Professional wrestler Terry Funk, who left a profound impact on multiple generations, has died at the age of 79. The news of Funk’s passing was announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Throughout his remarkable career spanning over 50 years, Funk made his presence felt in almost every significant wrestling promotion. He began his career in 1965 under his father’s promotion, Western States Sports, often teaming up with his brother, Dory Funk Jr.
In 1975, Funk skyrocketed to the top of wrestling by defeating Jack Brisco to claim the NWA world heavyweight championship. He held the title for more than 420 days before losing it to Harley Race, who had also dethroned Dory Jr. in 1973.
Funk earned a reputation as a resilient and gritty brawler through numerous rivalries, including a heated feud with Jerry Lawler that resulted in a now-legendary empty-arena match. He also had a storied rivalry with Ric Flair, which featured a shocking moment at the time when Funk piledrove Flair onto a ringside table.
After wrestling in Japan, NWA, WWF, and WCW, Funk’s career experienced a resurgence when he joined Eastern Championship Wrestling, which later became Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). In Japan, Funk had already established himself as a “hardcore” wrestler, known for participating in brutal and violent matches.
Funk showcased his hardcore style as a pillar of ECW, earning the promotion’s top title in the main event of their inaugural pay-per-view event, Barely Legal, on April 13, 1997. Throughout his career, Funk made multiple returns to WWE, WCW, and ECW, as well as spent time in TNA and the independent circuit.
During this period, Funk would frequently announce his retirement, only to come back to the ring time and time again. His final match took place in September 2017, marking the definitive end of his in-ring career.
Besides wrestling, Funk also dabbled in acting, most notably appearing in the 1989 film Roadhouse alongside Patrick Swayze.
As a testament to his contributions, Funk was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2009.
