The Funks Family

The Funks is a professional wrestling family, who have been in the wrestling industry since 1940's. The Funk Family's legacy in pro wrestling has contributed a lot to the wrestling industry for more than 80 years, as a wrestler, promoter trainer, booker, producer and much more. The Funks are of two generational wrestlers including Dory Funk Sr, Dory Funk Jr, and Terry Funk. Here are some of the details about who The Funks are.

The Funks

Dory Funk Sr.

Dorrance Wilhelm Funk was an American Professional Wrestler who is the father of Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk. Dory Funk Sr. started as a United States Navy in World War II. Dory Funk Sr. started his pro-wrestling career in Texas & Central Wrestling Territories of New Wrestling Alliance. He then transformed into a pro-wrestling promoter and promoted Western States Sports in Amarillo, Texas, where his sons Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk were trained as well as some of the top wrestling legends such as Harley Race, Tully Blanchard, Ted DiBiase, Ricky Romero and many others were produced. He had an association with All Japan Pro Wrestling and his founder Shobei Baba, with which he expanded his talent pool on an international level. He passed away on June 3, 1973 at the age of 54 due to heart attack, while demonstrating a wrestling hold at his home to a visitor.

Dory Funk Jr.

Corranse Ernest Funk, is a second generation professional wrestler and is the first son of Dorrance Wilhelm Funk (Dory Funk Sr.). To honor the legacy and to show tribute to his father he is professionally known as Dory Funk and brother of Terry Funk. Dory Funk Jr. started his career as an amateur wrestler and college football player, however transformed his career into professional wrestling in 1963. He began his career at his Father's Western States Sports in Amarillo, Texas. He is one of the most successful professional wrestlers there with the second longest NWA World Heavyweight Champion of all time after Lou Thesz. He held the championship for almost four and a half years and was forced to lose the title to Harley Race following a pickup truck accident.

He also appeared in All Japan Pro Wrestling through an alliance of his father's Western States Sports. Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk Jr. also showed their dominance in the tag team division, where they were three time NWA International Tag Team Champions, one time NWA World Tag Team Champions, NWA Florida Tag Team Champions, two time NWA North American Tag Team Champion and more. Dory wrestled for WWF in 1986 under the name Hoss and stayed only for a year. The Funks had a great feud with The British Bull Dogs. He is also known for his time in WWC, ECW and WCW. Dory Funk Jr. retired from professional wrestling in 2017. Dory Funk Jr. started a professional wrestling school named Funking Conservatory Professional Wrestling School in Ocala Florida, where he had coached some of the veterans of the wrestling industry including The Hardy Boyz, Christian Cage, Edge, Kurt Angle, Edge, Test, Mickis James and so on. It became an affiliate to WWF and was called 'Funkin' Dojo.

Terry Funk

Terry Dee Funk is the brother of Dory Funk Jr. and youngest son of Dory Funk Sr. He is considered as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Terry Funk is most popularly known for his hardcore style of wrestling and longevity in-ring career. He has a pro-wrestling career for 50 years. Funk followed the footsteps of his brother Dory Funk Jr. and made his professional wrestling debut in 1965 at his father's Western State Sports in Amarillo, Texas. He began as a tag team wrestler by teaming up with his brother Dory Funk Jr. and soon became one of the best tag teams of the time.

Terry Funk has wrestled for almost every wrestling promotion in the world during his long spanned career of half a century. He not only wrestled for the promotions, but also won numerous championship titles wherever he went. Since being the dedicated son of Professional Wrestling, and to honor his contribution, he has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of numerous promotions among them are WWE, WCW, NWA, Hardcore and so on. Although Funk wrestled for various promotions, he was best known for his time in WWF, WCW and NWA. Terry Funk suffered from dementia and was diagnosed for it, and after a long time suffering, Terry Funk passed away on August 23, 2023. WWE, AEW and other wrestling promotions paid tribute to him with ten bell honors along with the late Bray Wyatt.