Japan has struggled with recession and record high unemployment in the last few years. How is the recession affecting the "puroresu" industry in Japan? It has shifted the loss to those small indie offices and their nameless young boys and girls. Their employment conditions are not so good at all (small salary, subordinate work, etc.). But, still, they are following their dreams. I hope they will be able to have motivation, and their dreams will come true in this business. Emiko Kado, who was a 23-year-old Arsion woman wrestler and died after internal bleeding in her brain on Friday, April 9, will be never forgotten. Her friend, Ai Fujita, 23 years old, has just debuted as a professional wrestler with huge potential on the Arsion show at Korakuen Hall on Wednesday, April 14. She, as a fan, attended "WrestleFest '97" (Terry Funk vs. Bret Hart) with us at Amarillo's Tri-State Fairgrounds Coliseum on September 11, 1997.
Abdullah the Butcher vs. Terry Funk, in a tag match between Abdullah & The Sheik and The Funks, December 15, 1977, Kuramae Kokugikan (Sumo Hall), Tokyo
"Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Abdullah the Butcher & The Sheik" was one of the biggest and bloodiest feuds in Japanese wrestling history. They drew huge money for Giant Baba's All Japan Pro Wrestling. Dory, Terry, Abdullah, and Sheik … It takes more than words to let them know how much it means for me to have them as my "heroes." I'm very lucky to have met four of those rare people who are the real wrestlers. First, they love wrestling itself. They have taught me that everything I saw in wrestling actually happened. Wrestling isn't a virtual image in the computer games or on the internet.
Dory Funk Jr. attacks The Sheik, December 15, 1977, Kuramae Kokugikan, Tokyo
Read more about these men in these articles:
60 Minutes Time Up Draw---Dory Funk Jr.
WWF Funking Dojo
The Deep Scars Told Something---Abdullah the Butcher
ECW In Japan/Sabu's Wedding
Vicki and Terry Funk, and Masanori, April 8, 1999, Yotsuya, Tokyo
Terry Funk was wrestling for IWA Japan Pro Wrestling from April 9 to April 13 (three shows). The IWA drew only 70 (they announced "420" for newspapers and magazines) at the Kuragata Sports Kaikan (Hall) in Kisarazu City, Chiba at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 9, and they drew only 200 (they announced "1,200") at the Sports Center in Toda City, Saitama (less than an hour from the center of Tokyo) at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 11. As a lifetime Funks fan, I entered into Terry's feeling, and I felt so sad, though drawing people was the IWA office's big responsibility. Terry and Doug Gilbert, who told me that he and his late brother Eddie were always the biggest fans of the Funks, as usual, really hustled and bled so heavily, even in front of very small crowds. Terry is always well adapted for his present position, when pro wrestling has changed time after time, whether its change is for better or worse. He runs wild like a wanderer from the NWA, the WWF, the WCW, Smoky Mountain, to the ECW … from All Japan, FMW, and IWA, to New Japan (Heisei-Ishingun). I don't know any other wrestlers who have been wrestling for 16 years after the official "retirement" except him. He is a wrestling-holic and loved and respected by all of us. He could enjoy and relax on a brief off day to see the Cherry Blossoms in Shinjuku Gyoen Park in this time.
Marti and Dory Funk Jr., and Masanori, March 13, 1999, Yokohama, Kanagawa
Terry is really in contrast to his brother, Dory. Terry faced Abdullah the Butcher in the AWF's (Apocalypse Wrestling Federation) "Scar Wars" at the Government in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Sunday, March 14, the same day that Dory was a special referee for the NWA World Heavyweight title match between Dan Severn and Naoya Ogawa at Yokohama Arena in Japan. Terry found a new life worth living in the ring for himself to give young wrestlers some tough and rough lessons in the indie offices, while Dory is coaching at the WWF Funking Dojo. Two brothers have two different ways, but they came from the same root, and they will never forget about their father, Dory Funk Sr., who was "as mean as a rattlesnake and tough as shoe leather," and they will never forget his words. Terry will come back to Japan in June.
8/4/70---Tokyo Gym, Sendagaya, Tokyo
International Tag Team title match
Giant Baba & Antonio Inoki (2-0) Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
(1) Baba & Inoki beat Funks (26:17 DQ)
(2) Baba beat Terry (5:45)
12/7/71---Nakajima Sports Center, Sapporo, Hokkaido
International Tag Team title match
Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk (2-1) Giant Baba & Antonio Inoki
(1) Dory beat Inoki (16:05)
(2) Baba beat Terry (5:34)
(3) Terry beat Baba (4:12)
Funks became the 15th champions.
