History Wrestling / TerryFunk

* {{Leitmotif}}: ''Desperado'' by the Eagles fit him in the mid-90s when it was used in an ECW video promo. It fit him even more by the time of his last (for now) match in 2017.
* MadeOfIron: Not so much now, but his segment in Film/BeyondTheMat involved him going to a knee doctor and looking bewildered when the doctor said that he shouldn't even be walking comfortably now.

* OlderThanHeLooks: He seemingly stopped ageing some time in the mid to late nineties as he looks almost exactly the same now as he did back then.

* PreFinalBoss: During Dory Funk, Jr.'s run as NWA champion, Terry served as his brother's "policeman". He would come into the territory ahead of Dory, and anyone who wanted a shot at the title had to go though ''him'' first. Of course the guy would win, either through skulduggery if they were a Heel; or valiant effort but coming out softened up for Dory if they were a Face.
* ReadingsAreOffTheScale: As recounted in ''Film/BeyondTheMat'', Funk once went to the doctor's office and was told by the flabbergasted doc that he shouldn't even be ''walking'', let alone wrestling, with the amount of punishment [[GameBreakingInjury his knees have taken.]] Twenty years later, he is not only still walking but still wrestling, [[{{Determinator}} of course.]]
* RedBaron: "Terrible" when he started with the WWF in 1985/1986, "The Funker" and "The Hardcore Legend" from the 1990s to today. In Japan, "Texas Bronco".

* UnrelatedBrothers: Both straight with Jimmy Jack Funk (Jesse Barr, son to wrestler and promoter Sandy Barr, older brother to [=WCW=] and Wrestling/{{AAA}} wrestler Art Barr) in Rock 'N' Wrestling Era WWF and averted with RealLife brother Dory Funk Jr.

* RingOldies: One of ''the'' oldest; born ''during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII'', he's been at this since December 9, 1965 and to this day only listed as ''semi-''retired, having wrestled at least as recently as ''2017!''

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Famously walked out of the ''Survivor Series 1993'' "knights" match [[note]] He was supposed to wrestle masked, get beaten, and then be unmasked in a match against the Hart Family. [[/note]] over concerns about how he was being used. He wrote a note to Wrestling/VinceMcMahon saying his horse was dying. Vince asks about his horse whenever he sees Terry to this day.

* VitriolicBestBuds: With Wrestling/MickFoley. If they're working at the same promotion at the same time, they'll have brutal matches against each other and team up in a short span of time.
* VocalDissonance: A crazy-as-hell Texan with a [[SoftSpokenSadist soft-spoken voice]]. Yeah, he'll scream, but he does start his promos off like a Southern gentleman.
* WrestlingDoesntPay: His forays into acting, which afford him health insurance by way of the Screen Actors' Guild.
* YouDontLookLikeYou: Fans might have trouble believing that the clean-shaven, curly haired NWA World champion of the late 70s is in fact Terry Funk.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/funk.jpg|FOREVER!]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/funk.jpg]]

* DefeatByModesty: Known to inflict this on others, most notably having ripped off Jim Cornette's pants in Memphis in 1983.

* TenMinuteRetirement: Terry Funk has had more retirements than most wrestlers have had victorious matches. His first "official" one was in 1984. He puts Barbara Steisand to shame.
** On the other hand, his latest retirement (September 2016) was announced almost a year after his last match (October 2015, against Wrestling/JerryLawler) and he hasn't wrestled since. The guy is ''72.'' He might ''actually'' be done this time.
*** Nope, he got us again, even though he's by now ''73!'' He teamed with Wrestling/TheRockNRollExpress to take on Lawler again, together with Lawler's son Brian Christopher and Doug Gilbert, in September 2017 (winning by DQ). At this rate the universe will probably undergo heat death before Terry Funk genuinely hangs up his boots for good (and he'll probably [[{{Determinator}} survive that too]]).
* AffablyEvil[=/=]FauxAffablyEvil: Pre-hardcore years. He is generally very soft-spoken and often comes off as jovial and good natured. Don't be fooled.

