WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:20.800 You know, good for nothing eggs that being dumb. We did it our 2 00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:29.359 way because we love it that way. We love it that way. And 3 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:32.840 I have this wonderful gun feeling and I've had it all my life. When 4 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:36.920 it's time to go, I think it's now. There's time to go. 5 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:57.439 It's the Lapsed Funk going national Part two and Boss. If you've experienced Tulkamania, 6 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:00.200 if you're Terror Funk, if you've headlined a couple of cities with if 7 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:03.520 you've worked NBC with him, and you've done your tour of duty through the 8 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:07.799 rock and wrestling era of the World Wrestling Federation, where else is there to 9 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:15.200 turn in the eighties for Terry Funk. Well, he could go to WCW. 10 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:19.959 Is Jim Hurd getting a budget in order down in Atlanta? Well, 11 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:23.120 I've got a pizza budget going on, but I'm not sure about like a 12 00:01:25.120 --> 00:01:29.319 budget of for the wrestling stuff. And I have a question I do have. 13 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:32.439 I should say this, I do have. I do have a catering 14 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:36.599 budget. And he's going to be catering quite a bit to the Funker, 15 00:01:37.239 --> 00:01:41.680 as it turns out, because there's an opponent down there who's just waiting for 16 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:46.079 someone like Terry Funk to come through and create a serious sense of momentum. 17 00:01:46.120 --> 00:01:51.680 After Ted Turner and Turner Broadcasting purchase mid Atlantic CHAMPIONIP Wrestling and World Jim Crockett 18 00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:55.959 Promotions in late eighty eight, the calendar turns to eighty nine, one more 19 00:01:56.040 --> 00:01:59.359 year left to make an impact in the eighties, And of course it's nature 20 00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:04.680 boy Rick mm not only the world champion at the time, but the booker, 21 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:08.120 the head guy in charge, essentially the entire heart and soul of what 22 00:02:08.199 --> 00:02:13.080 was to become the NWA post Jim Crockett Promotions was Rick Flair put in pole 23 00:02:13.159 --> 00:02:17.639 position and establishing a booking committee of course to Jim Hurden Company. And I 24 00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:21.759 don't know what doll we learn so far in the lapsed Funk. When you're 25 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:24.439 looking around and you need a shot in the arm of your territory, you 26 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:29.400 need someone to come in and raise absolute hell and then ride out on his 27 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:34.240 horse sight unseen. I think you call the Funker. Yeah, that's probably 28 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:38.759 a good idea. And Rick Flair was well acquainted with Terry Funk and indeed 29 00:02:38.039 --> 00:02:43.439 counted him among his idols. Flair talks a lot about Ray Stevens and Dusty 30 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:46.319 Rhodes being his idols. But it was a time period in the seventies when 31 00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:50.800 Flair was first breaking in after training with Verenganga, where he was paired up 32 00:02:50.840 --> 00:02:53.039 in terms of road travel partners with Dusty Roads and Dick Murdoch, who, 33 00:02:53.080 --> 00:02:57.960 of course we're working AWA at the time, had a goat in their apartment 34 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:04.240 and a dina. So and wait, wait, I know they had a 35 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:07.639 goat and a diner. Yeah, the then Dusty went back to Boston and 36 00:03:07.719 --> 00:03:13.439 had goat in a dina. But Flair was, you know, the young 37 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:16.479 rookie helping goat cheese omelet in a dina. He was the goat all right, 38 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:22.520 just breaking in. And you know this is the Dick Murdock and Dusty 39 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:25.719 Roads of the wrestler in that famous barroom brawl scene, those couple of Texas 40 00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:30.080 cowboys couldn't be more Terry Funk asque sure couldn't be more Terry Funk. Adjacent 41 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:34.879 was the young Rick Flair in terms of traveling with those two and learning their 42 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:38.120 ways and learning their let's say, their culture. And so it made a 43 00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:44.280 nice clean fit when Terry Funk is NWA World champion was making towns that those 44 00:03:44.919 --> 00:03:47.280 that trio was making as well, and there was a fair degree in the 45 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:51.599 seventies of cross pollination between a young Ric Flair and Terry Funk, to say 46 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:53.199 nothing of the fact that right after the A W A and seventy five, 47 00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:59.240 Flair goes to Charlotte George Scott as booker and Crockett Promotions and absolutely, you 48 00:03:59.240 --> 00:04:01.759 know, set this career on fire such that he's in the conversation for NWA 49 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:05.560 World Champion. Really as soon as Terry Funk wins the belt, there's buzzed 50 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:10.000 down in Charlotte that Flair his time is coming, and it's coming much faster 51 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:13.919 than anybody might anticipate. In fact, when it came time for Flair to 52 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:15.480 Funk to drop the championship to Harley Race, as we talked about in our 53 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:19.680 NWA title episodes of The Lapsed Funk, there was no shortage of suggestion Boss 54 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:25.040 that it might already have been Ric Flair's time. That's how impactful just three 55 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:29.399 four years in the business, I believe it. And so there was a 56 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:31.560 chance for Rick Flair, a young Rick Flair, to see Terry Funk had 57 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:38.720 his absolute most sort of you know, traditional top pro wrestler sort of idiom. 58 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:42.519 Not the hardcore Terry Funk, not even the wild and crazy Terry Funk 59 00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:45.279 that mixed it up with Hull Cogan NBC as we talked about last week. 60 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:48.120 But the Terry Funk of the seventies, the the you know, the the 61 00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:53.040 prodigal son of the legendary Funk family, the power family in the business. 62 00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:58.160 This only brother tandem to win the NWA Championship. And here on his podcast 63 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:00.959 that he used to have with Mark Matt and Ric Flair, flex on a 64 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:04.120 story he tells all the time when Terry Funk's name comes up in in addition 65 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:08.879 to when he passed away, this was a time that Terry Funk came by 66 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:11.839 the house when a young Rick Flair, just married, just breaking into the 67 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:15.360 business, had him over for a visit. And you can imagine where things 68 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:21.720 go from there. Oh boy, So we're Raleigh TV and Greg Valentine and 69 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:28.759 myself. We're bringing Terry back from Raleigh TV to Charlotte. And we were 70 00:05:28.839 --> 00:05:33.240 drinking that Foster's Leger beer, right and we bought a bottle of grain alcohol 71 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:36.920 and we were pouring it, you know, or just be like we're crazy 72 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:44.639 the old days. And we came to a stop on Monroe on Monroe Road 73 00:05:44.839 --> 00:05:49.600 in Charlotte, and Terry got out of the car naked with the world championship 74 00:05:49.639 --> 00:05:54.079 belt on him, and this is like, now, this is seventy six, 75 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:58.600 seventy seven, maybe seven, yeah, seventy seven or eight, and 76 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:01.399 he's actually like direct traffic. There was no cars, but he was turning 77 00:06:01.480 --> 00:06:05.000 like it was. It's two in the morning. So from there we take 78 00:06:05.319 --> 00:06:11.839 Greg takes out and all the way home he kept letting Greg Greg Valentin tear 79 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:17.879 on fire in the car. So we get to my house and I had 80 00:06:17.879 --> 00:06:23.879 a pit bulld and jumped over the fence. Came over the fence and jumped 81 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:27.360 and bit Terry and bit bit him right through his nose. I mean a 82 00:06:27.399 --> 00:06:30.759 bad bite his nose. Yeah, bit through, bit through his nose. 83 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:34.639 They jumped on top of Terry. No wonder, drove me through the table. 84 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:39.439 No, no, this was later on. Yeah, so this so 85 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:44.959 he's the world champion. So we go inside and my wife is out for 86 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:50.120 the evening, and uh, I paid the babysitter to go in Meghan's room 87 00:06:50.839 --> 00:06:56.399 and she was a little baby at that time and just staying there and Terry. 88 00:06:56.639 --> 00:07:02.000 Terry came in the house. He took a knife out of the you 89 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:06.360 know the cannons to the hose knives, and put it bet s teeth like 90 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:12.920 he was a pirate, and crawled around my backyard tin he catched that dog. 91 00:07:13.879 --> 00:07:15.399 Well, I had gotten sick, which I'd never do. And my 92 00:07:15.480 --> 00:07:19.160 wife came home with one of her friends and opened the door and said, 93 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:26.000 well, this is my husband. I'm embarrassed to say, and let me 94 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:29.720 see. Oh yeah, and that's Terry Funk, the world champion, out 95 00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:33.360 in our backyard. She took all my clothes, got my first stick, 96 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:38.199 and took all my clothes, threw them out in the front yard of the 97 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:43.079 house. Three o'clock in the morning, And the next thing I knew I 98 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:46.000 had a silver Eldorado. And the next thing I knew, I woke up 99 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:48.000 in the downtown or in Charlotte, which is sad to say. I remember 100 00:07:48.040 --> 00:07:54.199 how I got there, and Funk was already gone to another city, and 101 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:56.680 I had to figure out a way to get back into my house. So 102 00:07:56.680 --> 00:08:01.720 it was never a dull moment, seventies with Nature Boy and Terry Funk together. 103 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:07.519 Jesus, is it right? Is it not all there? Yeah? 104 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:16.040 Yeah, I mean Jesus thoughts on what you just heard? Uh, I 105 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:22.079 mean, I'm I guess I'm not surprised, really, right, there's always 106 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:26.279 something, but I guess I'm not surprised. I mean, Funk chasing the 107 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:31.480 dog and you know it's there's comedy there, But I can kind of believe 108 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:33.480 that Terry Funk really was trying to get back at that dog. I'm not 109 00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:39.360 suggesting he would have stabbed the dog, but he well, but yeah, 110 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:41.240 exactly, but he flew off the handle. You know, he would come 111 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:45.120 backstage after if something went wrong in the ring, and he would throw chairs 112 00:08:45.159 --> 00:08:46.320 and he would curse, and he would scream and he would break shit and 113 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:50.159 he was inconsolable. He would shadow box if a dog bites him on the 114 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:52.519 face and he doesn't expect it, because I've heard other versions of the story 115 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:56.440 where Terry kind of gets down on all fours like to see the dog and 116 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:00.279 the dog snips him that that'll piss him off, of course, And it's 117 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:03.600 like you want to be crazy, Like it's like Terry Funk wasn't going to 118 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:05.799 rest until that pit bull was more intimidated by him than he was roight pitbull. 119 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:09.879 Right, I mean, he'll just Chase and Chase and Chase and Chase, 120 00:09:11.080 --> 00:09:13.159 and oh my god, I ended up at the downtown or there's always 121 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:20.799 a hotel name with Flair. There's always a hotel with Flair. Absolutely God, 122 00:09:22.120 --> 00:09:26.600 So to put it mildly, Rick Flair and Terry Funk were already well 123 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:30.919 acquainted before Rick Flair became the nature boy we all know, and he absorbed 124 00:09:30.919 --> 00:09:33.600 a lot from watching Terry Funk. In fact, in his book, Flair 125 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.360 says, the knifetch chops that have become such a big part of my routine 126 00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:41.080 were largely inspired by Wahoo and Terry Funk. Hmm. So when they're kind 127 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:45.399 of programmed together in the mid seventies and in Jim Crockett Promotions. In fact, 128 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:48.080 Terry Funk was campaigning for that territory stop championship, the US heavyweight title 129 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:52.919 at the time that the decision was made to put the NWA World Championship on 130 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:56.159 him. That was the territory that he was he was camped out in at 131 00:09:56.159 --> 00:10:00.759 the time. Flair rights WA, who was an incredibly physical wrestler who worked 132 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:03.480 in a very rugged style. It was never his intention to deliberately hurt his 133 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:05.799 opponent. He was just wahoo sometimes to get tired and hit you in the 134 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:07.639 mouth, or he'd throw you off the ropes and you'd come back to a 135 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:11.360 chop in the nose or ear while who also kept his blade taped in his 136 00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:13.039 wristband, and the thing would come loose and Norfolk. Once he grabbed me 137 00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:16.639 to the hair and went into his Indian war dance while his blade pierced my 138 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:26.360 eyelid. Jesus a normal business. As much as there's a lot of wahoo 139 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:30.200 in those chops, someone else deserves credit to Terry Funk. Flaire wrote when 140 00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:33.559 he was the NWA World Champion, I watched him wrestle Paul Jones and Raleigh 141 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:37.159 one night. Jones grabbed Terry's arm and Terry started backhand chopping the guy. 142 00:10:37.559 --> 00:10:39.519 A short time later, I began doing the same thing in my matches. 143 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:43.919 I also copied Terry's habit of holding onto the ropes with one hand and chopping 144 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:46.759 his opponent with the other. Whenever Terry came to town, I knew it 145 00:10:46.759 --> 00:10:48.639 was going to be a fun night. And then he tells the story about 146 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:52.960 lighting Greg Valentine's hair on fire from the big seat. Terry Funk doing that, 147 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:56.720 which is just I'm sure Greg Valentine totally changed the expression on his face 148 00:10:56.759 --> 00:11:05.360 when that happened, Mama. For Kelly as as as as hard as it 149 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:09.080 is, I'm sure he did change the expression on his face. Fucking stoned 150 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:15.039 stone and stoned face, and he was stoned as well. It's exactly right. 151 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:18.039 And I want you to meet my husband in the whole the whole scene 152 00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:22.600 there. So that's Rick Flair's earliest impressions of Terry Funk. But you know, 153 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:26.720 Jesus Christ, can we will this list ever stop growing here in the 154 00:11:26.759 --> 00:11:30.480 lapsed funk of everything we ever loved about pro wrestling that you go to the 155 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:31.759 guy who did it and he said, ah, that was Terry Funk. 156 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:35.879 Rick Flair's chops, for Christ's sakes, Yeah, I believe it, because 157 00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:39.240 of course, while we throw chops, but they'd meet a lot of open 158 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:43.000 handed they'd be there'd be knife edge two. But the extra touch, which 159 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:46.159 is so Flair of holding the rope with one hand while you chop, right. 160 00:11:46.519 --> 00:11:48.000 Yeah, yeah, we know how crucial that is that he does that. 161 00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:52.039 And we've we've touched on Flair Funk before and it's going to be a 162 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:56.600 pleasure in the context of the lapsed Funk to really dig a lot more into 163 00:11:56.600 --> 00:11:58.919 what these two did together in the magic they made in nineteen eighty nine and 164 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:03.440 what the raw material was that they had to work with. What you've touched 165 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:05.240 on the nineteen eighty nine we've covered in fact, the nineteen eighty nine Great 166 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:09.200 American Bash. The first time these two met in eighty nine, sure, 167 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:11.080 and that's part of the art of war Games, because there's a War Games 168 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:15.399 cage match on that show, and just boss, you're sort of you know, 169 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:18.639 it was a while ago, but what do you sort of recollect about 170 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:26.360 the dynamic and intensity between Funk and Flair. I remember it being a whole 171 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:30.639 it just it felt. If I'm not mistaken, I believe I remember it 172 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:37.679 feeling very different and very intense and like they were, you know, like 173 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:43.320 they were kind of taking it up a notch, yes, from from what 174 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:46.039 else was happening on the show, from what not only that, but what 175 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:52.399 maybe maybe what Flair even did, you know, like everything just seemed a 176 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:54.159 little more intense. One thing Flair's pointed out, and I think it's an 177 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:56.559 interesting point. You know, he gets the reputation of never wanting to be 178 00:12:56.600 --> 00:13:00.279 babyfaced, because there was such a great heel and just always wanted to do 179 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:03.200 that routine and you know, live that life and cut that promo. One 180 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:07.720 thing he always says is, actually what I hated about being a babyface was 181 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:09.480 I didn't really have a hell of a lot of babyface offense. I didn't 182 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:11.759 have a lot of weapons I could go to. It made sense as a 183 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:16.440 babyface. All of my stuff was perfectly suited to feed a babyface and be 184 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:18.919 the heel, which of course is true. But he said what he loved 185 00:13:18.919 --> 00:13:22.519 about working with Terry Funk was he was a guy who would stand in front 186 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:24.600 of him and let him chop him in a way that the chops became a 187 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:30.120 babyface move and the chops became an aggressive comeback move. Because Flair wasn't a 188 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:33.399 big, you know, Jerry Lawler punch guy. He wasn't a big hulk 189 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:35.360 up comeback guy. Flair didn't have a comeback. He never had to develop 190 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:39.679 his wrestling career. No one ever looked to him to be that guy, 191 00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:43.720 even when he was a babyface in the Carolinas, and so Terry Funk actually 192 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:46.200 allowed him to use the moves that were in his repertoire, and people were 193 00:13:46.279 --> 00:13:48.919 used to and wanted to see from him, and they could be received in 194 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:52.720 a baby face way because finally, here's someone who can soar for Rick Flair 195 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:56.639 chop instead of just return fire, Here's someone who can stumble through the ropes 196 00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:58.519 and you know what I mean, and create this sense that Rick Flair is 197 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:03.000 a world being and he's actually kicking some fucking ass here. And Funk was 198 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:05.639 not shy about taking those hard chops, though he would lament them years later, 199 00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:09.559 you know, with his tongue in cheek, but still definitely one of 200 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:13.159 his primary memories of working with Rick Flair in nineteen eighty nine was the solid, 201 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:16.639 stiff impact of those particular matches, And I think that's kind of what 202 00:14:16.679 --> 00:14:20.360 you were putting your finger on their boss, remembering kind of a higher level 203 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:24.720 of intensity when these two got in there, and he was imble when leash 204 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:26.799 Ric Flair in a way that Flair wasn't accustomed to and really had very few 205 00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:31.039 opponents that could you know, bring that out of him. Yeah, that 206 00:14:31.480 --> 00:14:35.039 absolutely, And when we announced the Lapsed Funk Journey, this was almost the 207 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:39.320 first thing people started geeking out about, was that we were going to get 208 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:41.639 to the Flair Funk series in eighty nine, and not only Great American Bass 209 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:45.519 Match, which we covered before, and the wrussele War Wrangle to launch the 210 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:48.519 whole program, which we've talked about several times, including out of the Cinemat 211 00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:52.840 most recently. It's it's as quintessential Terry Funk as it gets that whole angle, 212 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:58.679 but also coming your way here on the lapsed Funk the I Quick Match 213 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:01.879 from Clash of the Champions Troy, New York, the Knockout Special on tbs 214 00:15:03.080 --> 00:15:07.080 OH that ended up marking the end of Funk's run for all intents and purposes 215 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:11.919 in the NWA in nineteen to eighty nine, with Rick Flair getting his hand 216 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:16.279 raised, high business having been accomplished, and Funk, you know, having 217 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:18.720 the eggs that he always thirsts for, the graceful eggs that he so thirsts 218 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:24.240 for. Though as we'll get to that's kind of been painted over with rose 219 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:26.039 colored glasses as the years have gone. At the time, Terry Funk was 220 00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:31.159 not entirely thrilled with how it all went down with the Nature Boy, And 221 00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:33.440 you know, the further along you got, the less you would talk about 222 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:35.159 that part of it, and the more it's all good in the hood, 223 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:41.039 but of course at the time Funk is finding reasons to be rankled, feel 224 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:43.759 just a tad disrespected, a tad jilted. And that's why it's always hard 225 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:48.039 to tell that line of work and shoot with Terry Funk as it regards his 226 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:50.840 great opponents, because you go back far enough, and he in a shoot 227 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:58.639 context is expressing real disregard and dislike, or at least a proclivity to point 228 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:03.080 out shortcomings or to say little verbal jabs. So his opponents, you know 229 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:04.519 who might think that, you know, Terry Funk is their best friend in 230 00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:07.320 the world, can listen to an interview and go, you know what, 231 00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:11.720 yeah, not so short. We heard it in Jerry Lawler's voice. That's 232 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:14.480 this guy actually hate me. Is that why this actually keeps going for thirty 233 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:17.320 years? Yes? All the Funker is never going to let you know, 234 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:19.960 well, because he's a worker. Yeah yeah, he don't make me play 235 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:22.919 the sound. Terry's a worker. He's a worker. He's a worker. 