Acolytes Protection Agency
Acolytes Protection Agency | |
---|---|
Tag team | |
Members | John "Bradshaw" Layfield Ron "Faarooq" Simmons |
Name(s) | The APA/A.P.A. The Acolytes The Acolytes Protection Agency The Hell's Henchmen |
Billed heights | Faarooq: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1] Bradshaw: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)[2] |
Combined billed weight | 565 lb (256 kg)[1][2] Faarooq (275 lbs), Bradshaw (290 lbs) |
Debut | November 15, 1998 |
Years active | 1998–2002 2003–2004 2007–present (non-wrestling reunions) |
The Acolytes Protection Agency (APA) was an American professional wrestling tag team who consisted of Bradshaw (John Layfield) and Faarooq (Ron Simmons). They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E) between October 1998 and March 2004.
Before forming the APA, Faarooq and Bradshaw were known simply as The Acolytes and went on to become a part of The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness.[3] As The Acolytes, they won two World Tag Team Championships in 1999, while feuding with X-Pac and Kane and the Hardy Boyz. After renaming themselves the Acolytes Protection Agency in 2000, they adopted the gimmick of bodyguards-for-hire to other wrestlers, and won a third tag team championship in 2001.[4]
In 2002, the
History
The Acolytes (1998–2000)
As single competitors in the World Wrestling Federation, Bradshaw and Faarooq's careers had stalled. WWF management then placed them in a tag team called The Hell's Henchmen managed by The Jackyl.[6][7] Both men made their first appearance on TV as a team on the November 15, 1998, episode of Sunday Night Heat attacking 8-Ball, Skull and Paul Ellering as the D.O.A. came down to the ring for a match. The following week on Sunday Night Heat, The Jackyl came down to the ring as the duo interrupted a match and proclaimed Bradshaw and Faarooq to be his Acolytes. Both men made their official tag team debut on the November 30, 1998, episode of Raw is War, when they attacked Tiger Ali Singh and his manager, Babu, after Singh's match against Val Venis.[8][9] The team was notorious for their intense and brutal beatings done during the ensuing matches. Afterwards, they won tag team matches against the team of Venis and The Godfather and the team of The J.O.B. Squad.[10][11]
When The Jackyl left the WWF, the duo joined
The Acolytes then began a feud with the
After regaining the championship, the Acolytes began another feud with Kane with various partners. On the August 8, 1999, episode of Sunday Night Heat, Kane teamed up with
After sporadic feuds, the Acolytes won a tag team battle royal at Armageddon against seven other tag teams to win a WWF Tag Team Championship match.[39][40] They were unable to win the championship at the Royal Rumble, as the New Age Outlaws defeated them, after Billy Gunn performed a Fame-ass-er on Bradshaw, after interference from X-Pac.[41][42]
Acolytes Protection Agency (2000–2002)
According to Layfield, he got drunk during a party for his birthday in Baltimore, and Vince and Shane McMahon saw him. They found it funny, so they asked both of them to portray a similar, beer drinking character on TV, just sitting around, playing cards, drinking beer and getting into fights backstage and in bars. Upon being told this, Simmons said it was “the best idea I’ve ever heard”, as both Layfield and Simmons liked to participate in the APA’s social activities in real life, so both talents felt at home.
On the June 26, 2000, episode of Raw, the APA won a Tag-Team Battle Royal against seven other teams to earn an opportunity at the WWF Tag Team Championship.
On the September 7, 2000, episode of SmackDown!, the
After sporadic feuds through midway 2001, the APA were awarded a WWF Tag Team Championship match against the Dudley Boyz. On the July 9, 2001, episode of Raw, Bradshaw pinned
Initial separation (2002)
On March 25, 2002, the APA were split up when the
Return to SmackDown (2003–2004)
After their brief single careers, Bradshaw and Simmons reunited in WWE's former farm territory,
Brief reunions and legacy (2007–present)
Two years later in 2006, Layfield was injured and became a
The APA had an in-ring reunion on the December 3, 2007, episode of Raw when
Simmons and Layfield reunited for
The APA again reunited on the January 19, 2015, episode of Raw (dubbed Raw Reunion due to numerous special appearances by various WWE Hall of Famers and Legends), alongside the New Age Outlaws, saving the New World Order (nWo) members from The Ascension, during which Layfield attacked Ascension member Viktor with a Clothesline from Hell.
On April 2, 2016, the APA inducted The Godfather into the WWE Hall of Fame. They returned the following year, on March 31, 2017, to induct Theodore Long into the WWE Hall of Fame.
On January 22, 2018, the APA appeared backstage hosting a poker game during WWE Raw 25 Years.
On the October 23, 2020, episode of SmackDown, both Simmons and Layfield, along with Hall of Famer Theodore Long appeared in a court-like segment named Law and Otis wherein debates are tackled between Otis and The Miz for the Money In The Bank contract.
Since October 17, 2022, Layfield, now a manager for Baron Corbin, had been frequently shown doing poker matches backstage with Akira Tozawa.[103]
On January 23, 2023, Layfield and Simmons once again appeared backstage for Raw is XXX to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Monday Night Raw, the pair once again hosted poker matches.[104]
On the 2023 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, Layfield and Simmons appeared to award Tim White with the Warrior Award. White's brothers, Tom and Pat, accepted the award.
Championships and accomplishments
- Memphis Championship Wrestling
- Ohio Valley Wrestling
- World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment
- WWF European Championship (1 time)[74] – Bradshaw
- WWF Tag Team Championship (3 times)[4]
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012) – Faarooq (as Ron Simmons)
- Class of 2020) – Bradshaw (as John "Bradshaw" Layfield)
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