* BlessedWithSuck: Being NWA World Heavyweight Champ back in TheSeventies meant lots of travel from one territory to another, ''seven days a week''. (This still continued with Wrestling/{{Ric Flair}}'s NWA World Heavyweight title reigns in the 1980s.) Traveling so much led to...
** HeroicFatigue: His February 6, 1977 title loss to Wrestling/HarleyRace was because of this. He got sick and tired of the travel schedule.

* DefeatByModesty[=/=]GivingThemTheStrip: To somebody else. Ripped off Jim Cornette's pants in Memphis in 1983.

* FinishingMove: Spinning Toe Hold, Piledriver, Sleeper, Moonsault

* GarbageWrestler: Subverted. Even though he's the TropeCodifier, he was a great technical wrestler during his NWA World Champion days.

Known as "The Hardcore Icon" and "The Funker", Terrence Funk (June 30, 1944-August 23, 2023) was an American {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er who was a former [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/world-h.html NWA World Heavyweight Champion]], a pioneer of the hardcore style in North America, and one of the Wrestling/{{ECW}} Originals. He also made appearances in Japan with [[Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling AJPW]] and (around 2011) [[Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling NJPW]] and [[Wrestling/{{FMW}} Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW)]], as well as in Puerto Rico with the World Wrestling Council (WWC), the [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} WWWF/WWF/WWE]] and Wrestling/{{WCW}} (both during the later NWA/WCW days and near the end of WCW's run), as well as Wrestling/{{MLW}}, Wrestling/{{SMW}}, Wrestling/RingOfHonor, Wrestling/{{TNA}}, Wrestling/JuggaloChampionshipWrestling, Wrestling/ProWrestlingGuerilla and ''MANY'' others.

Known as "The Hardcore Icon" and "The Funker", Terrence Funk (June 30, 1944-August 23, 2023) was an American {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er who is a former [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/world-h.html NWA World Heavyweight Champion]], a pioneer of the hardcore style in North America, and one of the Wrestling/{{ECW}} Originals. He also has made appearances in Japan with [[Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling AJPW]] and (around 2011) [[Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling NJPW]] and [[Wrestling/{{FMW}} Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW)]], as well as in Puerto Rico with the World Wrestling Council (WWC), the [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} WWWF/WWF/WWE]] and Wrestling/{{WCW}} (both during the later NWA/WCW days and near the end of WCW's run), as well as Wrestling/{{MLW}}, Wrestling/{{SMW}}, Wrestling/RingOfHonor, Wrestling/{{TNA}}, Wrestling/JuggaloChampionshipWrestling, Wrestling/ProWrestlingGuerilla and ''MANY'' others.

He's known as a member of the Funk WrestlingFamily, which includes his late father Dory Funk ''Sr.'' (May 4, 1919 – June 3, 1973) and his older brother Wrestling/DoryFunkJr (born 1941). (As a bonus, Terry and Dory Jr. are the only brothers to date to ever hold the Wrestling/{{N|ationalWrestlingAlliance}}WA World Heavyweight title.) In addition, there is his acting resume, starting with ''Paradise Alley'' in 1978.

He may not look like much, but he's taken bumps men ''a third'' his age would not consider, let alone attempt. While not quite the living embodiment of hardcore (that would be Wrestling/AbdullahTheButcher), he ranks pretty close; the Funkasaurus is a walking museum, proselytizing the heritage of the sport as it originated in mid-20th century fairs. Unsurprisingly, he has a love-hate relationship with modern pro wrestling, despite numerous attempts to break into it (even [[HypocrisyNod making light of his hypocrisy]] in ''Forever Hardcore''). He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.

Known as "The Hardcore Icon" and "The Funker", Terrence Funk (born June 30, 1944) is a [[TenMinuteRetirement semi-/maybe retired]] American {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er who is a former [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/world-h.html NWA World Heavyweight Champion]], a pioneer of the hardcore style in North America, and one of the Wrestling/{{ECW}} Originals. He also has made appearances in Japan with [[Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling AJPW]] and (around 2011) [[Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling NJPW]] and [[Wrestling/{{FMW}} Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW)]], as well as in Puerto Rico with the World Wrestling Council (WWC), the [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} WWWF/WWF/WWE]] and Wrestling/{{WCW}} (both during the later NWA/WCW days and near the end of WCW's run), as well as Wrestling/{{MLW}}, Wrestling/{{SMW}}, Wrestling/RingOfHonor, Wrestling/{{TNA}}, Wrestling/JuggaloChampionshipWrestling, Wrestling/ProWrestlingGuerilla and ''MANY'' others.

