Former WWE superstar Virgil dies at 61 weeks after suffering ‘several strokes’
- Virgil, whose real name was Michael Jones, is best remembered for his wrestling days with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s and 1990s.
Former WWE superstar Virgil has died aged 61, weeks after it was widely reported that he had suffered ‘multiple strokes’, a company spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com.
Virgil, whose real name was Michael Jones, is best remembered for his wrestling days with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s and 1990s.
According to referee Mark Charles III, who first broke the news of his sad death, Virgil died peacefully in a hospital on Wednesday. In 2022, the star was diagnosed with dementia and suffered two strokes.
He started at the company as the villain and bodyguard to one of the company’s biggest villains, The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase.
However, in 1991 he sensationally turned on his on-screen boss and became a good guy, defeating DiBiase at that year’s Wrestlemania and Summerslam pay-per-views.
He failed to capitalize on that success and spent the remainder of his time with WWE as a jobber or enhancement talent before moving, like many of his peers, to the World Championship Wrestling in the mid-1990s.
Virgil depicted during his heyday as The Million Dollar Man’s bodyguard during the wrestling boom of the 1980s
While with WCW, Virgil changed his name to Vincent, a nod to WWE owner Vince McMahon.
He joined the New World Order stable led by fellow former WWE star Hulk Hogan. Virgil remained with the company until mid-2000, when injuries forced him into retirement from the ring.
He has been a staple on the wrestling show circuit ever since.
Virgil has been through difficult times in recent years. At the end of 2023, he was forced to have one GoFundMe page to help pay for his medical care. Those who donated more than $25 received a signed photo.
According to that page, Virgil weighed approximately 154 pounds, almost 100 pounds less than he weighed during his wrestling career. The page also stated that he now had limited use of his arms and hand.
“The dementia is also taking its toll more,” the page added.
His death comes the day after the death of wrestling legend and Four Horsemen founder Ole Anderson.