 2008.Bleacher Report: Sgt. Slaughter, Ron Simmons Fired From WWE (January 14, 2009)

Simmons was a member of the tag team Doom with Butch Reed. Together they defeated The Steiner Brothers to be recognized as the first ever WCW World Tag Team Champions in 1991. Simmons would later go on to become the first ever African American to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

After a brief stint in Extreme Championship Wrestling, Simmons joined the WWF as Farooq. Farooq created the Nation on Domination, a stable of African American wrestlers. Farooq would be overthrown as leader by The Rock in 1998, beginning a feud with the group he created.

After "The Nation," Farooq teamed with Bradshaw to form the Acolytes Protection Agency. The beer drinking, muscle-for-hire team saw a stretch of success, winning the Tag Titles on several occasions. Simmons quietly retired from wrestling in 2004.

In October of 2006, Simmons returned to WWE, making several cameo appearances using his catchphrase, "DAMN!" He would also wrestle on occasion. In 2008, Simmons entered substance abuse rehab.

• May 15, 1958: Born

• 1986: Debuts on WCW with Butch Reed to form Doom

• 1992: Defeats Vader to become the first African American WCW World Heavyweight Champion

• 1994: Joins ECW

• 1996: Joins WWF as Faarooq Asad

• 1997: Forms the group Nation of Domination

• 1998: Teams up with John Layfield to become the Acolytes Protection Agency

• 2002: Drafted to Smackdown!

• 2003: Fired by general manager Paul Heyman

• 2006-present: Makes appearances on Raw to say "Damn!"

• 2009: Released by WWE