Mid 20th Century
115-420: Terrance Dee Funk (June 30, 1944 – August 23, 2023) was an American professional wrestler . Widely considered one of the most influential and greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Funk was known for the longevity of his career – which spanned more than 50 years and included multiple short-lived retirements – and the influential hardcore wrestling style he pioneered in the latter part of his career. Over
230-544: A 5-star rating from Dave Meltzer . Soon after he became a color commentator and the host of his own segment, Funk's Grill, on NWA Power Hour where a tuxedo-clad Funk would amiably interview the top stars of WCW, both face and heel. This did not last long and he left soon after for the USWA. In May 1994, Funk reappeared in WCW. He wrestled Tully Blanchard to a double disqualification at Slamboree 1994 and later that night, he became
345-726: A King of the Ring qualifying match. During the King of the Ring pay-per-view, Funk interfered in the Mankind vs. The Undertaker Hell in a Cell match , receiving a chokeslam from The Undertaker. Funk then formed a short lived tag team with Justin Bradshaw , which defeated Too Much on the July 25 episode of WWF Shotgun Saturday Night . At Fully Loaded: In Your House , Funk and Bradshaw were defeated by Faarooq and 2 Cold Scorpio, with Bradshaw attacking Funk after
460-629: A bullrope "I Quit" match at Uncensored in March 2000. In April 2000, Funk began competing in WCW's hardcore division. At Spring Stampede later that month he defeated Norman Smiley to win the vacant WCW Hardcore Championship . At Slamboree , Funk defeated Smiley and Ralphus to successfully defend the title. He lost the title to Shane Douglas the following month, but regained it several days later. His second reign ended in June 2000 when he lost to Eric Bischoff . In September 2000, Funk defeated Lance Storm for
575-511: A house show for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . At the show, Terry joined longtime friend, Mick Foley , as special guest enforcers for a match between Scott Steiner and Samoa Joe . Funk made a brief return to WWE in 2006, when he appeared on the May 15 episode of Raw , confronting Mick Foley over the attack on Tommy Dreamer on the previous weeks episode of Raw . At ECW One Night Stand , Funk would team with Dreamer and Beulah McGillicutty in
690-446: A " gimmick " consisting of a specific persona , stage name , entrance theme , and other distinguishing traits. Matches are the primary vehicle for advancing storylines, which typically center on interpersonal conflicts, or feuds , between heroic " faces " and villainous " heels ". A wrestling ring , akin to the platform used in boxing , serves as the main stage ; additional scenes may be recorded for television in backstage areas of
805-562: A "No holds barred contest" for Northeast Wrestling on October 1, 2011. On October 15, 2011, Funk unsuccessfully faced his long-time friend and protégé Tommy Dreamer at the AWE "Night Of Legends" event. In a shoot interview conducted the next day featuring himself and Dreamer, Funk stated that he believed that would be his last match. On January 12, 2013, Funk stated that he was officially retired from professional wrestling at age 68, On October 27, 2013, he returned to All Japan Pro Wrestling with Dory in
920-494: A No Ropes Barbed Wire Exploding Barbed Wire Boards & Exploding Ring Time Bomb Death Match. Terry would also participate in several other deathmatches throughout 1995. Later in Funk's career, his style changed from wrestling traditional southern style wrestling matches to the more violent style of hardcore wrestling . In 1993, after a special appearance against Blanchard at World Championship Wrestling's Slamboree, Funk promised to help
1035-413: A background in authentic wrestling no longer mattered. After this time, matches became more outlandish and gimmicky and any semblance professional wrestling had to catch wrestling faded. The personas of the wrestlers likewise grew more outlandish. Gorgeous George , who performed throughout the 1940s and 1950s, was the first wrestler whose entrance into the arena was accompanied by a theme song played over
1150-520: A carny term for a shooting gallery gun whose sights were not deliberately misaligned. Wrestling in the United States blossomed in popularity after the Civil War , with catch wrestling eventually becoming the most popular style. At first, professional wrestlers were genuine competitive fighters, but they struggled to draw audiences because Americans did not find real wrestling to be very entertaining, so
1265-513: A central authority. Nor could any of them stomach the idea of leaving the NWA themselves to compete directly with McMahon, for that would mean their territories would become fair game for the other NWA members. McMahon also had a creative flair for TV that his rivals lacked. For instance, the AWA's TV productions during the 1980s were amateurish, low-budget, and out-of-touch with contemporary culture, which lead to
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#17328595725881380-574: A champion that Curley put forth: Dick Shikat . The National Wrestling Association shut down in 1980. In 1948, a number of promoters from across the country came together to form the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The NWA recognized one "world champion", voted on by its members, but allowed member promoters to crown their own local champions in their territories. If a member poached wrestlers from another member, or held matches in another member's territory, they risked being ejected from
1495-426: A degree. Vince Russo, the boss of WCW in 2000, completely disregarded kayfabe by routinely discussing business matters and office politics in public, which alienated fans. I watch championship wrestling from Florida with wrestling commentator Gordon Solie . Is this all "fake"? If so, they deserve an Oscar . Fred Atkins Fred Atkinson (1910 – May 14, 1988), better known by his ring name Fred Atkins ,
1610-563: A dumpster and then pushing it off the stage. At No Way Out of Texas: In Your House , Charlie and Jack teamed with Stone Cold Steve Austin and Owen Hart , defeating the team of Triple H , Savio Vega and the New Age Outlaws. At WrestleMania XIV , Charlie and Jack defeated the New Age Outlaws in a dumpster match to win the WWF Tag Team Championship . The following night, on the March 30 episode of Raw , Charlie and Jack lost
1725-410: A fee, a visitor could challenge the wrestler to a quick match. If the challenger defeated the champion in a short time frame, usually 15 minutes, he won a prize. To encourage challenges, the carnival operators staged rigged matches in which an accomplice posing as a visitor challenged the champion and won, giving the audience the impression that the champion was easy to beat. This practice taught wrestlers