236 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:26.360 He's a worker. Terry's a worker. Oh I like that. I actually 237 00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:33.039 don't have to play it. You incorporated that interestingly enough. When it was 238 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:37.000 time for Terry Funk to drop the NWA World championship because of the riggers of 239 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:41.279 the year plus campaign wasn't entirely clear who it should go to next. Funk 240 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:44.360 wanted to pass it along, of course, to Hartley Race, who really 241 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:47.080 never had a proper reign with the championship because he just served, as we 242 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:49.919 talked about, to bridge the gap between Dorry Funk Junior and Jack Briscoe due 243 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:55.799 to the nw WA power politics and Funk and Funk Senior not wanting the championship 244 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:57.759 to go to a fellow baby face in Briscoe right away and all of the 245 00:16:57.799 --> 00:17:03.159 Shenanigans involved therein. But Terry Funk had a very close bond with Harley Race, 246 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:06.119 who of course booked for Dori Senior and Amarilla and really got his teeth 247 00:17:06.119 --> 00:17:10.319 in the business down there and helped the Funks ushered into Saint Louis where he 248 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:14.279 was one of the top dogs. And so Terry Funk wanted the belt on 249 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:17.359 Harley Race, even though there was buzz that this kid out of the Carolinas 250 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:19.039 Rick Flair has all the tools and he could, you know, sort of 251 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:22.759 be a really fresh coat of paint, really young, youthful, vigorous champion, 252 00:17:23.240 --> 00:17:26.920 and Terry Funk was while he was traveling with Rick, and while he 253 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:30.920 was, you know, fraternizing with Rick. He wasn't ready to anoint Rick 254 00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:34.799 quite yet. Ah. Yes, as he says here Terry Funk, I 255 00:17:34.920 --> 00:17:38.119 never cared about doing jobs, and that one in particular was about doing what 256 00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:41.559 was right for the business. And that was the approach I'd taken in deciding 257 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:44.720 how I wanted to drop the belt to Harley. When the time came to 258 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:47.160 drop the title, I had wanted to see it go to Harley because I 259 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:48.880 felt obligated to him. I was the one who wanted it to be that 260 00:17:48.920 --> 00:17:52.680 way. I didn't give the NWA a lot of notice that I needed to 261 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:55.079 lose the belt, and they hadn't really prepared anyone else by that time. 262 00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:57.920 The closest they had to another candidate besides Harley was Rick Flair, by now 263 00:17:57.960 --> 00:18:02.160 a top star in Crocketsmith Atlantic territory. But I felt like Flair would have 264 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:04.960 another time and Harley deserved a good run with it. I knew Flair would 265 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:07.799 be champion someday, but if it had gone to Flair, Funk wrote, 266 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:11.519 I'm not sure Harley would have gotten another chance at it. So when we 267 00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:15.400 talk about star k eighty three. Boss. When we talk about how definitive 268 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:21.240 Flair Chasing Race was in terms of defining Rick Flair for a generation, it's 269 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:25.720 because Terry Funk didn't want to see it go straight to Rick. And so 270 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:27.240 you know, he was the one that put Harley in that position in a 271 00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:30.880 lot of ways by saying, no, that's the guy that I'm going to 272 00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:34.240 campaign in politic to lose the championship too. And then that was the rain 273 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:38.880 Funk losing it to Race. That was the definitive Harley Race rain that it 274 00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:41.559 took us all the way up to eighty one when he lost it to Dusty 275 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:45.839 gets it back, and then Flair he lost it to Dusty before that, 276 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:49.240 and then Flair gets it in eighty one from Dusty yep, and then they 277 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:52.200 build Flair Race and we're off to the races in so many ways, So 278 00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:59.279 again, Terry Funk setting in motion the definitive moments of every single wrestler that 279 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:03.319 he ever came in contact with. It seems like so crazy. All roads 280 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:07.440 lead to Terry, All revolves around the nucleus of Terry Funk. He says, 281 00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:10.440 I knew Flair would be champion someday, but if it had gone to 282 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:11.960 Flair, I'm not sure Harley would have gotten another chance at it. I'm 283 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:15.759 not sure I could have said I was a good fair man if I hadn't 284 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:18.839 helped the championship go to the man who came close to getting the votes when 285 00:19:18.839 --> 00:19:19.880 I ended up with it, that's right. Don't forget how close it was 286 00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:23.400 Fritz van Eric mm hmm casting that tie breaking vote to get the belt to 287 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:30.599 Terry and sort of accede to the Funk family's wishes instead of Harley Race Who 288 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:33.759 was the candidate supported by I believe it was Eddie Graham and Sam Muchneck. 289 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:37.680 We touched We already touched on that earlier in the series. I wanted to 290 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:41.000 do something Funk rights to see that things were done right by Harley. It 291 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:44.559 was a pretty damn big deal for Harley, who started wrestling when he was 292 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:47.160 fourteen, to be able to be the top dog in this business. I 293 00:19:47.160 --> 00:19:49.200 felt like it was important to Harley. I talked to Junior about and he 294 00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:52.160 felt the exact same way that I needed to do right by Harley. I 295 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:56.119 never was approached about being NWA champion a second time, and if I had 296 00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:59.480 been, I never would have taken it in a million years. I was 297 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:02.039 at a point and it was a point I was lucky to stay at for 298 00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:04.000 pretty much the rest of my career where I could pick my own dates instead 299 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:07.039 of letting someone else set them for me. And that's the heart of Terry 300 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:12.319 Funk. He is a guy who showed a way where you can actually be 301 00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:15.880 a total legend in this business, make a clean, good living in this 302 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:21.920 business, and call your own shots, and never really feel like you're under 303 00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:26.960 the thumb of some shot collar hm puppeteering your every move. And Funk wanted 304 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:30.720 that so badly that even when he went national for a cup of coffee in 305 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:36.519 the WWF and the NWA in the nineteen eighties, it only lasted so long 306 00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:41.720 because eventually the point came where that imbalance was presenting itself, where suddenly someone 307 00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:45.440 else had more say over what he did and said how it conducted himself than 308 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:48.839 he did. And that's just not who Terry Funk ever allowed himself to be. 309 00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:55.079 I really don't think that's a platitude. I really think that that it's 310 00:20:55.119 --> 00:20:59.079 the only thing that makes sense to explain the career paths that he chose, 311 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:03.400 and the moves and decisions he made at critical junctures, whereas Rick Flair when 312 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:07.319 he got the NWA Championship, he was everything be damned, his health, 313 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:12.200 his domestic life, his marriage, his kids, everything, and he's owned 314 00:21:12.279 --> 00:21:17.759 up to it. It was just like, I'm just going to completely grind 315 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:22.880 and obsess over being worthy of this championship, no one else being able to 316 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:26.799 match me after I walk back through the curtain defending the NBA Championship, and 317 00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:30.240 that's just the way it's going to be. And Funk just he felt that 318 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:33.519 that was too much annuring to the benefit of someone other than him, and 319 00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:36.599 he was right, and that's why, more than anything, in my opinion, 320 00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:41.960 he deserves to be celebrated. He says, I was at a point, 321 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:44.440 okay, like I said, instead of letting someone else set them for 322 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:45.880 me, I was heading the rules with my ability to build up an issue. 323 00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:49.160 I think I could have gone into any territory and been a good draw 324 00:21:49.319 --> 00:21:52.920 even if I'd never held the world title. Besides, I'd gotten back a 325 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:56.559 much better prize than any wrestling championship. Of course, that being a reference 326 00:21:56.599 --> 00:22:02.039 to being able to get back together with his wife shortly after relinquishing the top 327 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:07.359 spot in the industry, but of course Flair goes on to those great heights 328 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:11.799 as predicted. Flair has talked in several interviews about how, in addition to 329 00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:15.000 you know, the colorful scene back at the house with Funk chasing his dog 330 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:18.440 around and all that, that, he used to absolutely hound Terry Funk on 331 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:21.119 car rides about, Hey, you think they'll ever make me a world champion? 332 00:22:21.160 --> 00:22:22.519 Do you think? Do you think Oliver be the champ? Do you 333 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:26.079 think do you think they'll ever pick me? Over and over and over and 334 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:30.400 over again, and oh my god, and Funk doing the whole Oh, 335 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:32.400 one day, you know what, I want to go ahead, and well, 336 00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:33.720 I'm gonna go I'm gonna go on ahead and say maybe one day, 337 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:40.720 maybe two days. It took more than two days. It was he wanted 338 00:22:40.680 --> 00:22:44.480 to be exact when Rick Flair becames and way World heavyweight champion for the first 339 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:48.799 time, defeating Dusty Rhodes to become champion, and it was during that reign. 340 00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:51.519 It's probably not the first time they met, almost certainly is not, 341 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:56.559 but in terms of surviving videotape, this would be the first Terry Funk versus 342 00:22:56.640 --> 00:23:00.039 Rick Flair and w WA World heavyweight title match. It would be October seventh, 343 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:03.079 nineteen eighty one, and Boss, it's taking place in the ring of 344 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:10.039 All Japan Pro Wrestling. I invite you to consider a world where the nineteen 345 00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:14.000 eighty one Brick Flair, the brand newly meant to champion, sort of still 346 00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:17.799 unproven a little bit, is about to step into the All Japan ring, 347 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:22.279 which, of course the Funk family defined and essentially owned, to defend the 348 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:26.599 world championship against Terry Funk before the adoring All Japan public that loved Terry Funk 349 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:30.599 so much. So, we're gonna pull up Disc eight, all right, 350 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:38.839 Disk eight. I think that's a good idea. I think you should do 351 00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:52.119 songs for each disc. It's time for Disc eight. Disc eight. It 352 00:23:52.200 --> 00:24:02.039 is here disc aid will conquer my fear? Oh shit, where what's time? 353 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:03.599 Going to start? At the very beginning, Right at the very beginning? 354 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:07.279 All right, here we go, reve your engines. Before it was 355 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:11.920 Flair and Funk on TBS, before the nation pushing back in the scrappiest way 356 00:24:11.920 --> 00:24:18.559 against Vince McMahon's national ubiquity. It was Rick Flair, newly minted world champion, 357 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:22.119 letting the former NWA World Champion Terry Funk. Take him for a two 358 00:24:22.119 --> 00:24:25.720 out of three falls ride on home turf if you will. For the Funker 359 00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:32.160 in All Japan, we're going to hit play here three two one play. 360 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:34.160 Not much in the way of audio to worry about here, because this is 361 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:45.119 essentially fan cam style without much in the way of a commentary. Look at 362 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:51.759 Flair, Look at him? Yeah, Sam, he's he's very very big 363 00:24:51.839 --> 00:25:03.240 haired. Is young? Oh yeah, God, that's pretty much the star 364 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:07.720 KDD three robe the light Blue. Yeah, he just looks so young. 365 00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:15.000 He looks like a does he looks like a child. Yeah, there's the 366 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:18.559 Funker in his collegiate letterman jacket. It looks like he's throwing out those coins. 367 00:25:18.599 --> 00:25:23.359 Huge shootout to shootout his whole shout out to Fumisaido, who we played 368 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:26.599 a lot of clips from on the Al Japan episodes. Yeah, because someone 369 00:25:26.680 --> 00:25:30.000 had found a video of Terry Funk tossing what seemed to be like candy like 370 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:34.160 you would at a parade route mm hm into the crowd, which he's doing 371 00:25:34.200 --> 00:25:37.720 here before an All Japan match, And yeah, what's he doing is candy? 372 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:42.160 No? In fact, it was Terry Funk Forever commemorative coins that he 373 00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:45.880 would have made up specifically for all japan cards and the fans. You know, 374 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:48.319 the only way to get these coins was to be in attendance at a 375 00:25:48.359 --> 00:25:52.640 Terry Funk match and catch them when he threw them. So it wasn't it 376 00:25:52.680 --> 00:25:56.200 was just it was fake coins, fake coins. But I'm sure they're worth 377 00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:59.880 all. I'm sure they're worth something. Now it's the k fabe currency. 378 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.039 Ric Flair handed a large bouquet of flowers and keeping with the ceremonials around a 379 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:07.519 match of this import in Japan. I wonder what they did with the flowers, 380 00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:11.119 like, you know, did they keep him or are they just fucking 381 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:12.599 like the moment they were out of the arena this fucking toss him in the 382 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:17.720 true I think that's pretty much. Yeah, I probably saw it in the 383 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:21.519 dumpster, let's be yeah, yeah right exactly. I mean I can I 384 00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:25.880 can picture Flair like by the side of the arena outside just fucking pissing on 385 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:30.920 them. This is this is eighty one Terry Funk. This is the one 386 00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:36.039 battling with the chic and Adula the butcher for his fucking life with screaming, 387 00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:41.400 you know, young Japanese girls dressed like cheerleaders. Yes, begging for him 388 00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:45.720 to survive and fight, fight through. There's the ten pounds of gold flare 389 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:49.720 hmm, taking off that coveted championship. It's being presented here. I think 390 00:26:49.720 --> 00:26:56.799 this is the Buddhican. So this is not you know, this is not 391 00:26:56.920 --> 00:27:00.240 the Terry Funk that Rick Flair feuded with in nineteen eighty nine. This is 392 00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:03.960 not unstable Terry Funk. So it's fun to get a glimpse of Flair and 393 00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:07.680 Funk doing it technically, you know, yeah, oh yeah, that's very 394 00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:11.519 exciting. It's not the the blood feud style that they brought to TBS to 395 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:21.640 to and successfully so sparked the territory right all japan public wouldn't have expected that 396 00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:30.440 of Terry Funk there. It's the introduction. Yes he hung, look at 397 00:27:30.440 --> 00:27:41.440 that shit, all that fucking streamers and confetti and nowadays and with streamers is 398 00:27:41.480 --> 00:27:47.839 here on twitch. Mm. There's Rick Flair. But again, kind of 399 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:51.240 a mixed career in Japan. I mean he would go over there and have 400 00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:56.519 great matches. Yeah, but I never really sensed that the public like fell 401 00:27:56.559 --> 00:28:02.319 in love with Ric Flair in Japan like Funk and Hogan. I do agree, 402 00:28:02.359 --> 00:28:04.160 like, you know, you don't really hear about that that much. 403 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:08.880 And you hear about certainly some of the times and some of the more famous 404 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:15.160 occasions, but you don't hear the love like you know, you don't hear 405 00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:22.720 how like he could just go over there and let me put it this way, 406 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:26.000 no albums being cut by Rick Flair in Japan. Yeah, yeah, 407 00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:32.480 I feel like that there's little evidence that the Japanese quote unquote got Rick Flair, 408 00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:34.839 you know what I mean, Like what above is in ring ability, 409 00:28:34.839 --> 00:28:38.960 which of course is world class, made him such a resonance star in the 410 00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:42.920 United States. You know, these promos, that style of promo just there 411 00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:47.240 was no really there's no platform for them the way the Japanese wrestling scene was 412 00:28:47.240 --> 00:28:49.599 set up, Like where's he going to cut those promos? Yeah, and 413 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:53.000 have like a studio television show going out on Saturday mornings where it was designed 414 00:28:53.039 --> 00:28:56.559 to you know, build your character up. It was just matches and yeah, 415 00:28:56.720 --> 00:29:00.680 you did interviews backstage with the media with a tape on your forehead and 416 00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:06.160 a towel around your neck and talk about competition is tough in Japan. And 417 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:14.440 I woke up in the downtowner, never woke up in the never woke up 418 00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:17.119 in the uptowner, I did hear, I did know that about Let's to 419 00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:21.440 be clear about that. So Funk keeping a low base. They tease the 420 00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:23.039 knuckle lock, but it's a coloradlbow tie up. Flair back to the corner. 