The Acolytes Protection Agency, also known as Hell's Henchmen, The Acolytes, or The A.P.A., were a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation, active between October 1998 and March 2004. The members were Ron "Faarooq" Simmons and John "Bradshaw" Layfield. A professional wrestling tag-team consists of two or occasionally three wrestlers who are working together as a team. ... Ron Simmons[1] (born May 15, 1958) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. ... John Charles Layfield, known by his current ring name John Bradshaw Layfield or JBL (born November 29, 1966), is an inactive American professional wrestler. ... The pound (abbreviations: lb or, sometimes in the United States, #) is a unit of mass (called weight in everyday parlance) in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The kilogram or kilogramme (symbol: kg) is the SI base unit of mass. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A professional wrestling tag-team consists of two or occasionally three wrestlers who are working together as a team. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December Deaths • 08 Abu Abbas • 20 Queen Juliana • 28 Peter Ustinov • 30 Alistair Cooke More March 2004 deaths Ongoing events EU Enlargement Exploration of Mars: Rovers Haiti Rebellion Israeli-Palestinian conflict Occupation of Iraq Same-sex marriage in... Ron Simmons[1] (born May 15, 1958) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. ... John Charles Layfield, known by his current ring name John Bradshaw Layfield or JBL (born November 29, 1966), is an inactive American professional wrestler. ...

Acolytes

The Acolytes were originally known as Hell's Henchmen and were managed by The Jackyl. Faarooq and Bradshaw were both on a losing streak before teaming together - The Rock had recently taken over leadership of the Nation of Domination from Faarooq in a coup, and Bradshaw's tag team partner Terry Funk had left the WWF. The two resurfaced as an unstoppable tag team under the management of The Jackyl, squashing other tag teams. In professional wrestling, a manager is a character who is paired with a wrestler. ... Don Callis is a Canadian former professional wrestler and manager, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling as color commentator Cyrus the Virus. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The Nation of Domination is a former professional wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Federation. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A professional wrestling tag-team consists of two or occasionally three wrestlers who are working together as a team. ... In professional wrestling, a squash is an extremely one-sided match; one performer dominates the other and quickly defeats him with virtually no resistance. ...

When The Jackyl left the WWF, the duo joined The Undertaker's new heel stable, The Ministry of Darkness. They adopted the name The Acolytes, as they acted as acolytes of the Undertaker. The Acolytes kidnapped Dennis Knight and Mabel, indoctrinating them into the Ministry, where they were renamed Mideon and Viscera respectively. For the Combichrist song, see Everybody Hates You Mark Calaway (born March 24, 1965[2][3]) is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name The Undertaker. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In professional wrestling, a stable is a group of wrestlers within a promotion who have a common element -- friendships, either real or storyline, a manager who manages all of them, or a common storyline, which puts them together as a unit (recent examples include Evolution, La Résistance, The Cabinet... The Ministry of Darkness was a professional wrestling heel stable in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the Attitude Era of the late 1990s. ... This article is about religious acolytes. ... Dennis Knight (born December 26, 1968 in Biggers, Arkansas) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Phineas I. Godwinn and Mideon. ... Nelson Frazier, Jr. ...

Throughout 1999, The Acolytes feuded with, won and lost tag team titles to some of the enemies of the Ministry (and later The Corporate Ministry) such as X-Pac and Kane, The Brood and the Hardy Boyz, until The Undertaker was injured in late 1999, leading to the dissolution of the Corporate Ministry. Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... A professional wrestling feud is a staged disagreement between two wrestlers or factions of wrestlers over a purported slight or insult. ... The Corporation was a heel stable in the late 90s in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). ... Sean Michael Waltman (born July 13, 1972) is an American professional wrestler. ... Glen Thomas Jacobs (born April 26, 1967) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name, Kane. ... The Brood was a stable in the World Wrestling Federation during the Attitude Era of the late 1990s. ... The Hardy Boyz (also known as the The Hardys and Team Xtreme) is a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) that consists of real life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy. ...