1840-414: A genuine sport, and the phrase "professional wrestling" therefore has a more literal meaning in those places. A notable example is India's Pro Wrestling League . In numerous American states, professional wrestling is legally defined as a non-sport. For instance, New York defines professional wrestling as: Professional wrestling means an activity in which participants struggle hand-in-hand primarily for
1955-563: A hardcore match with the stipulation that if Funk won, the nWo would disband, but if Nash won, he would replace Funk as WCW Commissioner. The match was won by Nash. Funk went on to feud with Ric Flair , including losing to Flair's son David in an "I Quit" match on WCW Monday Nitro . The feud culminated in a Texas death match at SuperBrawl in February 2000 that was won by Flair. Funk then went on to feud with Dustin Rhodes , losing to Rhodes in
2070-405: A legitimate sport. Firstly, wrestling was more entertaining when it was faked, whereas fakery did not make boxing any more entertaining. Secondly, in a rigged boxing match, the designated loser must take a real beating for his "defeat" to be convincing, but wrestling holds can be faked convincingly without inflicting injury. This meant that boxers were less willing to "take dives"; they wanted to have
2185-494: A losing effort against Foley, Edge and Lita . Midway through the match, Foley injured Funk's left eye with barbed wire, and Funk was taken backstage. He later returned to the match (with a bloody cloth tied over his eye) to hit Foley with a flaming 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire. Funk, along with his brother Dory, was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 by his longtime friend Dusty Rhodes . In 2013, Funk inducted Mick Foley into
2300-754: A match against Gus Sonnenberg in January 1929. Bowser then broke away from the trust to form his own cartel, the American Wrestling Association (AWA), in September 1930, and he declared Sonnenberg to be the AWA champion. This AWA should not be confused with Wally Kadbo's AWA founded in 1960. Curley reacted to this move by convincing the National Boxing Association to form the National Wrestling Association , which in turn crowned
2415-468: A member of Colonel Robert Parker's Stud Stable . Along with Bunkhouse Buck , Arn Anderson and Meng , the stable would focus their energies on Dusty and Dustin Rhodes , as well as The Nasty Boys , culminating in a War Games match at Fall Brawl . Funk left WCW once more in October 1994. In 1994, Funk joined the fledgling International Wrestling Association of Japan promotion. Funk would go on to be
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#17328595725882530-440: A new city, attendance was high because there was a waiting fanbase cultivated in advance by the cable TV shows. The NWA's traditional anti-competitive tricks were no match for this. The NWA attempted to centralize and create their own national cable television shows to counter McMahon's rogue promotion, but it failed in part because the members of the NWA, ever protective of their territories, could not stomach submitting themselves to
2645-581: A participant in IWA's most famous event the King of the Death Match Tournament, held on August 20, 1995, in Kawasaki . Funk would first defeat Leatherface and Tiger Jeet Singh in extreme-style matches which featured barbed wire covered boards, glass, and chains before moving on to the finals of the tournament. In the finals, Funk was defeated by protégé Cactus Jack, later known by US audiences as Mick Foley , in
2760-489: A ranch in Canyon, Texas , which they later sold. Vicky died on March 29, 2019. Funk was close friends with NFL player John Ayers and Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone . On September 12, 2016, Funk underwent surgery for an inguinal hernia, and was supposed to be resting and in bed for a couple of weeks, but chose to attend Tommy Dreamer's House of Hardcore shows. In June 2021, fellow wrestling legend Don Muraco reported Funk
2875-616: A six-man tag team main event. On October 16, 2015, Funk made an appearance at AIW's Big Trouble in Little Cleveland event, where he attacked Eddie Kingston and his manager, The Duke, destroying the concession stand in the process. On October 24, 2015, Funk had his last match at USA Championship Wrestling in Jackson, Tennessee , at Oman Arena against Jerry Lawler , Lawler went on to win by DQ. On September 17, 2016, Funk announced his retirement at House of Hardcore 17. Funk made another return to
2990-619: A surprise appearance for Insane Clown Posse 's Juggalo Championship Wrestling at the 10th Annual Gathering of the Juggalos . He served as special guest referee for a match between Viscera and 2 Tuff Tony . Funk also appeared at the annual NJPW January 4 Dome Show in 2010, teaming with Manabu Nakanishi , Masahiro Chono and Riki Choshu to defeat Abdullah the Butcher , Takashi Iizuka , Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano . On September 11, 2010, at Ring of Honor's Glory By Honor IX , Funk worked as
3105-528: A tag team match, wrestling Masanobu Fuchi and Osamu Nishimura to a 20-minute time limit draw. On November 9, 2013, Funk appeared at House of Hardcore 3 as Tommy Dreamer's tag team partner. They defeated Sean Waltman and Lance Storm and the match was promoted as the last time Dreamer and Funk would wrestle together. On December 11, 2014, Funk returned to Japan for a Tokyo Gurentai independent event, which saw him, Masakatsu Funaki and Mil Máscaras defeat Kaz Hayashi , Nosawa Rongai and Yoshiaki Fujiwara in
3220-532: A time he also appeared in San Francisco. In Toronto he pulled a major victory over Watson for the NWA British Empire Championship before losing it back to him. Into the 1960s he became a popular and respected baby face but again turned heel as a manager mainly to the men he also trained like Giant Shoehi Baba and Tiger Jeet Singh . Atkinson also worked as a pre-season conditioning trainer for
3335-497: A typical American household only received four national channels by antenna, and ten to twelve local channels via UHF broadcasting . But cable television could carry a much larger selection of channels and therefore had room for niche interests. The WWF started with a show called All-American Wrestling airing on the USA Network in September 1983. McMahon's TV shows made his wrestlers national celebrities, so when he held matches in