421 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:26.240 Now, Funk keeping a low base, trying to shoot in on Nate 422 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:30.200 s who's got the under hooks. Just love being able to get just one 423 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:33.119 glimpse of how these two would work when put in this context. Yep, 424 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:41.160 you trying to Flair gets that. Oh look at Flair. Flair already got 425 00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:45.640 to strut light strut, light strut. I mean, looks like the animated 426 00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:52.079 Brick Flair from the Camp w W E thing this. Yeah, coller and 427 00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:55.519 elbow to the top, wristlock they go, and it's a test of wills 428 00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:59.200 and strength. He eventually he looks more like a Triple H is terror Rizon 429 00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:02.599 at this point, Yes, he does. That is definitely one of the 430 00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:08.799 things that that's crossing my mind right now. It's almost like from the very 431 00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:11.759 beginning, Triple Ah realized he wasn't sit unless he was trying to, unless 432 00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:18.720 he was trying to be Rick Flair or or and or Harley Race Terry Funk 433 00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:22.559 with a decidedly Harley race wing outfit. Definitely, but the navy blue tights, 434 00:30:25.240 --> 00:30:29.160 but the knee pads. Tap, that's it. It's over. I 435 00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:32.200 saw Flair with a yank of the hair act that was probably you know what, 436 00:30:32.200 --> 00:30:34.720 that was a signal. That tap was a signal. I'm telling you 437 00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:38.559 what when Fun tapped that No, no, when when Flair tapped funk shoulder, 438 00:30:40.119 --> 00:30:44.000 that was a signal for him for for for Funk to take a bump. 439 00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:47.319 Very good, good eye. I'm telling Pallor an elbow to the arm 440 00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:49.240 ringer ghost Funk, who's got a taped left fist. We'll see if that 441 00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:53.200 comes into play. I look at that Terry hauling off with the point of 442 00:30:53.240 --> 00:31:00.000 his elbow to the shoulder. Elbows galore, twist, full arm dragon twist, 443 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:03.240 as Tony Sheivoni would say, though there's no arm dragon, no arm 444 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:10.720 drag at all, full twist and hammer lock yep. I always love that 445 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:15.559 when you have your your arm barred and you try to arm drag out of 446 00:31:15.559 --> 00:31:18.599 it, and yeah, the guy flips, but then he holds onto the 447 00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:22.000 arm and so you flip a second time, so the guy maintains control of 448 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:26.720 Funk controlling the arm of Flare on the canvas. Pretty sure this one's on 449 00:31:26.759 --> 00:31:30.799 YouTube, not too ar defined nineteen eighty one Terry Funk verst Ric Flair as 450 00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:34.200 sex Fancam. You know, we've seen so many pristine quality ultipan videos from 451 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:37.839 the scenes and eighties to the point like you cannot believe you're watching. Yeah, 452 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:41.559 like, but think about it, Think about the fucking camera that this 453 00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:45.480 person snuck into the arena essentially, Yeah, I mean, who knows, 454 00:31:45.519 --> 00:31:48.079 it's a giant fuck It's gonna be a shoulder thing. You know, this 455 00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:52.240 is the days of fucking you know. I don't even know if like VHS 456 00:31:52.920 --> 00:31:56.160 tapes were a thing you could record on yet, I don't know. And 457 00:31:56.279 --> 00:31:59.759 eighty one, I don't know how much Japan has always worked as strure they're 458 00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:01.720 alway ahead of the game. Yeah, hell, this was probably like mini 459 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:06.640 DV for Fuxation. No shit, I mean that those the quality of those, 460 00:32:06.759 --> 00:32:08.559 you know, real world, real world Tag League matches with Abby and 461 00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:13.519 stuff. I unbelieving. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it basically like HD. 462 00:32:14.200 --> 00:32:20.359 Yeah, Battle of Wills here is. I don't know about HD. 463 00:32:20.519 --> 00:32:23.279 That's a little, I know, extreme, a lot closer to HD. 464 00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:28.039 Than you ever would have expected video to look like in seventy nine. Yeah, 465 00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:30.920 I'm I'm, I'm, I'm gonna beyond that kind of a chicken wing 466 00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:36.279 almost being converted into a camel clutch position here by Terry Funkus flares on his 467 00:32:36.359 --> 00:32:37.480 knees, trying to find a way to get free, a lot of flash 468 00:32:37.480 --> 00:32:46.680 bulbs going off media while covering this methoughtical You know, this is not only 469 00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:51.400 get to w CW, No, not at all. No, It's gonna 470 00:32:51.400 --> 00:32:54.599 be fast paced, high impact, and I feel like as we go through 471 00:32:54.640 --> 00:32:58.359 the lapsed Funk, we run the risk of under representing this part of Terry 472 00:32:58.359 --> 00:33:00.799 Funk's career for no other reason than the tape is fairly limited of his world 473 00:33:00.839 --> 00:33:04.920 title reign, as we've talked about, but also, you know, his 474 00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:08.680 most legendary stuff happens to be knockdown, drag out fights. And it's right, 475 00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:13.640 it's not because he couldn't do this style. It's just because he was 476 00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:16.880 so remarkable and so revolutionary with what he did with the Brawlin style that that's 477 00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:24.599 understandably what most people remember and consider the essential Terry Funk. It's sort of 478 00:33:24.599 --> 00:33:28.359 like, you know, you can't you can't take in the essential ric Flair 479 00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:30.920 without the steamboat classics, right, and with Funk his version of that are 480 00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:36.519 not technical classics. There matches that, you know, turn the violence level 481 00:33:36.599 --> 00:33:40.960 up, in the intensity level up to a to a degree that people hadn't 482 00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:46.079 seen be at Memphis, be at Florida, be at Japan. Now it's 483 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:49.960 Flair back in the driver's seat with those two arms hooked. What do we 484 00:33:50.000 --> 00:33:51.880 call this move? It's like a bow and arrow. I don't know. 485 00:33:52.319 --> 00:34:00.039 We just grab the guy by the wrists and I feel like I know it, 486 00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:02.920 like if you're a moment well, it's like, uh, what's what's 487 00:34:02.920 --> 00:34:07.239 that? Like? I think it's like is it a boone and arrow? 488 00:34:07.280 --> 00:34:10.280 I don't know a boone and arrow? I feel like is and you've got 489 00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:14.119 one where you've got him on the knees? Yeah, isn't that that's a 490 00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:19.519 bone arrow? I think this is just I don't know. Uh, you 491 00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:22.360 just go up behind the guy, grab him by the wrists and just pull 492 00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:24.880 pull his arms back and like try to bring him together the wrists together. 493 00:34:27.199 --> 00:34:30.199 Now Terry Funk has reversed it again, almost converting it into almost an abdominal 494 00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:37.840 stretch position. Stepping over the knee of the nature boy. And this is 495 00:34:37.880 --> 00:34:40.440 it, this is in the Funker's repertoire, if this is what the moment 496 00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:45.639 calls for. Yeah, you can work a hold for eight minutes and hold 497 00:34:45.639 --> 00:34:49.039 your attention. That's not a problem. Ye, not at all. In 498 00:34:49.079 --> 00:34:52.719 fact, I like it. I like it quite a bit. Yeah, 499 00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:57.239 I think you know he's when this is all said and done, I think 500 00:34:57.239 --> 00:34:59.400 that's going to be. One of the coolest parts of Lapsed Funk is that 501 00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:04.880 we really aid like an equal faith effort to engage this Funk than the one 502 00:35:04.920 --> 00:35:07.400 ever Yes, Yes thinks about when we say we're going to do a tribute 503 00:35:07.400 --> 00:35:16.400 show to the Ropes Flair looking for a clean break, see if Terry Funk 504 00:35:16.440 --> 00:35:22.360 is inclined to give it to him, brother sort of grabs aside headlock, 505 00:35:22.440 --> 00:35:24.719 Funk pushed off, hits the ropes, tackle down, goes Flair. Here 506 00:35:24.760 --> 00:35:28.960 we go over the top and from the other end comes the Funker. Flare 507 00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:30.039 back to his feet, tries the hip toss, blocked by Fog, who 508 00:35:30.039 --> 00:35:35.960 sends Flare soaring through the air. Yeah, that's mind atlantic work rate. 509 00:35:38.519 --> 00:35:42.440 We live to see Flare hip tossed and then arm dragged in successions. Yes, 510 00:35:42.719 --> 00:35:45.760 yes, take that away from me, and I fuck, I might 511 00:35:45.760 --> 00:35:50.360 not even be a pro wrestling fan. Funk now controlling the arm of Flare 512 00:35:50.400 --> 00:36:05.880 on the canvas, target it in on that limbs here at the Japanese teady. 513 00:36:05.559 --> 00:36:12.119 Hey, yes he did. Yeah, Flare using both boots to kick 514 00:36:12.119 --> 00:36:15.960 off his back. Bunk loses grip on the arm and they both stand and 515 00:36:16.119 --> 00:36:22.760 the people pop. Yeah, standing up because Terry's got the Duke's up hear 516 00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:30.440 him? Listen. Yes, they're going nuts. I'm sure many of them 517 00:36:30.440 --> 00:36:34.760 showed up thinking they might very well witness the crowning of a new world champion 518 00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:42.639 here. Yeah, I suppose that's true. Huh. It's not like a 519 00:36:42.679 --> 00:36:45.760 giant Baba hadn't found ways to peel the belt off, Jack Brisco when no 520 00:36:45.800 --> 00:36:51.840 one just hanging out a little extra cash, you're frond, that's sam much 521 00:36:51.880 --> 00:36:53.239 Dick wanted to taste off when he touched down, even though he was against 522 00:36:53.280 --> 00:36:55.920 him doing it in the first place. Well, you know, Jack, 523 00:36:55.960 --> 00:36:58.679 if you're gonna do it, I mean, we need to talk about my 524 00:36:58.679 --> 00:37:06.159 percentage. I don't like the idea, but I'm obsessed with like people who 525 00:37:06.159 --> 00:37:12.320 have pristine reputations in wrestling for being like honest brokers, like still being greedy. 526 00:37:12.400 --> 00:37:15.880 I love it. Oh yeah, Like tell me a story about Hazano 527 00:37:15.960 --> 00:37:20.280 and fuck someone on a payoff because nobody's because you listen, nobody's honest in 528 00:37:20.360 --> 00:37:23.079 this business. I just feel like I feel like we're not close enough to 529 00:37:23.119 --> 00:37:25.480 the truth until I hear a story like that in wrestling, You know what 530 00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:28.639 I mean. I guess in life in general, but in pro wrestling in 531 00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:34.760 particular, it's like you can't you can't feel right about actually doing something other 532 00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:39.719 than a hay geography until you're like Dusty sing there's only there's only because like 533 00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:44.159 you know, there's only one Tom Hanks that's exactly right, okay, and 534 00:37:44.199 --> 00:37:47.480 that's why he's Tom Hanks because no one's got right right the flip side of 535 00:37:47.519 --> 00:37:50.719 the coin on that guy. Ooh, that was a miscue there, Funk 536 00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:58.400 sort of jumping out of the way to avoid a tackle a deep and wow, 537 00:37:58.480 --> 00:38:02.159 this is a big elbow player right to thatadlog take over good stuff good 538 00:38:02.280 --> 00:38:07.039 Yes, dare you say it? And dare you say it? Hard? 539 00:38:07.400 --> 00:38:09.719 My god? Still love that about the seventy style at this level, like 540 00:38:10.199 --> 00:38:15.920 you'd have holds and you'd have like slow, subtle jocking for position and then 541 00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:21.480 an explosion of action. Yeah, and then and then and then if someone 542 00:38:21.519 --> 00:38:25.840 feels like they're getting a little you know that they're that they're losing their momentum, 543 00:38:25.880 --> 00:38:29.159 they slow it down. Now bring the other guy's gonna run away with 544 00:38:29.199 --> 00:38:30.480 it if I don't do it right. Player is doing right now, get 545 00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:32.440 back on the mat with the headline right, and he's trying to think about 546 00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:37.880 what can he do to to you know, subdue this guy. It's it's 547 00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:40.800 it's that kind of shit. I just don't understand. I guess I just 548 00:38:40.840 --> 00:38:45.000 don't understand why people don't find that interesting. Yeah, why people don't think 549 00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:50.920 that that's the building blocks of pro wrestling, like not just a style or 550 00:38:51.000 --> 00:38:52.599 time and period. No, it is pro wrestling, it is, right, 551 00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:59.360 it's not it's not pro wrestling until it starts from that place something else. 552 00:38:59.400 --> 00:39:04.360 It's you know, an exhibition. Why people need all the flippy floppy 553 00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:08.360 ship Like what's the like? What why is this not entertaining? I mean, 554 00:39:08.519 --> 00:39:13.679 oh my god, wow, holy shit, how about that? How 555 00:39:13.679 --> 00:39:15.440 often do you see Rick Flair send someone into the corner and they go inside 556 00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:20.920 out? Even more dramatically than then Flare would fucking dumped and get dumped on 557 00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:23.679 the fucking oh you hit through the ring post there, fans are just there, 558 00:39:23.719 --> 00:39:30.199 They're not even There's not even a fucking barrier, not even a cheesy 559 00:39:30.280 --> 00:39:34.360 rope. I know. Yeah, Funk not only went inside out of the 560 00:39:34.360 --> 00:39:37.039 buckle, but he like he almost bounced off the other side of what's soaring 561 00:39:37.039 --> 00:39:44.840 to the floor as well. That might be something else we can say he 562 00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:49.199 crystallized in Rick Flair's mind. As you take a corner that way back in 563 00:39:49.239 --> 00:39:53.000 and here come the chops, Flare throwing Bunk brought to a knee with a 564 00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:55.679 stiff right by nature hook. Here we go, Here we go, Here 565 00:39:55.719 --> 00:40:02.079 we go? Fair is the very Claire Wow. Do you see the flash 566 00:40:02.079 --> 00:40:09.559 bulbs on that delayed Flat over the locked out Funk in trouble? Could Flair 567 00:40:09.599 --> 00:40:15.840 take the first fall here? But again, that explosion of offense, that's 568 00:40:15.960 --> 00:40:21.079 just great. It's like Funk zigged when he should have zagged. He ended 569 00:40:21.159 --> 00:40:22.920 up getting that nasty ride in the corner, and then Flair just went nuts 570 00:40:23.000 --> 00:40:27.760 capitalizing. That's how it should be. Pounce, pounce, Yeah, because 571 00:40:27.760 --> 00:40:31.719 you had to be looking for the window. That's exactly right. Terry Funk's 572 00:40:31.840 --> 00:40:37.679 struggling mightily, smacking his arm down on the canvas, trying to you out 573 00:40:37.719 --> 00:40:40.239 the pain that the hold has been broken. Yes, it appears, Yes, 574 00:40:40.320 --> 00:40:45.599 Terry Funk is conceived. He tapped world champion Rick Flair takes the first 575 00:40:45.599 --> 00:40:50.400 fall here. Yeah, the altrapan public not accustomed seeing Terry Funk submit. 576 00:40:50.480 --> 00:40:53.800 I'll tell you that that's a So he's given Rick Flair a lot of credibility 577 00:40:53.800 --> 00:41:00.159 in front of these people by doing that. No bullshit DQ count now you 578 00:41:00.199 --> 00:41:01.880 know, which, of course was something all Japan as we saw in a 579 00:41:01.880 --> 00:41:07.440 lot of those dorientary tag matches. They weren't ashamed to use that. Yeah, 580 00:41:07.480 --> 00:41:13.079 but like you know, again back then, they're they're they're just has 581 00:41:13.119 --> 00:41:16.039 become this and I don't I don't really know what it what it it was 582 00:41:16.440 --> 00:41:28.280 that that hurt count out victories and whatever. But there was such a thing 583 00:41:28.320 --> 00:41:31.320 because I again I remember as a kid, you have a count out or 584 00:41:31.400 --> 00:41:37.840 DQ, you're still happy that the guy you want one or not. You 585 00:41:37.880 --> 00:41:40.880 know, like there's there there was something there is Jerry Lawler Terry Funk match 586 00:41:42.079 --> 00:41:45.800 that ended in a in a count out yep, Lawler was content to beat 587 00:41:45.800 --> 00:41:47.960 the shit out of Funk on the floor with a chair and then stand in 588 00:41:47.960 --> 00:41:52.239 the ring and watch the ref count them mount And what so what was it 589 00:41:52.360 --> 00:41:58.960 that made it not okay, like to make it disappointing that that was going 590 00:41:59.039 --> 00:42:02.760 to be the way? Good question? I think as fans became smarter and 591 00:42:02.840 --> 00:42:08.239 they started to see that as the booker shortcutting them instead of the logical outcome 592 00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:14.360 of two people having a real fight. I think it's probably that. And 593 00:42:14.440 --> 00:42:15.719 you know something else just came to mind. Look at Flair, go look 594 00:42:15.760 --> 00:42:20.800 at as soon as the second pounced, he jumped on Funk and peppered him 595 00:42:20.800 --> 00:42:23.800 in the forehead with shots. Jesus, you know you know what else though 596 00:42:23.800 --> 00:42:28.920 too? I thought about it's it's when they started doing when they stopped doing 597 00:42:30.679 --> 00:42:40.960 squash matches on on TV and started just having you know, real superstar versus 598 00:42:42.039 --> 00:42:47.280 Superstar matches and you do DQ's on TV to set up a real finish on 599 00:42:47.320 --> 00:42:51.000 pay per view? Right? Who tells you didn't see the real deal? 600 00:42:51.440 --> 00:42:54.960 Right? And that's the problem that ten Bruno matches were DQ's anyway. It 601 00:42:55.000 --> 00:42:59.559 wasn't like it felt ripped off, right, You are like, how many 602 00:42:59.599 --> 00:43:07.119 fucking times have we seen world title matches in promotions because that just wasn't the 603 00:43:07.119 --> 00:43:09.679 way you did business because the champion wasn't going to lose the belt there, 604 00:43:09.800 --> 00:43:14.079 yeah, you know, but they ended on a It didn't always end with 605 00:43:14.119 --> 00:43:17.440 the champion winning. It ended with the champion getting disqualified or counted out or 606 00:43:17.440 --> 00:43:22.199 something. You know, there was a way to make the other guy look 607 00:43:22.360 --> 00:43:24.920 look great. And it's pretty fascinating. We're talking about this in the context 608 00:43:24.920 --> 00:43:29.960 of All Japan because it was Baba's decision to pivot in the early nineties to 609 00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:34.880 an all clean finishes format that created all of those legendary All Japan matches with 610 00:43:35.039 --> 00:43:38.079 Masau and Kowata and Kobashi and Tawei and all the rest. Because people actually 611 00:43:38.119 --> 00:43:43.199 could show up to the mega matches and know that someone was getting pinned clean 612 00:43:43.400 --> 00:43:46.840 that became there a key point of differentiation for them from New Japan was that, 613 00:43:47.000 --> 00:43:50.480 you know, you could get a roster that would put each other over 614 00:43:50.519 --> 00:43:52.599 in that way, and there Johnny Ace played a role on booking a lot 615 00:43:52.639 --> 00:43:57.559 of those finishes. That's why WCW brought him in two thousand to handle finishes 616 00:43:57.559 --> 00:44:00.760 because he was a guy who had a proven track record of having one guy 617 00:44:00.800 --> 00:44:05.119 go over another and it not sort of killing the promotion or the marketability the 618 00:44:05.159 --> 00:44:07.159 loser. Oh my goodness, geez, So quite a bit has happened here. 619 00:44:07.159 --> 00:44:10.400 First of all, I'm fascinated. Flair played it really straight in the 620 00:44:10.400 --> 00:44:15.079 first fall to get to pull ahead, and then the second the second fall 621 00:44:15.079 --> 00:44:17.119 starts, he gets ultraviolent, just like a complete mania. Yeah, he's 622 00:44:17.159 --> 00:44:21.440 like just trying to fucking kill. And he was chopping the shit and Funk. 623 00:44:21.679 --> 00:44:23.440 Funk was hanging, you know, by his ass on the ropes and 624 00:44:23.480 --> 00:44:27.559 then just took a header to the concrete and then he came back in and 625 00:44:27.559 --> 00:44:31.119 now he's kicking Flair in the balls from the blind side. Referee kind of 626 00:44:31.519 --> 00:44:36.559 admonishing Funk for it. But Funk can maybe a little plausible deniability there. 