Dory Funk Jr., Wwe Hall Of Famer And Member Of Iconic Wrestling Family, Dies At 85

Dory Funk Jr., a pro wrestling icon and 1 of 3 members of nan Funk family to beryllium inducted into nan WWE Hall of Fame, has died astatine property 85.

Marti Funk, Funk’s woman of 40 years, told Florida’s Ocala Gazette that her hubby died Tuesday while successful hospice care. No further specifications were given.

Born connected Feb. 3, 1941, successful Hammond, Ind., Funk was nan oldest of Dory and Dorothy Funk’s 2 sons. Spending astir of his puerility successful Amarillo, Texas, Funk grew up admiring his father, a master wrestler and promoter who erstwhile wrestled successful Canada arsenic a bottommost named nan Outlaw who hailed from nan fictitious location Double Cross Ranch. As wrestlers, Funk and his brother, Terry, often were billed arsenic being from location arsenic well.

“As a kid, I utilized to dream I could do each nan things my begetter could do,” Funk said during a 2007 question and reply for World Wrestling Entertainment. “I wanted to beryllium conscionable for illustration him.”

Funk played violative and protect statement connected nan West Texas State University shot squad (now West Texas A&M) from 1959 to 1962 — he was inducted into nan university’s athletics Hall of Fame successful 1990 — and went consecutive into master wrestling. His 50-plus years successful nan business included stints successful a number of associations crossed nan U.S. and Japan.

He was nan National Wrestling Alliance heavyweight champion for much than 4 years uninterrupted (February 1969 to May 24, 1973). In 1986, Funk and his relative joined WWE (then known arsenic WWF) arsenic a squad and defeated Tito Santana and Junkyard Dog astatine WrestleMania 2.

Funk’s engagement successful wrestling besides expanded into promotion. In addition, he and Marti owned and operated nan Funking Conservatory, a wrestling schoolhouse wherever he trained a number of early WWE superstars including Kurt Angle, Christian, Edge, nan Hardy Boyz, Mark Henry and Mickie James.

“He was specified a bully guy,” Marti told nan Ocala Gazette, “such a bully guy!”

The Funk brothers were inducted into nan WWE Hall of Fame successful 2009. Dory Funk Sr., who died successful 1973 astatine property 54, was inducted posthumously to nan hall’s Legacy Wing successful 2025. Terry Funk died successful 2023 astatine property 79.

WWE main contented serviceman Triple H announced Funk’s decease Tuesday day connected societal media.

“From nan Double Cross Ranch to nan @WWE Hall of Fame, Dory’s style inspired countless performers successful our industry” Triple H wrote. “Whether it was astatine WrestleMania 2, WCW, ECW, aliases nan dozens of NWA-affiliated promotions, his travels crossed North America and Asia were a portion of nan early blueprint that helped build this business into a world phenomena.

“A hard-nosed and fierce competitor, his rugged in-ring style was only eclipsed by nan decades he spent training athletes to execute successful nan squared circle he loved truthful much. My thoughts and those of nan full @WWE Universe are pinch his loved ones during this difficult time.”