The careers of JBL and Ron Simmons see them having great legacies as individual performers, but they found greater success in tag team action together. Any Attitude Era fan likely has positive memories for the APA when the two tough wrestlers formed their team. The combination of vicious matches in the ring and comedic drinking segments backstage helped them get over big time.
WWE had quite a few great tag teams in the era, but the APA brought a smash mouth style to the table different from any other duo. The run of JBL and Simmons deserves another look for the interesting and wild scenarios they found themselves in. APA fans will learn more about the legendary tag team with the following facts.
8 They Were Struggling Before Forming Team
Both JBL and Ron Simmons had such successful careers at the end of their runs that it is hard to forget the negative times. The two singles wrestlers were struggling to get television time for quite some time before forming the APA tag team.
The Rock passing Simmons as the leader of the Nation of Domination led to Simmons struggling to find a new role. JBL was coming off failures like Justin Hawk Bradshaw and the New Blackjacks before finally finding a scenario that could get him over. WWE may have cut bait with him shortly after if the APA didn’t work out.
7 Brutally Beat Up Public Enemy During Match
One of the most shocking matches of things going from scripted to real featured the APA destroying Public Enemy. The match took place on Sunday Night Heat and showed the APA members brutally hitting Public Enemy with weapons in stiff manner.
JBL and Ron Simmons were both known for not being afraid to get violent in the ring. Public Enemy reportedly turned down their ideas for the match, which just convinced the APA to bring the action to them. WWE released Public Enemy shortly after for not fitting into the locker room and failing to get over.
6 Tried To Do Same With Dudley Boyz
The APA were known for testing new tag teams in the ring, like they did with Public Enemy. WWE signing the Dudley Boyz led to a similar situation of the APA and other WWE wrestlers wanting to test Bubba Ray and D-Von’s reputations.
Bubba revealed that APA did work stiff with them, but the Dudley Boyz bringing the hits back earned their respect. WWE’s wrestlers embraced the Dudley Boyz to start their journey in becoming an all-time great team in company history.
5 Ron Simmons Was JBL's Best Man
The friendship between Ron Simmons and JBL grew even closer behind the scenes when working together. Many teams have falling outs and fail to get along in real life, but the APA showed the exact opposite scenario of them becoming best friends.
JBL loved Simmons enough to make his partner his best man at his wedding. The APA members spent time together outside of the ring and still have a strong bond today. Few tag teams have developed a bond anywhere as close as the APA all these years later.
4 JBL's Real-Life Hangover Inspired Drinking Gimmick
JBL and Ron Simmons got over just as much due to their backstage segments as the matches in the ring. The APA having their own makeshift office to play poker, smoke cigars and drink beer led to them always being featured in a few segments.
An interview from JBL revealed that Vince McMahon found it amusing when he showed up with a hangover after drinking with Simmons the night before. The drinking became part of the APA’s identity outside of the ring all due to timing.
3 Ron Simmons Accepted Breakup To Help JBL's Push
The APA broke up in the 2002 draft and reunited in 2003 for a final tag run together. WWE however chose to end the tag team for good in 2004 when Vince McMahon viewed JBL as ready for a character change and main event push.
Ron Simmons was taken off television shortly after, but he still supported the move. The plan to put JBL in the main event picture with a world title push was enough for Simmons to more than endorse the breakup.
2 The Jackyl Was Supposed To Be Their Full-Time Manager
WWE decided to put Ron Simmons and JBL together when they needed to find something new for the struggling wrestlers. The original matches saw the APA managed by Don Callis during his WWE run as The Jackyl.
Callis had a lot of charisma and presence as a manager, but his timing never worked out in WWE. The plan changed for Ron Simmons and Bradshaw to instead become henchmen for The Undertaker. WWE put Undertaker in a new character role leading the Ministry of Darkness and the APA became his trusted sidekicks.
1 Never Won WWE Tag Titles With Other Partners
An interesting fun fact about the APA is that they only found ultimate tag team success in WWE with each other. JBL and Ron Simmons had so many different character roles throughout the years that one would have assumed they had those belts with someone else at some point.
The recycled New Blackjacks team of JBL and Barry Windham contended, but they never won tag titles together. Simmons didn’t hold those belts during his Nation of Domination run either. The APA was the only time JBL and Simmons were able to win the WWE Tag Team Championship in fitting fashion.