Upon the slightest provocation, those genteel, half-slit eyes would widen and this sudden, unexpected tornado of violence would unload on whomever that gaze was fixated on. The crazy old man didn't move, he swarmed. Punches from all directions, staggering like a drunk.

The night of arguably his most famous attack he targeted Ric Flair. WrestleWar ’89, Flair defeated Ricky Steamboat in what some say is the greatest match of all time, and immediately he stage crashed Flair’s post-match interview to throw out a challenge. His ask was dismissed because Flair considered him a retired actor not in the top 10. He lied and said he was just kidding, before sucker-punching Flair and piledriving him on a table. That was Terry Funk at his most Terry Funk.

Terry Funk has died. This day was coming. Any Funk fan knew that he was in bad health and it was merely a matter of time. That doesn’t mean his loss is any less painful.

I’d be lying if I wrote a tribute perfectly concise and fully processed. It’ll take weeks to sort out my emotions and thoughts. But what I do have is a shitload of appreciation. So in lieu of having a neat obituary or list of greatest matches, I’ll recommend you visit Peacock/WWE Network/YouTube and find some of these moments and let them make you feel—

The empty arena match vs. Jerry Lawler. The impossibly gorgeous cries of “Forever!” Jumping Mel Phillips. Beating the shit out of Tong Garea for making eyes at his honey on TNT. WrestleWar ’89. The Great American Bash ’89. The I Quit Match. Inhumane Japanese death matches. “Desperado.” Barely Legal. Tangled in a tumbleweed of barbed wire with Sabu. Dueling unprotected chairshots with Cactus Jack. Beyond the Mat.

I became a fan of Terry Funk like a lot of fans that came of age during the Attitude Era via Mick Foley’s championing of him in Have A Nice Day. The way Mick continuously put him over as a role model and hero made us appreciate a middle aged and crazy wrestler whom, on the surface, seemed a little too old to be doing moonsaults. Mick painted a portrait of a sweet, soft, gentle man that was the exact opposite of the character he portrayed. Mick ironically called himself the Hardcore Legend to make the case for Terry Funk as the legend of professional wrestling.

No knowledgable smart fan would argue against the case of Terry Funk as the greatest legend in wrestling. Where does he stand against the other legends of wrestling’s Mount Rushmore? If it’s in-ring legend, you think Flair or Michales; in terms of box office legend, it’s Hogan or Austin. And right there, that’s where you can make the case for Terry to be included. Think of how easy it is to poke holes at the legacies of any of those four because of outside of the ring embarrassments, or holding someone down, or general shitty behavior. What’s Funk’s biggest blight? He un-retired too many times? But did he ever take anyone’s spot when he can back? Or did he make whomever he was programed against so they could push the business forward? That’s Terry Funk’s greatest legacy, the gifts he gave back to wrestling, by being the wrestler’s wrestler.

Forever.

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Terry Funk, 1944-2023

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