3450-575: A victory for all the pain to which they subjected themselves. In the 1910s, promotional cartels for professional wrestling emerged in the East Coast (outside its traditional heartland in the Midwest ). These promoters sought to make long-term plans with their wrestlers, and to ensure their more charismatic and crowd-pleasing wrestlers received championships, further entrenching the desire for worked matches. The primary rationale for shoot matches at this point
3565-410: Is a true sport. Wrestlers would at all times flatly deny allegations that they fixed their matches, and they often remained in-character in public even when not performing. When in public, wrestlers would sometimes say the word kayfabe to each other as a coded signal that there were fans present and they needed to be in character. Professional wrestlers in the past strongly believed that if they admitted
Terry Funk - Misplaced Pages Continue
3680-565: The ECW World Heavyweight Championship from Raven . Earlier in the night, he defeated The Sandman and Stevie Richards in a Triple Threat match , thus earning him the match with Raven. Funk went on to successfully defend the title in bouts at Chapter 2 , The Buffalo Invasion , Wrestlepalooza , and Heat Wave . He was ultimately defeated for the title by Sabu in a barbed wire match at Born to be Wired in August 1997, in which
3795-635: The Junkyard Dog which led to a match between Terry Funk and Hoss Funk and the team of Tito Santana and Junkyard Dog at WrestleMania 2 . Terry also had a series of WWF title matches against Hulk Hogan . Funk left the WWF in April 1986. Funk joined World Championship Wrestling in 1989 and became part of the J-Tex Corporation . He began feuding with Ric Flair , who had defeated Ricky Steamboat at WrestleWar for
3910-609: The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board that professional wrestling is not a real sport because its matches have predetermined outcomes. Shortly thereafter, New Jersey deregulated professional wrestling. The WWF then rebranded itself as a " sports entertainment " company. In the early years of the 20th century, the style of wrestling used in professional wrestling matches was catch wrestling . Promoters wanted their matches to look realistic and so preferred to recruit wrestlers with real grappling skills. In
4025-627: The Toronto Maple Leafs hockey club. Later he worked as a referee for the Tunney promotion and wrestled his final match in 1974 at age 63. He lived in Crystal Beach, Ontario , near Fort Erie and when training wrestlers would have them run along a Lake Erie beach on the sand to build their leg strength. As a referee he was no nonsense. If a wrestler wouldn't let go of a hold Atkins would shove an elbow in his face. At Maple Leaf Gardens he refereed
4140-762: The United States , Mexico , Japan , and northwest Europe (the United Kingdom , Germany/Austria and France ), which have each developed distinct styles, traditions, and subgenres within professional wrestling. Professional wrestling has developed its own culture and community , including a distinct vernacular . It has achieved mainstream success and influence within popular culture , with many terms, tropes , and concepts being referenced in everyday language as well as in film , music , television , and video games . Likewise, numerous professional wrestlers have become national or international icons with recognition by
4255-706: The WCW United States Heavyweight Championship at a house show in Amarillo, Texas . He lost the title back to Storm the following day. In December 2000 at Starrcade , Funk defeated Crowbar to win the WCW Hardcore Championship for a record third time. He made his final appearance with WCW at Sin in January 2001, losing the Hardcore Championship to Meng in a three way match that also involved Crowbar. From 2002 to 2004, Funk
4370-495: The performers are competitive wrestlers. Professional wrestling is distinguished by its scripted outcomes and emphasis on entertainment and showmanship . The staged nature of matches is an open secret , with both wrestlers and spectators nonetheless maintaining the pretense that performances are bona fide competitions, which is likened to the suspension of disbelief employed when engaging with fiction . Professional wrestlers perform as characters and usually maintain
4485-692: The ringside enforcer for the ROH World Championship match between Tyler Black and Roderick Strong . Funk appeared at the fifth WrestleReunion event at the LAX Hilton in Los Angeles, California , from January 28 to 30, 2011. On the second day of the event, he competed in a Legends Battle Royale on the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla show. He lasted until the end where he was eliminated by Roddy Piper . Funk wrestled Jerry Lawler unsuccessfully in
4600-577: The 1920s, a group of wrestlers and promoters known as the Gold Dust Trio introduced moves which have since become staples of the mock combat of professional wrestling, such as body slams, suplexes , punches, finishing moves, and out-of-ring count-outs. By the early 1930s, most wrestlers had adopted personas to generate public interest. These personas could broadly be characterized as either faces (likeable) or heels (villainous). Native Americans, cowboys, and English aristocrats were staple characters in
4715-400: The 1930s and 1940s. Before the age of television, some wrestlers played different personas depending on the region they were performing in. This eventually came to an end in the age of national television wrestling shows, which forced wrestlers to stick to one persona. Wrestlers also often used some sort of gimmick, such as a finishing move, eccentric mannerisms, or out-of-control behavior (in
Terry Funk - Misplaced Pages Continue
4830-460: The 1990s, WCW became a credible rival to the WWF, but by end it suffered from a series of creative missteps that led to its failure and purchase by the WWF. One of its mistakes was that it diminished the glamor of its World Heavyweight Championship . Between January 2000 and March 2001, the title changed hands eighteen times, which sapped fan enthusiasm, particularly for the climactic pay-per-view matches. In professional wrestling, two factors decide
4945-411: The 19th century, who later sought to make matches shorter, more entertaining, and less physically taxing. As the public gradually realized and accepted that matches were predetermined, wrestlers responded by increasingly adding melodrama, gimmickry, and outlandish stunt work to their performances to further enhance the spectacle . By at least the early 20th century, professional wrestling had diverged from
5060-641: The Atlantic Athletic Corporation (AAC). The AAC shut down in 1960. In 1958, Omaha promoter and NWA member Joe Dusek recognized Verne Gagne as the world champion without the approval of the NWA. Gagne asked for a match against the recognized NWA champion Pat O'Connor. The NWA refused to honor the request, so Gagne and Minneapolis promoter Wally Karbo established the American Wrestling Association in 1960. This AWA should not be confused with Paul Bowser's AWA, which ceased operations just two months prior. Gagne's AWA operated out of Minnesota . Unlike
