Is Terry Funk the greatest wrestler of all time?
 

With Terry not doing well lately, I thought this would be a good time to bring this up. It's close, but I think Terry is the greatest wrestler of all time.

NWA Champ during a time when you HAD to be a good wrestler.
He's consistently evolved with the times.
He could pretty much wrestle every style at a high level
His promos are incredible
Amazing heel and face
Highly influential

Flair is close, but Ric wrestled the same match every night and wasn't as versitile. There literally isn't one weakness in Terry Funk's game.

I'm more of a Chainsaw Charlie guy.

Honestly though, probably Kurt Angle.

Kurt is definitely in my top 10.

I'd go

1. Terry Funk
2. Bobby Heenan
3. Ric Flair
4. Nick Bockwinkel
5. Kurt Angle

He was in Road House

I was in Texas Roadhouse a little over a week ago.

I think he's underrated, despite his legend status. Often the top nods go to guys like Shawn Michaels, Flair, Austin, Angle, etc., but you do have to keep in mind the spotlight and exposure people have had to their work when looking at things critically.

I'd be curious to see where Jerry Lawler fits on everyone's list.

He doesn't.

One of the best of all-time, surely.

If the Network uploaded his entire catalog I would be there in a heartbeat it's a shame the kids today are not interested in that kind of thing.
Funk is one of the most underrated of all time.

"Why don't you mind your own damn business!"

Every movie Terry was in, he was always a) someone's lackey and b) going to get his ass kicked. I would assume he did all his own stunts... if the director wanted him to or not.

"The American Dream, Dusty Rhodes! Twenty-five time, World Heavyweight Cham-peen! I beat Ric Flair twenty-five thousand times in a row! Had a legendary feud with Terry Funk!

Well, Terry used to always whip my ass, so we ain't gonna talk about that right now, oh no..."

I need to watch more Funk, to be honest.

I'd like to see him pop-up one of the names if the SCG Radio team do another "Better as a Face or Heel" podcast. I imagine heel will win out pretty easily with people, but it'd be a good discussion on his flexibility.

Is he still wrestling now?

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One of the greatest debuts of all time.

This.

Dude would be interesting in some sort of creative capacity somewhere. People should be picking this guy's brain for whatever golden nuggets are in there.

I can't put him up there as "greatest ever" because there are people who fit every category you mentioned better. Funk obviously has the longevity factor over him but Austin for example hit all the criteria you mentioned better I think.

Ah, Terry Funk There's just something about that voice and delivery (Mick Foley and Eddie could do it too) If this makes sense they knew how to add weight to their words Heel or Face. I can't really describe it well enough.

All this weird Terry Funk love and no one can reference any matches.

Pedo gets what's coming to him.

Lawler's problem is that he rarely went to another territory

I quit match with Flair is one of the greatest matches of all time

His body is held together by electric tape and prayers to Cthulu I'm surprised it didn't quit on him ages ago

LOL that was pretty outstanding. The best thing about it was that there was a woman as a referee, which somehow never happens in modern day WWE. SHAME

Yeah Vince fucked her and then she tried to sue or something like that.

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Frankly I just enjoyed seeing these two go at it.

How has there not been a movie made about Bruiser Brody?

Funk was a better in ring worker and more versatile.

To be honest I never liked Terry Funk

That just shows how good Terry Funk was.

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Love that empty arena match

There is some gold in Memphis

I completely agree with this. That being said, I think that speaks loudly about just how good he was. A lot of guys would jump around to keep themselves relevant. That Lawler could sit in Memphis and constantly do good business is impressive.

Interesting question. I'm not enough of a historian to answer but I can see the argument being made.

Also surprised to see multiple people putting Angle over. I love Angle but I didn't realize he was that highly regarded in an all time capacity. I'll pop a red rocket whenever his music hits in wwe.

Anyone who puts Lawler on their list includes Andy Kaufman by default.

I love that match. Lance Russell plays his part fantastically.

I think the Empty Arena Match, with the right two guys, has a place in professional wrestling. As long as it is not overused. I actually wanted to see one in NXT between Enzo & Cass and The Legionnaires at one point (don't ask).

A match like that between Cena and someone he's built heat with could really highlight just how good Cena is, for example, if they're confident is his ability to sell it.

He is not randy savage, so any spot not #1 is up for grabs for Terry funk. #1 is locked down

He's not my favourite, but he's like top 5. I'd have a hard time arguing if someone placed him at #1 though.

