Johnny Valentine
After the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship "(Mid-Atlantic version)" was vacated when Johnny Valentine was injured in a plane crash, Jones competed in a one-night tournament on November 9, 1975 to crown a new champion, winning four bouts before losing to Terry Funk in the final. Jones defeated Funk for the championship in a rematch held later that month. He went on to trade the championship with Blackjack Mulligan, holding it on a total of three occasions before his final reign ended in December 1976.