Ron Killings didn’t just find wrestling—he clawed his way into it from the lowest point of his life. In a raw and emotional moment speaking with Daniel Sadoh, the WWE veteran shared the real story of how his career began behind bars, and how a chance meeting with wrestling royalty Jack Crockett changed his entire path.
Killings described serving 12 months in jail, when two deputies noticed something different about him. He had old photos of celebrities like Tupac and Eazy-E hanging in his cell, which sparked a conversation.
“Bro, last time I got locked up, it was like 12 months. My sister brought my pictures down just to keep my spirits up. Deputy Carr and Deputy Williams—I won’t forget them, dog. They saw the pictures—Kid ‘n Play, Evander Holyfield, Tupac, Eazy-E—so they saw all these pictures, man. He said, ‘Man, we need to find somebody that got some money that can invest in you.’”
Those deputies introduced him to a man whose family helped launch NWA in the South.
“They said, ‘You ever heard of Jack Crockett?’ I said, ‘Jack Crockett? No.’ He said, ‘They the one that started NWA in the South.’ Last time I got locked up, I met Jack Crockett in there. By the time he introduced me and Crockett, he said, ‘When you get out, give me a call. I’m going to give you a job.’”
Even after being released, Killings admitted the pull of the streets was still strong—but Crockett’s belief in him sparked a slow shift.
“I was done with the streets. I went back out in the street a little bit again, but I wasn’t. I said, y’all know how we be doing, right? So it’s like, I tiptoed out the street a little bit, dog.”
Then came his first steps inside the ring—literally—while still being monitored by the legal system.
“I remember going the first time to a wrestling ring in Charlotte. I ate that [bump]. I’m talking about like learning how to take a bump, learning how to do headlocks, learning how to do this and do that, man.”
And in a line that perfectly captures how real the grind was, Killings dropped this:
“Now, granted you, I forgot this part—I’m still on house arrest the entire time. The whole time.”
When the host asked how long he had to live under restrictions, Killings casually revealed:
“But I was on probation for 10 years.”
This story isn’t some rags-to-riches fairy tale—it’s a gritty, honest look at how one of WWE’s most entertaining performers came from the darkest place imaginable, relying on a mix of street hustle, raw charisma, and the faith of a wrestling legend to get his shot.
From jail to house arrest to the squared circle, Ron Killings’ journey is anything but ordinary. Do you think WWE gives enough love to stories like this? Drop your thoughts below—we want to hear your take.
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