Dory Funk Jr., former NWA champion and WWE Hall of Famer, dies at 85
Dory Funk Jr. is ringside during Saturday Night's Main Event at Frost Bank Center on January 25, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
One-time NWA Worlds Champion and WWE Hall of Famer Dory Funk Jr., who was part of the Funk wrestling dynasty, has died. The legendary wrestler-turned-trainer was 85 years old.
What they're saying:
Fellow wrestler Triple H announced Funk’s passing on Tuesday in a post where he recounted how Funk worked to help forge the blueprint for professional wrestling’s success in North America and Asia.
"A hard-nosed and fierce competitor, his rugged in-ring style was only eclipsed by the decades he spent training athletes to perform in the squared circle he loved so much," Triple H, whose real name is Paul Levesque, wrote. "My thoughts and those of the entire @WWE Universe are with his loved ones during this difficult time."
The backstory:
Born in 1941, wrestling and keen business sense came early to Funk, the WWE explained in a statement remembering him. The Texas native’s father, Dory Funk Sr., was a wrestling champion in his own right, becoming the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion in 1958.
"As a kid, I used to dream I could do all the things my father could do," Funk told the WWE in an interview. "I wanted to be just like him."
Just over a decade later, the younger Funk claimed the title of NWA Worlds Champion in February 1969 and held the title for over four years, the second-longest run in the history of that title. Two years later, Funk’s brother, Terry Funk, won the same title, ensuring the legacy of the Funk family’s impact on professional wrestling.
Wrestling both in singles and tag-team matches, Funk Jr. performed and promoted matches in the United States and Japan.
A champion training champions
Like his father, he went on to found a wrestling school, the Funking Conservatory. In his Instagram post, Triple H wrote that "Dory’s style inspired countless performers in our industry."
In its statement, the WWE pointed out the many wrestling superstars who were trained at Funk’s school, including Kurt Angle, Edge, Christian, The Hardy Boyz, Mark Henry, and Mickie James.
"A member of the legendary Funk wrestling dynasty, they didn’t come much tougher or more respected than Dory Funk Jr.," the WWE wrote in its tribute. Both Funk brothers were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.
Terry Funk preceded his brother in death, passing away in 2023 at the age of 79.