Terry Funk

**Terrence Dee Funk** (June 30, 1944 – August 23, 2023), best known as **Terry Funk**, was an American professional wrestler. He was known for the longevity of his Hall of Fame career which spanned more than 50 years and included multiple short-lived retirements and the influential hardcore wrestling style he pioneered in the latter part of his career. He is considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.

Over the course of his career, Funk wrestled for numerous major promotions, among them All Japan Pro Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, the International Wrestling Association of Japan, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, the United States Wrestling Association, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and multiple National Wrestling Alliance territories including Big Time Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Georgia Championship Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling. He was the promoter of the Amarillo-based Western States Sports promotion.

In 1989, Terry Funk appeared as a bouncer in the movie *Road House* with Patrick Swayze. He also appeared in other movies such as *Paradise Alley*, *The Ringer*, and *Over the Top*.

## Early life

Funk was born on June 30, 1944, in Hammond, Indiana. He is the son of Dorothy (Culver) and Dory Funk, a professional wrestler and promoter. Following the end of World War II, the family relocated to Amarillo, Texas, where Terry and his brother, known professionally as Dory Jr., grew up in the professional wrestling business. After graduating from high school, Funk attended West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M University), where he competed in amateur wrestling and football.

## Professional wrestling career

Terry Funk started his career in 1965, working in his father Dory Funk's, Western States Sports promotion in Amarillo, Texas. His debut match was against Sputnik Monroe on December 9. On January 13, 1966, Terry and Wahoo McDaniel won the Amarillo version of the NWA North American Tag Team Championship. He went on to hold that title two more times with his brother and Dan Miller. Meanwhile, he and Dory Jr. quickly rose up the ranks as a team and in single matches against top names like Ernie Ladd and Hank James. They became big money wrestlers by the end of the decade.

On December 10, 1975, Terry defeated Jack Brisco for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Miami, when Dory failed to appear for a title shot. He began a 14 month title reign defending the title against Jack Brisco, Dusty Rhodes, Carlos Rocha, Giant Baba, and Pat O'Connor.

In addition to North America, he defended the belt in Australia, Japan and Singapore. The historic reign ended on February 6, 1977, in Toronto when lost to "Handsome" Harley Race, who had earlier beaten Dory, Jr., for the championship before losing it to Brisco. Race lifted Funk for a shinbreaker and then trapped him in an Indian death leglock. When Funk failed to respond to referee Fred Atkins the match was stopped.

During 1981, Terry spent some time in the Continental Wrestling Association feuding with Jerry Lawler. The most memorable match in this feud happened in April 1981 at the Mid South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee. The match took place in the empty arena, with only Lance Russell, a cameraman, and a photographer present. Funk had challenged Lawler to this match at this time because he felt he was getting unfairly treated in Memphis. The confrontation only lasted a few minutes, and ended with Funk trying to put Lawler's eye out with a broken 2x4. But Lawler kicked Funk's elbow, causing him to hit himself in the eye. The tape aired on April 25, 1981. Terry and Dory also made a name for themselves in Japan. Terry became a star in the eyes of those fans with his over the top mannerisms, colorful get-ups, and brawling ability. In Japan, the Funks were heels until they faced The Sheik and Abdullah The Butcher in Tokyo. The two later faced Stan Hansen, Bruiser Brody, and Giant Baba in memorable feuds as well.

Terry Funk made his World Wrestling Federation (WWF) debut in June 1985 after a brief run in the AWA. In his televised debut on *Championship Wrestling*, he not only beat Aldo Marino, but he also beat on ring announcer Mel Phillips. Funk attacked Phillips, after Phillips made the mistake of putting on Funk's cowboy hat. Funk also had a gimmick of carrying a branding iron with him to ringside and using it to "brand" his fallen opponents. The attack on Phillips lead to a feud with Junkyard Dog.

