2024 is only two full months old and it’s already been an eventful year for the realm of pain known as pro wrestling. The sad part is all the big news revolves around a tidal wave of death, scandal, and tragedy – one that keeps getting stronger and more devastating.
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In the last month, we have seen a host of controversial legends say their last goodbyes to either life on this mortal coil or to their freedom. The latest man claimed by that tempest is a legend known better for his exploits in the corner of his associates than in the ring.
And his loss is sure to crush many a diehard fan of 80s WWE. Michael Jones, better known to Vince McMahon’s audiences internationally as Virgil, died on Wednesday after years of an up-and-down struggle with his health. He was only 61. This news was confirmed on his official social media accounts including Instagram.
“This is to confirm the sad news about our beloved Meatsauce God and Wrestling Superstar Virgil/Michael Jones has passed away,” the post reads. “There is so much to say here and would love to share stories but for now it’s a rough day as our friend is gone.”
It goes on, “We would only ask at this time to remember him as the man that he was. Wishing him all the unlimited pasta in heaven. We love you Mike.”
Jones’s contemporaries are pouring out their hearts on their socials for their deceased friend. “Shocked and saddened to hear the news about Virgil,” wrote Superstar Jake ”The Snake” Roberts on Instagram. “Rest in peace, my friend.”
“R.I.P Virgil, thanks for being a great sport during our shenanigans & for the memories. See you down the road good brother,” said current WWE and NXT wrestler Luke Gallows on Twitter (X).
“RIP Virgil, Mike Jones,” AEW and WWE veteran Matt Hardy posted. “Virgil was a funny, unique individual that was always cool to me & I’m saddened to hear about his passing. My thoughts go out to his family, friends & fans.”
“RIP Michael ‘Virgil’ Jones. Our interactions were always friendly and very memorable. Godspeed sir,” wrote TNA mainstay Frankie Kazarian.
TNA got in on the tributes by dedicating the most recent episode of IMPACT to Jones and Ole Anderson who also passed on this week.
Jones started his WWE career as the manservant of “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. After a few years, he would turn on DiBiase and win the nefarious money man’s precious Million Dollar Championship. Though not officially sanctioned, the belt has been a fixture of WWE storylines to this day.
“I was really sad to hear that,” said DiBiase of his old friend’s passing on the Everybody’s Got A Pod podcast. The retired Million Dollar Man recalled how the two were introduced before they were paired together on TV.
“Mike Jones is Virgil’s real name or was Virgil’s real name,” DiBiase said (via WrestlingNews.co). “We met in the WWE office when this whole thing with the Million Dollar Man started. Back then, Mike had this tremendous body and kept himself in shape and eventually that was his role.”
He continued, “He was the bodyguard. I would run my mouth and if somebody wanted to say something, I would back up and say, ‘Virgil, take over.’ We did a thing where basically as Virgil, he gets tired of my crap and says, ‘I’m not doing it anymore.’ We ended up having a match.”
DiBiase recalled Jones’s look and ring ability, saying, “Mike was a great guy, a nice guy. To keep your body in that kind of shape takes a lot of discipline and he was very good at that. He was much better at doing that than I obviously was in terms of keeping his body in great shape. I just wish that he had more wrestling savvy.”
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Though the two remained friends, DiBiase kept some distance between himself and Virgil at conventions because of outlandish comments the latter kept making to fans. He would later hear about his partner’s health problems and living situation, which he didn’t think was right.
“Later, I did find out. I can’t remember the guy’s name that was his caretaker, but he was seeing to it that he was taken care of a little bit better. I just don’t know. It’s mind-boggling to me because I don’t know who he was living with or how he was living, but I know that it was not good. It’s just a sad story,” DiBiase said.
“I’m looking back at it from where I am now. He never would say that to me, but he didn’t want anyone to know that he was struggling,” the legend added about Virgil’s health and situation. The cause of death hasn’t been disclosed, but it was claimed on Jones’s social media that he was suffering from dementia and colon cancer after two strokes.