Former WWE star Michael Jones, recognized by fans as Virgil, has passed away at the age of 61, according to wrestling referee Mark Charles III, known as The Count, who announced the news on Facebook.
In a heartfelt post, The Count shared, “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. 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!”
Jones had faced declining health in recent years, having suffered two strokes and a dementia diagnosis in 2022, followed by a stage II colon cancer diagnosis earlier that year. Last year, he launched a GoFundMe campaign to seek assistance for minor expenses.
Born on June 13, 1962, in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, Jones began his wrestling career in 1985 as Soul Train Jones, primarily wrestling for Jerry Jarrett’s Continental Wrestling Association in Tennessee. He later joined WWE in 1986, initially as Lucius Brown before being rebranded as Virgil, serving as Ted Dibiase’s manservant in 1987.
Jones gained recognition during his tenure with Dibiase and achieved a career milestone by winning the Million Dollar Championship at the 1991 SummerSlam. Following his departure from WWE in 1994, Jones ventured into the independent scene before joining WCW in 1996 as Vincent, a member of the nWo.
Throughout his wrestling career, Jones took on various roles, including Curly Bill with the West Texas Rednecks, Shane with Creative Control, and Mr. Jones as Ernest “The Cat” Miller’s bodyguard. He briefly returned to WWE in 2010 as Virgil, serving as Ted Dibiase Jr.’s bodyguard.
In his later years, Jones remained active in the wrestling community through occasional independent appearances and convention circuits, where his vibrant personality made him a memorable figure. His last notable appearances in wrestling were with AEW in 2019 and 2020 under his original name, Soul Train Jones, aligning with Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle stable.