Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Star Paul Jones Passes Away at Seventy-Five

– Paul Jones, best known for his time in Mid-Atlantic Wrestling, passed away earlier this week. Mid-Atlantic Gateway reports that Jones, nicknamed “Number One,” died in Atlanta Georgia at the age of seventy-five. The details around his passing aren’t yet known.

Jones, real name Paul Frederik, was born in Port Arthur, Texas in June of 1942. After boxing successfully during his teenage years, Jones began training for wrestling by Paul Boesch and Morris Sigel. He gained his ring name at this time and began working for companies like Big Time Wrestling in Texas, NWA Mid-America and Championship Wrestling from Florida.

Jones made his debut for Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in 1968, forming a team with Nelson Royal. The team beat the Minnesota Wrecking Crew to win the NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship in September of 1970. Jones eventually left the promotion and became a heel in Championship Wrestling from Florida, where he became a heel and gained the “Number One” nickname. He returned to Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in 1974 and won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship. He would go on to hold several solo titles in the territory including three NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship reigns, five NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship/NWA Television Championship runs and three with the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship.

Jones began managing in the early 1980s, naming his stable “Paul Jones’ Army.” The army would include the likes of The Masked Superstar, Superstar Billy Graham, Ivan Koloff, Rick Rude, Manny Fernandez, Abdullah the Butcher, and The Powers of Pain. He also engaged in a long-running feud with JImmy Valiant, which culminated with a hair vs. hair match that Jones lost. Jones left the company in 1989 and competed on the independent scene until his retirement in 1991.

On behalf of 411, our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Mr. Jones.