Acolytes Protection Agency

At the beginning of 2000, Bradshaw came up with the idea of charging for protection, and the Agency was born. The A.P.A. were nominally a face team, but would protect heels if the price was right: the Dudley Boyz paid the A.P.A. to help them assault the Hardy Boyz, and Edge and Christian. Also, Crash Holly paid the A.P.A. to protect him while he took an hour long nap so that he would not lose the Hardcore Championship, which was defended 24/7; after the hour was up, the A.P.A. left their office, leaving Crash alone (asleep on their couch), and Gerald Brisco was able to pin him, winning the title. In professional wrestling, a face or babyface is a character who is portrayed as heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analagous to villains. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Team 3D is a professional wrestling tag team of Brother Ray (Mark Lamonica), Brother Devon (Devon Hughes), and on occasion the team becomes a stable with Brother Runt (Matt Hyson). ... Edge and Christian (E&C) is a former tag team of on-screen brothers made of real life best friends Adam Joseph Copeland (Edge) and William Jason Reso (Christian), who wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation. ... Michael John Lockwood (August 25, 1971 - November 6, 2003) was a professional wrestler best known as Crash Holly, the storyline cousin of Molly Holly and Hardcore Holly in the World Wrestling Federation. ... World Wrestling Entertainments Hardcore Championship was a championship defended under hardcore rules: No Disqualifications, meaning all weapons and interference are legal. ... Gerald Brisco Floyd Gerald Brisco (born January 24, 1950 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is an American former professional wrestler. ...

The tag team were notable for their series of backstage vignettes, usually involving them drinking beer, smoking cigars and playing cards in their "office" (which was merely an open space behind a stand alone door; the A.P.A would insist, however, that anyone entering the area used the door). Their bar room brawls were frequently alluded to, and the A.P.A. eventually did engage in a brawl with the occupant of "JB's Pub" while feuding with Edge and Christian. Their motto was "'Cause we need beer money!" They would also have on and off alliances with Kai En Tai and Crash Holly. The word vignette has several meanings, depending on the context. ... Leffe, a Belgian beer, served in branded glasses Schlenkerla Rauchbier straight from the cask Beer brewed from wheat. ... Four cigars of different brands (from top: H. Upmann, Montecristo, Macanudo, Romeo y Julieta) An airtight cigar storage tube and a double guillotine-style cutter Individual Woodtip Swisher Sweets Cigar A cigar is a tightly rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco, one end of which is ignited so that... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

The A.P.A. feuded with T & A (Test and Albert) after T & A, lacking money, staked their manager Trish Stratus' clothes in a game of poker, but attacked the A.P.A. when Trish was obliged to go topless. The A.P.A. were sidelined with injuries after being ambushed at No Mercy, and left Crash Holly in charge of the office, however, T & A took over their office, renaming the Agency the "T & A.P.A." until the A.P.A. returned and reclaimed their property at Armageddon. T & A (Test & Albert) is a former heel professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation. ... Andrew Test Martin (born Andrew J. Martin on March 17, 1975) is a Canadian professional wrestler. ... Matthew Jason Matt Bloom (born November 14, 1974) is an American professional wrestler, currently wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling under the ring name Giant Bernard, and for the New Japan Pro Wrestling affiliate WRESTLE LAND under the ring name Rusher Road. ... Trish Stratus (born Patricia Anne Stratigias[1] (IPA: ) on December 18, 1975 in Richmond Hill, Ontario), is a former Canadian fitness model and a retired professional wrestler. ... A game of Texas hold em in progress. ... No Mercy is an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). ... Armageddon is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment. ...

The ultra-conservative Right to Censor faction then feuded with A.P.A. throughout the autumn of 2000 and the spring of 2001. The R.T.C. had taken offense to the A.P.A.'s beer drinking, poker playing, girl ogling ways, and the feud culminated in a six-man tag match at WrestleMania X-Seven pitting the A.P.A. and Tazz against Bull Buchanan, Val Venis and The Goodfather, where Bradshaw pinned The Goodfather. During this time, the A.P.A. were often accompanied by Jacqueline. Steven Richards, leader of RTC (Right to Censor). ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... WrestleMania X-Seven was the seventeenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation. ... Peter Senerchia (born on October 11, 1967),[2] is a retired American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Tazz, (originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz). ... Barry Buchanan (born January 5, 1968 in Eddyville, Kentucky) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances as Bull Buchanan and B² in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... An editor has suggested that the references in this article might be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ...

