RIP Terry Funk

[BomberPat]

I'll write more, but simply - the best ever.

[poetofthedeed]

The greatest to ever do it, everything you love about this thing we call pro wrestling can be directly linked to his influence, all of it. The fucking definition of pro wrestling. If there's a heaven Terry Funk is calling god a son of a whore before he piledrives him through a table.

[pitseleh]

The best to ever do it.

He never had a bad match and added something to every card he wrestled on.

The mad bastard had such a wide catalogue of matches. Whether you were watching him get into a scuffle with Jerry Lawler in an empty arena in Memphis, wrestling a methodical masterclass with Jumbo Tsuruta in 1970's All Japan or rolling around in barbed wire on a 2006 ECW revival show, you were guaranteed a great time with the Funker.

Terry Funk is forever.

[Merzbow]

1 hour ago, DEF said:

I knew he was unwell but it still sucks. I was lucky enough to meet him at FWA British Uprising 3 and see him wrestle which is quite incredible now I'm thinking about it. What an absolute legend. As has been said I've never heard a bad word said against him either. Definitely going to dig out some of his classics tonight.

Same, I didn't actually know that show was on until some girl handed us free tickets and then found out Terry Funk was on it?!?

He seemed more than happy to meet people after, hanging around to talk to anyone that stayed after the final bell.

I'm just sad I never got to see him more, the greatest ever.

Edited August 23, 2023 by Merzbow

[JakeRobertsParoleOfficer]

RIP Terry

Amazing to think he had his last match bin 2017, aged, what 73!

Surely the longest to ever do it as he turned pro in what? 1965, so 52 years?? 

Guy literally appeared in every major promotion, both US and Japan (surely must have the record for that as well??) 

Beyond the mat, was filmed in 98, and he was around 53 at the time and being told that his body was knackered then. That he did another 20 years into his near mid 70s is incredible. 

A true one off it pretty much just leaves flair as the last of the 'touring' guys. We won't see the I'll of these guys again!! 

[Surf Digby]

He was old, he was in failing health, and yet it still caught me by surprise, such is the idea that Funk was immortal. 

There's not much I can add which hasn't already been said, or isn't blindingly obvious. He knew his craft, and knew how to straddle that line between what was real and what wasn't perfectly. When he was taking a beating, he looked like he was really taking a beating. When he was fighting back, he looked like he was really fighting back. 

[RoryT]

Love thst he actually made it to 79, and still did what he loved for the vast majority of his life. RIP.

I mainly remember him from some an earlier WCW VHS, and the chainsaw Charlie and the commissioner on WCW(Worldwide was hard to follow) run when I was a kid, as well as the death match with foley in japan.

 I love that he was an NWA champ when it really meant something and then had runs everywhere, became a legend in promotions here and in Japan. He may not be a mainstream superstar like Hogan, but he's among the greatest to ever lace the boots.

Edited August 23, 2023 by RoryT

[Jazzy G]

My first memory of him is as Chainsaw Charlie in the WWF alongside Cactus Jack, both being "middle aged and crazy". I saw some of his WCW matches when I was given tapes of past times. He had a cracking match against Flair at Great American Bash 89, and they had another heck of a match in WCW over10 years later. A heck of a loss to the wrestling world. Hopefully he'll have been reunited with that Jackass he had once upon a time. 

[uklaw]

I was one of the ‘ringside package’ people sat in the front row, at British Uprising 3 (and travelled up on a coach from London, meaning I couldn’t wait behind after the typically late start/finish to meet Terry Funk, something that niggles me now more than ever) and would often forget that I’d actually seen him wrestle live. I won’t forget ever again.

In a real case of ‘a moment in time’ I distinctly remember at the conclusion of the 6 Man he was involved in, the ‘story’ of that match among the section of ringside fans I was in was Paul Burchill going to WWE and some people around me were annoyed that all-time great Terry Funk stayed to celebrate rather than leave and ‘give the ring’ to Burchill to soak up the crowd adulation. 

