Carey L. Lloyd (July 4, 1933 – November 13, 1993), also known by his ring nameRufus R. "Freight Train" Jones, was an American professional wrestler. He competed in the Central States, St. Louis and Mid-Atlantic regional promotions of the National Wrestling Alliance as well as the American Wrestling Association and All Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1970s and 1980s.
Lloyd trained to become a wrestler at the Tony Santos Boston Wrestling School.[6] At the beginning of his career, he used the ring name Buster Lloyd, claiming to have learned how to fight on the corner of Lenox Avenue and 125th StreetinHarlem.[2][7] In this gimmick, he wrestled in Texas and criticized the local wrestlers as being inferior fighters to someone who grew up on the streets. He feuded with Tiger Conway, Sr., who emerged as the victor in the feud.[7]
He made his professional wrestling debut in 1969, working in Eastern Canada for Grand Prix Wrestling in the Maritimes and International Wrestling in Montreal. In 1969, he wrestled in Japan for the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance. Lloyd later adopted the ring name of Rufus R. Jones, and was nicknamed "Freight Train", which was also the name of his finisher consisting of two shoulder blocks followed by a headbutt.[2][8][5] In interviews, he would tell opponents that his middle initial, R, stood for "guts".[3][4][8] He formed a tag team with Burrhead Jones, who was billed as his cousin.[3]
Carey Lloyd was married to Brooksie Jones Lloyd for thirty years.[2] They had three daughters, Melaney, Crystal, and Kendall, as well as an adopted son, Kenneth Johnson, who worked for the World Wrestling Federation for many years as "The Doctor of Style" Slick.[3][5] After Lloyd's retirement from wrestling, he worked with Bob Geigel in security at a dog-racing trackinKansas City, Kansas. He then opened a restaurant in 1991, named Rufus' Ringside Restaurant and Bar in Kansas City, Missouri.[2][3]
On November 13, 1993, Lloyd died of a heart attack while hunting deer in Brunswick, Missouri; he was 60 years old.[3][2][14] He had a wide number of lodge members and fans at his funeral, and masonic rituals were performed at the viewing of his body prior to burial.[8]
^ abcRoyal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "(Kansas and Western Missouri) West Missouri: North American Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 253. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.