While he is best known to today’s wrestling fans for his emphatic response of “Damn!” during some of WWE‘s more absurd moments, Ron Simmons has had one of the most decorated careers in professional wrestling. Before his three World Wrestling Federation World Tag Team Championship reigns with Bradshaw, Simmons won the National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship in 1990 with Butch Reed (a title reign that was eventually recognized as the first World Championship Wrestling World Tag Team Championship). And prior to debuting in the WWF as Faarooq, Simmons made wrestling history by becoming the first recognized black World Heavyweight Champion in any promotion when he defeated Big Van Vader for the WCW title in 1992. Also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Simmons talks to Wrestling with Pop Culture about some of his career milestones in preparation for next weekend’s NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend.
You became best known to mainstream audiences in the WWF as Faarooq, but you had your must successful run in the NWA and WCW where you became the first black World Heavyweight Champion.
Right. I tell you what, man. Probably the most memorable days were in the NWA, where I spent the beginning stages of my wrestling career. Some of the guys I encountered then, I will be seeing again at this convention, which I look forward to very much. Dusty Rhodes, Ronnie Garvin, Michael Hayes, “Superfly” Snuka, all the guys that came through there and helped me out so much during the formative stages of my career made it in the NWA. That is the most meaningful thing to me and now I’m getting a chance to see them again and relive some of those old memories. I’m really looking forward to this one more so than any that I’ve done in the past because it will give me the opportunity to be a fan myself again. Seeing some of the guys that I grew up watching, then had a chance to be in the ring with, as well as getting a chance to answer questions and talk to some of the fans, whether they want to ask me about football or professional wrestling, this is going to be an all-around great event. From honoring Gordon Solie right down to talking to all the great fans, this is going to be something for everybody of all ages. And it couldn’t be in a better venue than here in Atlanta.
This fanfest is usually held in Charlotte. Do you know why it is being held in Atlanta this year?
I think they know the market is here. Atlanta is where a lot of these guys came from and it’s where most of the legacy of the NWA was. Most of the fans really grew up watching these guys here in Atlanta, when we were doing most of our matches for TV tapings and things of that nature at the old Turner Studios. So this is the best location possible, I think, to do it.
Another guest this year is your old manager from Doom, Teddy Long.
He and I are going to be there together and I’m looking forward to seeing him. It’s going to be great. We were looking forward to my partner Butch Reed being there, but I’m not sure if he’s going to show or not. We’re still hoping that he does.
You’re still fairly active in the Georgia wrestling scene. What have you been doing in the area lately?
A lot of guys call me from the indie circuit for advice and have me come in and critique the matches and things like that. I love to go out and sit and watch the shows because it reminds me of when I started out doing matches at high schools and things of that nature. I spend a lot of time doing that when I can, and I still pop back up here and there with WWE.
Yeah, I still see you there every so often. You’re most recent appearance was on Raw in May for the Rock‘s birthday, right?
Yeah, that was the last one I did.
What is your role with WWE currently? Are you under any sort of contract there or do they just call you from time to time to make appearances?
No, not at this time. I’m just on-call and they still call me to ask for advice and to critique some of the guys and things like that. I like that role and it works out best for myself and them. At this stage of my career, after 30 years of being on the road, I’m really just enjoying living and being home with family.
Do you think you’ll ever have another run as a wrestler in WWE or elsewhere.
No. Like any other thing that’s physically involved, you’ve got to know when to say, “This is it. I’ve had a great time doing it, I’ve been successful in it and I’m not going to push it no more. I’m going to go out the way it is.” That’s the way I saw it. My football career was good to me, my body’s been good to me and throughout all of that, I’m not going to push it. I know when to say, “That’s enough.” And, hey, I’ve had a good time.
You had plenty of accomplishments as a wrestler, so I guess there’s really nothing for you to go back and prove.
Absolutely. I’m satisfied with it. You hit it right on the point. There’s nothing else for me to go back and accomplish. I had a good time, I accomplished what I wanted to, I worked hard at it and that’s where I want to leave it. One of the things I’m most thankful for is the fans for being there and supporting me through all the years. And that’s what I’m looking forward to doing at this fanfest.
Aside from meeting fans and signing autographs, will you also be taking part in any panels or anything like that?
Yeah. We’ll do some Q&As and things of that nature. Of course, with the dinners and banquets they have going on, it’s going to be really big.
A lot of younger fans may not know about your wrestling background with the NWA and probably just know that you show up sometimes and say, “Damn!” How did that catchphrase first catch on?
Anybody with ringside seats who was sitting there watching when things wouldn’t go the way I wanted them to in the ring, that’s what they would always hear me say in the middle of the ring. Sometimes that came across on TV, so after a while people seemed to get a big kick out of it. So I thought, “Why don’t I just incorporate that into the show?” It seemed to catch on pretty quick, so I just started using it from then on.
NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend. $20-$224, free for children ages 10 and younger. Aug. 4-7. Atlanta Airport Marriott, 4711 Best Road, Atlanta, Ga. 404-766-7900, www.nwalegends.com.