A. J. Francis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
A. J. Francis
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Francis with the Washington Redskins in 2017
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Anthony Joseph Francis
May 7, 1990 Washington, D.C., U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Maryland | ||
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Professional wrestling career
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| Ring name(s) | A. J. Francis AJ Francis Suga Bear Top Dolla Dolla |
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| Billed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||
| Billed weight | 330 lb (150 kg) | ||
| Trained by | Bubba Ray Dudley D-Von Dudley |
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| Debut | October 25, 2018 | ||
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Football career |
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| No. 96, 99, 64 | |||
| Position: | Nose tackle | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||
| Weight: | 337 lb (153 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Gonzaga College (Washington, D.C.) |
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| College: | Maryland | ||
| Undrafted: | 2013 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||
Anthony Joseph Francis (born May 7, 1990) is an American professional wrestler and former football player. He is currently signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He has also appeared for WWE on its NXT brand. You can also see him wrestling on the independent circuit.
Francis is well-known for his time in WWE. There, he wrestled as Top Dolla and was part of the group Hit Row from 2020 to 2023. He also makes appearances for Major League Wrestling (MLW).
Before wrestling, Francis played college football for the Maryland Terrapins. He later played in the National Football League (NFL) for teams like the Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, and Washington Redskins.
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Playing Professional Football
Anthony Joseph Francis started his journey in professional football after college. He was a strong player who joined several NFL teams.
Miami Dolphins (First Time)
After the 2013 NFL draft, Francis signed with the Miami Dolphins on April 30, 2013. This was his first step into the professional football world.
New England Patriots
On September 1, 2013, the New England Patriots picked up Francis. He was with them for a short time. He was released, but then joined their practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but are not on the main roster.
Miami Dolphins (Second Time)
Francis returned to the Miami Dolphins on November 27, 2013. He was signed from the Patriots' practice squad. In 2014, he was placed on injured reserve. This means he couldn't play due to an injury. He was later released by the Dolphins in November 2015.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks picked up Francis on November 16, 2015. He was released and then re-signed to their practice squad. He later chose to join Seattle's main team roster. He signed a one-year deal to stay with Seattle in March 2016. However, he was released again in May 2016.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On May 17, 2016, Francis signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was released by the Buccaneers on September 3, 2016.
Washington Redskins
Francis signed with the Washington Redskins on October 12, 2016. He was moved to the main team roster in November 2016. He was released in December but re-signed to the practice squad. Francis signed a new contract with the Redskins in January 2017.
He was released by the Redskins in September 2017. He rejoined their practice squad and then the main team roster. He was released again in October, but re-signed in November 2017. Francis was released by the team on April 30, 2018.
New York Giants
On May 2, 2018, Francis signed with the New York Giants. He was released on September 1, 2018.
Professional Wrestling Career
After his football career, A. J. Francis began a new path in professional wrestling.
WWE (2020–2021)
Francis signed with WWE in January 2020. He started wrestling on the NXT brand. On May 4, 2021, he made his TV wrestling debut. He teamed up with Isaiah "Swerve" Scott.
The next week, Francis was introduced as Top Dolla. He formed a new group called Hit Row. The group included Scott, Ashante "Thee" Adonis, and B-Fab. Hit Row was drafted to the SmackDown show. However, B-Fab was released in November 2021. The rest of Hit Row, including Top Dolla, were released 15 days later.
Independent Circuit (2022)
After leaving WWE, Francis and the other members of Hit Row (except Scott) started wrestling on the independent circuit. They called themselves The HitMakerZ. They reunited at an event called MCW’s Spring Break.
Return to WWE (2022–2023)
Francis returned to WWE on August 12, 2022, on SmackDown. He brought back his "Top Dolla" character. He reunited with Adonis and B-Fab as Hit Row. On December 16, Top Dolla and Adonis earned a chance to compete for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship. They won a triple threat tag team match. However, they did not win the championship from The Usos.
On January 6, 2023, Top Dolla lost a match to Ricochet. This match was to qualify for the Royal Rumble. Hit Row was drafted to the SmackDown brand in the 2023 WWE Draft. On September 21, 2023, Francis was released from his WWE contract again.
Return to the Independent Circuit (2023–present)
In December 2023, Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) announced Francis's return. He competed at their event Look At Me on January 26, 2024. He also appeared at Reality of Wrestling's Battle of the Belts on January 11, 2025.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2024–present)
On January 13, 2024, Francis debuted for Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling. He appeared at their event Hard To Kill. On March 14, he defeated Joe Hendry with help from Rich Swann. They formed a duo called First Class.
On June 6, 2024, Francis won the TNA Digital Media Championship from Laredo Kid. This was his first title win in TNA. On June 15, 2024, Francis also became the owner of the Canadian International Heavyweight Championship. He declared himself the new champion. At Slammiversary on July 20, 2024, Francis lost both titles to PCO.
On December 13, 2024, at Final Resolution, Francis competed for the TNA World Championship. He lost the match to Nic Nemeth.
Major League Wrestling (2024)
Francis debuted for Major League Wrestling (MLW) on February 17, 2024. He was revealed as a new member of the World Titan Federation. He made his in-ring debut at Intimidation Games.
National Wrestling Alliance (2024)
On March 2, 2024, Francis debuted for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). He defeated Bryan Idol at Hard Times.
Second Return to WWE (2025–present)
On June 3, 2025, Francis returned to WWE on the NXT show. He and KC Navarro helped Trick Williams keep his TNA World Championship.
Music Career
A. J. Francis is also a musician. On October 13, 2017, he released a music video called "Olympic Gold." This song is on his first album, "O.T.A." The album is available on iTunes / Apple Music.
On March 15, 2022, Francis was featured in a music video called "Digits." He worked with the music group Swerve City. This group includes former Hit Row member Isaiah "Swerve" Scott. On March 6, 2023, some members of Hit Row reunited for a music video. It was for the song "Price Went Up." On July 21, 2023, three members of Hit Row released a song called "Barbie Barz."
Other Appearances
Francis has appeared in other media besides sports and music.
Digital Appearances
In April 2021, Francis started hosting a show on A&E called WWE's Most Wanted Treasures. On the show, he travels with WWE Legends. They search for special items owned by collectors and museums.
Video Games
Top Dolla, along with his Hit Row members Ashante "Thee" Adonis and B-Fab, appeared in the video game WWE 2K23. They were available as extra characters in a special bundle.
Personal Life
In April 2015, Francis became well-known for signing up to be an Uber driver. He did this during the football off-season while playing for the Miami Dolphins. In December 2022, Francis shared that he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Championships and Accomplishments
A. J. Francis has won several championships in his wrestling career:
- The Wrestling Revolver
- PWR Remix Championship (1 time, current)
- Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
- TNA Digital Media Championship (1 time)
- Canadian International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Reality of Wrestling
- ROW Television Championship (1 time, current)
- ROW Glory Championship (1 time, inaugural, current)
- Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
- Cheez-It Championship (2 time, current)
- AML Wrestling
- AML Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with White Mike
- The Establishment Wrestling
- 24 Karat Battle Royal (2024)
- 2econd Wrestling
- Maxwell Street Heritage Championship (1 time)
- All Caribbean Wrestling
- ACW Championship (1 time)
- Miscellaneous Championships:
- WNRN All Florida Championship (1 time)
- WNRN Internet Championship (3 time)
See also
In Spanish: A.J. Francis para niños
