 Jones made his wrestling debut in 1972 as an 18-year-old.He won his first singles championship on 12 November 1976 when he defeated "Rollerball" Mark Rocco for the British Light Heavyweight Championship (left vacant following the retirement that year of Billy Joyce).This was to be the start of a long and heated feud with Rocco, whom Jones also defeated for his British Heavy-Middleweight title only to immediately vacate the belt due to already holding a heavier British title.