The day after the world lost WWWF legend Bruno Sammartino, another big name in the world of old-school wrestling left this Earth. Paul Jones aka “Number 1”, a wrestler and manager who was a fixture of Southern wrestling, passed away at age 75.
Paul Jones, born Paul Frederik, wrestled primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Florida territories where he won NWA Mid-Atlantic Title and Tag Title with Ricky Steamboat. He also won the Florida Heavyweight title and the Florida “Brass Knuckles” Title. After retiring from in-ring action, Jones became a manager forming “Paul Jones’ Army.” The villainous stable, which primarily feuded with the “Boogie-Woogie Man” Jimmy Valiant, was a Who’s Who of wrestlings most notorious heels. Abdullah the Butcher, Superstar Billy Graham, Baron von Raschke, Rick Rude, and Ivan Koloff were just some of the classic baddies who got a start under Jones’ tutelage.
He was known for his flash tuxedos and powerful promos, check this out below.
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