* AwesomeMcCoolName: One of the few pro wrestlers whose actual name makes a fancy stage name redundant.

Wiki/ThatOtherWiki has a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Funk rundown]] on his (extremely long) life and career.

* UnfortunateNames: His last name is one letter away from being one of Creator/GeorgeCarlin's SevenDirtyWords You Can't Say on Television. (Does the interchangeable letter need to be noted here?) It doesn't help that a nickname for the Funking Conservatory (Dory Jr's wrestling school) is "Funk U".
** Wrestling/LexLuger in WCW around 1989/1990 had a [[PrecisionFStrike slip of the tongue]] with it.

* BreakupBreakout: Averted. He and Dory Jr. were equally successful, albeit in different ways.

"The Hardcore Icon" and "The Funker" Terry Funk (born Terrence Funk on June 30, 1944 in Hammond, Indiana) is a [[TenMinuteRetirement semi-/maybe retired]] American {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er who is a former [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/world-h.html NWA World Heavyweight Champion]], a pioneer of the hardcore style in North America, and one of the Wrestling/{{ECW}} Originals. He also has made appearances in Japan with [[Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling AJPW]] and (around 2011) [[Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling NJPW]] and [[Wrestling/{{FMW}} Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW)]], as well as in Puerto Rico with the World Wrestling Council (WWC), the [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} WWWF/WWF/WWE]] and Wrestling/{{WCW}} (both during the later NWA/WCW days and near the end of WCW's run), as well as Wrestling/{{MLW}}, Wrestling/{{SMW}}, Wrestling/RingOfHonor, Wrestling/{{TNA}}, Wrestling/JuggaloChampionshipWrestling, Wrestling/ProWrestlingGuerilla and ''MANY'' others.

* Leimotif: ''Desperado'' by the Eagles fit him in the mid-90s when it was used in an ECW video promo. It fit him even more by the time of his last (for now) match in 2017.

* TheSouthpaw: Not to noticeable at first, when he was mainly just a wrestler, but he's changed his style several times and became prominent through his "brawler" phase.

"The Hardcore Icon" and "The Funker" Terry Funk (born Terrence Funk on June 30, 1944) is a [[TenMinuteRetirement semi-/maybe retired]] American {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er who is a former [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/world-h.html NWA World Heavyweight Champion]], a pioneer of the hardcore style in North America, and one of the Wrestling/{{ECW}} Originals. He also has made appearances in Japan with [[Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling AJPW]] and (around 2011) [[Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling NJPW]] and [[Wrestling/{{FMW}} Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW)]], as well as in Puerto Rico with the World Wrestling Council (WWC), the [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} WWWF/WWF/WWE]] and Wrestling/{{WCW}} (both during the later NWA/WCW days and near the end of WCW's run), as well as Wrestling/{{MLW}}, Wrestling/{{SMW}}, Wrestling/RingOfHonor, Wrestling/{{TNA}}, Wrestling/JuggaloChampionshipWrestling, Wrestling/ProWrestlingGuerilla and ''MANY'' others.

* [[AwesomeMcCoolName Awesome [=McCool=] Name]]: One of the few pro wrestlers whose actual name makes a fancy stage name redundant.

* BadassFamily: He's a Funk, it's a natural
* BadassGrandpa[=/=]CoolOldGuy[=/=]RingOldies: He's been at this since December 9, 1965.[[note]]This means that Terry has been wrestling for almost as long as Wrestling/TheUndertaker has been alive. [[{{Pun}} Er, dead.]][[/note]]. An old wrestling meme states that he's been wrestling since the early 1900s and is centuries old. He and Wrestling/RicFlair will be wrestling the gladiators of whatever civilization comes after our own.

* RingOldies: One of ''the'' oldest; born ''during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII'' and to this day only listed as ''semi-''retired, having wrestled at least as recently as ''2017!''

* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: Spinning around with a ladder on his shoulders, knocking people around till he gets dizzy.
** And his signature Spinning Toe Hold.