627 00:44:36.679 --> 00:44:42.519 He's looking at the people he's fucking. He's strutting like Flair is Flairs throwing 628 00:44:42.679 --> 00:44:45.159 a few struts in. There's getting a little two cocky, oh, by 629 00:44:45.159 --> 00:44:55.079 the way, And there it is Funk holding one rope and striking with the 630 00:44:55.119 --> 00:44:59.599 other, holding the rope with one hand and striking with the other. Flair 631 00:44:59.760 --> 00:45:02.840 swim and back totally with Wow. Funk drops him with a huge left and 632 00:45:02.840 --> 00:45:07.719 it's Funk stepping over with his leg locks admission. Oh he's look at that, 633 00:45:07.000 --> 00:45:09.760 the spinning toe hold in the flashbulbs going off here in all Japan, 634 00:45:09.800 --> 00:45:14.000 Flair, will he concede? Even a streamer falls hunt up of Rick as 635 00:45:14.039 --> 00:45:17.880 he gives up, and that's it Flair And look at this Funk immediately but 636 00:45:19.000 --> 00:45:22.480 punching the shit out of Flare on the canvas, even though we're supposed to 637 00:45:22.480 --> 00:45:37.639 reach the rest period. That's good stuff, that's great. I love him. 638 00:45:37.679 --> 00:45:42.239 Pro wrestling when guys have similar finishers. Yes, you know Kurt Angle 639 00:45:42.320 --> 00:45:44.760 versus Ken Shamrock, Yes, please, you know it never happened, but 640 00:45:45.039 --> 00:45:50.280 I know, remember remember the triple threat match we always dreamed about, which 641 00:45:50.480 --> 00:45:57.719 was which was Kurt Angle versus Ken Shamrock and Chris Benoi Because he stole all 642 00:45:57.760 --> 00:46:07.039 their moves. Oh, no, one's safe from chain grappling and no isolating 643 00:46:07.079 --> 00:46:12.159 a limb, not at all. It's an The rest period is set in 644 00:46:12.679 --> 00:46:15.320 Terry Funk and Ric Flair have both split a fall for the n w A 645 00:46:15.360 --> 00:46:21.079 World's Heavyweight Championship here in Tokyo, and the Steaks couldn't be higher. It's 646 00:46:21.119 --> 00:46:22.800 a hibachi, I was gonna say, And you know, we get that 647 00:46:24.679 --> 00:46:30.880 some Wygo beef cut that right, the Flair big on the cell of the 648 00:46:30.880 --> 00:46:38.039 spinning to the steakhouse afterwards, absolutely, oh my god, and knights, 649 00:46:39.880 --> 00:46:46.239 Oh my god, knights and pungi that sounds. Here we go and Flair 650 00:46:46.280 --> 00:46:50.039 is trying to keep his distance, you know, kind of swatting away at 651 00:46:50.039 --> 00:46:58.199 Fund's hands, knowing his leg is compromised, throws a kick and they both 652 00:46:58.199 --> 00:47:00.360 should have compromised legs, though should Yeah, Funk's kind of limp and it's 653 00:47:00.400 --> 00:47:07.159 doing it, but Flair's is more fresh. Flare tossed violently through the ropes 654 00:47:07.159 --> 00:47:16.360 to the floor by the Funker up above the people. Atomic drop. I 655 00:47:16.360 --> 00:47:20.280 love how when they have like a single camera shot like, yeah, you 656 00:47:20.320 --> 00:47:22.079 can't cut to the atomic drop, you just have to see you sore above 657 00:47:22.119 --> 00:47:30.199 the heads of the people. Terry found taking this to a very violent place 658 00:47:30.239 --> 00:47:38.079 in the third fall, this one. You know, we did get a 659 00:47:38.079 --> 00:47:42.400 lot of technical give and take, but this one's more of a brawl than 660 00:47:42.440 --> 00:47:50.400 I expected. Yeah, what's need is that it's evolved, though you know 661 00:47:50.519 --> 00:47:55.559 it's evolved to it it didn't. It didn't start out that way, right, 662 00:47:55.639 --> 00:48:00.960 there's desperation setting me right. Yeah, they're both they've both got bad 663 00:48:01.000 --> 00:48:06.199 wheels. Funk grabs a sad push off tackle and both go down. Wow, 664 00:48:07.760 --> 00:48:15.719 they're both nervous. Song's flying by mane the people. It really his 665 00:48:21.079 --> 00:48:23.920 saying, Terry, is that what they're saying. Claire stumbles out to the 666 00:48:23.920 --> 00:48:27.840 apron and Rick Claire is climbing the rope. Uh oh, we know what's 667 00:48:27.840 --> 00:48:30.760 happening. Bunk cuts them off. Look at that. Look at that nineteen 668 00:48:30.840 --> 00:48:37.119 eighty one, nineteen eighty one, and they're doing that perfect press lamb off 669 00:48:37.159 --> 00:48:39.360 the top. Funk going back to the spinning toe hold, Flare trying to 670 00:48:39.440 --> 00:48:47.199 kick off with he does Funk craw them up google one two, Funk kicks 671 00:48:47.199 --> 00:48:50.199 out. Oh wow, I thought that was going to be it. He 672 00:48:50.239 --> 00:48:53.800 grabbed tights too, I thought for shows. Back up right and an elbow 673 00:48:54.000 --> 00:48:59.880 fucking double under hook's here. That's the signature funks who play. He can't 674 00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:05.079 out fucking him. That drop to counter and Funk falls on top of Flare 675 00:49:05.199 --> 00:49:07.599 arms and tangles one. Oh, here we go. Two. He hit 676 00:49:07.679 --> 00:49:09.599 three, but Flair's foot it's on the bottom. Rope and the reft his 677 00:49:09.679 --> 00:49:14.840 side. Nope, nope, nope, that's right Flare hanging out of the 678 00:49:14.840 --> 00:49:15.840 title by the skin of his teeth. Funk comes up with his arm rights 679 00:49:15.920 --> 00:49:27.719 like he won, referee informing Funk it's not over yet. There Funker Harry 680 00:49:27.719 --> 00:49:35.480 Funk, looking like a Patrick mahomes Sunday with the call. They re engage. 681 00:49:35.679 --> 00:49:38.800 Whoa, what the fuck? What? Terry just both flaired the ropes. 682 00:49:38.880 --> 00:49:43.360 Terry jumps, puts his asses on the top and then they tumble out, 683 00:49:43.440 --> 00:49:47.159 flips backwards and takes Rick Flair with him straight to hell because he doesn't 684 00:49:47.159 --> 00:49:49.880 give a fuck. He didn't give a fuck, then he doesn't give a 685 00:49:49.880 --> 00:49:52.360 fuck today. I sends double count out. Oh no, they think I'm 686 00:49:52.440 --> 00:49:58.960 backing reft lane in the count. I send double cross, I send I 687 00:49:59.039 --> 00:50:04.000 sense double Aha. It's like Funks ramming Flare in a furniture there at ringside. 688 00:50:04.000 --> 00:50:06.679 We can't quite see. We're getting he's counting the referees, counting fast 689 00:50:07.519 --> 00:50:12.079 twenty count in Japan. Of course, hey, Flare might be opened up. 690 00:50:12.079 --> 00:50:21.480 There's busted Flair's busted referees outside now a restaurant again between him, because 691 00:50:21.519 --> 00:50:24.639 this is just yeah, there's the sound Yeah, there's the bell yep well, 692 00:50:27.960 --> 00:50:34.039 Flare throwing chops. They're still brawling, flashbulbs going lefts flying. Used 693 00:50:34.079 --> 00:50:37.559 to work a lot for the photographers because we've talked about the influential role. 694 00:50:37.119 --> 00:50:42.000 Oh yeah, magazines played in Japan way more so than the United States, 695 00:50:42.800 --> 00:50:45.199 and so everyone was always jockeying to have the greatest action shot so that they 696 00:50:45.199 --> 00:50:50.039 could be on the cover of the Japanese wrestling magazines. That's so funny. 697 00:50:50.440 --> 00:50:52.000 A lot of the extreme things that like him and Foley would go on to 698 00:50:52.000 --> 00:50:55.119 do in the death matches. Yeah, you know, really, the primary 699 00:50:55.119 --> 00:50:59.440 motivation was, like, the magazines can't not put this on the cover because 700 00:50:59.440 --> 00:51:00.440 it's going to sell that it's the most dampest thing you've ever seen in the 701 00:51:00.480 --> 00:51:05.880 wrestling room. So the bell of Sounder, these two are still brawling. 702 00:51:05.880 --> 00:51:07.920 They're back up on the apron now and Flare is throwing shoulders to the gut 703 00:51:07.920 --> 00:51:15.559 of Funk from the apron, shopping away his bad hand as well. What's 704 00:51:15.559 --> 00:51:16.920 going to take to stop this one? Flair's in there pepping them with shots. 705 00:51:16.920 --> 00:51:29.119 They're still working here. It comes all japan personnel. Oh my god, 706 00:51:30.320 --> 00:51:32.400 Funk just launched a chair from the bottom of the frame in at right, 707 00:51:32.559 --> 00:51:37.280 the fucking head on the apron. Oh he never lands with those wild 708 00:51:37.440 --> 00:51:42.519 No, he doesn't. I hope that was I hope that was on purpose. 709 00:51:43.639 --> 00:51:46.079 So let's it pause. There quite a piece of business. Jesus, 710 00:51:46.239 --> 00:51:51.760 that's wild. So that's Flair and Funk and in the nineteen eighty one context 711 00:51:51.760 --> 00:51:58.079 for the World Heavyweight Championship. But it's time now to move to the definitive 712 00:51:58.119 --> 00:52:01.519 feud. The definitive year nineteen eighty nine many considered kind of the greatest year 713 00:52:01.519 --> 00:52:06.280 of wrestling ever, you know, pound for pound, match for match, 714 00:52:06.360 --> 00:52:09.800 territory for territory, and Terry Funk playing no small part and making nineteen eighty 715 00:52:09.840 --> 00:52:15.119 nine the legendary year that it was. Of course, this being eighty one. 716 00:52:15.400 --> 00:52:16.920 Funk goes on to retire from Ultrapan in eighty three, comes back in 717 00:52:16.960 --> 00:52:22.280 eighty four, but then sort of, you know, starts working a collection 718 00:52:22.320 --> 00:52:27.599 of independence including going to Pro Wrestling USA as it started to get going to 719 00:52:27.639 --> 00:52:30.760 counteract what Vince was doing. Goes to the WWF as we talked about last 720 00:52:30.760 --> 00:52:34.039 time in nineteen eighty five and nineteen eighty six. Then does a lot of 721 00:52:34.159 --> 00:52:37.679 work in Puerto Rico, which we'll we'll get to when we spend some time 722 00:52:37.719 --> 00:52:43.880 focusing on Terry Funk's international exploits post the nineteen eighty three Ultapan retirement. Anti 723 00:52:43.920 --> 00:52:47.960 also gets out, I think, mostly Puerto Rico, and you know, 724 00:52:49.079 --> 00:52:51.920 does Wildside and tries to make the Hollywood thing happened, does over the Top, 725 00:52:52.960 --> 00:52:57.559 and of course does Roadhouse. And we know how important a Roadhouse shoot 726 00:52:57.639 --> 00:53:00.639 was to this initial brick flare angle in nineteen eighty nine. We we do 727 00:53:00.719 --> 00:53:05.960 indeed talked about it most recently on the episode of Under the Cinemat that's available 728 00:53:06.000 --> 00:53:10.639 now on Patreon, covering that film. But as Jim Hurd takes over in 729 00:53:10.679 --> 00:53:17.000 November nineteen eighty eight and Ted Turner buys Jim Crockett Promotions, he makes a 730 00:53:17.039 --> 00:53:23.880 phone call and it's uh, it's Jim Hurd for Terry Funk. That Atlanta 731 00:53:23.960 --> 00:53:28.440 zip zip code showing up on the caller idea in Amarilla, No question about 732 00:53:28.440 --> 00:53:36.639 it, that Terry Funk. Huh what they tell me that if I need 733 00:53:36.679 --> 00:53:38.760 to pop the territory, you're you're just the man for it. I've heard 734 00:53:38.840 --> 00:53:43.840 you're pretty good at uh at at getting in numbers. Is that? Is 735 00:53:43.840 --> 00:53:45.960 that true? You get a good Uh, you get a good thing going 736 00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:50.360 on there? Is that? Uh? You know, I'm not very familiar 737 00:53:50.519 --> 00:53:52.920 with with you at all. Uh. Can you give me a list of 738 00:53:52.960 --> 00:53:59.079 maybe your credentials. Oh, you won the NWA championship, it was Uh, 739 00:54:00.039 --> 00:54:01.079 it's a top man of the business for a little while there. And 740 00:54:01.119 --> 00:54:05.400 of course, my father and a lot of ways to find wrestling in West 741 00:54:05.519 --> 00:54:07.519 Texas, and so I grew up under the learning trend. I'm sorry. 742 00:54:07.559 --> 00:54:12.880 And your and your your father was was who who? Oh those dory functions? 743 00:54:14.079 --> 00:54:15.880 I see, I see? I know you used to if I'm not 744 00:54:15.960 --> 00:54:20.599 mistaken, mister Hurd used to be the television director at the television station, 745 00:54:20.760 --> 00:54:22.920 used to broadcast wrestling at the Chase. Is that correct? Used to know 746 00:54:22.960 --> 00:54:28.039 Sam much Nicking company? Well, I listen to be To be honest, 747 00:54:28.119 --> 00:54:35.840 my passion lies in pizza. That's the title of his book, My Passion 748 00:54:35.920 --> 00:54:40.400 Lies in Pizza. It's just him holding a pie on the cover. Stupid 749 00:54:40.480 --> 00:54:45.840 smile. It's like, how can we make this book as much of a 750 00:54:45.960 --> 00:54:52.000 stock image as possible? Well, your passion lies and and and what now? 751 00:54:52.880 --> 00:55:02.360 Why I'm I'm a pizza man. Actually that's the title, and who 752 00:55:02.360 --> 00:55:06.679 comes over in the transaction, not only Rick Flair, but Jim Ross. 753 00:55:06.760 --> 00:55:10.159 Jim Ross had, you know, slowly but surely ascended to the top announcing 754 00:55:10.199 --> 00:55:15.480 position at the tail end after Jim Crockett bought the UWF where I was working 755 00:55:15.480 --> 00:55:21.639 for Bill Wattson and come NWA WCW, launching Jim Ross as the voice of 756 00:55:21.679 --> 00:55:24.000 the organization, working out of the offices in Atlanta. And you know, 757 00:55:24.760 --> 00:55:28.320 as he would say, when the booking committee would get back on flights when 758 00:55:28.320 --> 00:55:30.880 they finished their business at the office and be at the airport for four o'clock. 759 00:55:31.320 --> 00:55:36.039 Jr. Who was living there, would still be there by lamplight with 760 00:55:36.159 --> 00:55:42.239 Jim Hurd and they'd go out for drinks and became a trusted advisor. Jim 761 00:55:42.320 --> 00:55:45.480 Ross rather became a trusted advisor to Jim Hurd in those early days of w 762 00:55:45.639 --> 00:55:49.840 CW, and to hear JR. Tellett most recently on his podcast with Conrad 763 00:55:49.880 --> 00:55:52.960 Thompson Jr. Playing no small role and putting the bug in the ear of 764 00:55:53.000 --> 00:55:55.960 Jim Hurd, that you know what we need right now in a territory like 765 00:55:55.960 --> 00:56:00.760 this, in a position that we're in we need the funker. Well, 766 00:56:00.800 --> 00:56:07.039 you know, I talked to Herd about a lot of things, and because 767 00:56:07.079 --> 00:56:10.400 again you know, you know the dynamic there, the booking committee and all 768 00:56:10.400 --> 00:56:15.480 that stuff. As soon as three point thirty or four o'clock came, those 769 00:56:15.519 --> 00:56:20.719 guys are on planes to Charlotte or wherever getting home. And so that would 770 00:56:20.800 --> 00:56:25.199 leave me with mister Hurd, which I didn't mind quite frankly. You know, 771 00:56:25.239 --> 00:56:31.400 we had good conversations about football and sometimes about wrestling. But I told 772 00:56:31.480 --> 00:56:36.039 him that I thought that Terry could help us, and I thought he could 773 00:56:36.079 --> 00:56:39.679 help the roster, not just a match, I said. And plus, 774 00:56:39.679 --> 00:56:43.559 he's got a great way of booking himself. He understands what he can do, 775 00:56:43.639 --> 00:56:49.159 what he can't do, he can he'll do a believable angle. And 776 00:56:49.320 --> 00:56:53.599 I think he's a fresh face, and he's got a great name, great 777 00:56:53.639 --> 00:56:59.880 reputation. And at that time, you know, we were honoring the NDA 778 00:57:00.280 --> 00:57:05.960 a little bit more and he's a former champion. So uh, but Terry 779 00:57:05.960 --> 00:57:09.679 exceeded what I perceived he might do when he came to w c W at 780 00:57:09.719 --> 00:57:16.079 that point time. He over he over delivered, in my opinion. And 781 00:57:16.119 --> 00:57:20.280 do you remember the first time he would have caught a glimpse of Terry Funk 782 00:57:20.320 --> 00:57:28.599 on this run on a show we covered m It's a pretense under which he 783 00:57:28.679 --> 00:57:30.719 was brought in because it's illustrated by the wrestle Worredy nine finish. It wasn't 784 00:57:30.760 --> 00:57:35.559 like Terry Funk came in as somebody that was advertised as wrestling for the nw 785 00:57:35.920 --> 00:57:38.519 He was digitary, he was he was a judge and stuff like he was 786 00:57:38.679 --> 00:57:46.119 judge for that match. But I don't recall what outside of that what he 787 00:57:46.639 --> 00:57:50.760 is. The April second Clash of the Champions in New Orleans, Flairsteam vote 788 00:57:50.760 --> 00:57:57.880 two out of three falls Raging Cajun Superdomin's Right against WrestleMania five, and it 789 00:57:58.000 --> 00:58:01.719 was a night where the nw A was going to honor past world champions, 790 00:58:01.880 --> 00:58:06.320 sort of like they did at Bad Blood nineteen ninety seven in Saint Louis, 791 00:58:06.880 --> 00:58:09.280 and Uh, Terry Funk was among the former champions on hand. And not 792 00:58:09.320 --> 00:58:14.199 only was he on hand to be honored at that clash, he provided color 793 00:58:14.239 --> 00:58:17.360 commentary for the Flair steamboat match. He was on the car. I do 794 00:58:17.440 --> 00:58:21.360 remember that shoulder the shoulder with Jim Ross. As a matter of fact, 795 00:58:21.480 --> 00:58:25.280 yep, yeah, and damn good at Color so good. The fact that 796 00:58:25.639 --> 00:58:30.000 after the Flare program was over in eighty nine, they started transitioning him into 797 00:58:30.000 --> 00:58:34.199 an announcing role, sort of putting Terry Funk a little more, a little 798 00:58:34.199 --> 00:58:37.760 closer than he was comfortable with to signaling to the national television audience that he 799 00:58:37.840 --> 00:58:42.519 was done as an active wrestler without necessarily consulting him on on that portrayal. 800 00:58:44.519 --> 00:58:46.719 But he came in if I didn't agree to this, I didn't agree to 801 00:58:47.559 --> 00:58:51.280 what what's going on? Wait a minute? What are your suggesting that I'm 802 00:58:51.440 --> 00:58:54.559 well, you're against Flair or I quit the business? Because did you? 803 00:58:54.719 --> 00:59:00.400 Are you Wait a minute, mister Hurd, did you say is that I 804 00:59:00.480 --> 00:59:04.880 quit match? Are you saying that? What are you saying here? I 805 00:59:04.920 --> 00:59:07.320 just quit the match? Well, not Terry, you quit the business. 806 00:59:08.360 --> 00:59:10.239 I don't know if you, but I know even not in the head a 807 00:59:10.239 --> 00:59:15.519 few times, and I mean that's it does say that in your It does 808 00:59:15.559 --> 00:59:20.800 say that in your contract that you know your your career will culminate in a 809 00:59:20.960 --> 00:59:25.440 your time here will culminate in a quit match, and your time here on 810 00:59:25.559 --> 00:59:35.480 earth will culminate in the UH the declaration that you quit the business in this 811 00:59:35.679 --> 00:59:38.239 in this match. So when you said I quit the Flair, you said 812 00:59:38.280 --> 00:59:47.039 I quit everything, not what what Wait a minute, mister Hurd, I 813 00:59:47.159 --> 00:59:52.880 never said I quit the business. I said I'm gonna quit the match. 814 00:59:52.639 --> 01:00:00.760 And I don't wait, how is what I think He's trying to say? 815 01:00:01.559 --> 01:00:07.519 Where am I right now? I gotta wait, what are you saying? 816 01:00:07.280 --> 01:00:15.320 I'm saying you're just another topping on the pie that Terry Funk. And he 817 01:00:15.360 --> 01:00:17.880 goes, what the fuck does that even mean? He's already been insulted. 818 01:00:17.920 --> 01:00:23.760 He just doesn't get it. And he was good on commentary and he was 819 01:00:23.800 --> 01:00:28.360 straight laced, and yeah, that was part of why the turn on Flare 820 01:00:28.400 --> 01:00:31.360 at Wrestle War was so impactful because the fans watching week to week had seen 821 01:00:31.400 --> 01:00:35.559 and heard Funk play it totally straight, like he was coming into be an 822 01:00:35.559 --> 01:00:38.920 announcer. You didn't expect him to have like a sudden outburst of physicality because 823 01:00:39.360 --> 01:00:43.519 he was never presented to the audience as a wrestler. It didn't You didn't 824 01:00:43.519 --> 01:00:46.159 smell angle coming, you really didn't. And when he was offering commentary for 825 01:00:46.199 --> 01:00:50.400 the Flair Steamboat two or three falls match on TBS, he was very calling 826 01:00:50.400 --> 01:00:52.760 it down the middle and sort of like, you know, taking on the 827 01:00:52.800 --> 01:00:55.480 role of an enthusiastic fan who just was marveling at what these guys were doing 828 01:00:55.519 --> 01:01:00.320 in the ring. I still remember, you know, him adding some real 829 01:01:00.360 --> 01:01:02.760 gravitas. He was a great person to say, like, no, what 830 01:01:02.840 --> 01:01:08.000 these guys are doing a special like I'll stake my reputation on praising these guys 831 01:01:08.039 --> 01:01:12.880 like big time on the air, never once sort of as far as I 832 01:01:12.880 --> 01:01:16.280 can recall, intimating or hinting that he's kind of pissed off at rick Flair 833 01:01:16.480 --> 01:01:22.320 or wants the next shot after Ricky Steamboat or whoever might emerge champion and indeed 834 01:01:22.840 --> 01:01:27.320 come wrestle wards. It's quite an issue for the Funker. But in terms 835 01:01:27.360 --> 01:01:30.960 of bringing him in in the conception of it and and the dollars and cents 836 01:01:30.960 --> 01:01:35.199 of it, here's Jim Hurd also with Conrad Thompson is Conrad, to his 837 01:01:35.239 --> 01:01:37.760 credit, was able to track down the form of Pizza Man for probably be 838 01:01:37.800 --> 01:01:44.239 his last interview conversations with Conrad where he talks about bringing in the Funker. 839 01:01:44.760 --> 01:01:49.719 I paid Terry more money than he had ever made. He was at his 840 01:01:50.960 --> 01:01:55.400 name, crazy name of his ranch, the Double Cross Range, the Double 841 01:01:55.400 --> 01:02:01.280 Cross Rate, Double Cross Ranch, and and he can name that after double 842 01:02:01.360 --> 01:02:12.280 Cross sure anyway, Terry. Of course I knew Uh, Terry's brother Dorry 843 01:02:12.400 --> 01:02:19.800 when he was champion for Sam Mutchnick right here, and we can get into 844 01:02:19.880 --> 01:02:22.280 one of the most important names in wrestling if you want to, at some 845 01:02:22.400 --> 01:02:31.039 point, which was Mudsnick. But uh, the Dory Funk Junior was the 846 01:02:31.159 --> 01:02:36.679 NWA champion at one time. And that's why. That's how I knew his 847 01:02:36.880 --> 01:02:39.679 father, Dorry Funk, Sr. Who was one of the toughest guys you 848 01:02:39.760 --> 01:02:45.239 ever want to meet. And uh, and his brother was Terry. And 849 01:02:45.360 --> 01:02:52.199 Terry was the caboose of that family wrestlers out of Texas. And Terry was 850 01:02:52.239 --> 01:02:58.960 a funny, funny guy and uh, and a pretty good wrestler. I'll 851 01:02:58.960 --> 01:03:05.840 say, Jim pretty good, you know. I just I don't know if 852 01:03:06.480 --> 01:03:10.920 he was good or whether he was bad or not. I think he he 853 01:03:12.079 --> 01:03:16.719 was a wrestler. I can tell you that I knew that his brother was 854 01:03:16.760 --> 01:03:20.480 a wrestler. So I assume that Terry. Do you know he named the 855 01:03:20.519 --> 01:03:24.760 Double Cross Ranch after double Cross, That's what he says. No, really, 856 01:03:25.320 --> 01:03:30.159 I thought he named it after did you know that he named the Double 857 01:03:30.159 --> 01:03:34.320 Cross Ranch after two Crosses? You know, we named the Double Cross Ranch 858 01:03:34.360 --> 01:03:39.800 after Groucho Marx? How does that work? Jim? Did you know that 859 01:03:39.880 --> 01:03:45.360 he named the Double Cross Ranch after Hulk Hogan? Yeah, so I guess 860 01:03:45.360 --> 01:03:47.679 it didn't go down to New York as cleanly as we were led to believe. 861 01:03:51.280 --> 01:03:52.599 But yeah, heard saying he paid Terry Funk more money. I don't 862 01:03:52.599 --> 01:03:54.880 know how he knows this than any than he'd ever made in wrestling before. 863 01:03:54.920 --> 01:03:58.639 So there must have been a lot of zeros on that check man. But 864 01:03:58.719 --> 01:04:01.400 here's the thing which no one seems to talk about. Terry Funk wasn't just 865 01:04:01.400 --> 01:04:04.239 brought in to wrestle. He was brought in not just to wrestle and announce. 866 01:04:04.320 --> 01:04:11.480 He was brought into book as well, So that salary was in contemplation 867 01:04:11.519 --> 01:04:14.239 that he could help with the pencil. The same thing with N ninety three 868 01:04:14.239 --> 01:04:16.840 when he kind of comes in and hears the pitch from Vince and says fuck 869 01:04:16.880 --> 01:04:19.960 this and leaves right. You know, he's been around so long, he's 870 01:04:19.960 --> 01:04:23.320 booked, he ran a territory, he knows the business inside out. He 871 01:04:23.360 --> 01:04:25.920 knows how to show up in a territory and light it on fire. You 872 01:04:25.960 --> 01:04:28.440 think he'd be a great booker, But Terry really never wanted to do that. 873 01:04:28.679 --> 01:04:31.039 Although he took several meetings and several opportunities, and apparently even signed some 874 01:04:31.039 --> 01:04:34.599 contracts indicating that he was coming to book, but he always got to look 875 01:04:34.639 --> 01:04:38.360 under the hood and said, you know, this is not going to end 876 01:04:38.440 --> 01:04:41.840 up inuring to my benefit, he says in his book. I also announced 877 01:04:42.000 --> 01:04:44.760 the main event of Rick Flair versus Rickety Steamboat with Jim ros Steamboat was a 878 01:04:44.760 --> 01:04:46.320 world class pro wrestler and a hell of a guy. Of course, Steamboat 879 01:04:46.360 --> 01:04:50.119 and Funk had a really great singles match on a Clash of the Champions before 880 01:04:50.800 --> 01:04:55.440 Funk tussled with Flair again. He was one of the few guys I know 881 01:04:55.480 --> 01:04:58.480 of who never turned over the course of his career. They also wanted me 882 01:04:58.519 --> 01:05:00.800 to do nangle with Flair, and they wanted him to serve as a member 883 01:05:00.840 --> 01:05:02.800 of the booking committee. That appealed to me because I thought I would be 884 01:05:02.840 --> 01:05:05.920 a chance to use some creativity. The booking committee was me, Brick Flair, 885 01:05:06.000 --> 01:05:09.280 Jim Ross, Kevin Sullivan, Jim Cornett, and a few other guys. 886 01:05:09.480 --> 01:05:12.639 They didn't exactly work together, though there's a lot of division and conflict 887 01:05:12.639 --> 01:05:15.199 within that committee. I had no idea I was walking into a loaded situation 888 01:05:15.679 --> 01:05:18.960 because the committee wasn't in agreement with herd. I walked into my first meeting 889 01:05:18.960 --> 01:05:21.920 completely unaware of the problems. When heard talk to me about coming in, 890 01:05:21.960 --> 01:05:26.000 he'd made it sound as if things were smooth as glass. I ended up 891 01:05:26.000 --> 01:05:29.719 being the outside individual, almost alone compared to everyone else in there. What 892 01:05:29.880 --> 01:05:31.599 was asked of me. I ended up being damned near nothing. It was 893 01:05:31.599 --> 01:05:35.760 a pretty shocking situation. All I knew that on one side was Jim Hurd, 894 01:05:35.800 --> 01:05:38.719 who had just signed me to one of the better deals I've had in 895 01:05:38.760 --> 01:05:41.440 my life, and on the other was people in the business I knew and 896 01:05:41.480 --> 01:05:45.079 respected. Not long after I started, Kevin Sullivan approached me before a meeting 897 01:05:45.119 --> 01:05:46.239 and said, ASH need to no one thing. Who side do you want? 898 01:05:47.440 --> 01:05:51.079 I said, what, I'm on the NWA side. He said, 899 01:05:51.119 --> 01:05:54.159 no, that's not what I mean. I am on that side of Jim 900 01:05:54.199 --> 01:05:58.599 Hurt's I'm on the n side. I'm on my side. I'm on the 901 01:05:58.639 --> 01:06:00.840 double cross side, on the wild side. As a matter of fact, 902 01:06:00.880 --> 01:06:03.400 out on vas just right now, Dad that's right, your piece of ship. 903 01:06:03.440 --> 01:06:09.280 I want ahead and work with Meg Ryan. I want ahead and fuck 904 01:06:09.360 --> 01:06:13.639 you right. No, I didn't say funk you. I said fuck you, 905 01:06:13.679 --> 01:06:16.639 pal, I said fuck off your goddamn piece of ship. I thought 906 01:06:16.639 --> 01:06:19.559 that was the most ridiculous question I'd ever heard. But my answer was not 907 01:06:19.599 --> 01:06:23.800 the politically correct answer. But I'm not a dummy. I saw that the 908 01:06:23.840 --> 01:06:27.440 best thing I could do for myself was to keep from falling into one side 909 01:06:27.519 --> 01:06:30.519 or the other. So I love the idea of Jim Hurd paying Terry Funk 910 01:06:30.599 --> 01:06:33.719 top dollars so he has some guy with crad to fight the people that are 911 01:06:33.719 --> 01:06:38.239 opposing his ideas on the committee. Well, Funk thinks it's a great idea. 912 01:06:38.320 --> 01:06:42.119 And what are you saying here? You deserve more respect than Terry Funk. 913 01:06:42.800 --> 01:06:45.239 What are you saying? Funk's an idiots? Exactly. You just said, 914 01:06:45.320 --> 01:06:48.360 Hey, Kevin Sullivan, Terry Funk just yeah, they Terry Funk, 915 01:06:48.440 --> 01:06:53.320 Yeah, Terry. He just said, Arry, I want Kevin Sullivan just 916 01:06:53.320 --> 01:06:55.800 said, let me tell you something. Kevin Sullivan just said, you're a 917 01:06:55.800 --> 01:06:59.960 piece of ship. That's a good booking committee. Verbe that's a verbatim quote. 