It is time for our second inductee of 2023 to be revealed!
The man we are about to honor blazed a global trail through wrestling, across multiple decades and redefined what a wrestling career could look like. Hailing from a wrestling dynasty, much like prior inductee Owen Hart, this man would begin his famously lengthy career in 1965 and over the next fifty years would always be sure to send the fans home feeling like they got their money’s worth. Depending on the company, as well as the decade, it could be a scientific matchup going hold-for-hold, a bloody harcore war, or a highly physical war of attrition. This man was a chameleon of a performer who could fill any role needed on a given roster, although he would certainly never blend in to the crowd. No matter where his travels took him, this man was always a marquee attraction who commanded respect. Please welcome to the Wrestling Smarks Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame –
"THE FUNKER"
TERRY FUNK
The ultimate embodiment of the old outlaw style of wrestler in the United States, Terry Funk will forever be remembered for his patented grittiness that allowed him to thrive throughout a five decade long career. Unbelievable to think that this one man had tag team battles alongside his brother against Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki, and later teamed with Tommy Dreamer and Beaulah against Mick Foley, Edge and Lita in a match full of plunder and shocking brutality. This one man gave the world a legendary feud with Ric Flair featuring an unforgettable I Quit Match, and then went on to collide with the savage Atsushi Onita in a heartstopping exploding barbed wire deathmatch years later. He carried the NWA for years throughout the 70s, was a pillar in Japan for years, contended for the top titles in both WWF and WCW in the 80s, helped ECW reach heights they previously could have only dreamed of, continued to give to the world of wrestling for decades after already cementing himself as one of the GOATs of the industry, and still to this day continues to have a lasting presence in the world of wrestling, serving as an inspiration to several of today’s top stars - including Eddie Kingston, CM Punk and Jon Moxley. The Funker is a man whose career in wrestling covered so much ground that it’s scarcely possible to imagine a time when his contributions to the sport won’t be felt. For his enduring impact on this industry and irrepressible spirit, I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that we are happy to welcome Amarillo’s very own, “The Texas Bronco” Terry Funk to the Wrestling Smarks Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame!
The man we are about to honor blazed a global trail through wrestling, across multiple decades and redefined what a wrestling career could look like. Hailing from a wrestling dynasty, much like prior inductee Owen Hart, this man would begin his famously lengthy career in 1965 and over the next fifty years would always be sure to send the fans home feeling like they got their money’s worth. Depending on the company, as well as the decade, it could be a scientific matchup going hold-for-hold, a bloody harcore war, or a highly physical war of attrition. This man was a chameleon of a performer who could fill any role needed on a given roster, although he would certainly never blend in to the crowd. No matter where his travels took him, this man was always a marquee attraction who commanded respect. Please welcome to the Wrestling Smarks Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame –
"THE FUNKER"
TERRY FUNK
The ultimate embodiment of the old outlaw style of wrestler in the United States, Terry Funk will forever be remembered for his patented grittiness that allowed him to thrive throughout a five decade long career. Unbelievable to think that this one man had tag team battles alongside his brother against Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki, and later teamed with Tommy Dreamer and Beaulah against Mick Foley, Edge and Lita in a match full of plunder and shocking brutality. This one man gave the world a legendary feud with Ric Flair featuring an unforgettable I Quit Match, and then went on to collide with the savage Atsushi Onita in a heartstopping exploding barbed wire deathmatch years later. He carried the NWA for years throughout the 70s, was a pillar in Japan for years, contended for the top titles in both WWF and WCW in the 80s, helped ECW reach heights they previously could have only dreamed of, continued to give to the world of wrestling for decades after already cementing himself as one of the GOATs of the industry, and still to this day continues to have a lasting presence in the world of wrestling, serving as an inspiration to several of today’s top stars - including Eddie Kingston, CM Punk and Jon Moxley. The Funker is a man whose career in wrestling covered so much ground that it’s scarcely possible to imagine a time when his contributions to the sport won’t be felt. For his enduring impact on this industry and irrepressible spirit, I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that we are happy to welcome Amarillo’s very own, “The Texas Bronco” Terry Funk to the Wrestling Smarks Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame!
