Dory Funk Jr. really knew how to honor his late brother Terry Funk by following in his footsteps at the age of 83.
The legendary Terry Funk passed away one year ago on August 23 and his older brother Dory decided to step into the deathmatch realm against a longtime Terry rival in Atsushi Onita. Terry Funk and Onita had a very memorable match back in 1993 as the two battled in an exploding ring match, a battle that was historically violent and memorable.
Dory Funk decided to tip his cowboy hat in honor of his brother by doing just that this weekend as he teamed up with an old rival of his own in Osamu Nishimura to face Onita and Raijin Yaguchi in a Double Hell Current Explosion Death Match.
Thankfully, the \”death\” aspect didn\’t live up to its name but the \”explosion\” most definitely did on Dory\’s end. Ontia managed to whack the former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion with an exploding baseball bat during the battle, but it wasn\’t enough to keep Funk down as his team ended up getting the victory at the Terry Funk Memorial & Atsushi Onita 50th Anniversary show.
Dory Funk, Jr. ended up taking a exploding bat shot from Onita during the match but was able to get the win with a spinning toe hold over Yaguchi. Both Dory and Nishimura seemed to be fine after the match. pic.twitter.com/HqmHzWGygi
Before this fight, Dory\’s last in-ring match took place five years ago against the aforementioned Nishimura in a ten-minute draw.
However, Dory Funk Jr. made history in the world of pro wrestling as he became the oldest wrestler to ever have a match while paying tribute to his baby brother Terry.
On August 23, 2023, the wrestling world was rocked by the passing of one of the industry\’s most notable legends: Terry Funk. The former NWA World Heavyweight Champion passed away at the age of 79 after years of several health issues, including being diagnosed with dementia in 2021.
The Legacy of Terry Funk
Born on June 30, 1944, in Hammond, Indiana, Terry Funk was destined for the wrestling world. The son of Dory Funk Sr., a revered wrestler and promoter, Terry and his brother, Dory Funk Jr. were quite literally raised in the sport.
Terry debuted in 1965, quickly making a name for himself in his father\’s promotion, Western States Sports, based in Amarillo, Texas. His early style was a reflection of his father’s influence—technical and hard-hitting. It would be a decade later that Funk’s crowning achievement came as on December 10, 1975, he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship by defeating the legendary Jack Brisco. Funk held the gold for 14 months and his technically sound bouts proved why he was the right man to hold the 10 pounds of gold.
The Reinvention
In the 1980, Funk did what few wrestlers can, or rather, want, to do; he reinvented himself. Moving away from the pure technical style of his early career, Funk embraced a more violent, unhinged persona. His work in promotions including All Japan and later ECW showcased a different, more violent side, complimented nicely by his technical savvy in the ring. Funk’s feud with Ric Flair in 1989, particularly their brutal “I Quit” match at WCW Clash of the Champions IX continues to be considered one of the pivotal matches of the career in both men.
As a pivotal figure in hardcore wrestling, it is fitting that Funk became ECW World Heavyweight Champion at the extreme promotion\’s first pay-per-view, Barely Legal 1997. Having Funk be a part of the promotion proved to be pivotal for the rag-tag promotion that was looking to make its mark in wrestling, as the legacy and prestige of Funk proved impossible to deny.
An Influencer
Terry Funk’s impact on professional wrestling extends beyond his in-ring accomplishments. He was a mentor to countless wrestlers, including Mick Foley, Steve Austin, and Tommy Dreamer, all of whom credit Funk with helping them shape their careers. In the foreword of Funk\’s book More Than Just Hardcore, Foley recalls being under a ring for over an hour as part of a planned spot involving Funk, stating that despite the cramped and uncomfortable area, he\’d do anything for his mentor.
Funk’s influence also reached Hollywood, where he appeared in several films, including Road House and Over the Top, often playing the tough guy that mirrored his wrestling persona. This allowed Funk the chance to share the screen with top Hollywood names like Patrick Swayze, further etching his legacy in the media in and out of the ring.
Terry Funk Honored
In 2009, Terry, alongside his brother Dory Jr. was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, a fitting induction given that it took place in the pair\’s native Texas. Their induction also came the same night that \’Stone Cold\’ Steve Austin, one of many names inspired by Funk, took his place in the annals of wrestling greats. Following his passing, WWE paid tribute to Funk and Kevin Owens, whose in-ring style bears a striking similarity to the Funker, wore a shirt of the legend for a Payback 2023 Street Fight.
