Remembering The Funker – The Life & Times of Terry Funk

Talk Is Jericho

Chris Jericho

Tv & Film, Sports, Wrestling

4.8 • 9.4K Ratings

🗓️ 20 September 2023

⏱️ 67 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter returns to pay tribute to his friend and mentor, and one of the greatest wrestlers in the business, Terry Funk. Dave recalls the first time he met Terry, how they became such good friends, and the best advice he ever received from him. Dave and Chris also talk about The Funk Brothers as a tag team, Terry and Dory Jr’s in-ring chemistry and relationship, and what they learned from their father Dory Sr. They discuss some of Terry’s great singles feuds and matches including Jerry Lawler, and his ”I Quit” match against Ric Flair. They talk about Terry and the Funk Brothers in Japan, WCW, the NWA, and the WWE, and why things didn’t really work out with Vince McMahon. And they delve into Terry Funk’s acting aspirations, including his roles in “Road House” and “Paradise Alley,” his friendship with Sylvester Stallone, and how he got Hulk Hogan the part in “Rocky 3.” Thank you for supporting our sponsors! Fan Duel: Visit https://FanDuel.com/JERICHO and start earning Bonus Bets with America’s #1 Sportsbook Hello Fresh: Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50JERICHO and use code 50JERICHO to get 50% off plus 15% off your next two months. Factor Meals: Go to https://FactorMeals.com/TIJ50 and use promo code TIJ50 to get 50% off. Bosch Tools: Learn more at https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/ Progressive: Quote today at https://progressive.com eBay Motors: Get the right parts, the right fit, and the right prices. https://ebaymotors.com SlingTV: Check out https://www.sling.com/ for special offers STAY CONNECTED: TikTok: @ChrisJericho Instagram: @talkisjericho @chrisjerichofozzy Twitter: @TalkIsJericho @IAmJericho YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChrisJerichoFozzy Website: https://www.webisjericho.com/

Transcript

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0:00.0	All right, so a few weeks ago, there's a crazy week with the passing of Windon Rotunda
0:20.2	and of course the day before that, the passing of Terry Funk and Terry Funk widely regarded
0:27.2	as possibly the greatest of all time. Dave Meltzer is here, not just a huge fan of Terry's work,
0:33.2	but also a very good friend. Why don't we just start out with that? Is it even possible to pin
0:39.1	point who's the greatest of all time? Because you certainly could make a case for Terry Funk being
0:44.3	one of the greatest of all time for sure. Yeah, I mean, I hate to have one person because so many people
0:48.8	are good at different things. But the one thing, you know, I would always say about Terry Funk was,
0:54.0	I thought that like as an instinctive wrestler, you know, who didn't plan things out much
0:58.8	and studied and did a different thing in every match, I thought he may have been the best I've
1:03.6	ever seen at that. You know, but again, I was like backstage with him several times at shows and
1:08.0	just watching him peek through the curtain and just kind of him, they're going for this, they're
1:11.2	not going for this. And I could see, like he didn't really say it loudly, but I could see in his head,
1:15.0	it's like he's formulating the match in his head, watching the fan reactions during the
1:21.3	undercard, which I just found really fascinating. Again, like, you know, his matches were never the same.
1:28.8	You know, he could do every style well. And obviously, it was a great promo guy. I mean, he has to
1:33.4	be one of the greatest of all time. I mean, like I say, as far as saying anyone is the greatest of
1:37.8	all time, it's that's really hard for me to do, especially now, you know, after, you know, the
1:42.8	last 15, 20 years with so many great guys that have come along. But he's got to be in the conversation
1:49.1	and just the versatility, I mean, I think his versatility was just incredible. He could do any kind
1:55.2	of a match, you know, and like you, you know, he had the reinvention thing going because if you
2:00.5	look at pictures of Terry Funk from every five years, it's a different guy. I mean, different look.
2:05.2	And to an extent, a different guy and a different guy, depending on the circumstances, you know,
	...

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