Pro wrestling legend Dory Funk Jr dead at 85

Dory Funk Jr., a pro wrestling fable who competed crossed the globe and helped bid countless stars, has died, WWE announced connected Tuesday. He was 85.

Funk began his pro wrestling pursuits successful 1963 aft helium finished his assemblage shot vocation astatine West Texas A&M University. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame successful 2009.

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Dory Funk Jr. is successful enactment against Harley Race during an NWA amusement connected May 24, 1973, successful Kansas City, Mo. (WWE via Getty Images)

"Saddened to denote the passing of Dory Funk, Jr.," WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque wrote successful a station connected X. "From the Double Cross Ranch to the @WWE Hall of Fame, Dory’s benignant inspired countless performers successful our industry. Whether it was astatine WrestleMania 2, WCW, ECW, oregon the dozens of NWA-affiliated promotions, his travels crossed North America and Asia were a portion of the aboriginal blueprint that helped physique this concern into a planetary phenomena.

"A hard-nosed and fierce competitor, his rugged in-ring benignant was lone eclipsed by the decades helium spent grooming athletes to execute successful the squared ellipse helium loved truthful much. My thoughts and those of the full @WWE Universe are with his loved ones during this hard time."

Funk started successful his begetter Dory Funk Sr.’s promotion, Western States Sports, successful 1963 and got real-world acquisition disconnected the wrestling the likes of Harley Race and others. It was successful 1969 wherever helium came the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) worlds champion and held the rubric for much than 4 years. He would beryllium seen successful the NWA until 1987.

Dory Funk Jr. poses for photos. (WWE via Getty Images)

"The National Wrestling Alliance is saddened to enactment the passing of Hall of Fame erstwhile NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Dory Funk Jr.," the NWA said successful a station connected X.

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"The National Wrestling Alliance sends its astir heartfelt wishes to the family, friends and fans of Dory Funk Jr., a existent fable whose contributions to nonrecreational wrestling are inactive felt and celebrated to this day."

Funk appeared successful WWE (then the World Wrestling Federation) successful 1986, teaming with his member Terry to start. He had matches determination against Junkyard Dog, Tito Santana and Pedro Morales but lone remained determination for 1 year.

He wrestled astatine All Japan Pro Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling and respective different promotions earlier calling it a vocation successful 2017.

WWE inducted Funk into its Hall of Fame arsenic portion of its 2009 class. He went successful arsenic a tag squad with his brother, Terry. The Von Erichs, Bill Watts, Howard Finkel, Koko B. Ware, Ricky Steamboat and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin were besides a portion of the class.

Dory Funk Jr. is ringside during Saturday Night's Main Event astatine Frost Bank Center successful San Antonio, Texas, connected Jan. 25, 2025. (Getty Images)

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Funk’s wrestling bequest lives connected done the radical helium trained astatine his schoolhouse called The Funking Conservatory. Kurt Angle, Adam Copeland, Christian Cage, Mickie James, Lita and others were among his students.