The Funker may be gone, but his spirit will live on in the hearts of wrestling fans forever. The wrestling world will always remember him as a man of many roles: A champion, a pioneer, a symbol, and of course \”middle-aged and crazy!\”
This day is a special one for WWE\’s resident CCO Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque, as it was 25 years ago today that he captured his first of 14 WWE World Championships. On the post-SummerSlam 1999 edition of RAW, The Game defeated new champion Mankind to etch his name in the history books.
Lillian Garcia On Her WWE Debut
This week also marks 25 years since the debut of Lilian Garcia in WWE, who served as the promotion\’s chief ring announcer for years. Speaking with SE Scoops correspondent Scott Fishman for TV Insider, Lilian recalled her first day with the promotion.
\”It was such a blur… 20 minutes before I was live on the air they told me no cue cards. I remember terror if I could put it in one word. To know, that 14 million people were watching around the world and 20,000 in the arena. It was intense.\”
Sheamus Pulling Pints
Sheamus will be a special guest picker for Pat McAfee on tomorrow\’s episode of Pat\’s show that\’ll take place in Dublin, Ireland. After landing in the Emerald Isles, Sheamus and McAfee wasted no time in getting a drink at the JR Mahons pub.
The Wyatt Sicks have proven to be must-see since arriving in WWE and have been at odds with Chad Gable and American Made. In the group\’s latest cryptic post, the faction makes clear their issues with Gable\’s group aren\’t over year.
Today, August 23, marks one year since the passing of WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk. The former NWA World Heavyweight Champion passed at the age of 79. His brother Dory Funk has returned to the ring for a match as part of a tribute show to Terry, an act that will make Dory the oldest professional wrestler to compete.
WWE Hall of Famer Dory Funk Jr. will pay tribute to his late brother Terry in an upcoming match, and will also make history in the process. Funk will team with Osamu Nishimura in a tag-team match on August 24, to take on Atsushi Onita & Raijin Yaguchi. The match has been sanctioned by PWF President Yoshio Osumi and will be part of the official memorial show for Terry Funk who died one year ago tomorrow.
By competing at the event, Funk will become the oldest wrestler to compete in a match at 83 years of age. Funk made his in-ring debut in 1963, the same year that Buddy Rogers became the very first WWE World Champion. He is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and boasts the second-longest individual reign (behind Lou Thesz\’s first reign that lasted 2,300 days.) For his efforts in wrestling, Dory, alongside his brother Terry and their late father Dory Sr. was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.
H/T to @PuroresuFlow for uncovering this stat. Stay tuned to SEScoops for more interesting wrestling facts and statistics.
This match will be Funk\’s first bout in close to six years. He last stepped in the ring for the Tokyo Gurentai Tokyo Dream event in November 2018. That match saw him face Nishimura to a time-limit draw. His most recent victory came in an eight-man tag for All-Japan the previous year.
Funk, like his brother and father, mastered the art of mat wrestling during his heyday and is ready to lace up his boots one more time for his brother who died last August. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest on the legendary Funk wrestling family.
We have a first look at the DLC character of hardcore legend Terry Funk in WWE 2K24. The all-time great is part of the the first DLC pack for the game, the ECW Punk Pack that will be available Wednesday, May 15.
WWE and 2K have been giving first looks at the ECW Punk Pack characters, including The Sandman and The Dudley Boyz. Today, it\’s a screenshot of the great Terry Funk. CM Punk is the final remaining member of the pack.
Terry Funk\’s contributions to the pro wrestling business are vast, and he picked up championships all over the globe in over 50 years in the pro wrestling business. Sadly, he passed away on August 23, 2023. While the specific cause of his death has not been disclosed, it is known that he was dealing with health problems and was living in a nursing home at the time. He will forever be remembered as a legend and a trailblazer, one who influenced generations after him.
Future WWE 2K24 DLC Packs:
After the ECW Punk Pack release on 5/15, here\’s the release schedule for the remaining WWE 2K24 DLC packs:
June 26: DLC Pack #2 (\”Post Malone & Friends Pack\”)
Includes Post Malone, Sensational Sherri, Mosh, Thrasher, Honky Tonk Man, Jimmy Hart Manager, MyFACTION Superstar Cards
July 24: DLC Pack #3 (\”Pat McAfee Show Pack\”)
Features Pat McAfee, Ty Schmit, Boston Connor, AJ Hawk, Darius Butler, additional MyFACTION Superstar Cards
September 20: DLC Pack #4 (\”Global Superstars Pack\”)
Features Diamond Dallas Page, Iron Sheik, Mr. Perfect, Great Muta, Lex Luger, MyFACTION Superstar Cards
WWE 2K24 Release & Reception
WWE 2K24 dropped on March 8, 2024, with Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, and Rhea Ripley leading the promotional charge as the game\’s cover Superstars. Cody was featured on the standard edition of the game. Ripley and Belair were on the special edition, making history as the first females to share the cover in the process. The special 40 Years of WrestleMania cover of the game saw an alteration after Brock Lesnar was scrubbed from the game.
