In the dramatised world of professional wrestling, the Acolyte Protection Agency (commonly known as the APA) were a "stable" that included Faarooq and Bradshaw, a tag-team called the Acolytes.

Formation

The Acolytes were originally a nameless tag team formed and managed by professional wrestling personality Don Callis, who was called "The Jackal" during his time in WWE (then called the WWF). Faarooq and Bradshaw were on losing streaks at this time - Faarooq had recently been kicked out as leader of the Nation of Domination and Bradshaw's tag team partner Terry Funk had left the WWE. The two resurfaced as an unstoppable tag team under the management of Callis, and would win squash matches against other tag teams. Eventually Callis would leave the WWE and the duo would join up with the newly turned heel Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness. At this time, they would officially adopt the name "The Acolytes", with their gimmick being "helpers" or "acolytes" of the Undertaker.

The APA

After the Ministry of Darkness/Corporate Ministry angle ended, the Acolytes were involved in another angle where they started the "Acolyte Protection Agency or APA," and offered to "protect" various wrestlers for large sums of money; they would attack if their offers were refused, reminiscent of how criminal protection rackets operate.

The tag team would have some measure of success and gain some popularity as the two turned into faces. The duo eventually gained championships both as singles wrestlers and as a tag team, but are far more notable for their series of backstage vignettes, usually involving them drinking beer, smoking cigars and playing cards in their office (which was merely an open space behind a fake door with no wall near it). Their motto for a short time was "We Need Beer Money".

During 2002, the APA briefly broke up when the WWE brand extension separated the two APA members and placed them on different WWE television programs. However, the APA officially ended when the WWE fired Faarooq due to alcohol abuse. Interestingly enough, the firing came only a day after his character Faarooq was fired on television; Bradshaw has since turned heel.

Trademark moves

• The Dominator (Ron Simmons' finishing move)
• The Clothesline from hell (Bradshaw's finishing move)
• Double-team powerbomb
• Backdrop/Neckbreaker combination