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- By Kathryn Armstrong
- BBC Information
Michael Jones had numerous wrestling personas together with Virgil, Vincent and Soul Prepare Jones
US wrestling star Michael Jones – recognized by ring names together with Virgil and Vincent – has died on the age of 61.
“Virgil handed peacefully on the hospital this morning [Wednesday],” wrestling referee Mark Charles III – recognized professionally as The Depend – introduced on X, previously Twitter.
His loss of life was additionally confirmed in posts on his social media accounts.
Jones was finest recognized for his work within the World Wresting Federation (WWF) in the course of the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties.
“There may be a lot to say right here and would like to share tales however for now it is a tough day as our good friend is gone,” reads a message posted on his Instagram account.
“Wishing him all of the limitless pasta in heaven. We love you Mike.”
Jones, who was born within the US state of Pennsylvania, began wrestling professionally within the mid-Eighties below the title Soul Prepare Jones.
He debuted with the WWF, now referred to as World Wrestling Leisure (WWE), in 1986 and rebranded himself as Lucius Brown, which was later modified to Virgil.
This persona because the bodyguard for Ted DiBiase, referred to as The Million Greenback Man, launched him into fame and lasted a number of years.
Jones left the WWE in 1994 and labored for 2 years on the smaller unbiased circuit earlier than becoming a member of the now defunct World Championship Wrestling (WCW) below the persona Vincent.
He briefly reinvented himself as Curly Invoice for the wrestling outfit the West Texas Rednecks earlier than leaving the WCW in 2000 when he retired because of harm.
Jones labored for what’s now World Wrestling Leisure (WWE) for a variety of years
Jones continued to make unbiased appearances as his numerous personas earlier than his well being started to deteriorate.
In 2022, he revealed that he had dementia and colon most cancers. He additionally suffered a variety of strokes.
Fundraising pages had been arrange on-line to assist pay for Jones’s medical payments and, later, to pay for bills together with garments and toiletries.
Amongst these to pay tribute to him following information of his loss of life on Wednesday have been WWE Corridor of Fame inductee Jake “The Snake” Roberts.
“Shocked and saddened to listen to the information about Virgil,” he wrote on X.
“Relaxation in peace, my good friend.”
“R.I.P Virgil, thanks for being an incredible sport throughout our shenanigans & for the recollections,” wrote fellow WWE star Luke Gallows.
“See you down the street good brother.”
