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Terry Funk was born the son of legendary wrestler and promoter Dory Funk
in Amarillo Texas in 1944. He was a standout football player for West Texas
State and debuted in professional wrestling in 1965. Terry toured Japan
in 1970, teaming with Dory Funk Jr. against Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki
in a series of bouts. The Funk Family also helped Baba form All Japan Pro
Wrestling and served as bookers for the organization and trainers of stars
like Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichyru Tenyru. Terry Funk became the NWA World
Heavyweight Champion on December 10th, 1975 by defeating Jack Brisco, holding
on to the title until February of 1977 when he lost it to Harley Race in
Toronto.
Funk wrestled and lost another "last match" to Bret Hart in September of 1997 in a match for the WWF Title. Terry Funk showed up once again in the WWF as Chainsaw Charlie, joining Cactus Jack to win the WWF Tag Team Titles at Wrestlemania XIV. Funk stayed with the WWF even after that team disbanded, teaming with Scorpio and wrestling the young talent. Funk would retire again and join the WCW as the on-air Commissioner, feuding with Kevin Nash. When WCW folded, Terry Funk retired again, but then started wrestling independent shows, including the Hardcore Reunion tour by Shane Douglas and then participated in back-to-back WWE/ECW One Night Stand pay per views. Terry Funk lives, breathes and loves professional wrestling. He has contributed his time, his effort and his talent to an industry that has been enriched by his presence and we gladly welcome him to his rightful place in the UWOW Hall of Fame. |
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He continued to work for All Japan and for his father's promotion in Amarillo,
Texas. The Funks became major fan favourites in Japan in 1977 when Terry
and Dory Jr. battled Abdullah the Butcher and the Original Sheik in some
of the bloodiest, hardcore matches in Japanese wrestling history and won
the All Japan Real World Tag League TOurnament three times. Terry Funk
announced that he would retire in 1983 and began to tour All Japan, teaming
with his brother Dory to defeat Terry Gordy and Stan Hansen. He gave an
emotional retirement speech but returned one year later to All Japan and
showed up in the World Wrestling Federation, notably teaming with Dory
Funk Jr to defeat Tito Santana and the Junkyard Dog at Wrestlemania 2 and
having some dream matches with Hulk Hogan. Terry devoted some time to Hollywood
but quickly made his return to wrestling in 1989, attacking NWA Champion
Ric Flair and starting a classic rivalry that climaxed in the famous "I
Quit" Match in November of 1989, won by Flair. After the match, Funk and
Flair became on-air allies and Funk became a colour commentator for WCW
briefly. Funk returned to the ring to trade the USWA Heavyweight Title
with Jerry Lawler in 1990. He also took on the title of "Hardcore Legend",
helping ECW gain fame and winning the World Championship there twice. He
also wrestled classics with Cactus Jack in Japan, most famously the finals
of the King of the Death Match Tournament for the IWA. Cactus Jack and
Terry Funk became good friends and Funk joined Cactus Jack for a run in
WCW in 1993 and 1994, where Funk joined with Colonel Robert Parker's Studd
Stable to feud with Dusty and Dustin Rhodes. Funk would leave WCW and pop
up in the WWF in 1997 for what he thought was his last run, competing in
the 1997 Royal Rumble.