Yeah him and Ivory should take over the booking for Evolve. Terry Funk might have dementia now, and Ivory hasn't been in the business for 10 years, but she won wrestler's court with Triple H. Imagine if they led a revolution with Kevin Owens as manager leading it!!!!

Stop with the "everyone that once wrestled would be interesting in creative!!!"

Terry Funk is in awful shape these days physically and mentally. What on Earth could he have to offer anyone.

Not everyone needs to be an agent or creative. It doesn't matter who takes the books. Unless it's actually reported on or a wrestler claims something on a shoot or podcast interview you wouldn't have a clue who was backstage doing what.

Macho Man doesn't even make my top 10. He's highly over rated because people grew up on him.

Watch Terry Funk vs Mick Foley from monday night raw in 1998 when Foley was an emotional wreck having failed as dude love. That is just one ridiculous match and Funk showed he could still go at about 50 plus years old.

That was a good one. I remember loving the main event of the first ECW PPV. I remember he had two classic Three Way Elimination Matches With Shane Douglas and Sabu. The first in 94 went an hour. The 2nd was on some ECW PPV, can't remember which one at the moment although I'm thinking it was the 2nd one. His crazy barbed wire match with Sabu was another one that inspired American Death Match wrestling. He had a match with CM Punk at ROH Glory By Honor II that was highly underrated. Very story driven match. Funk sold the knee beautifully (or realistically) and Punk just targeted it the entire match. And you can't forget about his feud with Ric Flair either. That's just later year Funk too.

No, he hasnt drawn money save for maybe a 15 years period and thats generous. Though on a personal level i love his work.

At this point there are only 3 id even debate for the goat : Flair Hogan and Taker

Taker only became a big U.S draw when he started wrestling just once a year

If only there were a clear and concise criteria list for GOAT. Since there isn't, I'm gonna stick with Angle because he is good at everything.

Angle is definitely good at everything

the money generated from mania (with taker on the marquee for decades) easily rivals the other two. And you'd be hard pressed to present an argument thats says mania doesn't owe a lot of its gate to the streak. Regardless Funk is way in the rear of those three.

I have been convinced that HBK is the GOAT. He is a little under rated on he mic but could tell a great story with passion. In the ring I think we can all agree he would make each of us look like a million bucks, he could wreslte any style with anyone and had thhe creativity to make anything just a bit better.

As for Funk, I don't know, I wasn't around during his time and haven't seen enough of his work to really have an opinion. From what I have seen and from posted in this thread he was a brawler and crazy. His promos seem to be of the yelling kind which doesn't make them all that great. I would need to see a full length documentary on his career prior to forming an opinion.

I'd say he was a Draw just not THE draw

Honestly I do not know how to classify Taker

His title reigns aren't that memorable (somehow)

He was always insanely popular(except that one time)

And he was a really good worker.

But yea he was never "the man"

Really? He's not on my list of favorites but I wouldn't say he's overrated at all

I put Undertaker in the Andre category, the attraction. Though his talent in the ring and as a character put him in the top 10 GOAT in my opinion. Funk with his work in Japan, and of course the NWA put him as a top 10 contender as well. If he had the same success in WWE I'd say he could be top 3 of all time. But the GOAT for me is HBK.

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"Tommy Dreamer, I'm gonna beat you like I beat my wife, and I beat my kids."

How fucking good would Funk have been as Hogan's main antagonist for Wrestlemania 2 with the right push as a total madman who keeps beating top talent on his was to title contendership. And imagine that steel cage match with Funk instead of Brody.

Lol Funk told Vince that "his horse was sick" and had to go.

That's how he left with WWF in 1986

If you go to Funk based on that criteria, surely Dusty Rhodes should be considered too?

3 time NWA champ, maybe not as good in the ring, but so charismatic, rivals Funk on how influential he was and was probably more over and drew more money than Funk over the course of his career...

A possibility?

Personally I would go for HBK, solely because he got me emotionally invested in his matches more than any other performer in history. Think that is the greatest measure of a professional wrestler.

:lol:

I'm curious to the streak argument. I've never been a big fan of the streak, and I actually think it could have cost the WWE hypothetical gains due to how they booked WrestleMania around it, and how they would spotlight talent differently based on their WrestleMania record or who wanted the match with Taker.

There's no doubt he was a big attraction, but was he ever the attraction? Surely the John Cena match each year has always received as much, if not more attention? Triple H's Mania performances could probably be considered "draws" too.