918 01:07:00.960 --> 01:07:01.920 If you need me. I got it. I got it on record. 919 01:07:02.400 --> 01:07:04.159 I can play it back for you. Know what else I got is 920 01:07:04.159 --> 01:07:10.079 a is a loaded forty five. I'm gonna tell you something else I got. 921 01:07:10.280 --> 01:07:13.320 I'll tell you what you want to know. You want to know something, 922 01:07:13.400 --> 01:07:17.199 Terry. This is what I got to now. I'm not afraid, 923 01:07:17.880 --> 01:07:25.199 not a problem. This is this is a this is my executive you know, 924 01:07:25.559 --> 01:07:29.239 VP of wrestling firearm. It's my veto power right here too. All 925 01:07:29.320 --> 01:07:31.920 right, this is it right here, and I've got this gun. All 926 01:07:32.000 --> 01:07:38.119 right, I've got this firearm and right at your fucking ball sack, and 927 01:07:38.199 --> 01:07:42.840 I'm gonna tell you right now, I'm gonna double cross your nuts, yes, 928 01:07:44.079 --> 01:07:46.480 with a pair of fucking bullets. What did he do? Exactly? 929 01:07:46.559 --> 01:07:54.400 What how did this escalate? You didn't say a word. I want ahead, 930 01:07:54.599 --> 01:08:00.440 just sat down, mister Hurd. I don't even know why. Why 931 01:08:00.480 --> 01:08:04.320 are you I'm just you know the thing about this is, I just went 932 01:08:04.400 --> 01:08:09.719 here. I just went ahead and came inside, and you told me that 933 01:08:09.719 --> 01:08:12.719 that Kevin Sellan called me a son of a bitch, and now you're aiming 934 01:08:12.800 --> 01:08:17.840 firearms at my ass. I didn't I don't even think I said anything in 935 01:08:17.880 --> 01:08:25.159 response to what you said, Kevin Sullivan said, and suddenly it was my 936 01:08:25.239 --> 01:08:30.880 problem. Suddenly it's my fault. What the lesson here that if you want 937 01:08:30.880 --> 01:08:33.399 to survive in the NBA, you hope no one ever calls you an idiot, 938 01:08:33.600 --> 01:08:40.399 because Jim Herd'll be pointing a gun at you. But I thought I 939 01:08:40.520 --> 01:08:46.640 was the victim. I thought I was the vicky. Here's an example, 940 01:08:46.640 --> 01:08:50.079 he said in his book of how little control over things I had. I 941 01:08:50.119 --> 01:08:53.920 brought in a talented young man to wrestle, and even though he put me 942 01:08:53.920 --> 01:08:56.319 over in his first match, I thought his talents were obvious, but they 943 01:08:56.359 --> 01:09:04.319 never brought him back. His name Eddie Guerrero. Maybe you've heard of him. 944 01:09:04.680 --> 01:09:06.680 I hadn't brought Eddie in to just do a job for me. It 945 01:09:06.720 --> 01:09:10.239 wasn't like I was sitting around one day and had the brilliant idea to bring 946 01:09:10.239 --> 01:09:12.479 it Eddie just so I could beat him up on TV. I knew he 947 01:09:12.520 --> 01:09:15.159 was a hell of a worker because I'd watched in his early matches, and 948 01:09:15.159 --> 01:09:16.479 I told her and the rest of him, this guy's got it. He's 949 01:09:16.520 --> 01:09:19.399 really good. I thought the world of his work, and I was shocked 950 01:09:19.399 --> 01:09:23.079 that he didn't get an offer after a match. I had everything I could 951 01:09:23.239 --> 01:09:26.119 to get him in there, which shows you how much influence I had as 952 01:09:26.119 --> 01:09:30.039 a member of the booking committee. So Boss, let's add another ornament to 953 01:09:30.079 --> 01:09:33.359 the tree of people that owe their fucking lives to Terry Funk. Eddie Guerrero 954 01:09:33.600 --> 01:09:40.000 does the generational lines know no bounds with this guy. No from fuck Hey 955 01:09:40.119 --> 01:09:44.319 cheese, it's great, from Gene Kiniski and Louthaz to see him punk and 956 01:09:44.399 --> 01:09:48.760 Kevin Owens to Eddie Guerrero to of course you know, Tommy Dreamer and Shane 957 01:09:48.840 --> 01:09:54.880 Douglass and Nick Foley, and how about Rick Flair and Hulk Hogan. As 958 01:09:54.880 --> 01:09:58.840 we've discussed, I mean, last two episodes. He's the He is the 959 01:09:59.479 --> 01:10:02.960 single most important and influential wrestler in the history of the business. Say it 960 01:10:03.000 --> 01:10:09.439 again, motherfucker, because we've reached the conclusion he is the single most important 961 01:10:09.479 --> 01:10:12.840 and influential wrestler in the history of the business. Thank you, Boss. 962 01:10:12.960 --> 01:10:15.920 Mission accomplished, but we sold her forward Eddie Guerrero's book. In nineteen sixty 963 01:10:15.960 --> 01:10:19.800 six, my dad decided to escape the complete control of Salvador Lutarov in the 964 01:10:19.840 --> 01:10:24.680 EMLL organization in Mexico, he'd been the NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion, the 965 01:10:24.720 --> 01:10:28.399 most prestigious title in Lucha libre, for more than three years. Ludaroth wanted 966 01:10:28.399 --> 01:10:30.960 my dad to drop the title to Ray Mendoza in a way that my dad 967 01:10:30.960 --> 01:10:32.800 felt was bad for business. Rather than do as he was told, Dad 968 01:10:32.840 --> 01:10:36.199 rebelled, leaving EMLLL and taking his title belt with him. He settled in 969 01:10:36.399 --> 01:10:40.880 El Paso, and this is where the Guerrero's in El Paso start to become 970 01:10:40.960 --> 01:10:44.399 synonymous, and began working all over the United States, mainly Los Angeles, 971 01:10:44.399 --> 01:10:46.840 the Carolinas in Texas. He even worked a couple of matches for Vince Mcmahonsenior 972 01:10:46.880 --> 01:10:49.840 in the old Worldwide Wrestling Federation. Of course, he continued to work in 973 01:10:49.840 --> 01:10:54.439 Mexico, wrestling in border cities like Juarez and Tijuana. As he got older, 974 01:10:54.640 --> 01:10:58.560 Dad began cutting back at his wrestling and concentrated on training and doing joint 975 01:10:58.640 --> 01:11:05.079 promotion with who do you think Salvador Lutaroth did joint promotion with or Eddie Garrero's 976 01:11:05.159 --> 01:11:16.880 dad, Gory Garrero did passo U fucking sew Michael's guy there? Oh, 977 01:11:17.039 --> 01:11:19.760 not a bad guy you talking about? Joseel O Thario. Yes, no, 978 01:11:20.439 --> 01:11:24.600 it would be Dorri Funk Senior. Oh, of course, that's how 979 01:11:24.640 --> 01:11:29.479 far back the Guerrero's and the Funks go. Gory Guerrero set up shop after 980 01:11:29.560 --> 01:11:33.439 leaving Mexico in al Paso, Texas and basically became a promotional partner of Dory 981 01:11:33.439 --> 01:11:38.760 Funk Senior. Eddie writes they worked together all over West Texas and El Paso 982 01:11:38.800 --> 01:11:41.920 and Amilla and other towns. When Dorri passed, Dad continued to put on 983 01:11:41.960 --> 01:11:45.279 shows, mostly in Juarez, featuring wrestlers he trained, like my brothers Chavo 984 01:11:45.359 --> 01:11:47.479 and Hector, as well as such legendary stars as El Santo and Buddy Rogers 985 01:11:48.640 --> 01:11:51.520 Junior. I don't know who that is. Even into his senior years, 986 01:11:51.960 --> 01:11:56.720 Buddy Rogers Junior. We wrote, yeah, even into his senior years. 987 01:11:56.760 --> 01:11:59.720 Dad's whole world was wrestling, needless to say, it was also the world 988 01:12:00.000 --> 01:12:02.199 where I was born and raised. After Chavo and his family moved out West. 989 01:12:02.199 --> 01:12:04.520 Of course, his brother Chavo he was talking about, not his nephew 990 01:12:04.800 --> 01:12:08.680 that we know is Chavo grog Joh. I would go out there every summer 991 01:12:08.720 --> 01:12:12.079 to spend time with Chavito. Chavo and I actually got along better during those 992 01:12:12.079 --> 01:12:14.439 trips than we did when he lived in Opaso. One time he took me 993 01:12:14.439 --> 01:12:16.359 in Chavito, camping up in the Sequoia Mountains. The plan was to put 994 01:12:16.439 --> 01:12:19.079 up a tent, but it was so freaking cold we all slept huddle together 995 01:12:19.119 --> 01:12:21.600 in the van. Other than that, we had a blast hiking, swimming 996 01:12:21.640 --> 01:12:25.439 in the river, sitting around the campfire. It's probably one of my greatest 997 01:12:25.600 --> 01:12:28.840 and dearest memories of Chavo. My brother, Hector was working at Smoky Mountain 998 01:12:28.840 --> 01:12:32.600 Wrestling at the time, so we decided I'll go live with him in Tennessee. 999 01:12:32.680 --> 01:12:35.560 I really enjoyed hiding out in Tennessee. I worked with Hector wherever I 1000 01:12:35.560 --> 01:12:39.720 could, continued to gain experience with each show. While I was there, 1001 01:12:39.800 --> 01:12:45.079 I was invited to do the job for Terry Funk at a WCW house show. 1002 01:12:45.840 --> 01:12:48.439 I was thrilled. Not only was it WCW, but it was an 1003 01:12:48.439 --> 01:12:51.239 opportunity to wrestle one of the all time greats. In this business, a 1004 01:12:51.239 --> 01:12:55.560 lot of guys are called legends. Terry Funk was the real thing. But 1005 01:12:55.600 --> 01:12:59.000 Hector didn't want me to do it. He pointed out one of Dad's cardinal 1006 01:12:59.079 --> 01:13:00.600 rules, don't ever do a squash job. It's just not worth it. 1007 01:13:00.880 --> 01:13:03.800 But I was stubborn. I saw it as an opportunity to be seen by 1008 01:13:03.800 --> 01:13:06.920 the WW bookers, thinking that if they liked what they saw, maybe I 1009 01:13:06.920 --> 01:13:10.399 had a shot of getting hired. I called my dad and told him what 1010 01:13:10.439 --> 01:13:13.000 I was considering. He was cool as always. He didn't try to talk 1011 01:13:13.039 --> 01:13:15.640 me out of it and staid He explained to me that there were ways of 1012 01:13:15.640 --> 01:13:18.920 doing it without burying myself. Just because it was a squash job didn't mean 1013 01:13:18.960 --> 01:13:21.039 I had to come out of it looking like a loser. But when I 1014 01:13:21.039 --> 01:13:24.920 got to the arena, I was totally paranoid that I'd made the wrong decision. 1015 01:13:25.159 --> 01:13:28.760 I told Terry what I was thinking, and he was great. Don't 1016 01:13:28.760 --> 01:13:31.720 worry, kid, He said, you mightn't do a squash job. I'll 1017 01:13:31.720 --> 01:13:35.960 make you look good. That really gave me confidence. Instead of being afraid, 1018 01:13:36.319 --> 01:13:40.159 I was determined to do my best. More than just wanting to impress 1019 01:13:40.159 --> 01:13:46.199 the bosses, I really wanted to justify Terry's support. That is a key 1020 01:13:46.520 --> 01:13:50.520 lesson of funk YEP. What he did for these guys that were having crises 1021 01:13:50.560 --> 01:13:57.720 of confidence along the way was make them want to be worthy of the faith 1022 01:13:57.760 --> 01:14:00.000 he put in them, yes, before the audience and saw anything in them, 1023 01:14:00.880 --> 01:14:06.640 and he enlivened entire ECW locker room because he was that guy telling people 1024 01:14:06.680 --> 01:14:11.319 you've got something before the audience saw it, or even before Paulie or Todd 1025 01:14:11.319 --> 01:14:15.239 Gordon saw it sometimes. M hm. And that's key. That that that's 1026 01:14:15.279 --> 01:14:17.119 that's right back to the point you made about him being the most influential. 1027 01:14:17.600 --> 01:14:20.319 Yeah, because I don't think anybody's going to say that about Rick Flair. 1028 01:14:21.159 --> 01:14:24.840 I don't think anybody's going to say that about Steve Austin. No, I 1029 01:14:24.880 --> 01:14:30.760 don't think noybody's going to say that about Hogan or kind of Bruno. Bruno 1030 01:14:30.800 --> 01:14:35.159 made a lot of people in a way not like like, yes, he 1031 01:14:35.199 --> 01:14:40.880 made a lot of people, but did he make as many legends? Right? 1032 01:14:41.680 --> 01:14:48.159 And and not only legends, but we're talking about people who transcended the 1033 01:14:48.199 --> 01:14:56.520 business. Yeah, like he Terry Funk is responsible for so many fucking people. 1034 01:14:56.800 --> 01:14:59.319 He's like an indispensable part of so many people's stories. It's not like 1035 01:14:59.399 --> 01:15:02.479 he alone, yes, is responsible, But you take Terry Funk out of 1036 01:15:02.479 --> 01:15:05.760 the lives of all the top wrestlers of the seventies, eighties, and nineties, 1037 01:15:06.359 --> 01:15:12.239 and to some degree the two thousands, and you're not convinced that they 1038 01:15:12.399 --> 01:15:15.199 made it as far as fast as they did without that Terry Funk moment. 1039 01:15:15.720 --> 01:15:19.119 Ye all have them, including Ede Guerrero. We're just taking them off one 1040 01:15:19.119 --> 01:15:23.159 at a time here as we go on the lapsed Funk, starting all the 1041 01:15:23.159 --> 01:15:27.680 way back with Tito Santana when he was at West Texas, not sure about 1042 01:15:27.720 --> 01:15:31.199 himself and remembering a scene where Terry Funk tells him, you've got this and 1043 01:15:32.079 --> 01:15:36.239 do X, Y and Z and you'll be in a better position. He 1044 01:15:36.319 --> 01:15:40.159 was awesome. Eddie Guerrera wrote, he gave me room to get in a 1045 01:15:40.159 --> 01:15:43.000 bunch of offense. I also did a few high spots. I hit Terry 1046 01:15:43.000 --> 01:15:45.800 with a headsis or he caught me doing a top row planchia. That kind 1047 01:15:45.840 --> 01:15:48.119 of stuff just wasn't done in WCW at that time. I heard afterwards that 1048 01:15:48.119 --> 01:15:51.800 the bookers were impressed with me, but we're too apprehensive about my size to 1049 01:15:51.840 --> 01:15:56.479 give me another show. Would you like to see this match? Boss? 1050 01:15:57.640 --> 01:16:00.640 I think I would like to see this not serve more than anything else. 1051 01:16:00.680 --> 01:16:02.079 Really is a tribute to Terry Funk. A match like this, a story 1052 01:16:02.159 --> 01:16:09.600 like that, I think it might be a necessary step. I think it 1053 01:16:09.680 --> 01:16:19.880 might be time to toggle over to Disc fifteen. Disc fifteen fucking I went 1054 01:16:19.920 --> 01:16:24.279 to Disney World. The first time I went to Disney World. It was 1055 01:16:25.039 --> 01:16:31.680 the fifteenth anniversary, and I, for some reason, will never forget the 1056 01:16:31.680 --> 01:16:34.239 There was like you know, they had like a bunch of different dance shows 1057 01:16:34.279 --> 01:16:41.199 and stuff like that, and I just always remember the main like the song 1058 01:16:41.239 --> 01:16:51.520 for the main show at at the Castle fifteen yees, we have in a 1059 01:16:51.720 --> 01:17:01.279 party fifteen years. We're gonna party oh year long. Those yeah, those 1060 01:17:01.319 --> 01:17:08.039 songs have a way of sticking with you. Those gym all they hit your 1061 01:17:08.039 --> 01:17:11.239 breath at the right moment. That's right, we're looking for fifty seven to 1062 01:17:11.239 --> 01:17:15.560 fifty nine fifty seven. Eddie calls it a house show. It was, 1063 01:17:15.560 --> 01:17:19.239 in fact a TV taping this he doesn't know ship anyway. It was on 1064 01:17:19.279 --> 01:17:26.840 the Saturday Night TBS show Center Stage, Atlanta. Navy Canvas yep. Yes, 1065 01:17:27.159 --> 01:17:31.439 pre renaming the company WCW. All right, I'll look at that that 1066 01:17:31.560 --> 01:17:40.840 n W A TBS banner yep. I'm ready three two one play from Mexico 1067 01:17:40.920 --> 01:17:48.560 City, Mexico Eddie Girl. And there's a moment from Amello Texas. Oh 1068 01:17:48.640 --> 01:17:54.880 you shut up, you shut your fucking mouth, the fun from barking like 1069 01:17:54.920 --> 01:18:04.640 crazy, I'm getting my chefts off, and you fucking cunt, you under 1070 01:18:06.399 --> 01:18:19.720 you understand what Ladies and gentlemen from Amarillo, Texas. Terry funk Kid, 1071 01:18:19.760 --> 01:18:24.880 don't put the cowboy hat on? Yeah seriously, Well there he is a 1072 01:18:24.880 --> 01:18:28.600 man with a personality of a rattlesnake who will be in Richmond, verg your 1073 01:18:28.600 --> 01:18:36.279 original Texas rattle g and yellow underwear, white boots, that's about right, 1074 01:18:38.840 --> 01:18:44.079 making his debut here on World Championship Wrestling Coller and Elbow. Let's watch the 1075 01:18:44.800 --> 01:18:48.399 thing. Let's watch the Funker pay tribute to the man in the arena with 1076 01:18:48.399 --> 01:18:50.880 the dirt and blood on his face, the job or the man he committed 1077 01:18:50.920 --> 01:18:58.760 his decade a book coloring Elbow to the ropes and Eddie Guerrero swiftly ducks the 1078 01:18:58.800 --> 01:19:00.239 knife fetch chop of the Funker and Terry with his hands on his hips like 1079 01:19:00.239 --> 01:19:04.359 all right, we gotta we got a quick one on her hands here, 1080 01:19:04.720 --> 01:19:09.840 right, Eddie does look tiny, man, He looks like a a g 1081 01:19:10.000 --> 01:19:14.880 I joe against a hasbro figure Eddie, Eddie looking like fucking Hiroshi hasse here, 1082 01:19:14.960 --> 01:19:20.680 Yeah yeah again, Eddie Duck in the chops tumbles away chops and just 1083 01:19:20.680 --> 01:19:24.880 the face of the Funker telling the audience that this kid has got something he's 1084 01:19:26.479 --> 01:19:30.359 he's proving harder to get to than even a veteran like Terry Funk expects color 1085 01:19:30.399 --> 01:19:35.399 and elbow to the ropes. Now Funk with a single leg will keep Eddie 1086 01:19:35.399 --> 01:19:39.560 and his clutches, but it won't protect him from an Inzaguri Guerrerol Lands slips 1087 01:19:39.600 --> 01:19:45.439 to his feet. Terry takes a powder. Terry pop has got to be 1088 01:19:45.520 --> 01:19:51.399 very pressuret Jr. On the call. Obviously, that will break the momentum 1089 01:19:51.399 --> 01:19:58.479 and the concentration of the youngster his old school, making somebody you know fall 1090 01:19:58.520 --> 01:20:08.239 intoim its setting. It's great, Terry just crumbla on that table. Crack. 1091 01:20:09.399 --> 01:20:12.680 This is the post that Russell Worridy nine Angels Jr. Is discussing. 1092 01:20:12.760 --> 01:20:15.680 So we're gonna go back in time a little bit. In a moment the 1093 01:20:15.680 --> 01:20:17.600 corner off the lock up and Terry Funk open hands slapped to the chest to 1094 01:20:17.640 --> 01:20:20.840 Guerrero pinpoint elbows to the top of the head, corner to corner on the 1095 01:20:20.840 --> 01:20:25.800 whip coming up, Eddie kIPS up to the middle rope, climbs all the 1096 01:20:25.800 --> 01:20:28.920 way up to the top, back flips, look at that, and then 1097 01:20:28.960 --> 01:20:31.720 back rolls on landing, leaps into a drop kick, but ends up caught 1098 01:20:31.760 --> 01:20:35.680 in the catapult position. He's giving him the sorrow giant swing, I think, 1099 01:20:35.720 --> 01:20:45.199 so yep, look at that, turning Guerrero time and time again, 1100 01:20:46.199 --> 01:20:50.119 oh, jumping him unceremoniously. No idea. That was in Terry Funk's repertoire. 1101 01:20:55.319 --> 01:20:58.840 A lot leaner than he was in the WWF. Yes, got his 1102 01:20:58.880 --> 01:21:08.079 hands on some ship that melted away, fat but wearing pants. One thing 1103 01:21:08.079 --> 01:21:10.520 I did notice in the w w F matches against Hogan is his legs were 1104 01:21:10.600 --> 01:21:15.399 very underdeveloped, small legs. And now he's yeah, he wasn't a day 1105 01:21:15.399 --> 01:21:18.880 fan there, unless you're talking about you know, Turkey. That's right, 1106 01:21:19.800 --> 01:21:23.720 series of chops drops Guerrero Funk choking him across the middle rope. I've been 1107 01:21:23.760 --> 01:21:26.239 making no mistake. Terry Funk is, you know, conducting himself as a 1108 01:21:26.239 --> 01:21:29.920 guy that's Eddie Garro superior here. But he's he's picking his spots to make 1109 01:21:29.920 --> 01:21:33.119 Guerrero shine Funk misses the sit out across the ropes, end up all entangled 1110 01:21:33.119 --> 01:21:35.840 in the ropes and takes a massive drop kick Eddie Guerrero with an this time 1111 01:21:35.840 --> 01:21:41.399 a head scissor Funk going all over the place for the kid. Wow, 1112 01:21:42.039 --> 01:21:45.119 Jesus, it looked like a failed leg larried attempt and Guerrero crashes to the 1113 01:21:45.119 --> 01:21:53.880 canvas. Funk back on him now from the gut wrench shifts up to the 1114 01:21:53.880 --> 01:21:58.119 shoulder. Funk on the running start like a javelin. Oh Jesus, whoa 1115 01:21:58.439 --> 01:22:01.479 absolutely launches edde Guerrero the top to the mats on the floor, kind of 1116 01:22:01.520 --> 01:22:10.600 like what Hogan did to Savage your Restuminia five exactly what it was out after 1117 01:22:10.640 --> 01:22:16.479 him as the Funker, the bizarre mister Funk, I'll say, jr. 1118 01:22:16.920 --> 01:22:20.359 So you just call them heavy chops, puts Guerrero up against the post. 1119 01:22:20.359 --> 01:22:25.399 Funk gos where a wild larryot and clips the steel the stand hands and ask 1120 01:22:25.439 --> 01:22:29.640 lariat and Funk going bicep first. Oh no, Guerrero's climbed to the top 1121 01:22:29.680 --> 01:22:31.840 with Funk on the floor, It's time to soar. In nineteen eighty nine, 1122 01:22:32.119 --> 01:22:38.840 Wow, I want a plancha by Eddie Guerrero. I'm not going to 1123 01:22:38.880 --> 01:22:41.800 find many people of Terry Funk's stature and heritage in the business. We'll going 1124 01:22:41.880 --> 01:22:46.159 to take that for Eddie Guerrero. National team, not at all. Guerrero 1125 01:22:46.239 --> 01:22:48.600 went to the well, went too many times with the piscado attempt. Funk 1126 01:22:48.640 --> 01:22:51.479 side steps and Eddie Guerrero goes splat. Now Terry Funk's in the ring on 1127 01:22:51.479 --> 01:22:55.039 the running start, hits the ropes twice, three times. What the hell 1128 01:22:55.119 --> 01:23:00.239 is he doing? Four times? Five times in a baseball slide? That 1129 01:23:00.560 --> 01:23:03.279 holy shit, he fucking sends Guerrero over the guard rail. Time steam on 1130 01:23:03.319 --> 01:23:08.680 that one. Wow, that significant distance between a front row, if even 1131 01:23:08.680 --> 01:23:11.479 one exists on that side of the center stage. I mean, yeah, 1132 01:23:11.520 --> 01:23:15.239 guardrail even yeah, bar went flying into it. Now floor by the Funk, 1133 01:23:16.439 --> 01:23:25.840 Oh don't yeah, that Planche should have got him a job for sure. 1134 01:23:26.520 --> 01:23:38.800 Yeah, just considering how spectacular that was capabilities in nineteen eighty nine. 1135 01:23:39.920 --> 01:23:45.199 All the while Jr. Putting over you know how psychotic Terry is back in 1136 01:23:45.279 --> 01:23:48.399 a simple knee drop and front sends Guerrero for the one, two, three, 1137 01:23:50.960 --> 01:23:54.279 And then of course Funk goes over the rail and he's gonna fuck with 1138 01:23:54.319 --> 01:23:59.399 some people at center stage, fucking love. That's what he always does, 1139 01:23:59.479 --> 01:24:04.720 just goes out there and starts yelling at people, making you feel uncomfortable. 1140 01:24:06.520 --> 01:24:11.079 Know the look at this, My god, he's crazy. I did right 1141 01:24:11.159 --> 01:24:15.239 here, got file Driver and he stuffed him. He can say it, 1142 01:24:15.359 --> 01:24:20.680 just lack Flair. His neck just snapped and crumble underneath him. And we're 1143 01:24:20.680 --> 01:24:25.239 going to try to get Terry Puff over here. I'll get a promo too. 1144 01:24:25.399 --> 01:24:27.960 Here's how you can order a Wressell War. All right, I play 1145 01:24:28.000 --> 01:24:31.640 it. I get a break here. But he did show back up. 1146 01:24:32.119 --> 01:24:34.720 As I mentioned fans. Next week, I'm going to be busying with Rick 1147 01:24:34.760 --> 01:24:40.000 Flair's doctor about his injury, and we'll be following that report here next week 1148 01:24:40.000 --> 01:24:43.760 than the program. I'm sure Rick Flair is watching this program right now, 1149 01:24:43.800 --> 01:24:53.079 mister Funks hitting the sign of his world championship because Russell I am the best 1150 01:24:53.119 --> 01:24:57.880 in the world. Now, as simple as minded as you are, you 1151 01:24:59.119 --> 01:25:05.520 might be able to understand the story I am going to tell you. Daddy 1152 01:25:05.640 --> 01:25:14.760 was a wonderful person, but he understood life more so than the executives of 1153 01:25:14.840 --> 01:25:16.640 the NWA. You see, when I was a young lad, I had 1154 01:25:16.640 --> 01:25:26.359 a jackass, and I loved that jackass. But that jackass broke its leg. 1155 01:25:27.279 --> 01:25:32.840 And when that jackass broke its leg, my father took that jackass and 1156 01:25:33.000 --> 01:25:42.800 put a gun to that jackass's head and blew that jackass's brains out. Wow, 1157 01:25:44.039 --> 01:25:47.479 I said, Daddy, Daddy, why did you de merse of the 1158 01:25:47.680 --> 01:25:55.399 NWA? Can put him out to pasture? Now is a time to put 1159 01:25:55.520 --> 01:25:59.560 Rick Flair out to pasture. Now, I know I believe that the man 1160 01:25:59.800 --> 01:26:04.239 was injured. You say he was. Whatever the story might be or the 1161 01:26:04.359 --> 01:26:11.119 truth might be, Let's put him out to pasture and get to the top 1162 01:26:11.399 --> 01:26:16.800 ten contenders. Now, Rick Steiner is no longer a member. Why can't 1163 01:26:16.840 --> 01:26:23.920 I take his possession because of his injury? Who do I talk to? 1164 01:26:24.560 --> 01:26:28.680 Who is they? Who runs? Who is they? Who? Yes? 1165 01:26:28.880 --> 01:26:31.880 The top ten list? Is it you Ross? No? If it's you, 1166 01:26:32.159 --> 01:26:36.760 Ross me, I will get down on my knees and she'll beg to 1167 01:26:36.920 --> 01:26:44.720 you. Ross. I will beg to you to put me in that category 1168 01:26:45.319 --> 01:26:51.079 because I am the best wrestler in the world today. Why can't you and 1169 01:26:51.279 --> 01:27:02.680 you people out there realize that. Please, let's get this crazy. We're 1170 01:27:02.720 --> 01:27:06.720 all very concerned about the situation. Yeah, Jim, we are very concerned. 