Dory Funk Jr., one of the greatest World Champions of all time, sits down for an upclose shoot interview with Highspots. Dory Funk Jr. comes from a wrestling family that included his father, Dory Sr., and his brother, Terry. Dory Funk Jr. has 40 years of wrestling experience, and has plenty of stories to share. His memory of specific matches is amazing, and it makes this interview even that more interesting for him to recall specific battles, dates and locations. Dory Funk Jr. covers a lot of ground in this interview, including:
How his father influenced his career.
His career as a football player at West Texas State.
His early days in Amarillo, Texas, with his brother, father, Dennis Stamp, Jumbo Tsuruta, Bob Backlund and others.
When the decision was to make one of the Funk brothers the NWA World Champion, who said that Dory be given the chance?
Talks about his title win over Gene Kiniski and what it meant to be World Champion.
What was the schedule and pay like as champion?
Clears up confusion on a supposed loss to Lord Alfred Hayes during his reign, and why he believes it never happened.
Dory Funk Jr. was the first NWA Champion in 12 years to go to Japan. He talks about his memorable match with Antonio Inoki that made him an international star.
Talks about his matches with Jack Brisco. He speaks of specific memorable matches as well as why he never lost the title to Brisco.
Dory Funk Jr. clears up the controversay with great details about the real reason why he did not compete the night he was to lose the title to Brisco.
Losing the title to Harley Race in 1973 when he was injured.
How did the schedule and work change after losing the title?
Speaks of the difference territories he worked including St. Louis, Houston, Detroit, Florida, Los Angeles, Mid-Atlantic and Georgia.
Shares the infamous “ticket booth robbery” story from Detroit. What did he think of the Sheik as a man?
Talks about Ole Anderson’s statement that Dory was a ‘Good worker, bad booker.’
Speaks of his stay in the WWE as “Hoss” Funk. Did he mind the name change? What did he think of his short WWE stay?
Talks about his matches in Puerto Rico against the Road Warriors as well as a match that involved his wife teaming up with him. Also, he remembers Bruiser Brody, a man he knew well.
Terry and Dory Funk Jr. were two of the biggest foreign stars to ever hit Japan. He talks about being the foreign booker for All Japan and what his relationship with Giant Baba was like.
He speaks of two of the most memorable matches of his career, both in Japan. The first being a battle with his brother, the only singles match between the two. Then he talks about the infamous tag match against Abdullah the Butcher & The Sheik from the 1977 Real World Tag League.
Dory Funk Jr. talks about some of the foreign stars he helped book in Japan including Bruiser Brody, Terry Gordy, Ted DiDiase, Stan Hansen and more.
Explains the secret jump that he helped organize to get Hansen and Abdullah the Butcher from New Japan to All Japan.
Talks about some of the names he has seen in the ring during his career: Flair, Thesz, Rhodes, Watson, Sammartino, Morales, Slater, Murdoch, the Von Erichs and more.
He is still active in the ring, and he talks about some of his more memorable matches from the last 15 years.
Lastly, Funk Jr. talks about the Funking Conservatory, a wrestling school he runs in Florida. He talks about some of the talent that has come through including Lita, Kurt Angle, Christian, Adam Windsor and more.
Includes match footage against Abdullah the Butcher, The Sheik, Jack Brisco and more.
This shoot was not conducted by RF Video