Terry Funk

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Terrence (Terry) Funk (born June 30, 1944 in Amarillo, Texas) is an American professional wrestler, known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the later part of his career that inspired many later wrestlers, most notably Mick Foley. He is affectionately known as "The Funker".

1 Career
2 In wrestling
- 2.1 Nicknames
- 2.2 Finishing and signature moves
3 Championships and accomplishments
- 3.1 Championship succession
4 Trivia
5 Acting career
6 Books
7 References
8 External links

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Career

Funk started out his career in his father Dory Funk, Sr.'s promotion in Amarillo, Texas. He and his brother Dory Funk, Jr. quickly rose the ranks and became big money wrestlers by the end of the decade. In his tenth year as a pro, Terry defeated Jack Brisco for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, then the most important wrestling championship in the business, and began a grueling fourteen-month title reign which ended in Toronto when he was defeated by "Handsome" Harley Race who won the title for the second time. Terry Funk took some time off after his world title reign but he and his brother traveled around the country (mostly in Texas, Florida and Detroit) looking for a fight. Terry and Dory, Jr. also made a name for themselves in Japan where they became one of the top drawing foreign acts in the history of Japan. (The Funks were the first gaijins to be considered faces in Japan.) He made a name for himself with his over the top mannerisms and sometimes colorful get-ups as well as his brawling ability.

Terry made his World Wrestling Federation debut in 1985 a memorable one. in his televised debut on Championship Wrestling he not only beat Aldo Marino, but he also beat up a ring Attendant named Mel Phillips who was also at the time, one of the WWE ring announcers.

In 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.

In 1989, he started a feud with Ric Flair that began when after Ric Flair beat Ricky Steamboat in a classic match at WrestleWar for the World Heavyweight Championship. Funk was one of three judges for the main event. Afterwards, he 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.

In 1994, Funk promised to help the fledgling Eastern Championship Wrestling (later renamed Extreme Championship Wrestling) by lending his talent and notoriety to the promotion, which had just split from the National Wrestling Alliance. Funk maintained a regular schedule of wrestling for ECW in its early days while also competing in Japan and had many feuds and programs with wrestlers such as Mick Foley (as Cactus Jack), "The Franchise" Shane Douglas, the Sandman, Sabu and Terry's own protege, Tommy Dreamer.

Terry Funk further elevated ECW by headlining their first Pay-Per-View, Barely Legal, on April 13, 1997 and winning the ECW World Heavyweight Championship from Raven. He was later defeated for the title by Sabu in a much talked about barbed wire match, in which the ropes of the ring were taken down and replaced with barbed wire.

Chainsaw Charlie was the name used by Terry Funk in WWF for a short period in 1998. As Chainsaw Charlie, Funk won the WWF's World Tag Team Championship with Mick Foley (using the name Cactus Jack) at WrestleMania XIV, when they beat the New Age Outlaws in a Dumpster Match. The decision was reversed the next night on Raw due to a technicality; the wrong dumpsters had been used in the match.

Funk wrestled for World Championship Wrestling in 1999 and 2000 and won the WCW Hardcore Championship and the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship. He was also the WCW Commissioner at one time and the leader of the short-lived Old Age Outlaws that feuded with the nWo.

In 1999 Funk was featured in director Barry Blaustein's wrestling documentary, Beyond the Mat. He has also appeared in notable movies Roadhouse and Over the Top as well as other film credits. His legendary toughness was attested to in the wrestling documentary when cameramen followed him to a doctor's visit where he was told he shouldn't even be able to walk without intense pain.

From 2002 to 2004, Terry Funk was a regular top star for the now defunct Major League Wrestling company based out of New York and Florida. Funk had several battles with the likes of the Extreme Horsemen (Steve Corino, CW Anderson and Simon Diamond) including specialty matches such as an Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match, Barbed Wire Match and a 5 on 5 War Games match. On the last MLW show, Funk was attacked by his former manager Gary Hart and his syndicate.