1171 01:27:08.159 --> 01:27:12.479 We are. So how about that Boss Funk on TBS WCW eighty nine. 1172 01:27:13.359 --> 01:27:16.920 It's great, I mean, it's it's it's what's expected. What's expected 1173 01:27:17.039 --> 01:27:21.199 is exactly correct. So what were they referencing? What is all this about? 1174 01:27:21.199 --> 01:27:25.479 The top ten and everything? We've played it one hundred times, covered 1175 01:27:25.520 --> 01:27:28.439 the show on our tribute week to Rick Flair. We played it when we 1176 01:27:28.479 --> 01:27:32.439 did the Roadhouse under the cinemat episode where the promo was, you know, 1177 01:27:32.640 --> 01:27:36.279 referencing the fact that Funk was on set of set film before showing up in 1178 01:27:36.319 --> 01:27:40.640 eighty nine to the NWDA demanding a shot at ric Flair's championship. It was 1179 01:27:41.039 --> 01:27:43.560 one of the great pay per views in the history of the business. Wrestle 1180 01:27:43.600 --> 01:27:46.239 Were eighty nine, Rick Flair wins back the World Championship in a rematch against 1181 01:27:46.319 --> 01:27:53.000 Rickey the Dragon Steamboat and that incredible concluding capping that incredible trilogy that they had 1182 01:27:53.479 --> 01:27:58.199 in nineteen eighty nine, sort of a creating an identity for the post Turner 1183 01:27:58.239 --> 01:28:02.399 broadcasting w C. You sort of a single handedly were Rick Flair and Steamboat 1184 01:28:02.399 --> 01:28:06.159 in those matches and then slot in Terry Funk so here on disc fifteen. 1185 01:28:06.239 --> 01:28:10.079 Let's let's go over to forty nine to fifty three and watch it just one 1186 01:28:10.079 --> 01:28:23.560 more time and tribute to the Funker forty nine. So we're not watching, 1187 01:28:23.640 --> 01:28:27.119 of course, the Steamboat Flair match, but we are watching the post match, 1188 01:28:27.680 --> 01:28:30.720 right, And so Rick Flair is in the ring, you know, 1189 01:28:30.840 --> 01:28:33.159 tauseled hair, having fought a hard battle, big old belt over his shoulder. 1190 01:28:33.359 --> 01:28:36.000 Jim Ross in the ring to conduct an interview, and if you're ready, 1191 01:28:36.399 --> 01:28:41.479 I'm ready, three two one play. Well, that's sixth time. 1192 01:28:42.319 --> 01:28:46.439 I want to present ladies and gentlemen number six, the heavyweight Champion of the 1193 01:28:46.439 --> 01:28:57.439 World. Night sure, boy, Rick Flair. I think also we have 1194 01:28:57.560 --> 01:29:01.600 to give credit where credit is to the Dragon Steamboat in Rick Blair. Boat 1195 01:29:01.920 --> 01:29:05.920 competed in one of those the greatest matches that any of us, I think 1196 01:29:06.119 --> 01:29:15.159 have ever witnessed. CHAMPI congratulations, thank you very much. Not in character 1197 01:29:15.239 --> 01:29:20.680 for Rick Flair, but Rick Steamboat. He's the greatest champion I've ever faced. 1198 01:29:21.199 --> 01:29:25.279 And I'm proud to be here for a six time. All right, 1199 01:29:25.600 --> 01:29:29.880 Hey, Harry is in the taxedo. I'd be the first to you, 1200 01:29:30.079 --> 01:29:32.840 Rick. I want to be the first New World champion. Terry, thank 1201 01:29:32.880 --> 01:29:36.079 you very much. We do appreciate the judges being here. Hey, Rick, 1202 01:29:36.520 --> 01:29:41.119 I also want to say that if it would have gone sixty minutes, 1203 01:29:41.199 --> 01:29:44.159 that I would have liked to have bomb. I would have voted for Rick 1204 01:29:44.159 --> 01:29:49.319 Flair because I think that you're the greatest wrestler in the world today. Very 1205 01:29:49.399 --> 01:29:51.600 nice, Thank you very much, Jerry, thank you very much, Thank 1206 01:29:51.640 --> 01:29:56.640 you very much. So awkward. But he's not leaving the rings. Nope, 1207 01:29:56.640 --> 01:30:00.760 he's still standing there looking at champan. You know, you know it 1208 01:30:02.239 --> 01:30:08.800 really is. Go ahead and be the first one to challenge Rick Flair to 1209 01:30:08.880 --> 01:30:15.920 that new championship. Why, Terry, I'm honored that you'd like to get 1210 01:30:15.920 --> 01:30:18.960 in the picture. But as a wrestling fans, no, you've been an 1211 01:30:18.960 --> 01:30:25.159 active You've been in Hollywood Selvester Stallone while, and we got a top ten. 1212 01:30:26.239 --> 01:30:30.680 We got a top ten at the world champion is obligated to wrestle, 1213 01:30:30.159 --> 01:30:38.119 and that's why we are number one. Quite a minute, are you are 1214 01:30:38.119 --> 01:30:44.600 you really saying that I'm not a contender. Let's range here for the funker. 1215 01:30:45.439 --> 01:30:47.960 You are a gray wrestler, but right now you're rubbing shoulders with Sylvester 1216 01:30:48.079 --> 01:30:50.479 Stallone and not the world champion. No, no, no, no, 1217 01:30:50.520 --> 01:30:55.960 I would just no no no no, You're I'm not good enough. You're 1218 01:30:56.039 --> 01:30:58.479 saying that I'm not good enough, aren't you? Rick? Not saying that 1219 01:30:58.520 --> 01:31:03.079 at all? Terry. Here we go. It's a serious face and I 1220 01:31:03.159 --> 01:31:06.399 got a problem a guy to spit out in the Hollywood for five years. 1221 01:31:06.640 --> 01:31:11.279 It's a bottom line. But I'm looking at the top ten and you're not 1222 01:31:11.880 --> 01:31:15.000 in the top ten. No, Rick and Rick, Rick, Rick, 1223 01:31:15.560 --> 01:31:23.439 No, hold it, I was just choking Rick, Please please let me 1224 01:31:23.600 --> 01:31:27.760 just say one more thing I was. I was just kidding you about going 1225 01:31:28.000 --> 01:31:30.640 yeah, oh, it's so awkward challenge you. I didn't want to really 1226 01:31:30.720 --> 01:31:35.239 challenge you. I was just kidding your soul led gumman. Let's go ahead. 1227 01:31:35.279 --> 01:31:42.319 He speaking down, had a handshaking. No, it is the second 1228 01:31:42.319 --> 01:31:45.319 they shake hands. Funk drops into the left and now it's time for Terry 1229 01:31:45.359 --> 01:31:49.880 Fugg to go from straight lace judge, respective former champion to a fucking maniac. 1230 01:31:50.039 --> 01:31:55.479 It's time to print money, nutcase, Harry, that's fucking go on 1231 01:31:55.520 --> 01:31:59.960 the lapsed fun. This is totally on, boy, He's taking it out. 1232 01:32:00.319 --> 01:32:04.600 It's totally called for j R. Terry fuck is a man and Rage 1233 01:32:05.399 --> 01:32:18.039 Jr. Is great here too, Ye where's shaking the rail like a psychopath 1234 01:32:19.000 --> 01:32:29.800 in here? Can believe we are witnessing Here's fuck snip were the guy in 1235 01:32:29.880 --> 01:32:33.920 the front row of the blue shirt. He's horrified hitting the table. He 1236 01:32:34.039 --> 01:32:41.319 first goes nag Bob con Oh, Jim, jim My Campal, what we're 1237 01:32:41.399 --> 01:32:50.920 watching? Jim Jem up to the table. Funk has got flairing position for 1238 01:32:51.000 --> 01:32:57.239 a pile driver in the Damon outs table. Listen out Flair's vertical. Here 1239 01:32:57.319 --> 01:33:04.319 we go, stuffs Flare's headed to the table and fuck the best part fun 1240 01:33:04.439 --> 01:33:11.119 fucking falling over the table just tilts and Flair slides a fun slides on still 1241 01:33:11.159 --> 01:33:15.479 with this cumber bund on trying to stab Rick with a table. Look, 1242 01:33:15.760 --> 01:33:18.640 I mean, Jesus chrazy, look at him. I love how he fucking 1243 01:33:19.039 --> 01:33:24.640 he can never stand up straight. He's always he's like it's like he's got 1244 01:33:24.840 --> 01:33:29.600 like tripping over a million of those you know, like balls in a in 1245 01:33:29.720 --> 01:33:31.319 a ball pit, you know, like he has no sense of balance. 1246 01:33:31.359 --> 01:33:35.479 That such a good call. It's like he's always in that state of like 1247 01:33:35.600 --> 01:33:40.279 that saloon scene on Tuesday Night Titans when there's all over the floor. Yeah, 1248 01:33:41.239 --> 01:33:44.319 and then he absolutely slammed a chair across Flair has had a heavy one 1249 01:33:44.359 --> 01:33:48.319 too. Oh, he's gonna go after ringsiders, and they're in Terren's face. 1250 01:33:48.319 --> 01:33:55.439 They're pissed off at him. You don't understand. How's a world champion? 1251 01:33:55.600 --> 01:34:04.760 Oh they grabs JR. Get them up, fat fuck? Look at 1252 01:34:06.159 --> 01:34:13.119 yes, look at the heart too, but no, jerky, Wow, 1253 01:34:15.560 --> 01:34:18.600 you got it, Terry. I'll look at a pause. There they show 1254 01:34:18.920 --> 01:34:24.600 Flare and a complete heap there on the floor under at the table. I 1255 01:34:24.640 --> 01:34:26.399 mean, we've said it a hundred times, you might as well say it 1256 01:34:26.399 --> 01:34:30.720 again here on the lapsed Funk proper. What do we just see? I 1257 01:34:30.800 --> 01:34:42.880 mean, what we just saw is just one of the great, the great 1258 01:34:44.920 --> 01:34:51.600 kind of angles I think of the of the at least the eighties, if 1259 01:34:51.720 --> 01:35:00.560 not maybe of all time. It's just something money instantly right in terms of 1260 01:35:00.840 --> 01:35:12.720 in terms of taking a guy who was retired and wasn't even wrestling, and 1261 01:35:13.600 --> 01:35:16.319 you know, it's funny. It's funny how he says you're not even in 1262 01:35:16.359 --> 01:35:25.840 the top ten. Funk makes himself number one. Yep, right there by 1263 01:35:25.920 --> 01:35:30.479 knocking the shit out out of Rick Flair and it's perfectly timed in that he's 1264 01:35:30.560 --> 01:35:33.199 exhausted. You know, he'd be exhausted. He you know, he just 1265 01:35:33.199 --> 01:35:40.319 wrestled what like thirty five minutes with with steamboat. Yep. It's just great 1266 01:35:40.399 --> 01:35:44.800 stuff and just the acting range. He was on another level here. He 1267 01:35:44.960 --> 01:35:48.039 starts from this place. You know, that's exactly how a psychopath would behave. 1268 01:35:48.800 --> 01:35:51.920 Yeah, totally like a sociopath, almost like a guy who gets in 1269 01:35:53.000 --> 01:35:57.520 the ring and even though under the surface he's bubbling like a cauldron with psychotic 1270 01:35:57.680 --> 01:36:00.520 urges to take the belt and the glory from the sky, he knows enough 1271 01:36:00.640 --> 01:36:05.479 about how one is supposed to act in a situation like this with his tuxedo 1272 01:36:05.600 --> 01:36:10.720 on, you know, show class showed dignity and expected to be reciprocated. 1273 01:36:11.359 --> 01:36:15.159 You know, it's like he's like the guy who is only nice to you 1274 01:36:15.319 --> 01:36:17.680 because he wants to see if you're gonna be nice back. Yes, he's 1275 01:36:17.720 --> 01:36:25.039 a guy who doesn't offer praise unless it's designed for you to offer praise back. 1276 01:36:25.079 --> 01:36:28.439 And when Rick Flair sort of you know, meets his praise with a 1277 01:36:28.520 --> 01:36:32.199 rejoinder and kind of a flippant comment and takes his you know what, Funk 1278 01:36:32.279 --> 01:36:35.560 probably thought in the character's mind was like, you know, like a totally 1279 01:36:35.640 --> 01:36:41.600 respectful approach and request challenge him for the championship, and Flare snaps back at 1280 01:36:41.640 --> 01:36:44.279 him in the way he did with you know, a totally justifiable comment about 1281 01:36:44.279 --> 01:36:46.039 how he's not in the contention for the belt and there's a lot of worthy 1282 01:36:46.039 --> 01:36:50.000 contenders right now. Even though I respect you that that's what a guy does 1283 01:36:50.119 --> 01:36:58.760 when he's you know, offering that sort of thin, vapid flattery. He 1284 01:36:58.920 --> 01:37:02.640 acts out because he can't he can't deal with you being ungrateful for how classy 1285 01:37:02.720 --> 01:37:05.640 he was to you. Yes, because Terry knows what he could have done 1286 01:37:05.680 --> 01:37:09.159 is just go in there and fucking murdered you the second you turned your back. 1287 01:37:09.199 --> 01:37:11.199 But he didn't do that because he's too nice of a guy, and 1288 01:37:11.279 --> 01:37:15.640 that's of course a psychopath in action. He goes, he progresses. I've 1289 01:37:15.680 --> 01:37:18.760 never seen anyone do it better in a wrestling screen, ever, to go 1290 01:37:19.000 --> 01:37:24.920 from one code of paint to another, from one sort of you know, 1291 01:37:25.000 --> 01:37:29.000 sort of like animating facial features to another. He's just the way he like 1292 01:37:29.479 --> 01:37:32.119 takes takes umbrage with Flair, kind of big leaguing him, and still stands 1293 01:37:32.159 --> 01:37:36.000 there, but doesn't immediately attack Flair. You know, there's like three four 1294 01:37:36.039 --> 01:37:41.960 steps to what today would be like one step, you know, just remarkable. 1295 01:37:42.439 --> 01:37:44.520 Yep. And the way he's able to forget it. I mean, 1296 01:37:44.560 --> 01:37:47.359 once you once you tell Terry Funk, this is the this is the part 1297 01:37:47.399 --> 01:37:50.199 where you act psycho, that no one, no one's better at the world 1298 01:37:50.239 --> 01:37:55.800 at that Well, I want to add an act psycho. Yep. Yeah, 1299 01:37:57.520 --> 01:38:02.000 but so I think, uh who I think the followers checking the boxes 1300 01:38:02.039 --> 01:38:05.720 they hired him to check boss. Yes, absolutely, laire Wright in his 1301 01:38:05.760 --> 01:38:09.159 book, the show went off the air with the image of me seemingly unconscious 1302 01:38:09.199 --> 01:38:12.680 under the wreck of a table. Terry Funk was still raving, acting paranoid, 1303 01:38:12.760 --> 01:38:15.760 despondent, and gleeful all at the same time. He said that I 1304 01:38:15.840 --> 01:38:17.000 wasn't good enough. I'm not a contender. Look at him, look at 1305 01:38:17.039 --> 01:38:21.319 the horse tooth banana nos jerk. I had personified evil for most of my 1306 01:38:21.479 --> 01:38:25.800 career, Rick Flair wrote, Terry Funk may have been the only SOB crazy 1307 01:38:25.880 --> 01:38:28.920 enough to turn me good. In the coming weeks. The fans were told 1308 01:38:28.960 --> 01:38:30.399 that I had a severe neck injury, and I convinced them by wearing a 1309 01:38:30.439 --> 01:38:34.560 brace around Charlotte while running errands, even while on airplanes. So they're going 1310 01:38:34.640 --> 01:38:40.920 full in on this angle. It's crazy. It's good stuff, even though 1311 01:38:41.119 --> 01:38:45.000 the rigid probably there were of the last of its type that I can think 1312 01:38:45.039 --> 01:38:47.600 of where guys took the angle into the public like that, unless I'm not 1313 01:38:47.640 --> 01:38:53.039 thinking of something, well, I guess bretton Owen refusing to deal with each 1314 01:38:53.039 --> 01:38:56.640 other in public after they turned on each other. Yeah, that's kind of 1315 01:38:56.640 --> 01:38:59.960 an example of it. Even though the rigidity over protecting the business was diminished 1316 01:39:00.159 --> 01:39:02.079 Flare Rights, the claim was more than plausible. Kernanngle went in to WrestleMania 1317 01:39:02.159 --> 01:39:06.199 nineteen with a broken neck even after surgery. Stone Could's neck damage forced him 1318 01:39:06.199 --> 01:39:09.800 into a non wrestling role in WWE. Before anpisode of Round twenty oh three, 1319 01:39:09.800 --> 01:39:12.520 I watched Christian spend the day in the arena wearing a neck collar. 1320 01:39:12.600 --> 01:39:15.000 He only took it off to wrestle Rob Van Dam in a ladder match. 1321 01:39:15.439 --> 01:39:17.560 For more than a month, I teased a possible retirement, then announced that 1322 01:39:17.560 --> 01:39:21.079 I wanted to come back for revenge. Terry remained bold as hell, freaking 1323 01:39:21.119 --> 01:39:26.960 out TBS executives in September, We'll get to that later. Terry was forty 1324 01:39:27.000 --> 01:39:29.159 five years old at the time and had been getting his brains kicked in for 1325 01:39:29.199 --> 01:39:32.000 a quarter century. People who saw him hobbling backstage were astonished that he could 1326 01:39:32.039 --> 01:39:35.439 actually wrestle. But Terry could deal with pain. Once in Japan when he 1327 01:39:35.479 --> 01:39:39.239 was champion, he was scalded with hot water. He gutted it up and 1328 01:39:39.239 --> 01:39:44.079 wrestled with third degree burns. He was fearless. I cut some fucking nuts 1329 01:39:44.399 --> 01:39:46.600 and right, yeah, you take your pick. A level of devotion to 1330 01:39:46.640 --> 01:39:50.600 wrestling that just has to border on insanity. Oh yeah. I cut some 1331 01:39:50.680 --> 01:39:55.079 really intense promos on Flair. This is funk now talking, including one where 1332 01:39:55.119 --> 01:39:58.439 I brought out a skinny Brick Flair impost with a yellow stripe painted down his 1333 01:39:58.560 --> 01:40:01.720 back. Flair was really bothered by this stuff. Here we go, this 1334 01:40:01.880 --> 01:40:04.239 is where it gets good, okay, And I was told to tone it 1335 01:40:04.279 --> 01:40:08.399 down a little bit. I didn't see the problem because I was the heel. 1336 01:40:08.800 --> 01:40:11.119 The ending was going to be that Flair was gonna kick my ass. 1337 01:40:11.840 --> 01:40:14.720 I sure wasn't gonna say all those outrageous things only to beat up brick Flair 1338 01:40:14.760 --> 01:40:15.720 and then go home and hank of my tights. Yeah, what is this 1339 01:40:15.960 --> 01:40:20.600 triple Ah and Booker t in two thousand and three. I don't know if 1340 01:40:20.640 --> 01:40:25.439 Flair was upset because he was insecure or because he wasn't there. You see, 1341 01:40:25.439 --> 01:40:27.880 he was home selling the injury angle, and all he knew about was 1342 01:40:27.920 --> 01:40:30.880 what I was doing was what he saw on TV. All he saw was 1343 01:40:30.960 --> 01:40:33.640 me blasting him every week. With all the divisions in WCW at that time, 1344 01:40:33.640 --> 01:40:36.000 I wouldn't be surprised if he thought I was working on behalf of someone 1345 01:40:36.079 --> 01:40:40.399 else there to make him look bad. He wouldn't do that, would you, 1346 01:40:40.520 --> 01:40:44.600 Terry Mmm. He had been having his problems with Jim Hurt even then, 1347 01:40:44.760 --> 01:40:46.840 fighting over his contract, which Heart thought was too much money for him 1348 01:40:46.840 --> 01:40:49.479 to make. All that stuff was done to create a heated atmosphere for a 1349 01:40:49.600 --> 01:40:54.199 match. If it hurt him, that certainly wasn't my intent. I'm certainly 1350 01:40:54.279 --> 01:40:57.319 not sitting here apologizing because I didn't see any real damage that was done to 1351 01:40:57.439 --> 01:41:00.199 him. I did it as a kick in the ass for business. I'd 1352 01:41:00.239 --> 01:41:02.880 certainly done heavy heel promos like that and had never heard a baby face before. 1353 01:41:03.439 --> 01:41:06.039 I never did hear about Dusty Rhodes being upset about the things I'd say 1354 01:41:06.039 --> 01:41:09.920 about him, because he understood it was business to build up revenue at the 1355 01:41:09.920 --> 01:41:12.920 box office. And while the Funk Flair for You did very strong business, 1356 01:41:12.960 --> 01:41:15.199 I think it's box office was hurt by me having to tone down the heat. 1357 01:41:15.880 --> 01:41:18.319 I toned down promos a few times before when the heat got to be 1358 01:41:18.359 --> 01:41:21.239 too much, particularly in Puerto Rico, but I had never before I had 1359 01:41:21.239 --> 01:41:25.960 to take it down a notch because someone's feelings were hurt. Ric Flair, 1360 01:41:26.720 --> 01:41:30.840 Yes, hurt feelings. Mmmm. Mc flair has always been missed. He's 1361 01:41:30.840 --> 01:41:34.159 a bitch. He's always I know, he's always gonna yeah, and he'll 1362 01:41:34.159 --> 01:41:38.520 absolutely pretend and we'll play sound to prove it that it wasn't true. And 1363 01:41:38.640 --> 01:41:41.479 he never had any problem with anything anybody said about him, but from he 1364 01:41:41.560 --> 01:41:45.399 did never mental never had a problem with that. Nope, nope, nope, 1365 01:41:45.520 --> 01:41:47.279 never had a problem. JR. You know, did Rick have a 1366 01:41:47.359 --> 01:41:50.479 problem or is Terry just talking out of his ass? Oh? Yeah? 1367 01:41:50.600 --> 01:41:55.319 For him being upset with Terry, Yeah, I do. And I remember 1368 01:41:55.359 --> 01:41:58.079 getting phone calls, what are you guys trying to do? Kill me? 1369 01:41:58.760 --> 01:42:00.640 No? Rick, we're not trying to kill you. We're selling a fucking 1370 01:42:00.680 --> 01:42:06.479 angle anybody, Yes, an angle, and how you sell it? You 1371 01:42:09.239 --> 01:42:13.239 so? Uh, No, we're not trying to kill you. Uh. 1372 01:42:14.000 --> 01:42:16.800 But you know a lot of the guys he knew he'd get Rick would always 1373 01:42:16.800 --> 01:42:19.760 get a straight answer from me. He always also knew I would take his 1374 01:42:19.920 --> 01:42:25.119 call. If some of the booking committee guys saw that Flair was calling him, 1375 01:42:25.640 --> 01:42:28.800 they might just avoid that phone call as long as they could until they 1376 01:42:28.840 --> 01:42:32.359 got they had to accept it. And I was I didn't have I didn't 1377 01:42:32.359 --> 01:42:35.079 have any guilt in that regard. I knew what we're trying to do. 1378 01:42:35.880 --> 01:42:40.840 We're trying to get heat on Funk and make him a heel that god damn 1379 01:42:40.880 --> 01:42:45.079 he was. He was middle aged and crazy then, and we knew our 1380 01:42:45.319 --> 01:42:47.960 our hero is going to ride back in on his big white horse sooner than 1381 01:42:48.039 --> 01:42:51.239 later. But yeah, he didn't like it. I remember we did an 1382 01:42:51.239 --> 01:42:55.760 angle one time with Uh. He's passed on now. We worked in the 1383 01:42:55.920 --> 01:43:00.319 office, Uh Ron Uh, and I just had to tip my tongue to 1384 01:43:01.560 --> 01:43:05.279 uh. But he came out. He looked a little bit like Barney five, 1385 01:43:05.920 --> 01:43:10.880 had a flare like robe On. Yep, remember that Ron Ames. 1386 01:43:12.520 --> 01:43:15.399 I think I think Ron died of HIV or something. Oh ship. Yeah, 1387 01:43:15.439 --> 01:43:18.279 a nice guy. He really was a nice guy, hard working at 1388 01:43:18.319 --> 01:43:23.439 PR and things like that. But Terry season in the office and says, 1389 01:43:23.479 --> 01:43:27.800 there's not guy for play. The part of Rick Flair and Ron was about, 1390 01:43:27.920 --> 01:43:30.720 like I said, he looked like Barney five. He looked like Don 1391 01:43:30.800 --> 01:43:34.840 Knots And that was one of his impressions he'd do at at Happy Hour. 1392 01:43:36.119 --> 01:43:39.760 Uh it was. It was funny. Yeah, you're exactly right. Ron 1393 01:43:39.840 --> 01:43:44.840 passed away in uh nineteen ninety three, so, uh, but a good 1394 01:43:44.920 --> 01:43:50.640 dude. And all he did was he did a very limp woo and that 1395 01:43:50.760 --> 01:43:57.600 offended or that defended night and uh again, it was like, you're really 1396 01:43:57.640 --> 01:44:01.880 getting paid, so this must be working if you are pissed off. You're 1397 01:44:01.880 --> 01:44:04.720 smart to the business and you're pissed off, it's working, and it may 1398 01:44:04.800 --> 01:44:09.319 be working to these other folks out there and has heard would say the ter 1399 01:44:09.560 --> 01:44:14.479 Lands and it did work. What now the show that that was a great 1400 01:44:14.560 --> 01:44:20.039 marriage and you know, thank god Flair and Funk Are you kidding? So 1401 01:44:20.159 --> 01:44:24.199 come on, Rick, So he got over it, as we all know, 1402 01:44:24.920 --> 01:44:28.159 but he did get his feelings hurt. But he was out of the 1403 01:44:28.359 --> 01:44:30.239 he was out of the picture. He didn't want to be out of the 1404 01:44:30.279 --> 01:44:31.359 picture, but that was the angle and how the angle is set up to 1405 01:44:31.439 --> 01:44:35.119 sell. Somebody's got to be out of the picture for a while this injury. 1406 01:44:35.560 --> 01:44:40.359 And people aren't dropped on their head on tables outside the ring very often, 1407 01:44:41.439 --> 01:44:43.840 So that's that's kind of where that was. Rick was pissed off for 1408 01:44:43.880 --> 01:44:47.680 a lot about that. I'm totally obsessed with flair at home, wondering, 1409 01:44:47.760 --> 01:44:50.319 like hul Cogan, if they're trying to get one over on them. Oh 1410 01:44:50.600 --> 01:44:57.920 absolutely, And I'm sitting here, Oh god, damn, you know, 1411 01:44:57.960 --> 01:45:04.640 I blame Luger. You're talking to lugamage and they're all talking to Luger, 1412 01:45:05.600 --> 01:45:21.439 you know everyone. So let's turn this. I heard what what brother fuck 1413 01:45:23.720 --> 01:45:32.520 Terry? Is that you Terry? Oh my god, brother dud, who's 1414 01:45:32.520 --> 01:45:41.439 sneaking up behind you? Brother? Hold in the l f X. So, 1415 01:45:41.520 --> 01:45:50.079 of course, flare you you look at me now? Brother? You 1416 01:45:50.119 --> 01:45:55.119 know do you're freaking You're freaking me out. I'm freaking you out. You're 1417 01:45:55.239 --> 01:46:08.399 freaking me out. You don't have what it thinks. I'm what, brother 1418 01:46:09.119 --> 01:46:12.560 Flaire, dude, I'm I'm I'm as scared as you are. Brother, 1419 01:46:15.239 --> 01:46:28.199 look into my eyes. What do you see in these eyes? Oh ah, 1420 01:46:30.079 --> 01:46:34.560 it's a trick question. It's concerned about his answer. He's very concerned 1421 01:46:34.600 --> 01:46:39.039 about his answer. So do you think Flair pretended later when he'd like, 1422 01:46:39.159 --> 01:46:41.520 you know, see Terry Funk, that he was never really bothered by these 1423 01:46:41.600 --> 01:46:44.359 kinds? Of course, of course he wasn't bothered. Never were you ever 1424 01:46:44.439 --> 01:46:46.680 bothered by any of the Tory's promos that he did on TVs about you? 1425 01:46:46.760 --> 01:46:49.640 I know he did want with the fakeerite Flair, and I don't know if 1426 01:46:49.680 --> 01:46:53.560 that ever bothered you or anything like that. I don't know were you It 1427 01:46:53.600 --> 01:46:57.319 doesn't like I try to tell people this, can I take this business serious? 