Paul Jones (wrestler)

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Paul Jones
Statistics
Ring name(s)	"Number One" Paul Jones Al Fredericks Mr. Florida
Born	June 16 Port Arthur, Texas
Resides	North Carolina
Debut	1968
Retired	1991

Paul Jones (born Paul Frederick) is a retired professional wrestler and manager. He had success in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)'s Mid-Atlantic region, including an NWA World Tag Team title reign with Ricky Steamboat.

[edit] Career

Paul Frederick was born on June 16 in Port Arthur, Texas. He started wrestling around 1968 in the Mid-Atlantic promotions on the east coast, where he spent most of his career. He was known as Al Fredericks before changing his ring name to "Number One" Paul Jones.

He became famous in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions, where he won the NWA United States Heavyweight title and the NWA World Tag Team titles. His most frequent partners were Ricky Steamboat and the Masked Superstar.

Briefly in 1980, Jones wrestled as Mr. Florida, a masked wrestler in Championship Wrestling from Florida.

In the 1980s, he became a heel manager, and he called his stable Paul Jones' Army. He was involved in a huge feud with "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant where he ended up having his head shaved. Among the members of his "Army" were Rick Rude, Manny Fernandez, Pez Whatley (known as Shaska), Baron Von Raschke, The Barbarian, Teijho Khan, The Mighty Wilbur, Abdullah The Butcher, Superstar Billy Graham, Ivan Koloff and Vladimir Petrov, The Assassins and The Russian Assassins (David Sheldon & Jack Victory). He also managed the Powers of Pain. He left Jim Crockett Promotions around the time Ted Turner bought it and renamed it World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

Jones last competed in the Mid-Atlantic indy promotion South Atlantic Pro Wrestling, where he won its heavyweight championship in 1990. He retired in 1991 and now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he owns the Paul Jones Body Shop.