5175-531: The ECW reunion show One Night Stand , but turned it down in favor of working the ECW nostalgia show Hardcore Homecoming that was being put together by Shane Douglas. At Hardcore Homecoming , Funk lost a three-way barbed wire match to Sabu. On February 4, 2004, NWA-TNA, Funk and The Sandman lost to The Gathering ( CM Punk and Julio Dinero ). On February 18, 2004, NWA-TNA, Funk and Raven defeated The Gathering. On May 23, 2009, Funk made an unannounced appearance at
5290-414: The February 6, 1977, NWA World Heavyweight title match in which Harley Race beat Terry Funk for the championship. On another card between Superstar Billy Graham and prelim Terry Yorkston he angrily removed his shirt and threatened to go at Graham as Graham roughed up Yorkston after the match. In 1977 he looked after follow longtime wrestler Lee Henning in his home until Henning died there of cancer. As
5405-562: The Funks were heels until they faced The Sheik and Abdullah The Butcher in Tokyo. The two later faced Stan Hansen , Bruiser Brody , and Giant Baba in memorable feuds as well. Terry Funk made his World Wrestling Federation (WWF) debut in June 1985 after a brief run in the AWA. In his televised debut on Championship Wrestling , he not only beat Aldo Marino , but he also beat on ring announcer Mel Phillips. Funk attacked Phillips, after Phillips made
5520-661: The Mat . His legendary toughness was attested to when cameramen followed him to a medical appointment, where he was told by the doctor that he would not be able to walk without intense pain. He also appeared in other movies such as Paradise Alley , The Ringer , and Over the Top . He released an autobiography, Terry Funk: More Than Just Hardcore , in 2005. On May 11, 2010, Funk appeared on "Right After Wrestling" with Arda Ocal on SIRIUS Satellite Radio to discuss his possible retirement, to which he replied "I never really truly will retire". This
5635-598: The NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Funk, who was one of three judges for the main event, challenged Flair to a title match. Flair refused, saying that Funk was "spending time in Hollywood" instead of focusing on wrestling. Funk then attacked, piledriving Flair on a ringside table. This put the champion, Flair, out of action until the Great American Bash in July 1989 where he faced Funk. Flair won
5750-408: The NWA, at which point his territory became fair game for everyone. The NWA would blacklist wrestlers who worked for independent promoters or who publicly criticized an NWA promoter or who did not throw a match on command. If an independent promoter tried to establish himself in a certain area, the NWA would send their star performers to perform for the local NWA promoter to draw the customers away from
5865-477: The NWA, which only allowed faces to be champions, Gagne occasionally allowed heels to win the AWA championship so that they could serve as foils for him. In August 1983, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), a promotion in the north-east , withdrew from the NWA. Vince K. McMahon then took over as its boss. No longer bound by the territorial pact of the NWA, McMahon began expanding his promotion into
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#17328595725885980-511: The UK wrestling company FWA 's annual show entitled British Uprising. He teamed with Paul Burchill and Paul Travell, managed by "The Twisted Genius" Dean Ayass, to face The Triad, managed by Greg Lambert, in a 6-Man Tag Team match. Funk's team emerged victorious in front of a crowd of 2,000 people in the Coventry Skydome. In 2005, Funk received an offer from World Wrestling Entertainment to appear at
6095-685: The WCW Commissioner by WCW President Bill Bush. Shortly after arriving, Funk formed a stable dubbed the "Old Age Outlaws" (a play on the New Age Outlaws ) alongside Arn Anderson , Larry Zbyszko , and Paul Orndorff to oppose the New World Order (nWo). His first match upon returning saw him wrestle nWo member Bret Hart to a no contest in a hardcore match that aired on WCW Thunder . At Souled Out on January 16, Funk faced nWo leader Kevin Nash in
6210-508: The WWE Hall of Fame. Funk made a cameo appearance on the March 21, 2016, episode of Raw , giving Dean Ambrose a pep-talk for his match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 32 . At the conclusion of the segment, Funk presented Ambrose with a chainsaw, in reference to his previous gimmick as Chainsaw Charlie. After the one-off appearance at the WWE produced ECW One Night Stand , Funk then returned to
6325-758: The album "Great Texan" in 1984 which was a soft rock AOR oriented album. The album was met with mixed reviews and is generally considered a "cult classic" by fans. Funk also appeared in several WWE video games, in WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2008 and WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2011 as himself and in WWE '13 as downloadable content as his Chainsaw Charlie gimmick. He was also included as downloadable content for WWE 2K24 . In July 2022, Terry Funk released his self-titled biographical comic book through Squared Circle Comics. Funk married his wife Vicky Ann on August 14, 1965. They had two daughters together. For many years, Terry and Vicky owned
6440-415: The announcers), teaming with Mick Foley , who was wrestling under his Cactus Jack persona. Charlie and Jack began feuding with the New Age Outlaws , who defeated them by disqualification on the January 26, 1998 episode of Raw. The following week on Raw , Charlie and Jack had a match against each other, with the match ending in a no contest after the New Age Outlaws attacked both men, placing them both in
6555-401: The arena's loudspeakers, his being Pomp and Circumstance . He also wore a costume: a robe and hairnet, which he removed after getting in the ring. He also had a pre-match ritual where his "butler" would spray the ring with perfume. In the 1980s, Vince McMahon made entrance songs, costumes, and rituals standard for his star wrestlers. For instance, McMahon's top star Hulk Hogan would delight
6670-418: The art of staging rigged matches and fostered a mentality that spectators were marks to be duped. The term kayfabe comes from carny slang. By the turn of the 20th century, most professional wrestling matches were "worked" and some journalists exposed the practice: American wrestlers are notorious for the amount of faking they do. It is because of this fact that suspicion attaches to so many bouts that