1428 01:46:58.720 --> 01:47:00.960 Wonderful all this? You can go ahead and you can ask that question. 1429 01:47:01.479 --> 01:47:06.760 Yeah, you know what that means that it was It was the right 1430 01:47:08.159 --> 01:47:12.640 It was the right thing. You're still questioning energy and you it entertained you, 1431 01:47:12.760 --> 01:47:15.399 but it grabbed your imagination. You thought, maybe that ship's real? 1432 01:47:16.840 --> 01:47:20.439 Is that real? To this day you're asking that question, is it real? 1433 01:47:21.199 --> 01:47:24.800 Where are we going to tell you that it was not real? Now? 1434 01:47:25.119 --> 01:47:30.920 I know not. I don't want to know either. No. Sitting 1435 01:47:30.960 --> 01:47:33.119 with Rob Einstein from our video. So, uh yeah, but Terry, 1436 01:47:34.600 --> 01:47:40.239 all of what you said is well and good, But were you trying to 1437 01:47:40.319 --> 01:47:43.399 really piss off Rick Flair? I mean, don't act like, oh, 1438 01:47:43.479 --> 01:47:45.760 you know, you know, I never you know, I went ahead and 1439 01:47:46.079 --> 01:47:49.239 did what I had to do, and and if I pissed somebody off, 1440 01:47:49.319 --> 01:47:53.239 I didn't. You know, That's just kind of the way things happened. 1441 01:47:53.760 --> 01:47:58.000 You know. Sometimes I'd just sit there and go ahead and and then and 1442 01:47:58.239 --> 01:48:01.800 and cut a promo and I'd pissed myself alf off. I wonder did I 1443 01:48:01.960 --> 01:48:05.479 do that on that I really pissed myself off? Was I really pissed off 1444 01:48:05.520 --> 01:48:09.119 with myself or did not do it as an angle or did I just you 1445 01:48:09.199 --> 01:48:15.359 know, piss myself or did I piss myself and say I'm a cartoon talk 1446 01:48:15.359 --> 01:48:21.000 about three D chess huh funk man funk. Yeah, we've heard it. 1447 01:48:21.760 --> 01:48:28.479 He doesn't rest until he's saying something that legitimately bothers, of course, and 1448 01:48:28.600 --> 01:48:31.479 the guy, the guy knows its business, but Terry Funk uses that to 1449 01:48:31.600 --> 01:48:35.039 get four more shots in than are necessary. That's what you have to understand 1450 01:48:35.039 --> 01:48:41.039 about this guy. Like, yeah, he doesn't he doesn't point to the 1451 01:48:41.119 --> 01:48:44.279 fact that they're working together justify it. He points to the fact that they're 1452 01:48:44.319 --> 01:48:47.760 working together to take advantage of the situation, because you can never you could 1453 01:48:47.840 --> 01:48:53.399 always hide behind that veil if somebody takes umbrage. And we've heard the bass 1454 01:48:53.479 --> 01:48:57.119 and the voice of everybody from Dusty Rhodes to Jerry Lawler here to Rick Flair. 1455 01:48:57.319 --> 01:49:00.479 We heard Hulkogan talking about how pissed Terry Funk was, you know, 1456 01:49:00.640 --> 01:49:05.399 talking to the media about beating him in South Africa and being legitimately terrified of 1457 01:49:05.479 --> 01:49:11.960 Terry Funk. I mean, this guy, Yeah, he's working with you, 1458 01:49:13.680 --> 01:49:16.359 but he's gonna make sure to fire live rounds in the process. He's 1459 01:49:16.359 --> 01:49:20.119 not gonna absolutely soft pedal it. And you can hear almost the anguish, 1460 01:49:20.239 --> 01:49:25.119 anguish in his voice in his book there at being told from on high that 1461 01:49:25.199 --> 01:49:28.600 he has to tone things down, and how just antithetical that is to who 1462 01:49:28.640 --> 01:49:31.359 he is. Like if he let people tell him that in his career, 1463 01:49:31.439 --> 01:49:35.560 he would not be Terry Funk. It would not be where he was. 1464 01:49:35.680 --> 01:49:41.359 If if he let Sam Muchnik and Larry Mattison and Pad O'Connor tell him to 1465 01:49:41.439 --> 01:49:44.439 not do the hit angle, the heat angle with Johnny Valentine on Saint Louis 1466 01:49:44.479 --> 01:49:47.199 Television. All the way back from the very inception of his career, he 1467 01:49:47.319 --> 01:49:50.600 was like this, and here he is sort of bumping up against the tensions 1468 01:49:51.119 --> 01:49:55.359 that are created in a business where people, you know, a Flair is 1469 01:49:55.399 --> 01:49:58.560 sitting there not just taking what Terry Funk says at face value, but is 1470 01:49:58.680 --> 01:50:01.319 Terry Funk tells us very helpful? They're thinking who's behind the words Terry Funk 1471 01:50:01.399 --> 01:50:05.199 saying mmm, because I have enemies and Terry Funk might not be them, 1472 01:50:05.960 --> 01:50:09.399 but Terry Funk, you know, might be willing to be a puppet for 1473 01:50:09.479 --> 01:50:12.520 them if it positions him favorably. Because that's how it's three paid in this 1474 01:50:12.640 --> 01:50:16.600 new corporate run turn around WCW. Fascinating stuff, that's right. Are you 1475 01:50:16.640 --> 01:50:19.760 still at the marker right after the Edi Guerrero match there on your tape? 1476 01:50:24.239 --> 01:50:30.479 It's about one four fifty on disc fifteen, one O four fifty. Oh 1477 01:50:30.560 --> 01:50:36.640 no, because I was at the Flair thing. But here, oh wait, 1478 01:50:36.760 --> 01:50:41.920 we saw that though, we saw that promo played that one. Okay, 1479 01:50:41.960 --> 01:50:44.880 so we'll have to go past the one O four to fifty one. 1480 01:50:45.880 --> 01:50:56.039 Okay. I got a weird guy on Ric Flair's physician. Yes, here 1481 01:50:56.079 --> 01:51:00.439 we go. What's your time code on Ric Flair's physician. Yeah, I've 1482 01:51:00.520 --> 01:51:13.439 got I have one, seven thirty seven. All right. We're gonna line 1483 01:51:13.479 --> 01:51:21.520 these up here, all right. And so we've heard so much about these 1484 01:51:21.600 --> 01:51:26.479 promos that Terry Funk is cutting on TBS that are causing Ric Flair to call 1485 01:51:26.520 --> 01:51:30.319 the office and belly ach to Jim Ross and others. What was he doing? 1486 01:51:30.399 --> 01:51:32.479 What was he saying? What of this fake Ric Flair promo that's been 1487 01:51:32.520 --> 01:51:35.159 referenced to a hundred times so far with this guy who worked in the office, 1488 01:51:35.239 --> 01:51:39.520 Ron Ames, Let's take it in as part of the lapsed Funk. 1489 01:51:39.600 --> 01:51:43.640 First, we're going to start with the physician of Rick Flair who went on 1490 01:51:43.720 --> 01:51:46.760 TBS and talked about the injuries to Ric Flair's neck suffered in the pile driver 1491 01:51:46.840 --> 01:51:50.760 at Wrestle War by Terry Funk and the whole idea, the whole component of 1492 01:51:50.800 --> 01:51:55.359 this where Ric Flair has mentioned what was forced to stay home to sell the 1493 01:51:55.399 --> 01:51:59.560 severity of this injury and the unique circumstance that created for Terry Funk to go 1494 01:51:59.720 --> 01:52:02.439 hole on the promo. Is that any comebacks? Yeah? So here we 1495 01:52:02.520 --> 01:52:08.840 go. We're going to take a tour through the legendary Rick Flair Terry Funk 1496 01:52:09.880 --> 01:52:13.520 feud in nineteen eighty nine leading up to their clash at the Great American Bash. 1497 01:52:13.560 --> 01:52:16.880 Here we go on three to two one play has hand some problems with 1498 01:52:17.720 --> 01:52:20.800 wear and tear of his neck. To this point already Doctor Eastwick, and 1499 01:52:21.359 --> 01:52:26.239 with the recent injury east Wenn has actually now gone ahead and ruptured a disc 1500 01:52:26.760 --> 01:52:30.640 in his neck in the lower aspect of the neck, actually between the fifth 1501 01:52:30.680 --> 01:52:35.680 and the sixth vertebrae. Because of that, he's pinched a nerve going down 1502 01:52:35.760 --> 01:52:42.000 the left arm, and our examination shows that that's left him weak. Rick 1503 01:52:42.079 --> 01:52:45.680 tells me that he's actually much weaker in his bench press, for instance, 1504 01:52:45.760 --> 01:52:48.880 than ever before, and he used to be a competitive powerless This is a 1505 01:52:48.920 --> 01:52:51.640 doctor behind the desk, on the lap coat, with tie and the weakness, 1506 01:52:53.159 --> 01:52:56.520 the signature stitched into his lap coat, the whole deal. Oh yeah, 1507 01:52:57.159 --> 01:53:00.840 some of the fingers and of course lot of pain traveling down there. 1508 01:53:03.439 --> 01:53:08.039 An injury like this takes quite a while to heal it. It's very difficult 1509 01:53:08.239 --> 01:53:12.880 to call it early on in the in this situation, and what we need 1510 01:53:12.960 --> 01:53:16.359 to do is give him some time to heal. Uh and by that we 1511 01:53:16.520 --> 01:53:23.039 really have to tie into it. Sounds like you're giving Terry fun. We've 1512 01:53:23.119 --> 01:53:27.079 got to get working on his strengthening of the neck, got to work on 1513 01:53:27.119 --> 01:53:30.600 the range of motion. And then we use the tools of traction at times 1514 01:53:30.640 --> 01:53:35.560 and a neck collar to help stiffen the neck and hold it protected. Then 1515 01:53:35.600 --> 01:53:42.479 we can't beat or ever best father time I'm obsessed with like a real doctor 1516 01:53:42.560 --> 01:53:47.479 agreed to just completely fabricates. Oh yes, absolutely for the cameras, fucking 1517 01:53:47.520 --> 01:53:53.279 George Horion style. They're very crazy. Is how to perfect his career and 1518 01:53:54.640 --> 01:53:58.640 yet that's a really tough decision. We don't need to make that decision right 1519 01:53:58.760 --> 01:54:02.960 now, but we really worry about the safety of of him returning to the 1520 01:54:03.039 --> 01:54:08.439 ring. He doesn't have a desk job like I do, so that heroically 1521 01:54:08.479 --> 01:54:13.720 he did of protecting his neck at work every day. And what I would 1522 01:54:13.840 --> 01:54:19.279 like to see is that we go through all these recovery mechanisms hoping that it 1523 01:54:19.359 --> 01:54:24.760 doesn't take surgery to do it. We're certainly going to try our best to 1524 01:54:24.920 --> 01:54:28.239 try and work through this in therapy, and if he can rest the neck 1525 01:54:28.960 --> 01:54:31.119 and has any luck and healing, then a lot of this can resolve, 1526 01:54:31.680 --> 01:54:41.039 but a certain percentage of life could not. Really really, he has no 1527 01:54:41.119 --> 01:54:45.039 idea how to take that, and we'll get to had no idea that Terry 1528 01:54:45.039 --> 01:54:46.520 Funk was going to do that until they were live, and is it safe 1529 01:54:47.279 --> 01:54:49.840 A new Funk was going to do some hyper violences on the floor back and 1530 01:54:49.880 --> 01:54:57.600 white, and there's nothing that's one hundred specificity of preparing the discovery. I 1531 01:54:57.680 --> 01:55:04.159 think that's unfair. Doesn't make it that way, but we do hope that 1532 01:55:04.239 --> 01:55:10.000 he can get well enough that we consider it a reasonable risk and safe enough 1533 01:55:10.079 --> 01:55:14.399 to try. He won't do it halfway, and so that if he goes 1534 01:55:14.479 --> 01:55:16.439 back, we want to be sure that it's recovered enough that he's not in 1535 01:55:16.600 --> 01:55:24.079 any immediate danger of further injuring the muscles on it. Are all right, 1536 01:55:24.159 --> 01:55:27.079 fans? As we mentioned earlier in the hour, kry Buck said he had 1537 01:55:27.079 --> 01:55:30.800 a big announcement to make a surprise announcement. I hope that you and I 1538 01:55:30.880 --> 01:55:33.199 can keep this to civil level. What is it talking about next Thuray nine 1539 01:55:33.239 --> 01:55:36.840 here on the superstation. Well, absolutely, I wanted to come out here 1540 01:55:36.920 --> 01:55:45.199 and tell you that I called Rick Flair's attorney and Rick Flair wouldn't talk to 1541 01:55:45.359 --> 01:55:47.880 me because he just didn't feel right about it. And I can understand that. 1542 01:55:48.520 --> 01:55:50.880 And I said that the attorney. I said, Sir, I said, 1543 01:55:50.960 --> 01:55:58.079 I would like to pay Ric Flair's round trip ticket to this show next 1544 01:55:58.159 --> 01:56:02.039 week if he would come here and appear and tell us about the extent of 1545 01:56:02.159 --> 01:56:06.159 his injury. You know, Rick Clair's neck is hurt, I believe the 1546 01:56:06.279 --> 01:56:12.079 doctor, but his legs aren't broken. And that's exactly what I told his 1547 01:56:12.199 --> 01:56:15.399 attorney, and the attorney said, Rick Flair will be here. So I 1548 01:56:15.760 --> 01:56:21.800 am so happy to say that you people are going to have Rick Clair explaining 1549 01:56:23.000 --> 01:56:28.920 the extent of his injury next Saturday night. Right here, we are governed. 1550 01:56:29.039 --> 01:56:32.439 Jerry Funk is going to produce Rick Flair in the TV Claire back in 1551 01:56:32.680 --> 01:56:38.399 person, and I am so proud to say that he is back. You're 1552 01:56:38.439 --> 01:56:43.159 telling it may not be wrestling again, but he might even possibly accept the 1553 01:56:43.399 --> 01:56:46.479 challenge for the World Championship. If I do challiot, he's going to be 1554 01:56:46.920 --> 01:56:50.159 we oh, yes, but I'll let him have the chance and opportunity to 1555 01:56:50.239 --> 01:56:57.199 get well. Yes, I will. All right, Fancy and the psychon 1556 01:56:57.439 --> 01:57:00.439 here we have left in the program, don't forget next week as we first 1557 01:57:03.439 --> 01:57:10.279 Superstation next Saturday night plus the Midnight Express will be back with Jim Cornett. 1558 01:57:11.119 --> 01:57:14.840 Welcome back, ladies, and there's the teas for next week. And Ric 1559 01:57:14.880 --> 01:57:17.239 Flair, poss said earlier in the program, Terry, I don't know. 1560 01:57:17.640 --> 01:57:23.800 We made the comment that he would have Nature Boy Rick Flair here with us 1561 01:57:23.880 --> 01:57:27.760 tonight, and we if that is true, we started to look forward to 1562 01:57:27.800 --> 01:57:32.479 seeing the Nature Boy back here in the center stage here Superstation TBS. Here 1563 01:57:32.560 --> 01:57:39.600 comes Terry fun Now all right, Harry, A little dubious of this situation. 1564 01:57:40.399 --> 01:57:45.039 Where is he? Well, he's here. Rick Flair is here tonight, 1565 01:57:45.640 --> 01:57:48.000 and I want to tell you people, black leather, cowboy hat, 1566 01:57:48.119 --> 01:57:53.399 big ass belt, buckle, right, because he had enough intestinal fortitude to 1567 01:57:53.479 --> 01:57:58.159 come out here. I'm very proud of him. Let's go ahead and bring 1568 01:57:58.600 --> 01:58:02.520 let's go ahead down. Yeah, here it comes boss. All right, 1569 01:58:02.880 --> 01:58:12.359 Wow, there's a music coming down Wreck. The crowd is panding here, 1570 01:58:12.560 --> 01:58:18.760 fanding ovation. Oh gosh, who's that clown? He worked in the office. 1571 01:58:18.800 --> 01:58:21.680 Jr. Just said it in the clip. It was like a marketing 1572 01:58:21.720 --> 01:58:26.960 guy. Ron names was oh funny. Terry Funker was in the office one 1573 01:58:27.000 --> 01:58:30.439 day and saw the guy and said, that's my Rick Flair. All right, 1574 01:58:31.520 --> 01:58:36.119 So the real Rick Flair is home not loving this. Oh, grow 1575 01:58:36.239 --> 01:58:41.479 up Flair. The woo that sounded like a woman. Let's hear a Rick 1576 01:58:41.640 --> 01:58:48.039 Claire scream like a man. WHOA, that's awesome. Have anymore Rick Clare 1577 01:58:49.039 --> 01:58:53.560 spell it r I C K F l A. Yes, they do as 1578 01:58:53.640 --> 01:58:57.239 you say it is, which, of course was a mistake they made unintentionally 1579 01:58:57.319 --> 01:59:03.119 a raging kilt. Another way, how are you well? You have a 1580 01:59:03.279 --> 01:59:10.159 bad stomach, don't you yet? What it is is you have lost your 1581 01:59:10.479 --> 01:59:17.800 guts and Ric Flair also has a bad back. Take off the robe and 1582 01:59:18.000 --> 01:59:26.399 show him your bat comes b Wait a minute, my, what two weeks 1583 01:59:26.479 --> 01:59:32.560 of hiding in a closet does to a person? My doesn't Rick Flair look 1584 01:59:38.119 --> 01:59:43.039 and get that robe all get it off now and show him what's wrong with 1585 01:59:43.199 --> 01:59:53.039 your bat? Yellow Street down his back, God Street down his bet. 1586 01:59:53.319 --> 01:59:57.439 This is ridiculous, This is embarrassing, Carrie. You're talking about the world 1587 01:59:57.520 --> 02:00:00.880 shipping of the NWA. Hey, I'm I want to tell you a kid 1588 02:00:00.039 --> 02:00:05.239 something. Don't believe in Santa Claus. And remember, oh I don't believe 1589 02:00:05.239 --> 02:00:13.640 in Santa Claus. No dumb there, doll yeller, Wow, oh my 1590 02:00:13.800 --> 02:00:18.079 got in a world. Sting isn't gonna stand on that back there, line 1591 02:00:18.279 --> 02:00:23.960 up, listen to your stop. Let me tell you something. I got 1592 02:00:24.079 --> 02:00:28.560 a cold kill going right at my fine and it makes me sick. Funk 1593 02:00:28.640 --> 02:00:30.720 just whipped off the cowboy hat. You one another pen in my whole life. 1594 02:00:30.840 --> 02:00:34.199 Pal Let me tell you something else. I thank you well. The 1595 02:00:34.239 --> 02:00:38.880 shirt comes off the functor. Hey, guess what else you're ambassing me? 1596 02:00:39.359 --> 02:00:44.119 You'ressing people? Are your am passing the nature by? And you ain't got 1597 02:00:44.319 --> 02:00:47.359 no you know what? I'm Terry Funk. It's in the ring, challenging 1598 02:00:47.399 --> 02:00:50.520 the Stinger to bring it. Wow, you come staying, and we're back 1599 02:00:50.600 --> 02:00:57.640 on the Memphis TV station. I'm throwing, not allowing stinging into the way 1600 02:00:57.640 --> 02:01:01.199 in the ring. Christ I love it back and we're reversed by the stinger. 1601 02:01:01.239 --> 02:01:04.079 Funk hits the ropes Larry and down goes Terry and they go nuts at 1602 02:01:04.119 --> 02:01:12.960 center stage starting oh sting clothesline. Oh just creates little ropey sours like a 1603 02:01:13.039 --> 02:01:15.760 gazelle does this Stinger with a flying clothes line. Funk hits the floor. 1604 02:01:15.840 --> 02:01:23.560 Stay out after him, and there are woos on those rights. Funker spills 1605 02:01:23.600 --> 02:01:40.880 over the rail. Here the Funk work the railing. How did you Bronis 1606 02:01:40.920 --> 02:01:50.279 come out? They're going nuts and they were building a Sting Terry Funk House 1607 02:01:50.319 --> 02:02:00.119 show program at the same time. Here, all right, there's one of 1608 02:02:00.159 --> 02:02:03.600 those oh man, Funk puts two Jabroni's down there are in between him and 1609 02:02:03.680 --> 02:02:08.760 Sting and then lunges at Stinging headlocks on the Now that's a pigpile trying to 1610 02:02:08.760 --> 02:02:15.199 break this thing up. Funk hanging off the ring, Apron throwing at the 1611 02:02:15.239 --> 02:02:30.520 back of Sting's head. That's just fucking money I got here. Let's go 1612 02:02:30.600 --> 02:02:34.000 to the Wrestling out of Here station. Earlier this week I had the occasion 1613 02:02:34.039 --> 02:02:38.279 to be one of the great n w A cities to conduct an interview with 1614 02:02:38.479 --> 02:02:43.199 Terry Funk. The subject of that interview was this Wednesday night primetime live broadcast 1615 02:02:43.279 --> 02:02:45.359 here on the superstation, the Class of Champions seven. Of course, we 1616 02:02:45.439 --> 02:02:49.439 all know Funk now the number ten contender for the world's heavyweight title will number 1617 02:02:49.479 --> 02:02:54.560 ten tonight the number one contender, Ricky the Dragon Steamboat. That was the 1618 02:02:54.640 --> 02:02:57.920 subject of the interview, and it was most interesting let's play it now. 1619 02:02:58.960 --> 02:03:00.680 Well, ladies and Jellain, where here to talk to Terry Funk about the 1620 02:03:00.720 --> 02:03:08.960 big class of champions coming up this Wednesday night. That's how the top ten 1621 02:03:09.039 --> 02:03:18.800 in the n W A number one contender Ricky the Dragon Steamboat this Wednesday night, 1622 02:03:19.560 --> 02:03:25.479 Jim Ross, I want to tell you and the simple minded people out 1623 02:03:25.520 --> 02:03:30.640 there, the cold hard facts one time and one time only. I am 1624 02:03:30.840 --> 02:03:36.800 from a professional wrestling family, and many years ago my father was a wrestler 1625 02:03:36.920 --> 02:03:44.640 too, and my father died in my arms after a professional wrestling max. 1626 02:03:45.279 --> 02:03:50.039 They had his funeral and thousands of people came to his funeral, and they 1627 02:03:50.159 --> 02:03:56.760 brought every kind and color of flower imaginable. That's like I said, was 1628 02:03:56.880 --> 02:04:01.119 many years ago. Then the years went by and I went back to the 1629 02:04:01.239 --> 02:04:06.760 grave Heights and all it was there was me in the West Texas winds, 1630 02:04:08.399 --> 02:04:13.159 and I looked down at that headstone of his and had said, Funk, 1631 02:04:13.920 --> 02:04:21.439 if you n k and the iWar to the heavens to Bob that I would 1632 02:04:21.600 --> 02:04:30.880 make that name synonymous with wrestling forever, forever. If I have to step 1633 02:04:30.079 --> 02:04:35.920 on Staying, I will. If I have to step on Luger, I 1634 02:04:36.119 --> 02:04:44.119 will. If I have to step on steamboat his family. I will that 1635 02:04:44.399 --> 02:04:50.079 includes that little pig notes half breed child of his. Because what I want 1636 02:04:50.159 --> 02:04:56.600 to do is I want to have Rick Claire. And I've set my last 1637 02:04:56.800 --> 02:05:05.359 west, I've set my heartbeat. Oh well, good mind right composite there, 1638 02:05:06.039 --> 02:05:11.359 Okay? As a Ricky Steamboat interrupts Terry Funk to build the Clash of 1639 02:05:11.399 --> 02:05:15.159 the Champions match that would qualify Terry Funk to challenge Flair for the belt at 1640 02:05:15.159 --> 02:05:18.159 the Great American Bash, well we saw most of the substance of promos that 1641 02:05:18.319 --> 02:05:23.359 fuck cut between attacking Flare at Wressell War eighty nine and wrestling him at the 1642 02:05:23.399 --> 02:05:26.760 Bash eighty nine. Thoughts on Funk's work here, boss, I mean, 1643 02:05:26.800 --> 02:05:34.520 he's spectacular. He's just he's able to mold himself and and just transform into 1644 02:05:34.640 --> 02:05:39.680 so many different I don't know, like he's got like you know, you 1645 02:05:39.800 --> 02:05:42.439 said it, he's got layers. Yeah, he just struck a totally different 1646 02:05:42.439 --> 02:05:45.279 tone there and that go home, going back to his father's grave, And 1647 02:05:45.039 --> 02:05:46.600 as soon as he opened his lips, it's like, whoa, this is 1648 02:05:46.640 --> 02:05:49.560 a different tone of voice than I expected from him. Yes, this isn't 1649 02:05:49.560 --> 02:05:51.920 the guy that brought out the fake Rick Flair with the streak down his back, 1650 02:05:51.960 --> 02:05:57.439 playing you know, foolish and or screaming psychotically into the camera. Either. 1651 02:05:57.520 --> 02:06:00.279 Right, He's just he's a different guy every time he steps in that 1652 02:06:00.760 --> 02:06:04.279 WCW microphone. It's it's it's remarkable. It's a remarkable performance from Terry Funk, 1653 02:06:04.279 --> 02:06:06.920 who, of course was given the blank canvas because Ric Flair was home 1654 02:06:08.000 --> 02:06:11.960 selling. It was all Terry that had to paint the picture, and goddamnit, 1655 02:06:12.039 --> 02:06:14.840 he did it. And then they did like a press conference on television 1656 02:06:14.840 --> 02:06:17.119 where Rick Flair took the dais and announced that he had recovered sufficiently that he's 1657 02:06:17.159 --> 02:06:21.359 been cleared to return and he's looking forward to coming back to face Terry Funk. 1658 02:06:21.399 --> 02:06:24.960 At of the Great American Bash. They had Jim Heard up there introducing 1659 02:06:25.000 --> 02:06:29.079 Flair like they were like they were on the same page and you know, 1660 02:06:29.199 --> 02:06:35.079 talking in positive, glowing terms about our Flair's dedication and so uh, that's 1661 02:06:35.159 --> 02:06:41.439 the the on screen harmony. Behind the scenes fair degree of turmoil. Here's 1662 02:06:41.479 --> 02:06:45.760 a Terry Funk talking about it in a shoot interview. I say broke my 1663 02:06:45.880 --> 02:06:49.640 back, I broke my sacrum. Yeah, and I was in just an 1664 02:06:50.079 --> 02:06:56.319 extreme extreme crew. You know. Pay if anybody's had a broken cycrum, 1665 02:06:56.359 --> 02:07:00.560 I don't know what I'm talking about. And Uh I did that wrestling and 1666 02:07:00.520 --> 02:07:04.520 WCW at the time, and I'd have to get on an airplane and I 1667 02:07:04.600 --> 02:07:09.640 couldn't sit down, and I'd have to turn around in the seat and lean 1668 02:07:09.720 --> 02:07:13.039 over the seat for the entire flights. You know, I'd just sit down 1669 02:07:13.079 --> 02:07:15.680 where we landed and took off, you know. Yeah, and uh kept 1670 02:07:15.720 --> 02:07:20.439 on joining the towns. Uh things happened to the other disappointing things is like 1671 02:07:20.680 --> 02:07:26.479 uh telling them that that was wrong with me and continue not to continuing on 1672 02:07:27.039 --> 02:07:30.880 right, but having them not believe me in sending me to several other doctors 1673 02:07:31.000 --> 02:07:40.039 didn't make me and them the top. Yeah. That Uh, creating uh 1674 02:07:40.239 --> 02:07:45.640 tremendous interest in something and having somebody getting so upset with it they couldn't stand 1675 02:07:45.720 --> 02:07:48.880 it, Which was the flair situation that we had that they're doing and have 1676 02:07:49.039 --> 02:07:55.760 repeated in WCWN versions of it in WWF to this day. Yeah. Uh 1677 02:07:56.039 --> 02:08:03.920 from the the from the from the famous uh uh flair of Ron Ron Aims 1678 02:08:05.000 --> 02:08:07.600 dressing up like Rick Flair. Yeah, to all of that, you know. 1679 02:08:07.720 --> 02:08:13.600 I mean, but uh that was uh got treatman his heat from Flair 1680 02:08:13.760 --> 02:08:16.399 and yeah he he he went to the office and told him about it, 1681 02:08:16.520 --> 02:08:20.199 and yeah, that was shut down. You know, really putting a paper 1682 02:08:20.439 --> 02:08:24.880 sack over somebody's head suddenly turned into something that they couldn't play on the air. 1683 02:08:26.000 --> 02:08:33.359 And a lot of uh of uh of underlying turmoil at that time, 1684 02:08:33.000 --> 02:08:43.000 uh point where where I would be doing uh commentary and they wouldn't even let 1685 02:08:43.079 --> 02:08:46.920 me know what the card was till pre minutes before time, and I was 1686 02:08:46.920 --> 02:08:50.560 supposed to speak to the producer of the show at that time, and we 1687 02:08:50.760 --> 02:08:54.560 just absurdities that took place. You know, Yeah, who do you blame 1688 02:08:54.600 --> 02:08:56.760 for that? You blame the company as a whole, just for complete this 1689 02:08:56.880 --> 02:09:01.399 organization or individuals, and I mean, I don't want to go into yeah 1690 02:09:01.439 --> 02:09:03.560 it was. Yeah. Is there a lot of tension between you and Flair 1691 02:09:03.560 --> 02:09:11.880 at that time? M somewhat? Yes, Yeah, thank you, Terry. 