The A.P.A. were at the vanguard of the resistance against The Invasion of World Championship Wrestling, and guarded the arenas to ensure that no WCW wrestlers could interfere in matches. When WCW wrestlers Sean O'Haire and Chuck Palumbo ran in after a Hardy Boyz versus Dudley Boyz match on June 28, 2001, the A.P.A. and many other WWE wrestlers prevented them from leaving and put them both through tables. After Booker T managed to attack Vince McMahon in the ring and then escape, the A.P.A. reasoned that a mole was aiding the invaders. The mole was eventually revealed as Paul Heyman, but not before the A.P.A. had organized a group beating of Test, believing him to be the traitor (due to Test's long time friendship with then-Alliance head Shane McMahon). Test, feeling that the A.P.A. was insincere in a later apology, would join The Alliance anyway, causing the A.P.A. to lose the World Tag Team Championships to Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Kanyon. The InVasion was a professional wrestling storyline in the World Wrestling Federation that began shortly after the WWFs purchase of World Championship Wrestling. ... World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Charles Ronald (Chuck) Palumbo (born June 15, 1971) is an Italian American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its SmackDown! brand. ... In professional wrestling, a run-in occurs when one or more individuals who are not actively participating in a match run into the ring. ... The Hardy Boyz (also known as the The Hardys and Team Xtreme) is a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) that consists of real life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy. ... Team 3D is a professional wrestling tag team of Brother Ray (Mark Lamonica), Brother Devon (Devon Hughes), and on occasion the team becomes a stable with Brother Runt (Matt Hyson). ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A wooden dining table and chairs. ... Robert Booker Tio Huffman[1] (born March 1, 1965 in Houston, Texas), better known by his wrestling name Booker T, is an American professional wrestler. ... Vincent Kennedy McMahon (born August 25, 1945) is an American wrestling promoter, occasional professional wrestler, on-screen personality, former play-by-play announcer, and film producer. ... A mole is a spy who works for an enemy nation and works within his nations government. ... Paul Buster Heyman (born September 11, 1965) is a professional wrestling manager, on-air talent, and former promoter. ... The WCW logo used in the WWF during the Invasion storyline. ... Shane Brandon McMahon[3][2] (born January 15, 1970)[1] is an American executive and part-time professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). ... The World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. ... Page Falkenberg (born April 5, 1956 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey) is an American professional wrestler formerly for WCW, WWF (now WWE), and TNA under the ring name Diamond Dallas Page (or, DDP for short); the name on his current SAG and AFTRA cards is Dallas Page. ... Christopher Irwin Klucsarits (born January 4, 1970 in the Sunnyside, Queens neighborhood of the City of New York, New York) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as Chris Kanyon. ...

Drafted Apart

In 2002, the A.P.A. were split up when the WWE roster was divided into RAW and SmackDown! brands. Bradshaw competed on RAW for the European and Hardcore Championships (winning it 18 times), and carried a lasso with a cowbell to ringside (a la Stan Hansen). Meanwhile, Faarooq (going by his birthname Ron Simmons) briefly teamed with Reverend D-Von on SmackDown! in an attempt to win the then newly established WWE Tag Team Championship. Also see: 2002 (number). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... WWE Friday Night SmackDown! is a professional wrestling television program for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and is currently the only television broadcast for the SmackDown! brand. ... The WWE European Championship belt The WWE European Championship is an inactive title competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. ... World Wrestling Entertainments Hardcore Championship was a championship defended under hardcore rules: No Disqualifications, meaning all weapons and interference are legal. ... Lariat redirects here. ... The cowbell is a percussion instrument. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Devon Omer Hughes (born August 1, 1972) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment as D-Von Dudley. ... The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship. ...

Reunion

Following a hiatus by Simmons and Bradshaw recovering from an arm injury, they were reunited on SmackDown! in June 2003, joining The Undertaker in feuding with the Full Blooded Italians. June 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December Events June 1, 2003 The Group of Eight summit opens in Evian, France to tight security and tens of thousands of protestors. ... For the Combichrist song, see Everybody Hates You Mark Calaway (born March 24, 1965[2][3]) is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name The Undertaker. ... Full Blooded Italians or F.B.I. is a professional wrestling stable currently wrestling in World Wrestling Entertainments ECW brand. ...