It's a bit murky, and I'd like to hear more on your thoughts about it. I, personally, am really not big on Taker. Looking over his career, there have been large patches that are pretty bad overall. I respect the guy for lacing the boots for about as long as I've been alive and still being in better shape than I'll probably ever be, but I don't rank him up there in terms of GOAT. Iconic? Sure.

Dusty was the fucking shits after 87

Takers Wrestlemania matches were mainly semi-main events

Didn't the Mania that Taker headlined and was the advertised main event of dip in buys? I know that's probably a cheap point to hold against him, but it's not like Taker has had to carry Mania or anything. I'd probably give him and Shane the credit for this year's Mania, although we're in a Network era, so who knows how many people watched it?

You take away Lesnar, Punk, Hbk, Edge and HHH and none of Takers WM matches were really all that good or interesting.

I'd argue that you don't even need to take Triple H's matches with Undertaker away.

Then you're a fucking idiot still clinging onto 2003. All 3 matches are classics. How can anybody say those matches weren't good?

The fact that there have been 3 means that there have been 2 too many.

I remember Triple H tapping out after dropping the sledgehammer. I remember enjoying the match, but was more annoyed that they ran it in the first place. I've never been a major fan of either guy, but it felt like Barrett should have had the match after Nexus buried him at Survivor Series. The lack of continuity bothered me at the time. Triple H being insecure and wanting to prove he could do what Shawn Michaels couldn't was a good story, I guess, but no one really believes that Triple H is as good as Shawn Michaels anyway.

In the Hell in a Cell, I remember Taker kicking out of the Sweet Chin Music/Pedigree as Shawn Michaels borderline wept. Eh, it all felt a bit thick for me. I'm sure the matches were "good," but they didn't get me invested on any sort of emotional level. My point wasn't that they weren't good anyway, I just don't rank them up there with the HBK matches, the Edge match, the Punk match, or even the Kane matches based on the emotion of them. You can leave the Triple H ones in there as perfectly watchable entries (although I've never, ever felt the need to go back and rewatch them as a courtesy to Undertaker, but still not be left with one of the greatest catalogs ever or anything.

HHH trying to make himself a bigger deal than he actually was. Meanwhile, it was a step down for Taker.

I enjoyed all the Triple H-Taker Mania matches quite a bit.

The last HHH/Taker match was garbage.

Hell, it was the macth that setup me never caring about another Taker match.

Nonsense, they were all classics. Did you not like it because it was taker/h holding the spotlight from younger talent from another year or? Because as much as I want them to breakthrough none of them could've pulled off what taker and h did either year.

But anyways, back on topic, it would be cool if WWE helped Funk out since they know he's near his dying age. Hopefully they do this, and let him face Undertaker at Wrestlemania 33. They could call it "The battle of the dead men." or "The tombstone vs. The Spinning Toe Hold." Maybe a "Loser dies" type match or something.

I'd have it main event.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...74899383753368 vs. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...74899587829184

Damn, was two pics of them looking very old, someone can delete that if necessary since it doesn't work.

It's definitely down to age/when you started watching but I wouldn't have Funk in my Top 5.

I've not seen enough of his work, and the element of seeing it in its time is lost on me, same as with Flair and Dusty to a degree. I can understand why some might have him up there.

oh my god, i didn't even know that.

anyway, now by family guy logic he is definetely the greatest of all time

Love the idea of the thread. Very good discussion.

He's a great worker, better talker, very influential and ground breaking.

I think you can make a case as him being the most under rated ever, and definitely top 10 bordering on top 5.

But at any point in his career he was never the best at any one thing.

He was a great talker but not as good as flair or piper. He was a good worker but not on par with the best. He was never he top draw.

He's great all around. He's like emmitt smith. Great, reliable, durable, a long run. But he was never as great as Barry sanders or Walter Payton. But very close to the top.

I agree with Ruien on this one.

That setup sucked the match was meh and it felt like HHH wanting to get his two cents in after his boyfriend HBK had two matches with Taker that were praised as being top shelf Mania matches.

The idea that Triple H is somehow The Undertaker's most frequent WrestleMania opponent is really weird to me. I didn't mind two Kane matches or two HBK matches -- Taker's most personal rivalry and his greatest rivalry. The idea of three Mania matches with Triple H seems overdone.

