The Funk Brothers to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
News broke the other day that the Funk brothers, Dory Jr. and Terry would be inducted into the Hall of Fame the night before Wrestlemania 25 in Houston Texas. The Funk brothers are legendary and probably two of the toughest guys you’d ever want to be in ring with. Before I begin talking about the Funks, I would just like to say that it’s a great thing WWE is doing by putting people into the WWE Hall of Fame that necessarily didn’t wrestle for them. It’s about who had a huge impact on professional wrestling. Even though the Funks haven’t been on the best of terms with Vince McMahon they still deserve this great honor.
When I think of Dory Funk Jr. I think of ageless. He wrestled for forty five years and left us with a lot of classic matches and a lot of bloodshed. He had a many classics with Harley Race, Gene Kininski, and Jack Brisco. Dory and along with his brother Terry were the only set of brothers to ever hold the NWA World Heavyweight Title. Dory Jr and Terry also made a formidable team from time to time but are most remembered as singles wrestlers. In terms of WWE appearances Dory Funk has only made two, but they were significant. He appeared at Wrestlemania 2 and teamed with Terry and defeated Tito Santana and Junk Yard Dog. His other appearance was in the 1996 Royal Rumble as a mystery entrant. Dory is also credited with the invention of the Texas Cloverleaf submission. He can also be credited with training some of the biggest names in the pro wrestling today. He has trained the likes of Andrew Martin,Christian Cage, Kurt Angle, Edge, Genichiro Tenryu, Mickie James, and Lita. In his forty five year career he held fifty four titles on the national and independent level. He has had an amazing career and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
Tough, middle aged and crazy! These are just a few words that have been use to describe the King of Hardcore Terry Funk. Terry Funk had some of the most brutal matches in pro wrestling history. Not only did he lose a lot of blood over the years, but so did any person who got in the ring with him. He had classic battles in the 70’s with Bricso, Rhodes and Race. In the 80’s he feuded with Ric Flair in some memorable matches. He also feuded with the Junk Yard Dog. In the 1990’s he still kept going. He is credit for the success of the ECW, Extreme Championship Wrestling (not the ECW you see on TV now). He had death matches, and hardcore matches with Mick Foley as Cactus Jack. He also feuded with “The Franchise” Shane Douglas, The Sandman, Sabu, and even the guy that considers him a mentor Tommy Dreamer.
Terry Funk also took part in the greatest match of the mid-90’s. It was a 3-way dance between Funk, Sabu and Shane Douglas. It was the first ever 3 way dance and it went to a 60 minute time-limit draw. Unlike Dory, Terry appeared on WWE more. In the 80’s he wrestled the likes of Hulk Hogan and others in his first stint in the WWE. In 1998 he returned to the WWE as Chainsaw Charlie and teamed with/fought with Cactus Jack. I’ve always told people that the most memorable start to a Royal Rumble was in 1998 when Cactus/Chainsaw drew 1 and 2 and had a chair swinging contest that also included a few trash cans. After June of 1998 he would not appear on WWE TV for eight years.
It was in 2006 when he returned to help Tommy Dreamer against Mick Foley and Edge. The last match I ever saw Terry Funk in was at ECW One Night Stand when Mick Foley, Edge and Lita defeated Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer and Beulah McGillicutty. The match was brutal and violent just like any other Terry Funk match I’ve watched over the years. Terry has done it all, including movies like Roadhouse, Over the Top, Paradise Alley, and The Ringer. Also was the most highlighted wrestler in Beyond the Mat. Terry Funk has held forty four titles in his career.
The Funk Brothers deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. They have had great careers, classic matches, and a lot of memories. I salute the Funk Brothers.
