Very sad news today as WWF/E legend Virgil AKA Mike Jones has passed away aged 61 following a long health battle.
Virgil was best known for his 8-year run in Hogan-era WWE where he worked as Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase’s personal assistant. Him finally nailing Dibiase with the Million Dollar Belt at the 1991 Royal Rumble following years of abuse is one of the most underrated pops of all time:
Following his WWE run, he had a four-year spell in WCW which didn’t really amount to much, but he did join the nWo so that was pretty cool. After that, Virgil became a massive internet meme as ‘Lonely Virgil‘, where he would spend his days showing up to events, sometimes uninvited, to try and hustle people into paying for his autograph. Here are a few examples of the meme, which Virgil fully embraced in the end:
News of Virgil’s death was shared on Facebook by wrestling referee Mark Charles III, who was one of many in the industry who continued to check in on Virgil as his health failed, following two strokes in 2022, and a dementia diagnosis:
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!
RIP to a legend of the game. If you ever shelled out actual cash for the man’s autograph, it’s definitely a collector’s item now.
For the man who ruined an 8-year relationship after his wife busted him DM’ing a fake Liv Morgan account, click HERE.
