Former WWE superstar Virgil dead at 61

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Michael Jones, a mainstay in both WWF and WCW in the 1980s and ’90s, has died, according to reports.

Jones was best known for his runs as Virgil in WWF as the bodyguard for the ‘Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase and later as a member of the NWO in WCW.

According to referee Mark Charles III, who first broke the news, Virgil died peacefully in hospital on Wednesday.

In 2022, Virgil had been diagnosed with dementia and recently suffered two strokes.

“My dear friends, it is with great sorrow that I bring news from the Jones family of the passing of our beloved Michael Jones, whom we know and loved as Virgil, Vincent, Soul Train Jones and more,” Charles, who had been caring for Jones, wrote in a Facebook post.

“Virgil passed peacefully at the hospital this morning and I ask that you pray for him and for his family. May his memory be eternal!”

After beginning his career in the Continental Wrestling Association in Memphis, where he was known as Soul Train Jones, he was signed by Vince McMahon to join the then-WWF.

He played the role of bodyguard for DiBiase before the two feuded, ending with Virgil coming out on top in their matches at Wrestlemania and SummerSlam in 1991.

From there, Virgil failed to capitalize on his momentum and mainly was used as enhancement talent before leaving for WCW in the mid-’90s.

There, he was renamed Vincent — a dig at McMahon by WCW exec and former star Dusty Rhodes — real name Virgil Runnels — who was the butt of the joke with the original Virgil moniker.

He joined the New World Order stable led by Hulk Hogan, again acting as a bodyguard and valet.

Virgil was forced to retire from in-ring work in 2000 due to injuries.

After his retirement, he managed to keep his name in the conversation with many outlandish attempts to go viral.

He began selling shirts with his “F*** Money,” slogan in 2015 and would later claim that he had sex with one million women in his life.

He also hit headlines for charging Brooke Hogan, daughter of the Hulkster, $30 for a photo and autograph, posting “I don’t care who your Daddy is, still be $20 for a pic, $30 for the autograph combo honey.”

In recent years, Virgil fell on hard times and launched several GoFundMe pages to help out with both medical bills and to raise money for everyday items like clothing and toiletries.

According to the most recent page, Virgil weighed around 154 pounds at the time, nearly 100 pounds less than during his wrestling career. The page also said that he now had limited use of his arms and hand.

“The dementia is also taking more of a toll,” the page added.