WWF Wrestling Legend Virgil Dead at 61

The professional wrestling community is mourning another death this week, as late '80s and '90s mainstay Virgil has died.

• Virgil's real name was Michael Jones.
• His first prominent national role was as body guard for Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase.
• Virgil would continue to wrestle Vincent, Soul Train Jones and more until his final match in 2020.

Related: WWE Legend Ole Anderson Dies

Wrestling referee Mark Charles III broke the news on Facebook on Wednesday morning. Virgil/Jones had been in poor health since 2022. WrestleZone shares that he battled dementia and had suffered two strokes.

A post at the @RealVirgil Instagram page also confirms the news:

"Virgil passed peacefully at the hospital this morning and I ask that you pray for him and for his family," Charles says on Facebook. 

Jones broke into the WWE (then the WWF) in 1986 as Lucius Brown, but he was re-named for his role with DiBiase in 1987. The two were a pair for four years before Virgil turned on his boss.

A feud followed, and afterward Virgil's role became less prominent.

He left the WWE in 1994, but would return to national wrestling as part of the NWO. His names were always a dig at an existing wrestling celebrity: Virgil was Dusty Rhodes' real first name and "Vincent" was a nod to WWE boss Vince McMahon (and Shane a nod to his son).

He hadn't wrestled very much since 2000, but remained a popular figure at conventions and did return to be bodyguard for DiBiase when he came back in 2010.

Wrestling Inc. also shares that Virgil battled colon cancer in 2022.