Paul Jones (wrestler)

Paul Jones (born Paul Frederick on June 16, 1942) 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.

Career

Paul Frederick was born on June 16, 1942 in Port Arthur, Texas. He started wrestling around 1964 in Texas and then in the Mid-Atlantic promotions on the east coast, where he spent most of his career. He was first called "Young" Paul Jones by promoter Paul Boesch because there was an original Paul Jones, who was regarded in the 1960s as an all-time great. He was known as Al Fredericks before changing his ring name to "Number One" Paul Jones. He was also given the nickname "Weasel" by most face wrestlers.

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 Masked Superstar and Ricky Steamboat.

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 Masked Superstar, 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.

In wrestling

• Managers

• Oliver Humperdink^[3][4]

• Wrestlers managed

• Tag teams managed

• The Assassins
• The Russian Assassins (David Sheldon and Jack Victory)
• The Powers of Pain (The Barbarian and The Warlord)

Championships and accomplishments

• Cauliflower Alley Club

• Other honoree (2004)

• Championship Wrestling from Florida

• NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version) (1 time)
• NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
• NWA Florida Television Championship (2 times)
• NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (1 time)

• Georgia Championship Wrestling

• NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling

• NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Nelson Royal
• NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
• NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (5 times) - with Ricky Steamboat (3), Tiger Conway Jr. (1), and Bob Bruggers (1)
• NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship (4 times)
• NWA Television Championship (1 time)
• NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (2 times)¹
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (6 times) - with Ricky Steamboat (1), Masked Superstar (2), Baron Von Raschke (2), and Wahoo McDaniel (1)

• NWA Hollywood Wrestling

• NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Nelson Royal

• NWA Mid-Pacific Promotions

• NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Pacific Northwest Wrestling

• NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 1978 - with Ricky Steamboat

• South Atlantic Pro Wrestling
  • SAPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

• Worst Manager (1986)

¹Jones actually won the championship on three occasions. However, only two reigns are officially recognized by World Wrestling Entertainment.

References