6785-550: The audience by tearing his shirt off before each match. The first major promoter cartel emerged on the East Coast, although up to that point, wrestling's heartland had been in the Midwest. Notable members of this cartel included Jack Curley , Lou Daro, Paul Bowser and Tom and Tony Packs. The promoters colluded to solve a number of problems that hurt their profits. Firstly, they could force their wrestlers to perform for less money. As
6900-412: The broader public. In the United States, wrestling is generally practiced in an amateur context. No professional league for competitive wrestling exists due to a lack of popularity. For example, Real Pro Wrestling , an American professional freestyle wrestling league, dissolved in 2007 after just two seasons. In other countries, such as Iran and India , wrestling enjoys widespread popularity as
7015-679: The careers of Terry, his father, and his brother. Terry lost to then- WWF Champion Bret Hart in the main event, a non-title match. Beforehand, ECW owner Paul Heyman presented Terry with a belt, paid for through a collection taken up by wrestlers on the ECW roster, that declared him the Lifetime ECW World Heavyweight Champion . Funk appeared in the 1997 Royal Rumble match appearing at number 24 and lasting fifteen minutes and eighteen seconds before being eliminated by Mankind. Funk then returned to ECW before his retirement. Funk's retirement lasted just 11 days before he returned to
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#17328595725887130-424: The cartel grew, there were fewer independent promoters where independent wrestlers could find work, and many were forced to sign a contract with the cartel to receive steady work. The contracts forbade them from performing at independent venues. A wrestler who refused to play by the cartel's rules was barred from performing at its venues. A second goal of the wrestling cartels was to establish an authority to decide who
7245-418: The case of heels). The matches could also be gimmicky sometimes, with wrestlers fighting in mud and piles of tomatoes and so forth. The most successful and enduring gimmick to emerge from the 1930s were tag-team matches. Promoters noticed that matches slowed down as the wrestlers in the ring tired, so they gave them partners to relieve them. It also gave heels another way to misbehave by double-teaming. Towards
7360-423: The character in shows must be considered fictional, wholly separate from the life of the performer. This is similar to other entertainers who perform with a persona that shares their own name. Some wrestlers also incorporate elements of their real-life personalities into their characters, even if they and their in-ring persona have different names. Kayfabe is the practice of pretending that professional wrestling
7475-461: The commission. The Commission did on very rare occasions hand out such authorizations, such as for a championship match between Jim Londos and Jim Browning in June 1934. This decree did not apply to amateur wrestling, which the commission had no authority over. Wrestling fans widely suspected that professional wrestling was fake, but they did not care as long as it entertained. In 1933, a wrestling promoter named Jack Pfefer started talking about
7590-468: The competitive sport to become an artform and genre of sports entertainment . Professional wrestling is performed around the world through various " promotions ", which are roughly analogous to production companies or sports leagues . Promotions vary considerably in size, scope, and creative approach, ranging from local shows on the independent circuit , to internationally broadcast events at major arenas. The largest and most influential promotions are in
7705-462: The country in 1949. From there, he immigrated to Canada where he started a long association with Toronto promoter Frank Tunney . While Atkins was not flashy compared to his fellow wrestlers he put on strong efforts as a heel. As well as Toronto he appeared in St. Louis and Chicago facing the likes of Moose Cholak , Sweet Daddy Siki , Pat Flanagan, Lou Thesz , Whipper Billy Watson and Pat O'Connor . For
7820-747: The course of his career, Funk wrestled for numerous major promotions, among them All Japan Pro Wrestling , Extreme Championship Wrestling , the International Wrestling Association of Japan , Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling , the United States Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling , the World Wrestling Federation and multiple National Wrestling Alliance territories including Big Time Wrestling , Championship Wrestling from Florida , Georgia Championship Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling . He
7935-540: The current fashion of wrestling is the universal discussion as to the honesty of the matches. And certainly the most interesting phrase of this discussion is the unanimous agreement: "Who cares if they're fixed or not—the show is good." Newspapers tended to shun professional wrestling, as journalists saw its theatrical pretense to being a legitimate sport as untruthful. Eventually promoters resorted to publishing their own magazines in order to get press coverage and communicate with fans. The first professional wrestling magazine
8050-405: The end of the 1930s, faced with declining revenues, promoters chose to focus on grooming charismatic wrestlers with no regard for their skill because it was charisma that drew the crowds, and wrestlers who were both skilled at grappling and charismatic were hard to come by. Since most of the public by this time knew and accepted that professional wrestling was fake, realism was no longer paramount and
8165-464: The episode also held a namesake "hardcore" tag team match between The Brawling Brutes and the Street Profits . Professional wrestling 1970s and 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s and 2020s Professional wrestling (often referred to as pro wrestling , or simply, wrestling ) is a form of athletic theater that combines mock combat with drama , with the premise that
8280-597: The facade of kayfabe as best as they could. In 1989, Vince McMahon testified before the New Jersey government that professional wrestling was not a true sport and therefore should be exempted from sports-related taxes. Many wrestlers and fans resented McMahon for this, but Lou Thesz accepted it as the smart move as it gave the industry more freedom to do as it pleased, and because by that point professional wrestling no longer attempted to appear real. The demise of WCW in 2001 provided some evidence that kayfabe still mattered to
