Highlights:
- Wrestling icon Terry Funk, aged 79, has passed away.
- Revered for his contributions to hardcore wrestling, Funk is hailed as a legend.
- Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, cementing his legacy.
Terry Funk, a wrestling great and WWE Hall Of Famer, passed away on August 23 at the age of 79.
Throughout his long career, Funk continuously pushed the limits of what was possible in the wrestling ring, demonstrating his amazing ability to compete against the greatest. Funk’s career spanned decades.
In the 1960s, Funk started his career in wrestling. His brother Dory Funk, Jr., who is also a WWE Hall of Famer, and he first established a hugely successful tag team. He truly excelled as a singles star, though.
He defeated Jack Brisco to win the NWA World Championship in Miami in December 1975, which was a turning point in his career and evidence of his extraordinary talent and commitment.
In 1985, at the height of the Rock ‘n’ Wrestling era, Funk made his WWE debut with his brother. At WrestleMania 2, they shared the biggest stage of them all as The Funks, and they won over the powerful duo of Tito Santana & The Junkyard Dog.
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In 1989, he resumed his journey with WCW, when he fought the “Nature Boy” Ric Flair in an unforgettable fight. Their animosity peaked with an epic “I Quit” Match, a match that still holds a special place in the history of wrestling.
Alongside WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley, he led the hardcore wrestling movement later in his career.
Funk was the star of Extreme Championship Wrestling’s (ECW) first pay-per-view, “Barely Legal,” in April 1997, and was crucial in the development of the organisation. Funk won the ECW Championship by defeating Raven in a historic match.
His extraordinary journey led to his comeback to the WWE in 1998 as Chainsaw Charlie, teaming up with Cactus Jack, where he played a crucial part in the renowned Hell in a Cell Match between The Undertaker and Mankind.
When he returned to WCW in 2000, Funk was now close to 60 years old, but he still managed to win the WCW Hardcore Title and the United States Championship.
Terry Funk’s determination and contributions went beyond the ring as he appeared in films including “Roadhouse,” “Paradise Alley,” and “Over the Top.”
Terry Funk received a well-deserved honour from the late Dusty Rhodes when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame alongside his brother in 2009 in honour of his nearly 50-year career in sports entertainment.
In a statement, WWE paid tribute to the legend and offered their sympathies to his family.