Wrestlers To Visit Sheldon

The Nevada Daily Mail – August 17, 1987

The Sheldon High School Student Council is sponsoring All-Star Wrestling at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, in the Sheldon High School gymnasium.

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Jones Victor In Mat Match

The Oregonian – January 27, 1951

Rufus Jones, the hard-headed Negro from Birmingham, won the first and third falls of his match with Scandinavian Eric Pedersen in the main event of the wrestling card at the Portland Armory Friday night.

Jones Will Have His Loves Live On

Kansas City Star – November 27, 1993
By Hearne Christopher Jr.

Two weeks ago today former pro wrestling star Rufus R. Jones went deer hunting.

“That was the first day of deer season,” says Brooksie Lloyd, Jones’ widow. “The first I knew of anything the officer was walking in to tell me the news.”

Rufus R. Jones

Kansas City Star – November 17, 1993

Rufus R. Jones, 60, central Kansas City, a restaurant owner and former professional wrestler, died Nov. 13, 1993 in Brunswick, Mo. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church; burial in Forest Hill Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Lawrence A. Jones Linwood Chapel and from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the church. Masonic services will be at 8 p.m. Friday at the chapel.

Rufus Was The King Of Wrestling

Charleston, S.C., Post & Courier – November 27, 1993

He was the “king” of wrestling, and he had a crown to prove it.

Long before stars like Jerry Lawler and Bret Hart claimed that title, a South Carolina native by the name of Rufus R. Jones was the undisputed king. It wasn’t a self-proclaimed moniker – he was presented the crown by a legion of fans one night at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Patterson, Mulligan Fight To No Decision

Savannah Morning News – March 11, 1977
By Floyd Hendricks Sr.

Thunderbolt Patterson, shouting “I want him,” had to settle for a “no decision verdict” in his U.S. heavyweight championship match at the Savannah Civic Center arena Thursday night against the current titleholder, Blackjack Mulligan.

Both Patterson and Mulligan were outside the ring fighting when the referee counted to 10, in effect, disqualifying both. The match started out the same way, with Mulligan apparently telling Patterson he wanted the challenger to shine his boots. Patterson took it the wrong way and commenced beating on the champ.

And that’s the way the eight-minute match ended.

In the semifinal bout, Chief Wahoo McDaniel was awarded the victory after Korean Kim Duk threw salt in his eyes. Duk uses salt to “drive away evil spirits” before a match by sprinkling it on the canvas. It is a custom originated by Japanese sumo wrestlers.

Dino Bravo put an airplane spin on Mr. X and he and his partner, Tiger Conway, whipped Mr. X and Brute Bernard in the tag team bout on the card in 20 minutes.

In other matches, Crusher Blackwell and Big Bill Dromo wrestled to a 20-minute, time-limit draw, and Johnny Eagle pinned Two Ton Harris in the opening match.

The next matches will be March 20, with Andre the Giant taking on Mulligan in the main event. Rufus R. Jones and the Mighty Igor will face the Hollywood Blondes in a tag match, and Red Bastien will face Sgt. Jacques Goulet, Johnny Eagle and Mr. X tangle and Cowboy Frankie Lane and Larry Sharpe battle it out.

Because it is a Sunday evening program, the matches will begin at 7:30 p.m. instead of the regular time. Advance tickets can be purchased at Fox’s Family Restaurant in Savannah and at Miller’s Market in Beaufort, S.C.

Mar. 20 (Sunday) — Andre the Giant beat Blackjack Mulligan cor, Frankie Lane vs. Larry Sharpe, Johnny Eagle vs. Mr. X, Red Bastien vs. Sgt. Jacques Goulet, Mighty Igor-Rufus R. Jones vs. Jerry Brown-Buddy Roberts

Apr. 7 (Thursday) — Ric Flair-Greg Valentine beat Rufus R. Jones-Johnny Weaver (world tag title defense), Ricky Steamboat beat Scott Irwin, Johnny Eagle beat Butch Malone, Francisco Flores drew Tony Rousso, Two Tony Harris beat Joey Rossi

Tag Champs Retain Belts With Victory

Savannah Morning News – February 4, 1977

Mister X, a reportedly well-paid replacement for Ric Flair, pinned Rufus R. Jones in 21 minutes of the bout, and Greg Valentine and Flair retained their world heavyweight tag team wrestling title at the Savannah Center Thursday night.

Mister X, a 230-pounder from Europe, was filling in for Flair, who, along with Valentine, holds the world title, while Flair was recuperating from an appendectomy. Jones was joined by Paul Jones in challenging for the title. The bout was the main event on the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Alliance card.

The Hollywood Blondes, Buddy Roberts and Jerry Brown, also maintained their status as champions of the Mid-Atlantic tag team mats by defeating challengers Red Bastien and Rick McGraw. Again, it took the champs 21 minutes to win when McGraw was pinned.

In other preliminary bouts, Kim Duk used a Korean sleeper hold to dispose of Danny Miller in 16 minutes, Johnny Eagle whipped his foe Rick Ferrara with a reverse roll-up in 14 minutes and Dr. Fujinami used a roll-up to beat Lanny Poffo in 15 minute.

Following the matches, David Crockett, representative for Jim Crockett Promotions, Inc., which brings the wrestling to Savannah, announced the mat wars would return to Savannah next week (Feb. 10) with Blackjack Mulligan, the U.S. heavyweight champion, putting his title up against Paul Jones in the main event. Rufus R. Jones will challenge Greg Valentine for the TV title in the semifinal match.

Ticket prices will remain the same — $5 for ringside, $4 general admission and $2 for children’s general admission – for next week’s program, and can be purchased in advance at Miller’s Market in Beaufort, S.C., and at Fox’s Family Restaurant in Savannah.

Feb. 10 (Thursday) — Rufus R. Jones beat Greg Valentine, Blackjack Mulligan beat Paul Jones dq (U.S. title defense), Buddy Roberts-Jerry Brown beat Bill Dromo-Frankie Lane, Ron Starr beat Bill White, Larry Sharpe beat Francisco Flores, Butch Malone drew Dr. Fujinami

Mar. 10 (Thursday) — Blackjack Mulligan drew Thunderbolt Patterson dcor (U.S. title defense), Wahoo McDaniel beat Kim Duk dq, Dino Bravo-Tiger Conway Jr. beat Mr. X-Brute Bernard, Jerry Blackwell drew Bill Dromo, Johnny Eagle beat Two-Ton Harris

Mulligan Defends Heavyweight Title

Savannah Morning News – April 17, 1977

The U.S. heavyweight wrestling title will be on the line Sunday night in the featured event of the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Alliance program at the Civic Center.

Blackjack Mulligan will defend his title against Dino Bravo as the first matches begin at 7:30 p.m.

In another big match, Ric Flair will face Rufus R. Jones. Jones was pinned earlier by Flair’s tag team partner, Greg Valentine, but a lot of the fans didn’t agree with the referee’s call. The match should prove to be a good one because Jones was angry that the referee had been knocked out of the ring and appeared groggy when the call was made.

Other wrestlers on the card will be the Hollywood Blondes, Buddy Roberts and Jerry Brown, taking on Ron Starr and Ken Novack. Big Bill Dromo will take on a tough Korean newcomer, Kim Duk. Johnnie Eagle and Larry Sharpe will open things up with the first fight on the card.