Jim Ross Recalls Feud Between Ric Flair & Terry Funk In WCW, Memorable Angle At WrestleWar 1989

In a recent edition of Grilling JR, Jim Ross discussed the memorable angle with Ric Flair and Terry Funk at WrestleWar 1989, Flair being upset with Funk’s promos during their feud, and much more. You can read his comments below.

Jim Ross on the memorable angle with Ric Flair and Terry Funk at WrestleWar 1989: “I was surprised that it happened. I knew they were gonna do something post-match, and generally, for me, my work would be better if I didn’t know every little detail. What happens is, you precondition yourself what you’re told will happen, and something comes up that you have to call an audible. I wanted to call what I saw in a real way as authentic as I could. So, I’m sure it was Ric and Terry [that came up with it]. I don’t know how plugged in Ric was on the piledriver spot on the table. I will say that once again, it looks like Terry was a trendsetter. Look at tables now. The Dudley Boyz made a living on the tables. Then you have all these other guys doing spots. I always think of Terry. Terry started this whole damn thing with one table, and look where it has evolved to. Again, trendsetter, visionary, and so many things that were perceived as little things have become a part of our culture now in pro wrestling.”

On Funk cutting promos on Flair while he was out injured and Flair getting upset: “Yeah I do. I remember getting phone calls. ‘What are you guys trying to do, kill me?’ No, Ric, we’re not trying to kill you. We’re selling a fucking angle. Anybody that knows how to an angle and how to sell it, it would be you. Ric would always get a straight answer from me. I didn’t have any guilt in that regard. I knew what we were trying to do. We were trying to get heat on Funk and make him a heel. We knew our hero was gonna ride back in on his horse sooner rather than later. But yeah, he didn’t like it. He got over it, but he did get his feelings hurt. He was out of the picture, and he didn’t want to be out of the picture. That was the angle and how the angle was set up to sell. Somebody has to be out of the picture for a while with this injury. People weren’t dropped on their heads on a table outside the ring very often. Ric was pissed off for a while about that.”

On the reaction to the controversial segment where Funk put a bag over Flair’s head: “It got corporate heat. I’m not so sure Ted [Turner] gave a shit. But his board and his underlings gave a shit. So, it was a major deal for a while. I’m sure Ted had to do lip service because obviously, Terry was not gonna suffocate Flair. I don’t want to say it got blown out of proportion. It should’ve never have happened. But I can tell you on the corporate side, who looked at us as red-headed stepchildren anyway, they were pissed. Irresponsible broadcasting is how I remember that story. It wasn’t a good day at the office on that deal.”

If using any of the above quotes, please credit Grilling JR with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.