* EyeScream: Twice, both in 1981. First, the "Empty Arena Match" against Jerry "The King" Lawler: Got himself stabbed in the eye with a piece of broken-off wood. For the second one, which you don't exactly hear him screaming, see GoingNative / ToKnowHimIMustBecomeHim below.

* GoingNative[=/=]ToKnowHimIMustBecomeHim: The "Florida Cracker" promo. In 1981, when he was feuding with Jerry Lawler, this time in Florida, he was saying that Lawler wanted to become a ''real'' Floridian (Lawler's from Memphis, Tennessee), "not a transplant". The Funker wanted to know what it'd be like to be a "true Florida cracker". He then really mocks the people of Florida (and what he said was Lawler's desire to become one of them) by dumping ''Quaker State Super Blend motor oil'' on his head, upper body, and ''face'', which ''burns his eyes''. (Damn, Terry could've blinded himself right then and there!) He then pours dirt and sand on himself to really drive it home and then wants to challenge Lawler to a loser-gets-covered-in-motor-oil-and-dirt match. (At this point, Terry shuts his eyes tight enough due to the oil burning his eyes. Ouch.)
** WhatAnIdiot: Terry should've worn goggles if he was going to shower himself in oil so he could spare his eyes ''the pain''. Because of the oil not washing out of his hair for several days, his pillow got oil blotches and had to be thrown away, confirmed by WordOfGod in his 2005 autobiography. Some websites advertising VHS/DVD collections of his matches and promos (with this promo on them) have also said that he had to [[TraumaticHaircut either cut his hair short or shave it off]] because the oil wouldn't wash out of it.

* UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas: Billed from Amarillo, Texas. Subverted in that he was born in Hammond, Indiana. So, Terry's a Texan [[ButNotTooForeign but not too Texan]], then?

* [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney Screw the Rules]]! ThisIsGoingToBeHuge!: His promo about the new wrestling company "The FFF: Funk, Funk and Florida!" in Championship Wrestling from Florida in 1987. He and Dory Funk Jr. didn't have millions of dollars to throw around or 220 syndicated stations, but they were the best athletes. (He then proceeds to rip into [[Wrestling/TheBlackjacks Blackjack Mulligan]], [[Wrestling/MikeRotunda Mike Rotunda aka IRS]], Kevin Sullivan, and Dusty Rhodes. ''[[RefugeInAudacity Oh, and he also said that]] '''[[RefugeInAudacity Oliver North]]''' [[RefugeInAudacity -- and this was]] '''[[RefugeInAudacity after]]''' [[RefugeInAudacity the Iran-Contra Affair broke out -- wouldn't take a chance on either Terry or Dory!]]'')
** Again, the Website/YouTube link to the promo isn't provided here because [=WWE=] owns the footage. Go to Website/YouTube and search for "Epic Terry Funk Promo" to find it on there.

He's known as a member of the Funk WrestlingFamily, which includes his late father Dory Funk ''Sr.'' (May 4, 1919 – June 3, 1973) and his older brother Dory Funk ''Jr.'' (born 1941). (As a bonus, Terry and Dory Jr. are the only brothers to date to ever hold the Wrestling/{{N|ationalWrestlingAlliance}}WA World Heavyweight title.) In addition, there is his acting resume, starting with ''Paradise Alley'' in 1978.

* GoingNative[=/=]ToKnowHimIMustBecomeHim: The "Florida Cracker" promo. In 1981, when he was feuding with Jerry Lawler, this time in Florida, he was saying that Lawler wanted to become a ''real'' Floridian (Lawler's from Memphis, Tennessee), "not a transplant". The Funker wanted to know what it'd be like to be a "true Florida cracker". He then really mocks the people of Florida (and what he said was Lawler's desire to become one of them) by dumping ''Quaker State Super Blend motor oil'' on his head, upper body, and ''face'', which ''[[CaptainObvious burns his eyes]]''. (Damn, Terry could've blinded himself right then and there!) He then pours dirt and sand on himself to really drive it home and then wants to challenge Lawler to a loser-gets-covered-in-motor-oil-and-dirt match. (At this point, Terry shuts his eyes tight enough due to the oil burning his eyes. Ouch.)