At Vengeance 2003, the A.P.A. hosted a Bar Room Brawl, which Bradshaw won. The match featured Bradshaw, Shannon Moore, Doink The Clown, Faarooq, Brother Love, Nunzio, Matt Hardy, A-Train, Danny Basham, Doug Basham, The Easter Bunny, Sean O'Haire, John Hennigan, Orlando Jordan, Funaki, Los Conquistadores (Rob Conway and Johnny Jeter), The Brooklyn Brawler, Johnny Stamboli, Chuck Palumbo, Matt Cappotelli and Spanky. Vengeance is an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment. ... Many types of matches can be found in professional wrestling. ... Shannon Brian Moore (born July 27, 1979) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on the SmackDown! brand. ... Nicholas David Dinsmore (born December 17, 1975), also known by his ring name Eugene, is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its SmackDown! brand. ... Bruce Prichard (born March 7, 1963) is a creative team writer for the World Wrestling Entertainments WWE SmackDown! brand. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Matthew Moore Matt Hardy (born September 23, 1974) is an American professional wrestler, currently working for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on their SmackDown! brand. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Danny Holly (born October 3, 1979) better known as Danny Basham is a professional wrestler. ... Douglas Doug Basham[2] (born on May 12, 1971) is an American professional wrestler, He is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between 2002 and 2007, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Basham in 2007. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... John Hennigan[4] (born October 3, 1979),[7] is an American professional wrestler better known by his former ring name Johnny Nitro. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Shoichi Funaki (born August 24, 1968) is a Japanese American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its SmackDown! brand. ... Los Conquistadores is the name of a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Entertainment, the team consisted of two masked jobbers; Uno and Dos. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Charles Ronald (Chuck) Palumbo (born June 15, 1971) is an Italian American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its SmackDown! brand. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Brian David Kendrick[3] (born May 29, 1979) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment performing on its RAW brand. ...

Break Up & Aftermath

On March 18, 2004, SmackDown! general manager Paul Heyman forced the A.P.A. to face Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty after they mocked his being Stunned by Stone Cold Steve Austin the previous week, with the added stipulation that "If you lose, you will be fired". After they were defeated, Heyman announced: "I never said I was firing the A.P.A., I said I was firing you, Faarooq." He then informed Bradshaw to worry about his own career, claiming that as a published author and a Fox financial analyst he was a valued asset to the company. Bradshaw opted to stay, and Faarooq left in disgust. The following week Bradshaw changed his gimmick to become John "Bradshaw" Layfield and later became WWE Champion. is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... // This is a list of authority figures, people who have (kayfabe) power, in selective professional wrestling promotions or brands within North America. ... Solofa Fatu, Jr. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Steven James Williams (born Steven Anderson on December 18, 1964)[2] better known by his ring name Stone Cold Steve Austin, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. ... The Fox News Channel (FNC) is a United States-based cable and satellite news channel. ... A financial analyst (or securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, investment analyst) works with financial analysis. ... The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Championship is a professional wrestling world championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. ...

In reality, Ron Simmons was released from WWE immediately after his on-screen firing because he wanted to quietly retire from wrestling due to back problems.^{[citation needed]}

Layfield would retire two years later due to injury problems of his own, and both men would find separate niches on WWE programming, with Simmons appearing in backstage scenes (And occaisonally wrestling) on RAW to say his trademark "DAMN!" (or anything that rhymes with it) in many different ways for many different situations, and Layfield serving as the color commentator on SmackDown! when Tazz became the colour commentator for the revived ECW brand.

The two were reunited briefly on the August 13, 2007 episode of Raw, where William Regal was hosting WWE Idol. Backstage, Layfield & Michael Cole (Layfield's partner on the SmackDown commentary team), were seen in costume and singing Hall & Oates, at which point Ron Simmons approached, and Layfield asked who his favourite band from the 80's were. Ron responded with "WHAM!" is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... William Regal as Goodwill Ambassador and Commissioner Darren Matthews aka William Regal (born May 10, 1965 in Staffordshire) is an English professional wrestler performing in World Wrestling Entertainment on the RAW brand. ... AMERICAN IDOL HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO DEATH OF SIMON ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Hall & Oates is a popular music duo made up of Daryl Hall & John Oates. ...

In wrestling

• Signature moves

• Super powerbomb
• Double spinebuster
• Spike powerbomb
• Backdrop suplex, neckbreaker combination

• Managers

• Jacqueline
• The Jackyl

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... An editor has suggested that the references in this article might be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... Don Callis is a Canadian former professional wrestler and manager, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling as color commentator Cyrus the Virus. ...

Championships and accomplishments

• Memphis Championship Wrestling

• MCW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time)

• Ohio Valley Wrestling

• OVW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time)

• World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment

• WWF World Tag Team Championship (3 times)

Memphis Championship Wrestling (MCW) was a professional wrestling promotion ran by Terry Golden, based in Memphis, Tennesse. ... Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. ... The OVW Southern Tag Team Championship is the tag team titles of Ohio Valley Wrestling. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... The World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. ... The World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title. ...

References

External links

OWoW Profile