Terry Funk gave more to the wrestling business than he ever seemed to demand of it in return when his longevity, body of work and titles could have made him selfish, bitter, entitled and all-round difficult person to deal with. But no, all the people who have worked with him or met him (a few people I know) say nothing but good things about him.

And as for his matches, angles and moments, he absolutely made you believe. 

To echo a lot of what has been said, we all knew he was ill, and there was a real sense of where this was going when he was moved out of his longtime ranch and home, but it still stings nonetheless.

The tributes and emotional outpouring we’re going to get from wresting media (and find time to read PWInsider write ups from Mike Johnson and Dave Scherer to see what I mean) and the podcasters, like Bruce, Bischoff, Konnan, Cornette, JR, Tony, Bully Ray, Tommy Dreamer, and even possibly Russo, will probably wax lyrical about Terry Funk. It’ll be a tough week of output but a joy to listen to as they share stories and laughs. At least I’m assuming. We’ll see what happens.

Here’s hoping he’s at peace now, and as a believer in spirituality, here’s hoping he’s reunited with his wife.

RIP Terry Funk

 

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by uklaw

[LaGoosh]

One of my favourite things about Terry Funk was the way he would call someone "gutless" feel like the worst and most shameful insult possible.

[LSM]

This is a tough one for me as Terry was one of my favourites. I'm sure I wrote this before when news broke of his failing health but I'd like to share again a couple of experiences I had with the man.

I'm someone who likes going to meet & greets and comic cons. In 2007 I went to America for the first time specifically to attend a wrestling convention that was to feature Terry. In fact Terry was the main draw for me of the entire show. 

By pure coincidence Terry was staying at the same hotel as me and I noticed him in front of me in the breakfast line. Just out of politeness I said good morning to him and he said hello back, and asked if I was going to the convention later that day. When I said I was he invited me over to his table for breakfast. For about 15 minutes it was just the two of us chatting about where I had travelled from, British wrestling, UFC and the convention. Terry asked who I was planning on meeting and I was honest and said it was him. He laughed thinking I was just saying that because he was there but I said it was genuine and he appreciated it. By that time some other wrestlers had come over to the table and I knew at that point it was time to move on, so I thanked him for his time and left his table.

Fast forward to 2010 and the Wrestleslam Convention in Manchester. Through a friend of a friend I was able to work the event and I was paired up with Terry and his wife. I got the chance to spend the whole day with them and they were absolutely lovely. I was in charge of helping with merchandise and taking photos of Terry with fans. Terry was ribbing me the whole day saying I was taking bad photos and the fans needed to check them. He was smiling the whole time and the day just flew by, it was such a laugh.

The main thing I noticed with Terry was just how nice, kind and genuine he was. Not just with all the interactions he had with me but with every fan that he met.

 

[SaitoRyo]

Simply one of the absolute very best to ever do it.

RIP to The Funker.

 

[Vegeta]

I am absolutely gutted to hear this 

Due to his hard work and length in the business everyone knew funk as he competed in all generations and all styles

We have lost a true treasure of the wrestling business 

R.I.P Terry Funk you'll be truly missed 

[BomberPat]

8 hours ago, JakeRobertsParoleOfficer said:

Surely the longest to ever do it as he turned pro in what? 1965, so 52 years?? 

Dory Funk Jr debuted two years before Terry, and had his last match a year after Terry. And, actually, I think he might have wrestled more recently than what Cagematch has down as his last match.

I've always found that amusing, that Terry had this reputation of being the crazy old wrestler who never retired, but his older brother was quietly just still going as well.

[Lorne Malvo]

I'd never seen much of his stuff outside of WWE until a few months back. Eddie Kingston said he was the best ever on Schiavone's podcast so that lead me down a Funk rabbithole. He was so fucking good. It's no surprise Kingston loves him because he had that realism to everything he did that Eddie has managed to replicate. Just an incredible wrestler.

I still haven't seen that much considering the long and storied career he had so any recommendations would be welcome.

RIP.