Terry Funk is dead. The wrestler has died at the age of 79. WWE confirmed this via X (formerly Twitter). Wrestling colleague Mick Foley (58) also confirmed the sad news.
“Terry Funk has passed away. I just spoke to Terry’s daughter, Brandee, who broke the terrible news to me,” he wrote on X on Aug. 23. “He was my mentor, my idol, one of my closest friends. He was the greatest wrestler I have ever seen […] May God bless Terry, his friends, his family and everyone who loved him Rest in peace my dear friend it was a privilege to know you. “
The son of a wrestler, Funk grew up in Amarillo, Texas and was immersed in the wrestling world at an early age. He began his active career in 1965. Ten years later he became the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. His long career has included inductions into the WCW Hall of Fame and the WWE Hall of Fame. Funk was last seen in the ring in 2017.
The wrestling star has also made several appearances in films. He was seen as a bouncer in the film “Road House” with Patrick Swayze. In 1999, Funk starred in director Barry Blaustein’s wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat. His other films include “Paradise Alley”, “Over the Top” and “The Ringer”. Behind the camera, he choreographed the street fight between Rocky Balboa and his opponent Tommy Gunn at the end of “Rocky V.” Funk also had a brief career in the music industry. In 1984 he released the album “Great Texan”.
