NWO Twenty Years Later: Where Are They Now?

36. Vincent

Mike 'Vincent' Jones was generally employed as a joke throughout his wrestling career. He became the butt of an ever greater one post-retirement.

As Ted DiBiase's lackey, Jones was rechristened 'Virgil' in a direct jab to WCW booker Virgil 'Dusty Rhodes' Runnels. Virgil was repeatedly humiliated by his employer, Vince McMahon living vicariously through the character as a way of subtly mocking Rhodes. He managed to achieve the same thing some years later, albeit in a far less subtle manner, by dressing 'the American Dream' in polka dots and lumbering him with the ineffectual Sapphire.

WWF eventually grow bored of the Virgil rib, and Jones was free to move on. WCW always had a habit for imitating their rivals, yet making something of a hash of it, and so it went when Jones eventually dropped anchor in Atlanta.

Joining the nWo as its Head of Security, Virgil was reborn as Vincent in an obvious attempt to mock McMahon. Oddly, he wasn't humiliated in the role, instead racking up a series of victories soon after his arrival.

Vincent didn't achieve much beyond his initial run, but he seldom had a decisive role on TV, instead fading into the background as one of many in the nWo's bloated ranks. Vince Russo's transferal to the promotion helped extend Jones' position in the industry as a running joke, as he was again renamed - this time in order to deride WWF heir apparent, Shane McMahon.

Jones continued to make sporadic appearances in wrestling following WCW's closure, most notably reprising the Virgil role to aid the junior Ted DiBiase. However, it was his appearances outside of wrestling which ironically kept his name at the forefront of fans' minds.

In 2012, a photo from a convention of Jones sitting forlornly and isolated in front of a huge, inexplicably hyperbolic banner proclaiming his as 'Virgil: Wrestling Superstar' went viral on the internet. Soon after, the term 'Lonely Virgil' became a meme, as wrestling fans shared in the joke.

Jones attempted to capitalise on the fad, even going so far as collaborating in a documentary about his dolorous convention appearances. His attempts to cash in on his own social media infamy have not been successful; a campaign to raise himself $1 million fell somewhat short of the target, raking in just $880.