James J. Dillon
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James J. "J.J." Dillon (born Jim Morrison on June 26, 1942 in Trenton, New Jersey) is a former professional wrestler and manager.
He is best known for being the strategic leader of the original Four Horsemen that consisted of Nature Boy Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn and Ole Anderson. He is most remembered as a manager in pro wrestling. He guided many wrestlers to singles and tag titles in the NWA. In the early 1990s Dillon served as a front office executive for the WWF before returning to a similar, albeit on-camera role with WCW.
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[edit] Career
Dillon entered the business full-time as a wrestler in 1971, not using his given name so as not to be associated with the rock star of the same name. He wrestled primarily in the Mid-Atlantic, Texas and Florida areas, His first break as a main-eventer came when he toured the Canadian Maritimes in 1973, and won a few titles. He began managing in the Funk's Amarillo promotion, while still wrestling (he also held their top titles), he was a good talker, and natural manager. He was a heel manager who always interfered in his matches to help get them the "cheap" victory. Some of his earlier proteges were Ron Bass, Black Bart, Thunderfoot, "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel, Kendo Nagasaki, Big John Studd, Jimmy Garvin and the One Man Gang. Dillon also wrestled in the FCW promotion with Gentleman Jim Holiday as his manager.
[edit] Jim Crockett Promotions
In 1984, he joined Jim Crockett Promotions, a prominent NWA member. He was hired as booker Dusty Rhodes' assistant, but with his reputation as a manager, he soon found himself back at ringside.
In late 1985, Dillon was switched to managing Tully Blanchard. It was a move upward as Blanchard was the NWA United States Champion at the time and one of the major heels of the promotion. They did an angle where Tully and JJ, as he was called, kicked Baby Doll out of their little group, which got them even more heat as heels. They also started to hang out with Ric Flair and his "cousins," Ole and Arn Anderson. They "broke" Dusty Rhodes' leg and were soon called the Four Horsemen. They won most of the titles in the NWA and were dominant for the next couple of years.
In 1987, Dillon acquired Lex Luger as an "associate" member of the Four Horsemen. Soon, they pushed Ole out and Luger was made a full member. Dillon was involved in the first "War Games" match with the Four Horsemen against the Road Warriors, Paul Ellering, Nikita Koloff, and Rhodes. He ended up submitting in the match due to an injured shoulder, a shoulder that he really dislocated when he landed wrong after a Road Warriors double team.
In 1988, Dillon wrestled a few bullrope matches against the Midnight Rider, who was Rhodes under a mask.
Luger left to be replaced by Barry Windham in 1988, and most wrestling insiders thought this incarnation was the best technical wrestling group of the Four Horsemen. It only lasted four months, as Arn and Blanchard left for the WWF in August. Dillon attempted to build the Horsemen back to full strength. He hired Butch Reed as his thug and even got Barry's brother Kendall Windham to join, but they were never called the Horsemen because Dillon was let go shortly after that. To explain Dillon's sudden disappearance, Flair said on TV that he fired him because he let Ricky Steamboat sneak back into the NWA.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling
Dillon went on to a front office job in the WWF. He later came back to WCW in the mid-1990s and would occasionally appear on TV taking a more significant part as WCW Commissioner when the nWo invaded WCW in 1996. During his time at WCW he was chairman of the executive committee of WCW. He and WCW President Eric Bischoff would often feud over match stipulations and other points of management on-screen while, at the same time, holding their share of friction behind the scenes. On occasion, the vendetta even had him being beaten down in the ring by the nWo.
As the Four Horsemen dissolved in late 1997, Dillon began supporting Sting in his battle to win the WCW Championship back from nWo leader Hollywood Hogan. He was one of the most prominent figures in pleading with Arn Anderson to re-form the Horsemen in late 1998 and stood alongside the other members when Ric Flair made his surprise return. This event launched their re-formation in October of that year and their subsequent retaliation on Bischoff's abuse of power. The Horsemen vs. nWo storyline eventually had Bischoff "firing" Dillon from WCW. Dillon was also responsible for bringing in Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara to WCW.
[edit] Later wrestling career
Dillon retired from the business only to return briefly in 2002 to TNA as the commissioner. He also had a short run in 2004 for Major League Wrestling managing the Xtreme Horsemen, C.W. Anderson, Simon Diamond, Steve Corino and Justin Credible. He could still occasionally be found managing Tully Blanchard on the Carolina Indy circuit in 2005.
In February of 2006, Dillon made an appearance as a manager for the team of Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz, the North Star Express at the Chikara Tag World Grand Prix, a 32-team, Tag Team tournament held over 3 days, culminating in the final night at the New Alhambra Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Recently he has been participating with Ring of Honor, alongside Jim Cornette.
Dillon apeared at the March 31, 2008 edition of WWE Raw where he came out with three other Horseman (Blanchard, Windham & Arn Anderson) during Ric Flair's retirement party, his first ever appearance with World Wrestling Entertainment.
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
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- NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Buzz Tyler
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- NWA International Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) (1 time)
- NWA Western States Television Championship (1 time)
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- PWI Manager of the Year award in 1982.
- PWI Manager of the Year award in 1983.
- PWI Manager of the Year award in 1988.
[edit] Books
- Dillon, James J.; Scott Teal & Philip Varriale [2005]. Wrestlers are like seagulls : from McMahon to McMahon (in English). Hendersonville, TN: Crowbar Press. ISBN 0974554529. OCLC 62596130.
[edit] External links
- Official Site
- J.J Dillon's Interview with Insane Wrestling
- J.J Dillon's Interview with GENICKBRUCH.com
- Pick My Brain interview with J.J. Dillon
- J.J Dillon on talkIMPACTradio
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Dillon, James J. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Jim Morrison |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Professional wrestler |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 26, 1942 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Trenton, New Jersey |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
