Acolytes Protection Agency
The Acolytes Protection Agency (APA) was an American professional wrestling tag team who consisted of Bradshaw (John Layfield) and Faarooq (Ron Simmons). They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E) between October 1998 and March 2004.
| Acolytes Protection Agency | |
|---|---|
Bradshaw and Faarooq during the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. | |
| Tag team | |
| Members | John "Bradshaw" Layfield Ron "Faarooq" Simmons |
| Name(s) | The APA/A.P.A. The Acolytes The Acolytes Protection Agency The Hell's Henchmen |
| Billed heights | Faarooq: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Bradshaw: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Combined billed weight | 565 lb (256 kg) Faarooq (275 lbs), Bradshaw (290 lbs) |
| Debut | November 15, 1998 |
| Years active | 1998–2002 2003–2004 2007–present (non-wrestling reunions) |
Before forming the APA, Faarooq and Bradshaw were known simply as The Acolytes and went on to become a part of The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness. As The Acolytes, they won two World Tag Team Championships in 1999, while feuding with X-Pac and Kane and the Hardy Boyz. After renaming themselves the Acolytes Protection Agency in 2000, they adopted the gimmick of bodyguards-for-hire to other wrestlers, and won a third tag team championship in 2001.
In 2002, the brand split also split the duo as the 2002 draft sent Faarooq to SmackDown and Bradshaw to Raw. As a singles competitor, Bradshaw had an extensive hardcore wrestling career, winning the Hardcore Championship on various occasions. The two reunited as a tag team in Ohio Valley Wrestling and then on SmackDown in 2003. The team again split in 2004 when Simmons was getting ready to retire, and as part of Bradshaw's heel turn Simmons was on-screen released by WWE; Bradshaw continued his singles career before retiring in 2009, and the group has made sporadic appearances afterwards, mostly in a non-competing capacity.