The Street Fight at Mania X-7 was pretty good. The other two felt like they were *trying* to be classics and couldn't quite get there. Sometimes just having a match is enough. Maybe matches against younger guys wouldn't have been *better*, but they may have been more enjoyable, if you can wrap your head around that concept.

Just recently picked up the Blu-Ray of WM XXVIII, and while Taker/HHH Hell in a Cell wasn't as great as either Taker/HBK match, it was still an excellent one. I even enjoyed the bit of storyline they threw in about how 'Taker just wanted to be able to walk out after the match, something he wasn't able to do after one of his matches for the first time ever the year before @ WM XXVII.

Oh, I forgot about that. They didn't give Triple H the pin, but he got to look visually superior to Taker by being the one who could walk the year before. Wow.

That was the whole storyline for WMXXVIII. Don't turn this into another "Oh noes! HUNTER HAS HIS SHOVEL OUT!!" thing.

that all hhh haters have

Well he's no Scott Norton.

Well, this *is* a thread about Terry Funk, and here the discussion has turned to HHH for some reason. If the quad tear fits...

... but then again, who is?

It being the whole story doesn't make it good. They could have just had Undertaker win. There was nothing necessitating Triple H walk out but Undertaker couldn't unless they were trying to force a third match, and I'd argue that they didn't need the second.

I thought who was neinhart

To get to Funk first, I absolutely love the topic because I adore Funk's work. The guy is brilliant. The Empty Arena match is a great Funk one man show (especially the full thing), but I prefer the match at the Mid-South Coliseum that preceded it (with the countout finish). Not only a complete masterclass in being a great asshole, cowardly, cheapshot artist heel, but Lawler is such a superb babyface that all he has to do, and I'm not exaggerating here, is look at the crowd for two seconds after one of Funk's punches, and the entire crowd rises in excitement that the King is about to make the comeback. A great match, a match that feels like a fight, albeit a beautifully pro wrestling version.

The matches with Flair are tremendous as everybody knows, there are gems with Terry and Dory Jr. as a team in All Japan if you look for them, and some matches with Jumbo Tsuruta that are among of my favourites of his. The thing with Terry is that a lot of his better work comes from an era in Japan that most haven't seen. As a territorial heel that would go from place to place, you see sparks of him being awesome in Florida with Dusty or in Memphis with Lawler, but the place he feels most concentrated and prolonged is late 70s and early 80s in All Japan, and he's awesome. As has been said, he has an inate quality in him, something you can't teach in a performance centre, his voice, his demeaour, his timing, it's so perfect. I love him as a heel, but he's actually a great babyface as well with superb expressions. Just excellent.

Onto the other subject of Undertaker, after having a debate about him recently, I'm in agreement that he doesn't belong near a list of "Greatest of all Time". He's a big star, and he had periods of being very good, but I think he's overrated as a draw historically speaking. While the streak was a big deal to wrestling fans, there's no example where it drew outside the norm, and the WrestleMania where the streak was responsible for selling the show did the worst buyrate in 7 years. The streak was a big deal during a lot of years where something else was responsible for the buyrate: Trump at 23, Mayweather at 24, the Anniversary at 25, then Rock at 27, 28 and 29.

I don't think this is measurable, but I still think the streak may have cost the company money long-run. A lot of guys lost spots and pushes because they wanted to book to a win-loss record of a guy that would have been a legend without it. I said some things that could be construed as negative about Triple H earlier, so I'll say something positive: I don't expect many to agree with me, but I'd have actually put Triple H over The Undertaker at WrestleMania X-7.

The streak wasn't yet a thing, and Triple H did distinctly feel like the #3 guy behind Austin and Rock. At No Way Out, Triple H had pinned Austin, and I suppose the idea was to push Triple H as the top babyface against heel Austin post-Mania, until they got cute and did the Power Trip.

But any way you cut it -- face or heel -- Triple H probably should have pinned The Undertaker at Mania X-7 for that cred. Jim Ross would have made a huge deal out of it, giving The Game credit for being the first man to beat The Undertaker and proving that, love him or hate him, the Cerebral Assassin finds a way. Taker winning doesn't really achieve anything. He does move on to Austin post-Mania, but it's very uninspiring, and he doesn't feel ripe for it. He's kind of...there at that point. Protected and important, but not as urgent as other acts. The obvious story is with Austin and Triple H, and Taker honestly feels like filler stepping in to chew through the next couple of months. It's something he could have done without beating Triple H.