A. J. Francis facts for kids
Anthony Joseph Francis (born May 7, 1990) is an American who has been a professional wrestler and a football player. He is known for wrestling in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and WWE, where he was called Top Dolla. He was also part of a wrestling group called Hit Row. Before wrestling, Francis played college football at the University of Maryland. He then played for several teams in the National Football League (NFL), including the Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, and Washington Redskins.
Quick facts for kids
A. J. Francis
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Francis with the Washington Redskins in 2017
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| Born |
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 | |||
Contents
Playing Professional Football
Anthony Joseph Francis started his journey in professional football after college. He played as a nose tackle, which is a defensive position in football.
Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots
After the 2013 NFL Draft, Francis signed with the Miami Dolphins. Later that year, the New England Patriots picked him up. He spent a short time with the Patriots before returning to the Dolphins. He stayed with the Dolphins until 2015.
Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In November 2015, Francis joined the Seattle Seahawks. He was with them for a short period before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in May 2016. He was released by the Buccaneers later that year.
Washington Redskins and New York Giants
Francis then signed with the Washington Redskins in October 2016. He played for them during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. In 2018, he signed with the New York Giants but was released before the season started.
Becoming a Professional Wrestler
Anthony Joseph Francis began his professional wrestling career in 2018. He is known for his time in WWE and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
Time in WWE (2020–2023)
Francis joined WWE in January 2020. He made his TV debut in May 2021 on NXT. He became known as Top Dolla and formed a group called Hit Row with other wrestlers. Hit Row was moved to the SmackDown show. However, Top Dolla and other members of Hit Row were released from WWE in November 2021.
Top Dolla and Hit Row made a surprise return to WWE on SmackDown in August 2022. They had matches and even got a chance to win the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, but they didn't win. In September 2023, Top Dolla was released from his WWE contract again.
Independent Wrestling (2021–Present)
After his first time in WWE, Francis wrestled on his own. He and other members of Hit Row (without Isaiah "Swerve" Scott) wrestled together as "The HitMakerZ." He has competed in promotions like Game Changer Wrestling (GCW).
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2024–Present)
In January 2024, Francis debuted in Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling. He formed a team called First Class with Rich Swann. In June 2024, Francis won the TNA Digital Media Championship, his first title in TNA. He also bought the Canadian International Heavyweight Championship and declared himself champion. He lost both titles in July 2024.
Other Wrestling Appearances (2024)
Francis has also wrestled for Major League Wrestling (MLW) and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in 2024.
Music Career
Besides sports and wrestling, Anthony Joseph Francis also has a music career.
- In 2017, he released a music video called "Olympic Gold." This song was on his first album, "O.T.A."
- In 2022, he was featured in a music video called "Digits" with a music group called Swerve City.
- In 2023, he and other members of Hit Row released a music video called "Price Went Up."
- In July 2023, three members of Hit Row, including Top Dolla, released a song called "Barbie Barz."
Other Activities
Francis has also appeared on TV and in video games.
- In April 2021, he started hosting a show on A&E called WWE's Most Wanted Treasures. On the show, he travels with WWE Legends to find wrestling items.
- Top Dolla and his Hit Row teammates were included as characters in the video game WWE 2K23.
Personal Life
In 2015, Francis became well-known for working as an Uber driver during his football off-season. In December 2022, he shared that he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Championships and Accomplishments
- All Caribbean Wrestling
- ACW Championship (1 time)
- Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
- Cheez-It Championship (2 time, current)
- Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
- TNA Digital Media Championship (1 time)
- Canadian International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Images for kids
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Francis signing autographs at 2017 training camp.
See also
In Spanish: A.J. Francis para niños
- List of gridiron football players who became professional wrestlers
