Wrestler Bio: Jason James

Wrestler Name: Jason James
Real Name: Jason James
Birthday: February 15, 1953
Hometown: Vicksburg, MS
Marital Status: Married (Melissa)
Alignment: Heel
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 263
Theme Music: "Ain't It a Shame" by Fats Domino
Wrestling Debut: August 13, 1971 (New Orleans)
MVW Debut: March 09, 1978
Debut Opp: Arnold Adams
Last Match: 5/31/92
Last Opp: A.J., Andrew & Aaron Adams
PriDistrict: Delta
Style: Technically Skilled Brawler
Finishing Move: Trojan Horse (inverted atomic drop)
Weapon: chair
Notable Feuds: Norsemen, Arnold Adams
Relations: Executioner, Odin & Loki’s first cousin.
Managed: Argonauts (3/9/78-5/31/92)
Image: Chris Harris

His Story:

Jason Russell James was born on February 15, 1959 to Russell and Gwendolyn (Saratz) James in Vicksburg, MS. He is the oldest of four children. His three brothers (Thomas, Russell Jr. & Jonathan) are 3, 5 and 9 years younger than Jason.

Jason grew up on the family farm outside Vicksburg. He learned the cotton farming industry adequately. His brothers were the better businessmen. Jason graduated 8th in his class from Vicksburg High School in 1971. He played football and basketball in high school. He was an all-State linebacker in his junior and senior years. He received a scholarship to play football at Tulane University. He began taking courses during the summer term of 1971. He majored in Political Science and English.

While studying, he became a fan of Bayou Championship Wrestling (BCW). Looking for a way to pay for college, Jason had a try-out match with BCW on August 13, 1971 in New Orleans against the promoter Don Duffy. Duffy was impressed with his ring presence, but his natural wrestling ability was rather limited. Duffy offered Jason a wrestling contract provided that he be willing to be taught more about the art and skill of wrestling. Jason readily agreed. By his senior year at Tulane, Jason had held the Bayou Heavyweight Title on four separate occasions, once for over ten months.

After graduation, Jason moved to Baton Rouge, LA. His Political Science degree helped him to land a job as a paralegal at Keogh, Cox & Wilson LTD. Jason continued to wrestle in BCW until it closed in March 1977. The partners in the law firm weren’t thrilled with Jason’s wrestling. In November 1976, John Keogh informed him that he would be fired if he continued to wrestle and tarnish the firm’s reputation among its clients. Jason said he would wean out of the wrestling business.

When the BCW folded, Jason went looking for another place to focus his love for wrestling. The perfect opportunity came when he visited his third-cousin Arnold Adams in Gulfport for a week in late 1978. Arnold pitched the idea for beginning a new wrestling organization in Mississippi. Both men could trace their family lineage back to the Thorson clan in Tupelo. They thought it would be the best place to set up this new business. It would also give the CWA some competition in its smallest Tupelo market.

Jason took his paralegal experience and began looking for a job in the Tupelo area. He finally found a job as a paralegal for Teller, Hassell & Hopson LLP in his hometown of Vicksburg. He brought the idea for the MVW to Landman Teller Jr. for his legal opinion. Teller gave Jason the go-ahead to provide the MVW’s legal services during his time.

On August 13, 1976, Jason married his girlfriend of three years, Melissa Blevins. Melissa graduated from Tulane University the next year with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. After they moved to Vicksburg, Melissa began graduate work at the University of Mississippi. She graduated in 1979 with a Master’s in Social Work. She worked as a social worker for the state of Mississippi from 1980 until 2007 when economic struggles in the state forced her to take severance at age 51.

When the MVW opened, Jason was placed as the primary heel in the organization. He played the role to a T. He retired from the ring May 31, 1992, after more than twenty years in the wrestling business. He continued to work as the MVW’s main legal counsel until it closed in 2008. Jason continues to work as a paralegal for Teller, Hassell & Hopson LLP today.