8395-470: The first place. "Double-crosses", where a wrestler agreed to lose a match but nevertheless fought to win, remained a problem in the early cartel days. At times a promoter would even award a victorious double-crosser the title of champion to preserve the facade of sport. But promoters punished such wrestlers by blacklisting them, making it quite challenging to find work. Double-crossers could also be sued for breach of contract, such as Dick Shikat in 1936. In
8510-678: The fledgling Eastern Championship Wrestling (later renamed Extreme Championship Wrestling or ECW) by lending his talent and notoriety to the promotion. On July 16, Terry and Dory Funk lost a barbed wire match against The Public Enemy . Funk maintained a regular schedule of wrestling for ECW in its early days while also competing in Japan. He had many feuds and wrestled programs with wrestlers such as Cactus Jack , "The Franchise" Shane Douglas , The Sandman , Sabu , and Terry's own protege, Tommy Dreamer . Funk further elevated ECW by headlining their first pay-per-view, Barely Legal on April 13, 1997, winning
8625-610: The game is not popular here. Nine out of ten bouts, it has been said, are pre-arranged affairs, and it would be no surprise if the ratio of fixed matches to honest ones was really so high. The wrestler Lou Thesz recalled that between 1915 and 1920, a series of exposés in the newspapers about the integrity of professional wrestling alienated a lot of fans, sending the industry "into a tailspin". But rather than perform more shoot matches, professional wrestlers instead committed themselves wholesale to fakery. Several reasons explain why professional wrestling became fake whereas boxing endured as
8740-455: The government. They pledged to stop allocating exclusive territories to its promoters, to stop blacklisting wrestlers who worked for outsider promoters, and to admit any promoter into the Alliance. The NWA would flout many of these promises, but its power was nonetheless weakened by the lawsuit. Paul Bowser's AWA joined the NWA in 1949. The AWA withdrew from the Alliance in 1957 and renamed itself
8855-608: The independent circuit and made appearances in Japan. He claimed to be semi-retired after wrestling in his last match in September 2006 against Jerry "The King" Lawler in an Extreme Rules match at The Great Plains Coliseum in Lawton , Oklahoma, for the promotion Impact Zone Wrestling. Funk was also the special guest referee during the Raven and Johnny Webb vs. Khan Kussion and Homeless Jimmy match at " Cold Day in Hell " on May 24. On August 8, Terry made
8970-513: The independent. By 1956, the NWA controlled 38 promotions within the United States, with more in Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. The NWA's monopolistic practices became so stifling that the independents appealed to the government for help. In October 1956 the US Attorney General's office filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NWA in an Iowa federal district court. The NWA settled with
9085-492: The individual wrestlers are paid or have been paid for their performance in a professional wrestling exhibition. All engagements of professional wrestling shall be referred to as exhibitions, and not as matches. In the industry's slang, a fixed match is referred to as a worked match, derived from the slang word for manipulation, as in "working the crowd". A shoot match is a genuine contest where both wrestlers fight to win and are therefore "straight shooters", which comes from
9200-471: The industry was anything but a competitive sport. The first wrestling promoter to publicly admit to routinely fixing matches was Jack Pfefer . In 1933, he started talking about the industry's inner workings to the New York Daily Mirror , resulting in a huge exposé. The exposé neither surprised nor alienated most wrestling fans, although some promoters like Jack Curley were furious and tried to restore
9315-487: The industry's inner workings to the New York Daily Mirror , maintaining no pretense that wrestling was real and passing on planned results just before the matches took place. While fans were neither surprised nor alienated, traditionalists like Jack Curley were furious, and most promoters tried to maintain the facade of kayfabe as best they could. Not the least interesting of all the minor phenomena produced by
9430-592: The late 1930s. On October 10, 1942, he defeated Pat Meehan in a tournament final to win the Australian Heavyweight Championship . He wrestled in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore into the mid-1940s. Atkinson's bout against world champion Jim Londos in November 1946 was held at Sydney Stadium in front of a record setting 14,000 spectators. Atkinson remained champion for several years until leaving
9545-497: The match by reversing a small package into one of his own, but shortly after was attacked by Gary Hart and The Great Muta . Sting came to aid Flair and the two brawled with Funk and Muta to close the show. At Clash of the Champions VIII in September 1989, Flair and Sting defeated Muta and Dick Slater . After the match, Funk used a plastic shopping bag to suffocate Flair. At Halloween Havoc in October 1989, Funk (who entered
9660-609: The match was stopped. During 1981, Terry spent some time in the Continental Wrestling Association feuding with Jerry Lawler . The most memorable match in this feud happened in April 1981 at the Mid South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee. The match took place in the empty arena, with only Lance Russell , a cameraman, and a photographer present. Funk had challenged Lawler to this match at this time because he felt he
9775-572: The match. Funk left the WWF once again the following month. At ECW November to Remember , Funk was believed to have been Tommy Dreamer's mystery partner against Justin Credible and Jack Victory . However, it turned out to be Jake Roberts . An enraged Funk attacked Dreamer at every opportunity in late 1998 and early 1999, came down ill before they could have a match, and "retired" yet again in mid-1999. Funk returned to World Championship Wrestling in January 2000 after an absence of five years, being named
9890-498: The members of wrestling cartels as the champion drew big crowds wherever he performed, and this would occasionally lead to schisms. By 1925, this cartel had divided the country up into territories which were the exclusive domains of specific promoters. This system of territories endured until Vince McMahon drove the fragmented cartels out of the market in the 1980s. This cartel fractured in 1929 after one of its members, Paul Bowser , bribed Ed "Strangler" Lewis to lose his championship in
