ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – He’s a man likely known to many Floridians for one of two reasons, his legendary career in FSU Football or in pro wrestling.
We’re talking about Ron Simmons. WWE fans also knew him by the name Farooq. He’s the two-time All American FSU star (’77-’80) who became a household name in pro wrestling.
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Famously Simmons was the first black world champion (1992) in an industry that had been plagued by allegations of racism in decades prior.
Simmons was recently on a panel discussion at World Golf Village in St. Johns County for River City Wrestling Con hosted by Going Ringside Host Scott Johnson.
During a Q&A with fans one fan asked about being the “first African American champion”.
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Simmons immediately interjected asking “what’d you just say?”
The fan corrected to “first black (champion)” to which Simmons replied “There you go!”
He added “I just wanted you to get that correction. Okay. Let me just say this for everybody that’s out there within my voice, that title was won right here in America! Not Africa. That makes me the first black! World champion. Understand. My parents fought hard to be called black.”
Simmons has been credited for being a trailblazer for black men in pro wrestling but admits he didn’t realize the historic nature of his winning a world title at the young age.
“I was very ecstatic about that,” said Simmons. “And I had not idea that was going to be as much as it is now. I was just trying to be the best I could be at that moment.”