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Terry Funk Talks The Evolution of His Style, ECW Competing With WWE

December 13, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka

Terry Funk recently spoke with wrestlinginc.com, here are the highlights…

On His Evolution Into a Hardcore Style: “Basically it became necessary in Japan,” Funk said. “The reason why was because I separated from the All Japan Wrestling Association and I went to another group. And that other group, I knew what was necessary to make us successful because we didn’t have the national television [deal] that All Japan had over there or New Japan had. We had nothing, all we had was a newspaper. A picture is worth 1,000 words, so I guess that’s what determined my style and what I did, because it was a survival situation.”

On ECW Competing With WWE: “We had to compete, compete with the greatest there was in the business at that time, and that was in the New York office and we did more than compete,” he said. “We didn’t surpass them, but we damn sure were out there, and they knew we were there.”

On The Competition Between The Wrestlers: “There is tremendous competition in it as to who is the best and who is on top and who is considered the superstar at any time,” he said. “That’s what the great drive in the business is, when you go out in that ring and say, ‘That last guy had a g**damn match, but let’s see the son of a b***h follow this one.’ That is really the truth, that’s what makes wrestling wonderful.”

On His Health Issues: “I have an abdominal hernia which I tore and had operated on, and it’s not the easiest thing in the world to get over. I’m gonna go on down the road, but hopefully I can get over the damn thing. There comes a time whenever your family’s out there and they need you too, and my family needs me. I’m not gonna squeal out that this is my 23rd retirement, my real, real retirement. But you know there comes a time where you need to look to go in another direction in life, and I have entered that time. It’s been a wonderful, wonderful career. It’s been just a great run that the Lord gave me and I damn sure appreciate it and thank him for it and for him giving me the body and the ability to do what I have done for years.”

article topics :

ECW, Terry Funk, WWE, Larry Csonka