Currently Funk is semi-retired (although he has claimed to be retired many times, he always seems to come back, which has become a recurring joke among wrestling fans) working some dates on the independent circuit and in Japan.

Recently, Funk was approached by WWE to make an appearance at ECW One Night Stand 2006, which takes place on June 11, 2006. It has been confirmed that he will be wrestling at the event, which is being managed by Tommy Dreamer and Paul Heyman.

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In wrestling

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Nicknames

"Terrible" Terry Funk
"The Texan"
"Middle Aged and Crazy"
"The Hardcore Icon"

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Finishing and signature moves

Combination punches
Moonsault
Spinning toe hold
Texas piledriver
Sleeper hold
Stunner
Hangman's neckbreaker (Shoulder neckbreaker)
Delayed atomic drop
Double underhook suplex
Rolling Leg Splits (Rolling cradle)

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Championships and accomplishments

All Japan Pro Wrestling

3-time AJPW International Tag Team Champion (with Dory Funk, Jr.)

Extreme Championship Wrestling

2-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion
1-time ECW World Television Champion

Florida Championship Wrestling

1-time Florida Heavyweight Champion
1-time Florida Television Champion
2-time Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion
1-time Florida Tag Team Champion (with Dory Funk, Jr.)

Hall of Fame

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame - inducted 2004
Hardcore Homecoming: Hardcore Hall of Fame - inducted 2005

National Wrestling Alliance

World

1-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion
1-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Los Angeles version) (with Dory Funk, Jr.)
2-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Texas version) (with Dory Funk, Jr.)

National

1-time NWA National Television Champion
1-time NWA North American Tag Team Champion (with Dory Funk, Jr.)
1-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion

Regional

1-time NWA Americas Heavyweight Champion
1-time NWA Georgia Tag Team Champion (with Dory Funk, Jr.)
1-time NWA Missouri Heavyweight Champion
5-time NWA Western States Heavyweight Champion
2-time NWA Western States Tag Team Champion (with Ricky Romero)

Pro-Pain-Pro-Wrestling

1-time 3PW Heavyweight Champion

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

PWI ranked him # 22 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
PWI ranked him # 9 of the best tag teams of the PWI Years, with Dory Funk, Jr..
PWI Feud of the Year, versus Ric Flair (1989)
PWI Wrestler of the Year Award (1976)
PWI Most Inspirational Award (1997)

Southwest Championship Wrestling

2-time SCW Heavyweight Champion
2-time SCW Tag Team Champion (1-time with Dory Funk, Jr., 1-time with Wahoo McDaniel)

United States Wrestling Association

1-time USWA Heavyweight Champion

World Wrestling Federation

1-time WWF World Tag Team Champion (with Cactus Jack)

World Championship Wrestling

1-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion
3-time WCW Hardcore Champion
WCW Hall of Famer (inducted 1995)

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

He is a member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (inducted in 1996)
1989 Best Heel
1989 Feud of the Year (vs Ric Flair)
1989 Best Interviews
1989 Best Brawler

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Championship succession

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Trivia

The Japanese manga series Kinnikuman has a Texan wrestler named Terryman, who is loosely based on Terry Funk. A main and popular character, a few of his signature moves are Calf Branding and the Spinning Toe Hold.

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Acting career

Funk has appeared in several movies:
- Paradise Alley (1978)
- Over the Top (1987)
- Timestalkers (1987)
- Road House (1989)
- Mom, Can I Keep Her? (1998)
- Active Stealth (1999)
- Beyond the Mat (1999)
- The Ringer (2005) Uncredited

He has also appeared in several television series:
- Wildside (1985)
- Swamp Thing (1991)
- Quantum Leap (1991)
- Tequila and Bonetti (1992)
- The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. (1993)
- Thunder in Paradise (1994)
- Beyond Belief - Fact or Fiction (1998)