Wrestler Tom Jones passes away after suffering from dementia
Tom Jones, a star in a number of territories during the 70s and 80s, passed away yesterday. We don’t have details available past he had serious health problems for years and had been suffering from dementia.
Jones wrestled regularly from 1965 to 1988. He was probably best known in the Leroy McGuirk territory, where he formed a championship tag team with Billy “Red Lyons” in 1971 and 1972. He also held championships in the Amarillo territory under a mask as The Gladiator, in Georgia, California, the Pacific Northwest, Florida, Alabama, and for Southwest Championship Wrestling.
He worked frequently as part of a tag team, known for his hot tags, with partners like Lyons, Mando Guerrero, Mr. Wrestling (Gordon Nelson), and S.D. Jones (who were often billed as the Jones Boys).
In the latter part of his career, he wrestled under a mask as Mr. Ebony, part of Devastation Incorporated, managed by Skandor Akbar, often wrestling against the Von Erich brothers.
He trained a number of wrestlers in Texas and Oklahoma.
Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.