10005-414: The mistake of putting on Funk's cowboy hat. Funk also had a gimmick of carrying a branding iron with him to ringside and using it to "brand" his fallen opponents. The attack on Phillips led to a feud with Junkyard Dog. In the mid-1980s, Funk teamed with Dory (calling himself "Hoss" Funk) and Jimmy Jack Funk , a storyline "brother." They were managed by Jimmy Hart . At the time, he had a heated rivalry with
10120-714: The promotion's closing in 1991. In the spring of 1984, the WWF purchased Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW), which had been ailing for some time due to financial mismanagement and internal squabbles. In the deal, the WWF acquired the GCW's timeslot on TBS . McMahon agreed to keep showing Georgia wrestling matches in that timeslot, but he was unable to get his staff to Atlanta every Saturday to fulfill this obligation, so he sold GCW and its TBS timeslot to Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). JCP started informally calling itself World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In 1988, Ted Turner bought JCP and formally renamed it World Championship Wrestling. During
10235-439: The purpose of providing entertainment to spectators and which does not comprise a bona fide athletic contest or competition. Professional wrestling is not a combative sport. Wrestling constituting bona fide athletic contests and competitions, which may be professional or amateur combative sport, shall not be deemed professional wrestling under this Part. Professional wrestling as used in this Part shall not depend on whether
10350-568: The ring on September 22, 2017, for the Big Time Wrestling promotion in Raleigh, North Carolina . He teamed with The Rock N' Roll Express in a six-man tag team match, where they defeated Doug Gilbert , Jerry Lawler and Lawler's son Brian Christopher via disqualification. Terry Funk appeared as a bouncer in the movie Road House (1989) with Patrick Swayze . In 1999, Funk was featured in director Barry Blaustein's wrestling documentary Beyond
10465-493: The ring to Ennio Morricone 's " Man With a Harmonica ") and The Great Muta lost to Flair and Sting in a Thunderdome match . The feud then culminated in an "I Quit" match between Funk and Flair at Clash of the Champions IX in November 1989, which Funk lost after yelling "Yes, I quit!" after Flair put on the figure four leglock . After losing, Funk shook Flair's hand, and was attacked by Gary Hart's stable. This match received
10580-458: The ring. After wrestling in Japan with Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling and on the United States independent circuit (most notably a bout with Rik Ratchet that drew many fans on the east coast), Funk rejoined the World Wrestling Federation. Funk made his return to the WWF on the December 29, 1997, episode of Raw as the masked "Chainsaw Charlie" (although his true identity was soon acknowledged by
10695-412: The ropes of the ring were taken down and replaced with barbed wire. Both men had to be cut out of the wires at the end of the match. Sabu had his biceps visibly torn open by the barbed wire – as a result, the wound was taped up and the match continued. In September 1997, a show was held in Funk's hometown of Amarillo. It was called " Terry Funk's WrestleFest " and was both his own show and a celebration of
10810-440: The stamina for an hours-long fight. Audiences also preferred short matches. Worked matches also carried less risk of injury, which meant shorter recovery. Altogether, worked matches proved more profitable than shoots. By the end of the 19th century, nearly all professional wrestling matches were worked. A major influence on professional wrestling was carnival culture. Wrestlers in the late 19th century worked in carnival shows. For
10925-426: The territories of his former NWA peers, now his rivals. By the end of the 1980s, the WWF would become the sole national wrestling promotion in the U.S. This was in part made possible by the rapid spread of cable television in the 1980s. The national broadcast networks generally regarded professional wrestling as too niche an interest, and had not broadcast any national wrestling shows since the 1950s. Before cable TV,
11040-611: The title against Jack Brisco, Dusty Rhodes , Carlos Rocha, Giant Baba , and Pat O'Connor . In addition to North America, he defended the belt in Australia, Japan and Singapore. The historic reign ended in Toronto when he was defeated by "Handsome" Harley Race , who had earlier beaten Dory, Jr., for NWA World Heavyweight Championship before losing it to Jack Brisco. Race lifted Funk for a shinbreaker and then trapped him in an Indian death leglock. When Funk failed to respond to referee Fred Atkins
11155-540: The titles back to the New Age Outlaws in a cage match . On the April 13 episode of Raw , Funk began wrestling as himself and formed a tag team with 2 Cold Scorpio . The team was short lived but did defeat the likes of the Quebecers and the Midnight Express . On the May 4 episode of Raw , Funk was defeated by Foley in a falls count anywhere match . On the June 1 episode of Raw , Funk was defeated by Mark Henry in
11270-505: The trial, witnesses testified that most of the "big matches" and all of the championship bouts were fixed. By the 1930s, with the exception of the occasional double-cross or business dispute, shoot matches were essentially nonexistent. In April 1930, the New York State Athletic Commission decreed that all professional wrestling matches held in the state had to be advertised as exhibitions unless certified as contests by
11385-471: The truth, their audiences would desert them. Today's performers don't "protect" the industry like we did, but that's primarily because they've already exposed it by relying on silly or downright ludicrous characters and gimmicks to gain popularity with the fans. It was different in my day, when our product was presented as an authentic, competitive sport. We protected it because we believed it would collapse if we ever so much as implied publicly that it
11500-405: The venue, in a format similar to reality television . Performers generally integrate authentic wrestling techniques and fighting styles with choreography , stunts , improvisation , and dramatic conventions designed to maximize entertainment value and audience engagement. Professional wrestling as a performing art evolved from the common practice of match-fixing among American wrestlers in
11615-535: The way of proceedings: the "in-show" happenings, presented through the shows; and real-life happenings outside the work that have implications, such as performer contracts, legitimate injuries, etc. Because actual life events are often co-opted by writers for incorporation into storylines of performers, the lines between real life and fictional life are often blurred and become confused. Special discern must be taken with people who perform under their own name (such as Kurt Angle and his fictional persona ). The actions of