In the mid-1980s, Funk teamed with Dory (calling himself "Hoss" Funk) and Jimmy Jack Funk, a storyline "brother." They were managed by Jimmy Hart. At the time, he had a heated rivalry with the Junkyard Dog which led to a match between Terry Funk and Hoss Funk and the team of Tito Santana and Junkyard Dog at WrestleMania 2. Terry also had a series of WWF title matches against Hulk Hogan. Funk left the WWF in April 1986.

Funk joined World Championship Wrestling in 1989 and became part of the J-Tex Corporation. He began feuding with Ric Flair, who had defeated Ricky Steamboat at WrestleWar for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Funk, who was one of three judges for the main event, challenged Flair to a title match. Flair refused, saying that Funk was "spending time in Hollywood" instead of focusing on wrestling. Funk then attacked, piledriving Flair on a ringside table. This put the champion, Flair, out of action until the Great American Bash where he faced Funk. Flair won the match by reversing a small package into one of his own, but shortly after was attacked by Gary Hart and The Great Muta. Sting came to aid Flair and the two brawled with Funk and Muta to close the show.

Funk got injured but returned to continue feuding with Ric Flair. The two then had an "I Quit" match at *Clash of the Champions IX:*, which Funk lost after yelling "Yes, I quit!" after Flair put on the Figure four leglock. This match received a 5-star rating from Dave Meltzer. A notable part of the feud occurred when Funk used an actual plastic shopping bag to suffocate Flair on television after Flair and Sting defeated Muta and Dick Slater at *Clash of the Champions VIII*. After losing a *Clash of Champions* match against Flair, he shook Flair's hand, and was attacked by Gary Hart's stable. Soon after he became a color commentator and the host of his own segment *Funk's Grill* where a tuxedo clad Funk would amiably interview the top stars of WCW, both face and heel. This did not last long and he left soon after for the USWA. In 1994, Funk reappeared in WCW and wrestled Tully Blanchard to a double disqualification at Slamboree 1994 and later that night, he became a member of Colonel Robert Parker's Stud Stable. Along with Bunkhouse Buck, Arn Anderson and Meng, the stable would focus their energies on Dusty and Dustin Rhodes, as well as The Nasty Boys, culminating in a War Games match at Fall Brawl.

In 1994, Funk joined the fledgling International Wrestling Association of Japan promotion. Funk would go on to be a participant in IWA's most famous event the King of the Death Match Tournament, held on August 20, 1995, in Kawasaki. Funk would first defeat Leatherface and Tiger Jeet Singh in extreme-style matches which featured barbed wire covered boards, glass, and chains before moving on to the finals of the tournament. In the finals, Funk was defeated by protégé Cactus Jack, later known by US audiences as Mick Foley, in a No Ropes Barbed Wire Exploding Barbed Wire Boards & Exploding Ring Time Bomb Death Match. Terry would also participate in several other deathmatches throughout 1995.

Later in Funk's career, his style changed from wrestling traditional southern style wrestling matches to the more violent style of hardcore wrestling. In 1993, after a special appearance against Blanchard at World Championship Wrestling's Slamboree, Funk promised to help the fledgling Eastern Championship Wrestling (later renamed Extreme Championship Wrestling or ECW) by lending his talent and notoriety to the promotion. On July 16, Terry and Dory Funk lost a barbed wire match against The Public Enemy. Funk maintained a regular schedule of wrestling for ECW in its early days while also competing in Japan. He had many feuds and wrestled programs with wrestlers such as Cactus Jack, "The Franchise" Shane Douglas, The Sandman, Sabu, and Terry's own protege, Tommy Dreamer.

Funk further elevated ECW by headlining their first pay-per-view, Barely Legal on April 13, 1997, winning the ECW World Heavyweight Championship from Raven. Earlier in the night, he defeated The Sandman and Stevie Richards in a Triple Threat match, thus earning him the match with Raven. Funk went on to successfully defend the title in bouts at Chapter 2, The Buffalo Invasion, Wrestlepalooza, and Heat Wave. He was ultimately defeated for the title by Sabu in a barbed wire match at Born to be Wired in August 1997, in which the ropes of the ring were taken down and replaced with barbed wire. Both men had to be cut out of the wires at the end of the match. Sabu had his biceps visibly torn open by the barbed wire – as a result, the wound was taped up and the match continued.

