Ron 'Faarooq' Simmons Recalls Formation Of WWE Tag Team The Acolytes With JBL

Before they were known as the APA (Acolyte Protection Agency), Bradshaw (JBL) and Faarooq (Ron Simmons) were simply known as The Acolytes, and were the enforcers of The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness. Appearing at Music City Multi Con, Simmons recalled what led to his pairing with JBL. On the topic of their transformation from cult enforcers to bodyguards, Simmons joked that they simply became themselves.

"We just morphed into ourselves is what really happened!" Additionally, he noted how they both had some success before their pairing and came from similar backgrounds. "He and I got a similar background: he's a football player and me coming from the same thing." Simmons also noted they were both similar in person too, but that he doesn't think the higher-ups knew how successful the pairing would end up being. "Our personalities were similar outside of the ring and so when they said 'Hey, well, what about if we just put these guys together?' And I don't think anybody, to be honest with you, were thinking that the success we had was going to come about."

Lastly, Simmons also expressed that he and JBL knew that they had something special the moment they first spent some time together. "Because, if you've been in a tag before, you can feel it. You can feel if it's going to work. And in that short period of time, we were together, we knew that we were on to something there and that it was clicking with the people."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Music City Multi Con and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.