12/12/71---Tokyo Gym, Sendagaya, Tokyo
International Heavyweight title match
Giant Baba (2-1) Terry Funk
(1) Terry beat Baba (9:57)
(2) Baba beat Terry (7:18)
(3) Baba beat Terry (6:52)
3/19/71---Sports Arena, Amarillo, Texas
International Heavyweight title match
Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk (1-1) Giant Baba & Seiji Sakaguchi
(1) Baba beat Dory (6:32)
(2) Terry beat Baba (7:35)
(3) No contest (15:34)
3/20/71---Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California
International Tag Team title match
Giant Baba & Seiji Sakaguchi (2-1) Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
(1) Terry beat Sakaguchi (15:17)
(2) Sakaguchi beat Terry (13:20)
(3) Baba beat Dory (4:27)
Baba & Sakaguchi became the 16th champions.
10/30/72---Aichi Gym, Nagoya
PWF Heavyweight title match
Giant Baba (2-1) Terry Funk
(1) Terry beat Baba (19:15)
(2) Baba beat Terry (4:24)
(3) Baba beat Terry (5:00)
10/9/73---Kuramae Kokugikan (Sumo Hall)
International Tag Team title match
Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk (1-1) Giant Baba & Tomomi (Jumbo) Tsuruta
(1) Tsuruta beat Terry (23:57)
(2) Terry beat Tsuruta (17:24)
(3) 60-minute draw
6/15/74---Colorado Springs, Colorado
International Tag Team title match
Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk (2-1) Giant Baba & Kung Fu Lee (Great Kojika)
(1) Dory beat Lee (11:04)
(2) Baba beat Terry (6:22)
(3) Terry beat Lee (5:32)
8/9/74---Kuramae Kokugikan (Sumo Hall)
PWF Heavyweight title match
Giant Baba (2-1) Terry Funk
(1) Baba beat Terry (12:18)
(2) Terry beat Baba (6:40)
(3) Baba beat Terry (1:44)
12/26/74---Sports Arena, Amarillo, Texas
International Tag Team title match
Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk (1-1) Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta
(1) Baba beat Dory (20:47)
(2) Terry beat Baba (12:20)
(3) Dory beat Tsuruta (12:12)
2/5/75---Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas
International Tag Team title match
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta (2-1) Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
(1) Baba beat Terry (15:45)
(2) Dory beat Tsuruta (6:30)
(3) Tsuruta beat Dory (11:13)
Baba & Tsuruta became the 23rd champions.
3/8/75---Nakajima Sports Center, Sapporo, Hokkaido
International Tag Team title match
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta (2-1) Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
(1) Terry beat Baba (14:10)
(2) Baba beat Terry (5:45)
(3) Tsuruta drew Terry (9:38 double countout)
Masanori and Terry Funk, April 12, 1999, Ichigaya, Tokyo
3/13/75---Nichidai Kodo, Tokyo
International Tag Team title match
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta (2-1) Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
(1) Dory beat Tsuruta (12:16)
(2) Baba beat Terry (3:13)
(3) Tsuruta beat Dory (5:23)
6/11/76---Kuramae Kokugikan (Sumo Hall), Tokyo
NWA World Heavyweight title match
Terry Funk (2-1) Jumbo Tsuruta
(1) Tsuruta beat Terry (15:50)
(2) Terry beat Tsuruta (6:05)
(3) Terry beat Tsuruta (5:12)
7/26/78---Omagari, Akita
International Tag Team title match
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta (2-1) Terry Funk & Dick Slater
(1) Terry beat Tsuruta (16:16)
(2) Baba beat Slater (5:20)
(3) Tsuruta beat Terry (6:55)
4/24/81---Yokohama Bunka Gym, Kanagawa
International Tag Team title match
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta (1-1) Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
(1) Terry beat Baba (21:07)
(2) Baba beat Terry (6:00)
(3) 10:54 double countout
Masanori and Dory, March 13, 1999, Yokohama, Kanagawa
10/7/81---Yokohama Bunka Gym, Kanagawa
NWA World Heavyweight title match
Ric Flair (1-1) Terry Funk
(1) Flair beat Terry (11:24)
(2) Terry beat Flair (3:07)
(3) 3:42 double countout
4/7/83---Miyagi Prefectural Sports Center, Sendai
International Tag Team title match
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta beat Terry Funk & Ted DiBiase
(12:03 Baba beat DiBiase)
4/23/83---Yokosuka, Kanagawa
International Heavyweight title match
Bruiser Brody drew Terry Funk (12:49 double countout)
10/21/86---Ryogoku Kokugikan (Sumo Hall), Tokyo
PWF Heavyweight title match
Riki Choshu beat Terry Funk (14:59)
10/24/86---Toyama City
International Tag Team title match
Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu drew Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
(13:52 double countout)
Abdullah the Butcher and Masanori, April 10, 1999, Hakozaki, Tokyo
The Sheik sticks a fork in Masanori, December 13, 1998, Hitotsubashi, Tokyo
You may contact Masanori at masa_h@mail.goo.ne.jp
Masanori's Japan Tour Dates List can be found at http://www.sky.net/~dannyp/japandates.html
Visit the American Pro Wrestling Message Board (Japanese language only)
http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~dnak/
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