Former WWE IC Champion claims Ron Simmons was jealous of him

Ahmed Johnson believes Ron Simmons became jealous of him after he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship in 1996.

Johnson defeated Goldust at King of the Ring 1996 to become the first African-American to hold a singles title in WWE. Four years earlier, Simmons became the first African-American wrestling World Champion when he defeated Big Van Vader at a WCW Main Event show.

Speaking to Monte and The Pharaoh on the LI#1 Pro Wrestling Broadcast, Johnson discussed the “pure jealousy” that Simmons allegedly had toward him:

“That was jealousy because remember he was the first black Champion in WCW? Was he or am I speaking wrong? And then I became the first black Champion in WWF [WWE] and it was jealousy, pure jealousy. He even said on one of his interviews that he was jealous... I didn’t care what anyone thought. As long as you kept it to yourself, I didn’t care,” he said.

Ron Simmons, also known as Farooq, never held a singles title in WWE, but he did become a three-time Tag Team Champion with Bradshaw. The WWE legend was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.

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Ahmed Johnson on Ron Simmons’ concerns about losing his spot

Ahmed Johnson also spoke in the interview about Shawn Michaels holding him back from becoming a main-eventer in WWE.

The former Intercontinental Champion believes the likes of Michaels and Ron Simmons did not want to lose their positions to him.

“They didn’t want a young dude coming in there and taking spots, and this, that, and the other. And that’s what happened. I came in and they were saying I came in too early, which I wouldn’t doubt it, but I came in there willing to learn,” Johnson said.

Johnson left WWE in 1998 after a three-year run with the company. He went on to work for WCW before competing in his final match in 2003.

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