In September 1997, a show was held in Funk's hometown of Amarillo. It was called "Terry Funk's WrestleFest" and was both his own show and a celebration of the careers of Terry, his father, and his brother. Terry lost to then-WWF Champion Bret Hart in the main event, a non-title match. However, before the match, ECW owner Paul Heyman presented Terry with a belt, paid for through a collection taken up by wrestlers on the ECW roster, that declared him the *Lifetime ECW World Heavyweight Champion*.

Funk appeared in the 1997 Royal Rumble match appearing at number 24 and lasting fifteen minutes and eighteen seconds before being eliminated by Mankind. Funk then returned to ECW before his retirement. Funk's retirement lasted just 11 days before he returned to the ring. After wrestling in Japan with Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling and on the United States independent circuit (most notably a bout with Rik Ratchet that drew many fans on the east coast), Funk rejoined the World Wrestling Federation.

Funk debuted in the WWF on the December 29, 1997, episode of *Raw* as the masked "Chainsaw Charlie" (although his true identity was soon acknowledged by the announcers), teaming with Mick Foley, who was wrestling under his Cactus Jack persona. Charlie and Jack began feuding with The New Age Outlaws, where they were defeated by them on the January 26, 1998, episode of *Raw* by disqualification.

The following week on *Raw*, Charlie and Jack would have a match against each other, with the match ending in a no contest after the Outlaws would attack both men, placing them both in a dumpster and then pushing it off the stage. At No Way Out of Texas: In Your House, Charlie and Jack would team with Stone Cold Steve Austin and Owen Hart, defeating the team of Triple H, Savio Vega and the Outlaws. At WrestleMania XIV, Charlie and Jack would defeat the Outlaws in a Dumpster match to win the WWF Tag Team Championship. The following night, on the March 30 episode of *Raw*, Charlie and Jack would lose the titles back to the Outlaws in a Steel Cage match.

On the April 13 episode of *Raw*, Funk began wrestling as himself and formed a short-lived team with 2 Cold Scorpio. On the May 4 episode of *Raw*, Funk lost to Foley in a Falls Count Anywhere match. On the June 1 episode of *Raw*, Funk was defeated by Mark Henry in a King of the Ring qualifying match. At Fully Loaded: In Your House, Funk and Bradshaw would be defeated by Faarooq and Scorpio, with Bradshaw attacking Funk after the match.

At ECW November to Remember, Funk was believed to have been Tommy Dreamer's mystery partner against Justin Credible and Jack Victory. However, the mystery partner turned out to be Jake Roberts. An enraged Funk attacked Dreamer at every opportunity in late 1998 and early 1999. Funk, however, came down ill before they could have a match, and Funk "retired" yet again in mid-1999.

Funk wrestled for WCW in 2000 and 2001, winning the WCW Hardcore Championship three times (which stands as the company's record) and the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship for the second time. He was also the WCW Commissioner introduced on the January 3, 2000, episode of Monday Nitro and one time and the leader of the short-lived Old Age Outlaws (Funk, Arn Anderson, Larry Zbyszko and Paul Orndorff) that feuded with the nWo.

