The professional wrestling world has lost another legendary figure.
Former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and WWE Hall of Famer Dory Funk Jr. passed away on Tuesday at the age of 85. His passing was announced by Brian Blair and The Cauliflower Alley Club, while The Ocala Gazette reported that Funk’s longtime wife, Marti, confirmed he had been receiving hospice care prior to his death.
Funk’s passing marks the end of one of wrestling’s most influential family legacies, with the Funk name leaving an unforgettable impact on the industry from Amarillo, Texas, to Japan and promotions around the world.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest technical wrestlers of his era, Funk enjoyed a career that spanned more than six decades. He was also one of the longest-reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champions in history, earning the respect of generations of wrestlers for his fundamentally sound, hard-hitting in-ring style.
Beginning his career in his father Dory Funk Sr.’s Amarillo territory, Funk carved out his own identity as a master technician. While he was fully capable of engaging in brutal brawls when the situation called for it, his offense was rooted in disciplined grappling, crisp striking, and technical precision—a contrast to the more chaotic, wild style that became synonymous with his father and younger brother, the legendary Terry Funk.
(H/T: Ocala Gazette)