The game is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Critics have responded positively to the game. They highlight its improvements and refinements from previous versions.
IGN and GameSpot each gave the game a score of 8 out of 10. Metacritic has given it a score of 81%. Users have also shared their opinions, rating it 3.7 based on 316 reviews. In our exclusive review, we gave WWE 2K24 a score of 8.5 out of 10:
Get ready for a whole new learning experience courtesy of Chris Jericho.
The pro wrestling legend defeated HOOK for the FTW Championship at AEW Dynasty on Sunday and had some words of wisdom for the live crowd in Jacksonville, FL on this week\’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
All with a somewhat patronizing tongue, Jericho took to the ring to thank the fans for the love and support following his victory and spoke about the controversial meaning behind the letters \”FTW.\” Instead of the title standing for \”F*** The World\” he wants FTW to mean \”For The World\” because the championship now for all the fans.
Jericho then brought up the name of the late legendary Terry Funk and recounted when Funk told him it was time for him to start teaching the next generation of how to carry on the legacy of the pro wrestling business. He then thanked Terry Funk and thanked everyone in attendance.
Suddenly, out came former AEW World Tag Team Champion in Big Bill. What first felt like it was going to be a tense confrontation, Bill actually said that he\’d love to learn under the learning tree of Chris Jericho. Chris noted that he respected the talent of Big Bill and told him that he\’d very much consider that, but would like to see Bill prove it. Bill assured Jericho that he would do just that.
It\’s serendipitous that Jericho did conjure up the name of Terry Funk. Back in 2019, Jericho was asked about being the modern-day version of Funk, who was notorious for always re-inventing himself later on in his career which helped to put ECW on the map.
“My mission has always been to reinvent and evolve. It’s David Bowie. It’s been one of my inspirations since I was 25 years old, when you realize that you have this guy that’s a genius and who constantly changes what he’s doing, what he looks like to keep the fans guessing.\”
Chris Jericho Will Have A Challenger Next Week
Jericho will have a tough contender to go up against next week in his hometown of Winnipeg. Later during Dynamite, Katsuyori Shibata ending up revealing that he\’ll face Jericho next week for that \”For The World\” Championship gold.
Katsuyori Shibata has issued a challenge to the FTW Champion Chris Jericho.
Wrestling legend Mick Foley has provided a positive update on another legend, Terry Funk.
Back in July 2021, Don Muraco revealed that Funk was suffering from dementia and was in an assisted-living facility. Mike Johnson of PWInsider later confirmed that claim.
“I heard that Terry Funk is in a home for dementia. I spoke with Scott Casey over the weekend and I guess he’s driving all the way down to Amarillo,” Muraco said on the show.
\”Yes, Mr. Funk is currently receiving residential care for his multiple health issues, which do affect his mind as well as the rest of his body. As you can imagine, some days are better than others. He & his family appreciate all of your kind words! FOREVER!\”
Mick Foley Provides Update On Terry Funk
Mick Foley took to a High Spots signing session to give a positive update on the 77-year-old Terry Funk.
\”Terry is doing better than it was reported. So, I will tell you he is in assisted living but I talked to him about a month ago, Tony Hunter talked to him a few days ago. He\’s doing pretty good.\”
Foley went on to explain what Funk might need assistance for these days.
\”So, he does need some assistance but that can be as simple as not remembering to turn a burner off. So, he\’s doing good.\”
Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article.
Mick Foley presented the GCW Championship belt when Jon Moxley faced Nick Gage earlier this month. Foley recently spoke to Metro about the promotion and praised Moxley and Gage in particular. Foley says that they are carrying the torch that he lit with Terry Funk back in their day.
\”Who am I to tell someone their style of wrestling is wrong? I had the type of stuff that I enjoyed watching. I can appreciate lucha [libre], for example, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do,\” Foley said. \”I like the wild matches and these guys have taken that torch that Funk and I lit, and ran a couple of laps on their own with it.\”
Foley also noted that he would love to return as Cactus Jack and face Matt Cardona for GCW. He also noted he is not able to do so, however.
\”Oh, can you imagine the heat that Cardona would have if Cactus Jack came back for one last match? I can’t do it – I’m just saying, imagine! That’d be great.\”
Foley continued to praise GCW.
\”There’s all different types of wrestling out there for all different types of fans, and then you find a product that caters to fans who really take their wrestling seriously – I tell you, GCW’s a great show!\”
Terry Funk is one of the most beloved, respected, and revered pro-wrestling legends of all time. The 77-year-old is said to be suffering from dementia and living in an assisted-living facility.
