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#7 Ron Simmons
Those who did not watch pro wrestling in the 90s would know Ron Simmons as the guy that randomly pops up to say ‘Damn!’ However, Ron was the first ever African American World Champion in a major organization, and was the leader of the controversial stable, the Nation Of Domination.
But before he decided to take on the status quo and pave way for the future generation of African American wrestlers, Simmons was a football player in high school, and was named the lineman of the year, before playing for Florida State, where he was named the All - American defensive nose guard, and became an Orange Bowl Hall Of Famer!
He then tried to replicate his collegiate accolades as a pro, when he was drafted in the sixth round of the NFL Draft in ’81 by the Cleveland Browns. However, after playing for the Browns for two seasons, Simmons’ football career nosedived, ending up with USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits, before deciding to try his luck in the wrestling business