From 2002 to 2004, Funk was a regular top star for Ring of Honor Wrestling and Major League Wrestling. Funk had several battles with the likes of CM Punk, the Extreme Horsemen (Steve Corino, C. W. Anderson, Justin Credible and Simon Diamond) in specialty matches such as a No Ropes Barbed Wire Death Match, and a 5 on 5 WarGames match. On MLW's final show until 2017, Funk was attacked by his former manager Gary Hart and his syndicate. In November 2004, Funk competed in the UK wrestling company FWA's annual show entitled British Uprising. In 2005, Funk received an offer from World Wrestling Entertainment to appear at the ECW reunion show One Night Stand, but turned it down in favor of working the ECW nostalgia show *Hardcore Homecoming* that was being put together by Shane Douglas. At *Hardcore Homecoming*, Funk lost a three-way barbed wire match to Sabu. On February 4, 2004, NWA-TNA, Funk and The Sandman lost to The Gathering (CM Punk and Julio Dinero). On February 18, 2004, NWA-TNA, Funk and Raven defeated The Gathering (CM Punk and Julio Dinero). On May 23, 2009, Funk made an unannounced appearance at a house show for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. At the show, Terry joined longtime friend, Mick Foley, as special guest enforcers for a match between Scott Steiner and Samoa Joe.

Funk made a brief return to WWE in 2006, when he appeared on the May 15 episode of *Raw*, confronting Mick Foley over the attack on Tommy Dreamer on the previous weeks episode of *Raw*. At ECW One Night Stand, Funk would team with Dreamer and Beulah McGillicutty in a losing effort against Foley, Edge and Lita. Midway through the match, Foley injured Funk's left eye with barbed wire, and Funk was taken backstage. He later returned to the match (with a bloody cloth tied over his eye) to hit Foley with a flaming 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire.

Funk, along with his brother Dory, was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 by his longtime friend Dusty Rhodes. He wrestled on the independent circuit for the rest of his career. In 2013, Funk inducted Mick Foley into the WWE Hall of Fame. Funk made a cameo appearance on the March 21, 2016, episode of *Raw*, giving Dean Ambrose a pep-talk for his match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 32. At the conclusion of the segment, Funk presented Ambrose with a chainsaw, in reference to his previous gimmick as Chainsaw Charlie.

On September 11, 2010, at Ring of Honor's Glory By Honor IX, Funk worked as the ringside enforcer for the ROH World Championship match between Tyler Black and Roderick Strong. On January 12, 2013, Funk stated that he was officially retired from professional wrestling at age 68, however, it would seem that Funk would once again come out of retirement. On October 27, 2013, Funk returned to All Japan Pro Wrestling, teaming with Dory in a tag team match, where they wrestled Masanobu Fuchi and Osamu Nishimura to a twenty-minute time limit draw.

On November 9, 2013, Funk appeared at House of Hardcore 3 as Tommy Dreamer's tag team partner. They defeated Sean Waltman and Lance Storm and the match was promoted as the last time Dreamer and Funk would wrestle together. On December 11, 2014, Funk returned to Japan for a Tokyo Gurentai independent event, which saw him, Masakatsu Funaki and Mil Máscaras defeat Kaz Hayashi, Nosawa Rongai and Yoshiaki Fujiwara in a six-man tag team main event. On October 16, 2015, Funk made an appearance at AIW's Big Trouble in Little Cleveland event, where he attacked Eddie Kingston and his manager, The Duke, destroying the concession stand in the process. On October 24, 2015, Funk had his last match at USA Championship Wrestling in Jackson, Tennessee, at Oman Arena against Jerry Lawler, Lawler went on to win by DQ.

On September 17, 2016, Funk announced his retirement at House of Hardcore 17. Funk made another return to the ring on September 22, 2017, for the Big Time Wrestling promotion in Raleigh, North Carolina. He teamed with The Rock N' Roll Express in a six-man tag team match, where they defeated Doug Gilbert, Jerry Lawler and Lawler's son Brian Christopher via disqualification. This was the final match in his career.

## Death

In June 2021, Don Muraco reported Funk was diagnosed as living with dementia and was living in an assisted living facility. On December 29, 2021, Ric Flair announced on his podcast with Mark Madden that Funk had returned home and was doing well.

On August 23, 2023, Terry Funk died at the age of 79, as first announced by Ric Flair. Many wrestlers and fans among WWE and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) paid tribute to Funk following his death.