The news was first mentioned by Don Muraco on his podcast and later confirmed by Mike Johnson of PWInsider. Funk\’s health is said to have declined over the last year following the passing of his wife Vicki.
\”I heard that Terry Funk is in a home for dementia. I spoke with Scott Casey over the weekend and I guess he\’s driving all the way down to Amarillo,\” Muraco said on the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMTwqHMRGl0&t=2s
UPDATE: Terry Funk\’s official Twitter account has issued the following statement regarding his health:
Yes, Mr. Funk is currently receiving residential care for his multiple health issues, which do affect his mind as well as the rest of his body. As you can imagine, some days are better than others. He & his family appreciate all of your kind words!
Tommy Dreamer spoke to Terry Funk on Tuesday and relayed this information:
Everyone needs to relax I just got off phone w/ Terry Funk He is NOT in bad health He loves everyone talking about him Direct quote from Funker I'm currently sitting in an assisted living place w/my thumb up my ass Whistling Dixie but I don't remember the words#Forever#ECWpic.twitter.com/5xlAYu5REh
Earlier this year, Mick Foley commented on Funk\’s health in a Facebook post.
“I need to give Terry Funk a phone call. From what I understand, he’s in some serious pain after a lifetime of giving his all to the wrestling business. His hip, in particular is giving him a lot of trouble. Terry is not only a great friend, but my mentor, and one of the biggest influences on my career.\”
\”In my opinion, he is the greatest of all time, based not only on his amazing array of incredible matches with all different types of opponents over the course of several decades – but for his ability to make it SO easy to believe! No one made the suspension of disbelief easier than Terry Funk.\”
“If you want to make this match work, you need to give the people their money’s worth. That’s the bottom line, that’s the most important thing. You need to do whatever you can to accomplish that. Physically, that can sometimes be a rugged game to play.”
People posting pics of the Texas Legend Terry Funk-idolized him and then got to tag with him and rode the roads with him-love me some Terry Funk! Wish him the best health and happiness! pic.twitter.com/wWUSyquA47
Working with @TerryFunker has always been a joy to me as a fan that lived their dream.even when he used to steal my channelle lipstick to use on his Brandon iron without my permission in https://t.co/ODPsznkzhS him as a person.Just as much as a fan. #keepfightingforever tx bronco
Terry Funk is one of a small selection of wrestlers ever to compete in an exploding barbed-wire death match. Funk wrestled the match type\’s pioneer, Atsushi Onita, in May of 1993 in such a match for FMW. He also faced Cactus Jack in a very similar No Rope, Barbed Wire, Explosive Barbed Wire Board, Time Bomb Death Match in 1995.
The 76-year-old recently spoke to SI.com and offered some advice for Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley who will take part in the match tonight. “It’s the roughest style match I’ve ever been in,” said Funk. “I put a lot into those matches. I put in 100%, and I came out with a lot of damage to my body.\”
“If you want to make this match work, you need to give the people their money’s worth. That’s the bottom line, that’s the most important thing. You need to do whatever you can to accomplish that. Physically, that can sometimes be a rugged game to play.”
Just talked to Mr. Funk & he’s doing okay. He just wanted to wish @JonMoxley & @KennyOmegamanX the best of luck in their exploding barbed wire match. He says the match is a good way for @aew to wake up Vince with a good kick in his ass. He wants you to know he’s pulling for you!
Funk concluded by saying that if Moxley and Omega give the fans their money\’s worth, the match will live on in history just like his match against Onita has.
“This is a tough match. It was for me at least, as tough as it could possibly be. It’s up to them how they treat it. This match, their job is to go ahead and give the people their money’s worth. If they do that, their match will live on for a long time. These two guys, I think they’ll do it to the best of their ability.”
Pro wrestling legend Terry Funk recently reacted to the AEW Revolution main event news. Although it is unfair to just label Funk as a \’hardcore\’ wrestling legend, he was part of some of the most brutal matches over his illustrious career.
One of the bouts that Terry Funk took part in was the Exploding Barbed Wire DeathMatch; much like the one that will main event AEW Revolution between AEW Champion Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley.
Terry Funk on DeathMatch
Terry Funk was made aware of the Revolution main event and the person running his Twitter account notified followers of his reply. “Just talked to Mr. Funk & he’s doing okay. He just wanted to wish Jon Moxley & Kenny Omega the best of luck in their exploding barbed wire match\” Funk reportedly began.
It was also noted that Funk made a playful jab at WWE. \”He says the match is a good way for AEW to wake up Vince with a good kick in his ass. He wants you to know he’s pulling for you!”
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