11730-420: The wrestlers quietly began faking their matches so that they could give their audiences a satisfying spectacle. Fixing matches was also convenient for scheduling. A real ("shoot") match could sometimes last hours, whereas a fixed ("worked") match can be made short, which was convenient for wrestlers on tour who needed to keep appointments or share venues. It also suited wrestlers who were aging and therefore lacked
11845-425: Was Wrestling As You Like It , which printed its first issue in 1946. These magazines were faithful to kayfabe . Before the advent of television, professional wrestling's fanbase largely consisted of children, the elderly, blue-collar workers and minorities. When television arose in the 1940s, professional wrestling got national exposure on prime-time television and gained widespread popularity. Professional wrestling
11960-691: Was a New Zealand-born Canadian professional wrestler , trainer, referee , manager , and announcer, best known for his time with Maple Leaf Wrestling . Atkinson was born in Westport, New Zealand . He worked in the Australian outback cutting railway ties during the Great Depression . Atkinson spent his spare time wrestling for exercise and recreation. He wrestled as an amateur wrestler for five years before turning pro during World War II. Atkinson first wrestled as an amateur in New Zealand before turning pro in
12075-524: Was a regular top star for Ring of Honor Wrestling and Major League Wrestling . Funk had several battles with the likes of CM Punk , the Extreme Horsemen ( Steve Corino , C. W. Anderson , Justin Credible and Simon Diamond ) in specialty matches such as a No Ropes Barbed Wire Death Match, and a 5 on 5 WarGames match . On MLW's final show until 2017, Funk was attacked by his former manager Gary Hart and his syndicate. In November 2004, Funk competed in
12190-554: Was against Sputnik Monroe on December 9. He and his brother, Dory Funk Jr. , quickly rose up the ranks as a team and in single matches against top names like Ernie Ladd and Hank James. They became big money wrestlers by the end of the decade. In 1975, Terry defeated Jack Brisco for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Miami, when Dory failed to appear for a title shot. He began a 14-month title reign defending
12305-428: Was also the interview with the infamous quote, "I dislike Vince (McMahon). I'm jealous of Vince." In 1985, Funk appeared in the short-lived western Wildside . Only six episodes were aired. Behind the scenes, Funk choreographed the street fight between Rocky Balboa and his nemesis Tommy Gunn at the end of Rocky V . Funk's name can be seen in the end credits. Funk also had a short lived career in music. The release of
12420-488: Was challenges from independent wrestlers. But a cartelized wrestler, if challenged, could credibly use his contractual obligations to his promoter as an excuse to refuse the challenge. Promotions would sometimes respond to challenges with "policemen": powerful wrestlers who lacked the charisma to become stars, but could defeat and often seriously injure any challenger in a shoot match. As the industry trend continued, there were fewer independent wrestlers to make such challenges in
12535-442: Was diagnosed as living with dementia and was living in an assisted living facility. On December 29, 2021, Ric Flair announced on his podcast with Mark Madden that Funk had returned home and was doing well. Funk died on August 23, 2023, at the age of 79, at a Phoenix -area hospital. The August 25 episode of SmackDown honored him and Bray Wyatt , who died the day after Funk, by airing tributes and behind-the-scenes footage;
12650-575: Was getting unfairly treated in Memphis. The confrontation only lasted a few minutes, and ended with Funk trying to put Lawler's eye out with a broken 2x4. But Lawler kicked Funk's elbow, causing him to hit himself in the eye. The tape aired on April 25, 1981. Terry and Dory, Jr. also made a name for themselves in Japan . Terry became a star in the eyes of the Japanese fans with his over the top mannerisms, sometimes colorful get-ups, and his brawling ability. In Japan,
12765-807: Was inducted into multiple halls of fame, among them WWE , WCW , NWA , and Hardcore . Funk was born on June 30, 1944, in Hammond, Indiana . He was the son of Dorothy (Culver) and Dory Funk , a professional wrestler and promoter . Following the end of World War II , the family relocated to Amarillo, Texas , where Terry and his brother, known professionally as Dory Jr. , grew up in the professional wrestling business. After graduating from Canyon High School , Funk attended West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M University), where he competed in amateur wrestling and football . Funk started his career in 1965, working in his father Dory Funk 's Western States Sports promotion in Amarillo, Texas . His debut match
12880-568: Was previously considered a niche interest, but the TV networks at the time were short on content and thus were willing to try some wrestling shows. In the 1960s, however, the networks moved on to more mainstream interests such as baseball, and professional wrestling was dropped. The core audience then shrunk back to a profile similar to that of the 1930s. In 1989, Vince McMahon was looking to exempt his promotion (the World Wrestling Federation ) from sports licensing fees. To achieve this, he testified before
12995-415: Was something other than what it appeared to be. I'm not sure now the fear was ever justified given the fact that the industry is still in existence today, but the point is no one questioned the need then. "Protecting the business" in the face of criticism and skepticism was the first and most important rule a pro wrestler learned. No matter how aggressive or informed the questioner, you never admitted
13110-417: Was the "world champion". Before the cartels, there were multiple wrestlers in the U.S. simultaneously calling themselves the "world champion", and this sapped public enthusiasm for professional wrestling. Likewise, the cartel could agree on a common set of match rules that the fans could keep track of. The issue over who got to be the champion and who controlled said champion was a major point of contention among
13225-416: Was the promoter of the Amarillo -based Western States Sports promotion. Championships held by Funk included the ECW World Heavyweight Championship , NWA World Heavyweight Championship , USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship , WWF World Tag Team Championship , and ECW World Television Championship . He headlined ECW's premier annual pay-per-view event, November to Remember , three times. Funk
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