WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk Dies at Age 79
August 23, 2023
Pro wrestling legend Terry Funk has died at the age of 79.
Mick Foley, best known as Mankind in WWE, wrote on social media Funk's daughter, Brandee, informed him of her father's death.
Mick Foley @foleyispodTerry Funk is gone. I just talked to Terry's daughter, Brandee, who gave me the awful news. He was my mentor, my idol, one of the closest friends. He was the greatest wrestler I ever saw. <br><br>If you get the chance, look up a Terry Funk match or a Terry Funk promo, and give thanks… <a href="https://t.co/WwdFLwXqZ0">pic.twitter.com/WwdFLwXqZ0</a>
WWE confirmed the news:
Funk spent more than 50 years in the wrestling industry starting in 1965 when he debuted in Western States Sports when it was owned by his father, Dory Funk. He would also spend time in Championship Wrestling from Florida and All Japan Pro Wrestling before his first run in WWE starting in 1985.
Terry and Dory Funk Jr., known as Hoss Funk in WWE, defeated Tito Santana and the Junkyard Dog at WrestleMania 2.
Funk would continue to bounce around with various promotions after leaving WWE in 1986. He had a high-profile feud with Ric Flair in WCW in 1989 that culminated with their iconic "I Quit" match at Clash of the Champions IX.
Terry Funk had an extended run in ECW during the mid-'90s that included a feud with Foley when he was working as Cactus Jack. He also had a run as ECW champion after defeating Sabu in a no-disqualification match at Holiday Hell in December 1993.
Funk went back to WWE in 1997 starting with an appearance in the Royal Rumble match. He rejoined the promotion on a full-time basis near the end of that year when he debuted as Chainsaw Charlie as part of a tag team with Cactus Jack.
The highlight of Funk's WWE run was when he and Foley defeated the New Age Outlaws to win the tag titles at WrestleMania 14.
After leaving WWE near the end of 1998, Funk would go on to have stints in various promotions including another brief run in WCW and NWA TNA. He occasionally made one-off appearances in WWE over the years, most recently at WrestleMania 32 when he spoke to Dean Ambrose prior to Ambrose's match with Brock Lesnar.
Funk won major titles in WWE, ECW, NWA and WCW. He was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1995, NWA Hall of Fame in 2009 and WWE Hall of Fame along with his brother Dory in 2009.