Just hours after the wrestling world was stunned with the announcement of Bruno Sammartino‘s passing, it was announced tonight that one of the NWA’s most reliable heels from the 1970s and most untrustworthy managers of the 1980s, also passed away. Paul Frederik, better known as “No. 1” Paul Jones, died today, at the age of 75. No details of his passing have been released.
It is with great sadness that we learned this afternoon of the passing of Paul Jones. He was part of our childhood growing up watching Mid-Atlantic Wrestling and had become our friend. We send condolences to his son Paul Jr. and all of Paul's friends and family. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/limS7qVQzW
— Mid-Atlantic Gateway (@magateway) April 19, 2018
A former Golden Gloves and Texas Heavyweight Champion boxer, Paul Jones made his pro wrestling debut in 1961, a protege of Houston Wrestling‘s Paul Boesch. Throughout the 1960’s, he was a regular not only with Boesch, but Fritz Von Erich‘s Big Time Wrestling (precursor to WCCW), NWA Mid America (Memphis territory prior to Jerry Lawler & Jerry Jarrett’s CWA) and Championship Wrestling From Florida. In 1968, he joined Jim Crockett in NWA Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, before departing in 1971 back to Florida. He returned to Mid-Atlantic for good in 1974, this time working for Jim Crockett Jr., and never looked back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0li8xdwy2kc
A 6x NWA World Tag Team Champion (two each with The Masked Superstar and Baron Von Raschke), a multi-time tag team champion with Ricky Steamboat (1x NWA World Tag Team, 3x NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team), and a 3x NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion as a singles wrestler, Jones was one of Mid-Atlantic’s top stars during the height of the 1970s territorial days. As his wrestling career wound down in the early 1980s, he became a top manager in the company, forming Paul Jones’ Army in 1982 (which featured such wrestlers as Rick Rude, “Superstar” Billy Graham, Manny Fernandez, and The Powers of Pain), continuing through the sale to Ted Turner and the rebranding to WCW, before retiring in 1989.
We are saddened on the passing of NWA Legend “Number One” Paul Jones.
Jones was a decorated champion in the ring an a manger of champions later in his career. #RIPPaulJones pic.twitter.com/e7nTOUUlbH
— NWA (@nwa) April 19, 2018
Rest in peace "No. 1" Paul Jones. pic.twitter.com/b4NlKOwCTB
— CauliflowerAlleyClub (@CACReunion) April 19, 2018
Awful day for old school wrestling. RIP to “No. 1” Paul Jones, a mainstay of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and a notable manager for guys like the Koloffs, Rick Rude, Manny Fernandez & the Powers of Pain.
— Denny Burkholder (@DennyBurkholder) April 19, 2018
Crazy I was literally just watching an interview with Paul Jones as he managed the NWA tag team champs Rick Rude and Manny Fernandez! RIP to another great legend of the ring. ~PHS #RIPPaulJones #NumberOne #RIPBrunoSammartino
— Elijah Burke (@DaBlackPope) April 19, 2018
Devastated to hear about another Legend passing the great Paul Jones pic.twitter.com/rz3grx354e
— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) April 19, 2018
Greg Valentine, Paul Jones & Ric Flair – Circa '79 pic.twitter.com/zFk5Q62Xrn
— Just Rasslin (@JustRasslin) February 19, 2017
In between the early days of his wrestling career,Paul Jones was a cameraman at KPAC-TV,based out of Port Arthur,Texas in 1965.before that,in his teenage years,Jones was a Golden Glove level boxer for seven years. pic.twitter.com/CheWox4y0K
— Rasslin' History 101 (@WrestlingIsKing) April 19, 2018
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https://twitter.com/SethHanson1982/status/847984396061868032