1692 02:09:11.199 --> 02:09:18.520 Yes, your your matchup Batch eighty nine with the injuries and everything going 1693 02:09:18.600 --> 02:09:22.760 in incredible match and you know, was there a lot of pressure on you 1694 02:09:22.920 --> 02:09:28.159 going into that to have to have the match that you guys? Did I 1695 02:09:28.239 --> 02:09:31.560 think that you know. I mean again, as I said, all this 1696 02:09:31.680 --> 02:09:33.359 time and this pressure of that pressure. Yeah, I think I did feel 1697 02:09:33.399 --> 02:09:37.600 pressure from that match. Yeah, at that time, had had to be 1698 02:09:37.680 --> 02:09:43.239 the best, had to be the best. Mmmm. As he talked about 1699 02:09:43.279 --> 02:09:46.119 there, he did. He broke his sacrum, which is based like your 1700 02:09:46.159 --> 02:09:50.039 tailboat up your ass, like he broke on a house show match with Sting. 1701 02:09:50.399 --> 02:09:52.520 I mentioned there the Sting Terry Funk Mike Showdown is setting up a house 1702 02:09:52.560 --> 02:09:56.319 show program, And that was several weeks out from the big you know return, 1703 02:09:56.359 --> 02:09:58.640 a flare of the Great American Bash. The pay per view hinged on 1704 02:09:58.760 --> 02:10:03.439 him getting his revenge on Terry Funk, and god damn it, Terry Funk 1705 02:10:03.520 --> 02:10:05.479 wasn't not going to be there. And as he said, he's rankled because 1706 02:10:05.520 --> 02:10:11.199 he's still making towns with this huge injury and they're doubting if he's really hurt. 1707 02:10:11.800 --> 02:10:15.520 They're having him go to other doctors to confirm it. It's all that 1708 02:10:15.600 --> 02:10:18.760 stupid politics of who's on whose side behind the scenes and everything being read through 1709 02:10:18.800 --> 02:10:22.720 that lens like, of course he's hurt. Yeah, of course, there's 1710 02:10:22.760 --> 02:10:24.880 a last minute hiccup where all of a sudden, you know, we can't 1711 02:10:24.920 --> 02:10:30.319 deliver this right, and he's you know, he's just he's just playing ball, 1712 02:10:30.920 --> 02:10:33.279 not being told what matches are going to be coming up next, even 1713 02:10:33.279 --> 02:10:37.760 though his contracts says he's a producer. That's fucking hilarious. It was all 1714 02:10:37.840 --> 02:10:41.760 in there and of course, you know, being told to tone it down 1715 02:10:41.800 --> 02:10:46.600 by the office. So that's the version Terry Funk tells about this time before 1716 02:10:46.079 --> 02:10:50.520 the situation's changed, and he was around Rick Flair socially and worked right again 1717 02:10:50.560 --> 02:10:54.439 at ws W and softened at Big Time, and he would never repeat that. 1718 02:10:54.720 --> 02:10:58.600 You know, you know that that's that's that's such the game right there, 1719 02:10:58.680 --> 02:11:01.239 that's the that's it. Like something else, Terry Funk was the master 1720 02:11:03.199 --> 02:11:09.199 I hate you until I like you exactly. You know. It's such situational, 1721 02:11:09.600 --> 02:11:15.159 very transactional, very case dependent. As for working in the ring with 1722 02:11:15.279 --> 02:11:18.159 Terry Funk. Upon his return, even in that you know, state of 1723 02:11:18.399 --> 02:11:22.119 injury, Rick Flair had some comments reflecting on, well, this is actually 1724 02:11:22.159 --> 02:11:26.159 Terry Funk having comments on how tough the match was, not just getting in 1725 02:11:26.239 --> 02:11:30.319 there with the broken sake room, but as the match played out in real 1726 02:11:30.399 --> 02:11:33.680 time with live rounds. You know what it was, the work you know, 1727 02:11:33.880 --> 02:11:35.640 but Rick can never realized that when it came to those shops, So 1728 02:11:37.000 --> 02:11:43.119 go ahead and beat me to death. I had a fine chest anyhow, 1729 02:11:43.520 --> 02:11:48.720 he never had been doing to me. Damn bench prescious. But anyhow, 1730 02:11:48.239 --> 02:11:54.399 Rick Love, he's zero men on that right away. Then I'd come home 1731 02:11:54.479 --> 02:11:58.279 with my wife would look at me and she'd say, oh my god, 1732 02:11:58.920 --> 02:12:05.960 she didn't working with blood blood Prance. I just know why. I didn't 1733 02:12:05.159 --> 02:12:09.960 mean, I've been with blood blusters. You know. You can hear Flair 1734 02:12:09.079 --> 02:12:13.399 like trying to like pipe up and stop Terry from Nope, nope, nope, 1735 02:12:13.680 --> 02:12:18.880 Flair, No, no, you hurt the guy. I went out 1736 02:12:18.880 --> 02:12:22.319 there and that was a shoot. Accept it. And he's very sensitive about 1737 02:12:22.319 --> 02:12:26.399 that because remember Brett Hart criticized him for that, a Brett who didn't love 1738 02:12:26.439 --> 02:12:28.840 taking those hard knife fetch chops. You know, to Brett, the art 1739 02:12:28.960 --> 02:12:31.600 is not actually hurting the other guy. I know, right, that's exactly 1740 02:12:31.840 --> 02:12:35.520 so Fla was very much in his feelings about being told that he went out 1741 02:12:35.520 --> 02:12:39.000 there and just brutalized people with chops to get himself over, which is great. 1742 02:12:39.000 --> 02:12:41.279 I mean, Funk was more than game, but he but Flair can't 1743 02:12:41.279 --> 02:12:43.399 even stand to sit there and hear Funk pointed out right, like, just 1744 02:12:43.479 --> 02:12:46.680 accept the fact that you fucking did it. He starts olling, what about 1745 02:12:46.680 --> 02:12:48.239 wah waho with big hands? He chopped harder. It's like, okay, 1746 02:12:48.279 --> 02:12:54.840 brick, he chopped talking about wow chopping, yo chopping like a bitch? 1747 02:12:54.239 --> 02:12:56.800 So uh, why are you? Why are on my ass? And so 1748 02:12:56.920 --> 02:13:00.720 that's like, yeah, they're both doing a smile and backslap sitting right next 1749 02:13:00.760 --> 02:13:03.119 to each other in that are a video feature they did, like ah what 1750 02:13:03.159 --> 02:13:05.560 they call face off where they sit two guys down at the same time to 1751 02:13:05.560 --> 02:13:09.199 talk about their love it. I love it and it's wonderful to see how 1752 02:13:09.239 --> 02:13:13.840 differently shaded the comments are about working together in that setting versus when they did 1753 02:13:13.920 --> 02:13:16.920 shoots in isolation, in particular Terry Funks. And so it's all building towards 1754 02:13:18.000 --> 02:13:20.840 the Great American Bash. And while we've done the match in the archives, 1755 02:13:20.880 --> 02:13:24.640 I do think it's appropriate to do it again because this is Flair coming back 1756 02:13:24.640 --> 02:13:28.039 off the neck injury. This is Terry Funk putting his absolute best foot forward. 1757 02:13:28.119 --> 02:13:31.399 This is why he got after the contract to do this match, to 1758 02:13:31.479 --> 02:13:35.000 do this pay per view, and it did great business. It was the 1759 02:13:35.119 --> 02:13:41.520 first bright spot that WCW had seen in years in terms of a really respectable 1760 02:13:41.560 --> 02:13:43.239 house, a pay per view by rate that showed that if they did, 1761 02:13:43.359 --> 02:13:46.279 in fact put the right guys out there with the right storyline and it all 1762 02:13:46.359 --> 02:13:50.960 clicked, that they could draw it. Wasn't this sort of like black hole 1763 02:13:50.039 --> 02:13:52.880 where no matter what they did, the fans weren't willing to support it. 1764 02:13:54.520 --> 02:13:58.720 Yeah, nineteen eighty nine and Terry Funk in particular showed that there was there 1765 02:13:58.840 --> 02:14:03.359 was something that they could reach for, even in a WWBF dominated marketplace. 1766 02:14:03.399 --> 02:14:09.479 So let's go to Disc sixteen, Boss Disc sixteen, and it's going to 1767 02:14:09.520 --> 02:14:13.479 start at zero zero, zero zero, right at the very top. July 1768 02:14:13.640 --> 02:14:16.439 twenty third, nineteen eighty nine, widely considered the greatest pay per view in 1769 02:14:16.439 --> 02:14:20.640 the history of professional wrestling, the nineteen eighty nine Great American Dash. After 1770 02:14:20.760 --> 02:14:28.239 matches Sting versus Mudo and Luca versus Steamboat and the Wargames, we get Flair 1771 02:14:28.680 --> 02:14:33.720 returning to make Terry Funk pay for what he did to him at Wrestle War 1772 02:14:33.960 --> 02:14:37.279 and all he said in the promos that we've sampled here on the lapsed Funk 1773 02:14:37.319 --> 02:14:56.479 Are you ready? I'm ready three two one play Ladies and gentlemen. Flair, 1774 02:14:58.439 --> 02:15:09.399 Yeah he is six time. Whoa baby please a gentleman high praisen the 1775 02:15:09.720 --> 02:15:24.159 world Chippy nature Well, then on every arm Boss and and Morph that's that's 1776 02:15:24.640 --> 02:15:28.319 yep, kind of nature boy and wearing kind of a baby face smile, 1777 02:15:28.439 --> 02:15:39.800 baby face fire jem gem. I don't even understand where I am right now. 1778 02:15:41.000 --> 02:15:45.640 Pop Coddle on the call with good Old Jr. There's the two rings 1779 02:15:45.680 --> 02:15:48.239 of the war Games. They set off pop Gun Pyro above the rings for 1780 02:15:48.319 --> 02:15:56.960 the return nature Boy. Rick Flair is first time in nineteen one has he 1781 02:15:58.039 --> 02:16:01.880 defeated Dusty Roads and try to raise him Elboss, I'm ready ready for the 1782 02:16:01.920 --> 02:16:05.920 Funker to do it on pay per view of course, and even though he 1783 02:16:05.960 --> 02:16:09.840 went through New York Man, he never had the chance to go all out 1784 02:16:09.920 --> 02:16:13.760 Terry Funk on pay per view until this moment. This is the moment on 1785 02:16:13.800 --> 02:16:16.319 pay per view and Terry Funk and Flair talks him in the isle away and 1786 02:16:16.359 --> 02:16:24.000 the chops are flying in Baltimore. Baltimore was a great market for WW relatively 1787 02:16:24.000 --> 02:16:28.119 speaking for years, and this Funk Flair match, if the gate was any 1788 02:16:28.159 --> 02:16:33.799 indication and the buyer rate was any indication he played no small part. Funk 1789 02:16:33.920 --> 02:16:39.440 is just rattling the ringside railing. He's amongst the people. Everyone look at 1790 02:16:39.479 --> 02:16:46.600 the just beside himself. That Flair got to him that quickly, in that 1791 02:16:46.639 --> 02:16:52.559 aggressive way to those fans. They're talking ship to him, but they're backing 1792 02:16:52.639 --> 02:16:56.399 up the second he looks at him. I'd be horrified of him. Kidding 1793 02:16:56.440 --> 02:17:01.280 me, God, I would have loved to go with the show. The 1794 02:17:01.719 --> 02:17:07.959 brother Oh bunk one leg over the rail, trying to go after fans again. 1795 02:17:07.399 --> 02:17:13.479 Rick Flair attacks off the handle and now he's pummeling Harry Funk across the 1796 02:17:13.520 --> 02:17:18.479 time keeper's table. I love those buntings, those red, white and blue 1797 02:17:18.520 --> 02:17:30.040 buntings, not only the care Oh jesus, Oh, he's just fucking there. 1798 02:17:30.079 --> 02:17:35.440 He goes, grabs a chair, and Laundry goes Garry and Michael Capetta 1799 02:17:35.440 --> 02:17:39.840 getting out of the way. Flair scooping up. He's right back to it. 1800 02:17:39.920 --> 02:17:43.639 He's climbing the he's why is he going over the rail, Because you're 1801 02:17:43.680 --> 02:17:50.719 fucking crazy gold here. I love like maybe the subtletee that like, yeah, 1802 02:17:50.760 --> 02:17:52.959 he's crazy, but he's actually doing it because he's kind of afraid to 1803 02:17:54.000 --> 02:17:58.000 get in the ring. Yep. And he's so mad at himself that he's 1804 02:17:58.040 --> 02:18:03.360 intimidated by his opponent that he's taking it out on ringsiders. But he enters 1805 02:18:03.360 --> 02:18:05.040 the fray Collem, okay believe in that Fair, I'm okay believing that. 1806 02:18:07.280 --> 02:18:09.920 What's that? Boss, I said, I'm okay believing that. Oh now, 1807 02:18:11.200 --> 02:18:13.639 Funk, I want to work with Chop. Yes, yes, here 1808 02:18:13.719 --> 02:18:20.360 comes Flair. I want to chop and turns Funk almost all the way around 1809 02:18:20.399 --> 02:18:28.319 were good, middle aged and crazy, big chop over the top. There 1810 02:18:28.399 --> 02:18:33.280 he coaches, right. Hogan was the beneficiary, Jared Lawler was the beneficiary, 1811 02:18:33.399 --> 02:18:39.040 Dusty Rhodes was the beneficiary. And the fans, the fans and fans. 1812 02:18:39.879 --> 02:18:48.840 Oh Funk catches up to Flair and posts him on the outside his baby 1813 02:18:48.879 --> 02:18:54.239 face. Flair, Man, it's a you know, I mean, it's 1814 02:18:58.040 --> 02:19:00.920 when was it so before this? When was the last time he was a 1815 02:19:00.959 --> 02:19:03.479 baby face before this? It's hard to say. I mean, probably the 1816 02:19:03.559 --> 02:19:07.639 Carolina's in the seventies, honestly, well, eighty three he was a babyface 1817 02:19:07.920 --> 02:19:13.319 against Starcade. Yeah he was, that's Charlie race. But by eighty four 1818 02:19:13.440 --> 02:19:18.479 he's a heel again and certainly eighty five through. Yeah, I guess it's 1819 02:19:18.520 --> 02:19:22.399 been the first time and it was eighty three. Yeah, because remember we 1820 02:19:22.440 --> 02:19:26.559 did the star Kad Memorial tour. We were noting how starkly different Rick Flair's 1821 02:19:26.600 --> 02:19:31.840 tone was on promos. He's much more sportsman like. Yeah, Calm collected 1822 02:19:31.959 --> 02:19:37.280 that was who he was in like his formative decade, first decade, and 1823 02:19:37.399 --> 02:19:41.360 Crockett, even when he was a heel and he was flamboyant, he still 1824 02:19:41.440 --> 02:19:43.719 kind of had a little more of a serious tone. Yoms to his promos 1825 02:19:43.959 --> 02:19:48.600 outside and Funk brings in Flair the hard way with the verticals who play he's 1826 02:19:48.680 --> 02:19:52.479 nice. Bunk floats over lateral, pressed Tommy Young down for the two, 1827 02:19:52.799 --> 02:20:03.879 and Flair pops the shoulder up eight years ago. Another supplex on older here 1828 02:20:03.920 --> 02:20:11.840 from the Funker. Oh but Flair puts the block on Ric FLAIRLA was the 1829 02:20:11.920 --> 02:20:13.920 only one is first title eight years prior. That's the nuts. Oh, 1830 02:20:13.959 --> 02:20:18.159 we just saw it. We saw him Russell Terry Funk during that ragn. 1831 02:20:18.399 --> 02:20:20.760 I know, it's still crazy to think though that it was only eight years 1832 02:20:20.799 --> 02:20:22.159 at this point. I know, I know, it just seems like the 1833 02:20:22.239 --> 02:20:26.200 equivalent of twenty years today. Yep, yep, to see something that would 1834 02:20:26.200 --> 02:20:30.159 look that much of a different era, to see like the transformation in Terry 1835 02:20:30.159 --> 02:20:35.200 Funk alone in eight years. Right, So flare up to the apron Funk, 1836 02:20:35.239 --> 02:20:41.840 rabbing him by the hair and driving chops behind the head Funk using the 1837 02:20:41.879 --> 02:20:46.559 blade of his taped hand. And look at that Rick Flair with a head 1838 02:20:46.600 --> 02:20:50.239 butt, Thank you very much. Flaire looking at Suplex Funk out of the 1839 02:20:50.319 --> 02:20:52.959 rain. No, no, nope, they fall and I'm okay with that. 1840 02:20:54.600 --> 02:21:00.559 Yeah, it was a hlacious collapse that made sense. Yep. Yeah, 1841 02:21:00.639 --> 02:21:01.600 nine times out of ten, if you try to sup like some motherfucker 1842 02:21:01.639 --> 02:21:05.120 out of the ring against his will, you're probably gonna both come crashing down 1843 02:21:05.159 --> 02:21:09.840 because he's gonna fight like hell to not take that blow. Yeah. Ok, 1844 02:21:09.959 --> 02:21:16.159 the chops on the floor, that's an exchange. That's all flat chest 1845 02:21:16.239 --> 02:21:20.680 on Funk. Man. There's no meat there. I know that he's got, 1846 02:21:20.760 --> 02:21:22.520 Like, yeah, there's there's there, really isn't. It's just such 1847 02:21:22.520 --> 02:21:28.280 a fucking I don't even know what to call it. Just just bone, 1848 02:21:28.680 --> 02:21:33.760 bone and skin. Okay, this guy swing go out of the eyes as 1849 02:21:33.799 --> 02:21:43.440 well. Claire rolls back into the ring, in agony, Terry Funk in 1850 02:21:43.520 --> 02:21:50.799 pursuit. I really like you gotta wonder about the conditioning of Flair. I 1851 02:21:50.799 --> 02:21:52.920 don't know if I have to bow. I know I'm clanding up a pile 1852 02:21:54.040 --> 02:21:56.520 driver now in the ring. Now it's that dreaded flare. Can't take all 1853 02:21:56.559 --> 02:22:01.799 of those Oh back drop and Funk spells violently to the floor. Terry Funk 1854 02:22:01.200 --> 02:22:05.079 thrown out of the ring. Man, I think it's another's it's really conclusionable. 1855 02:22:11.120 --> 02:22:13.760 Yeah, that was a big part of this too. Is Funk revealed 1856 02:22:13.959 --> 02:22:18.200 Gary Hart as his manager. Oh, that's right. It's like a surprise 1857 02:22:18.280 --> 02:22:22.879 element for a Flair. I like a Flair trying to break Terry Funk's neck 1858 02:22:24.079 --> 02:22:33.079 wrenching into the floor. Funk cell, it's like the Zeus neck break. 1859 02:22:33.120 --> 02:22:39.959 He's doing Gary Hart motionless. Yep, his head's moving, but his body 1860 02:22:39.040 --> 02:22:46.799 is not. Yep. He's thinking of all the ways. Yes, he 1861 02:22:46.920 --> 02:22:50.360 can kill if he needs so. I mean, that's it, right, 1862 02:22:50.440 --> 02:22:58.639 I mean, let's big. Let's be Frank here. Want ah Flair at 1863 02:22:58.639 --> 02:23:00.559 the back of the head. You drop a US in the back of the 1864 02:23:00.600 --> 02:23:07.159 head of Terry Funk is now in an extremely vulnerable position. JJ Dillon back 1865 02:23:07.159 --> 02:23:11.360 there behind h Gary Harder song, not really sure he was working for Vince 1866 02:23:11.399 --> 02:23:16.399 by this point and another he dropped by the nature boy pulling the knee pad 1867 02:23:16.479 --> 02:23:20.040 down, turns over a Funk lateral price hook at the outside leg, gets 1868 02:23:20.120 --> 02:23:28.200 two? Or does the champione the player thinking pile driver? Here there we 1869 02:23:28.280 --> 02:23:33.440 go turnabout's fair play for the nature boy. Oh yes, don't see many 1870 02:23:33.559 --> 02:23:35.719 brick Flair pile drivers. Man, Oh, look at him, do the 1871 02:23:35.799 --> 02:23:39.799 fucking Homer Simpson. There Funks spinning around like a top on the mat. 1872 02:23:41.719 --> 02:23:46.719 Look at him, flingers. What is he doing? He's such a nut 1873 02:23:48.120 --> 02:23:54.319 that it's perfect. That's the that's the moment for Rick gets his hands on 1874 02:23:54.440 --> 02:24:01.719 Funk and pile drives his ass. You can do it again to triple pumps 1875 02:24:01.760 --> 02:24:07.000 him too, whether it's Jerry Lawler or Rick Flair. If you're gonna pile 1876 02:24:07.079 --> 02:24:11.399 drive Terry Funk, we're in business. And Terry Funk's on his fucking feet. 1877 02:24:11.440 --> 02:24:13.440 And then he stumbles through the ropes again. I love the h I 1878 02:24:13.559 --> 02:24:20.760 love those those like half circle American flag things. They look like it's a 1879 02:24:20.840 --> 02:24:26.760 fucking you know, like we're at the town hall in like eighteen eighty seven 1880 02:24:26.920 --> 02:24:31.760 or something. The bunting Yeah, out to the Aisleway we go, as 1881 02:24:31.840 --> 02:24:35.319 Flair continues wrenching the neck of Terry Funk and attacking him from every which way 1882 02:24:35.440 --> 02:24:41.520 back into the fray. Now there's the wounded funk er Rick Flair gon to 1883 02:24:41.600 --> 02:24:54.239 capitalize slapping the shit out of Terry Funk. Here we go, Here we 1884 02:24:54.319 --> 02:25:01.799 go. Yes, ah, that was a bad punch, but you can't 1885 02:25:01.840 --> 02:25:05.000 win them all. Fun comes alive with the series of jabs. Flair hits 1886 02:25:05.000 --> 02:25:09.120 the ropes and drops Funks with a forearm cover two little kicks out. But 1887 02:25:09.239 --> 02:25:11.319 he taught me, you'm making the count from the outside of the ring. 1888 02:25:11.600 --> 02:25:16.000 Do whatever he's got to do based on ring positioning. Look at that fucking 1889 02:25:16.159 --> 02:25:20.479 camera crane, right Jesus Christ, huge backsupplex by. Flair puts down Funk 1890 02:25:20.559 --> 02:25:24.559 flosition for the figure four. We go, Doug Dillinger board out of his 1891 02:25:24.680 --> 02:25:28.959 fucking mind. He really knows how to convey electricity. Step over, Flair 1892 02:25:30.000 --> 02:25:39.440 hooks it up. He's got the figure four locked out. Oh fun trying 1893 02:25:39.440 --> 02:25:41.639 to maneuver, and we see the branding iron is in the ring. Yep, 1894 02:25:41.959 --> 02:25:48.920 I believe Gary hardis like the branding iron Face figure four will relinquished. 1895 02:25:48.959 --> 02:25:52.760 Just Gary hearts up on the ring, apron distracting Tommy Young, Terry Funk. 1896 02:25:56.520 --> 02:25:58.479 What's his butt there? Oh my god, I can't think of his 1897 02:25:58.559 --> 02:26:03.799 fucking name anymore. Bishoff's partner Jason Hervey, Jason, thank you. Jason 1898 02:26:03.840 --> 02:26:07.000 Hervey is sitting on the hard camera side. If you saw him, Yeah, 1899 02:26:07.719 --> 02:26:09.920 he's lucky he was at this show. So Flair is run the razor, 1900 02:26:11.600 --> 02:26:16.319 selling the branding iron shot and Funk of course peppering closed fists right in 1901 02:26:16.360 --> 02:26:24.600 that cut. What a battle looks like. We are the women in dresses. 1902 02:26:24.799 --> 02:26:26.639 I know, I know, what do you fucking wearing a dress for 1903 02:26:26.799 --> 02:26:35.239 it wrestling show? There's Hervey right there? Oh yeah, yeah, oh, 1904 02:26:35.319 --> 02:26:39.239 look at that fucking He claps for his godfather. Hey came out of 1905 02:26:39.280 --> 02:26:43.159 his seat for Terry Funk. Spile driver. Flaire is dead cover by Funk 1906 02:26:43.799 --> 02:26:50.200 one two and Flair gets the fun under that funds out. Tommy Young, 1907 02:26:50.319 --> 02:27:03.000 calm down, brother, calm down, Gary, Michael Flair got in and 1908 02:27:03.120 --> 02:27:15.040 got the opportunity the uh oh uh oh ring side. He's removing the uh 1909 02:27:16.319 --> 02:27:22.959 the blue ring mats, exposing the concrete dable you never know what he's going 1910 02:27:24.000 --> 02:27:28.559 to do. Terry Serry's on his feet. He's like excited now, Terry 1911 02:27:28.559 --> 02:27:33.239 brand Gary Hard got a couple of the old Hogan Neatch tricks. Here. 1912 02:27:33.239 --> 02:27:39.520 He's choking in the tape using the branding iron of the head bloody mat. 1913 02:27:41.319 --> 02:27:43.680 Tell me young, all right, pat rabs Funk by the hair to try 1914 02:27:43.680 --> 02:27:46.200 to stop him from choking Flair with the wrist tape. You can just deeply 1915 02:27:46.440 --> 02:27:52.239 Genknisky, Jesus Christ stopping Gene Kinisky, looking Doug Dull and Jesus like yeah, 1916 02:27:52.239 --> 02:27:54.719 all right, to the floor. Then exposed concrete. Terry Funk. 1917 02:27:56.280 --> 02:28:01.239 This is lining drivers to do this. Jason Hervey can not miss it. 1918 02:28:01.399 --> 02:28:05.920 He is so excited. He stood up, fucking walked over and it's so 1919 02:28:07.120 --> 02:28:11.680 funny. Claire with a huge backdrop to Counterfunks pile driver and they both landed 1920 02:28:11.719 --> 02:28:15.200 on top of each other on the stacked up part of the the ring mat 1921 02:28:15.239 --> 02:28:20.600 that Funk could peeled back. Claire still forced to crawl around on all fours. 1922 02:28:20.680 --> 02:28:22.920 Terry funks to his feet first up to the apron now as the funker. 1923 02:28:24.280 --> 02:28:28.399 Oh, and he goes directly down head first. He's such a nut 1924 02:28:28.680 --> 02:28:33.760 he just dropped his body on Rick Flair's head, basically off the ring apron. 1925 02:28:37.040 --> 02:28:39.280 I don't know how this guy comes at every match. He comes at 1926 02:28:39.319 --> 02:28:52.639 you from an angle vent you couldn't possibly anticipate, right accenter rang the Funker 1927 02:28:52.680 --> 02:28:58.559 with a swinging neck breaker. I'll tell you that could. Jason Hervety wrapped 1928 02:28:58.719 --> 02:29:09.799 his enraptured yep, very very intently looking watching on another swinging neck breaker by 1929 02:29:09.840 --> 02:29:24.559 the Funker. The end, Funk screaming, say it, say it at 1930 02:29:24.639 --> 02:29:30.280 Rick Flair, but a foreshadowing. Perhaps you never know what he was going 1931 02:29:30.360 --> 02:29:35.879 to do. It gets you in trouble. Oh yeah, by the way, 1932 02:29:37.479 --> 02:29:48.799 doing this broken sacrum. Third neckbreaker, Flair bloodied, convulsing on the 1933 02:29:48.840 --> 02:29:52.840 can. You can see it just pouring out of his fucking pouring hot, 1934 02:29:54.520 --> 02:29:56.520 very heart, screaming, Come on, Terry, take the pin. But 1935 02:29:56.600 --> 02:30:05.760 the Funker wants to lay in more pun wishment. This is Rick Flair, 1936 02:30:05.879 --> 02:30:16.639 vulnerable babyface, right, yep, yep. Nothing more dramatic than Flair's blood 1937 02:30:16.600 --> 02:30:22.239 leaking into his into his blonde hair. Time was visual. I'm's trying to 1938 02:30:22.239 --> 02:30:26.079 grab the branding iron, but Flair kicked him enough. Flair has the branding 1939 02:30:26.120 --> 02:30:28.920 iron a boom. Wow. There he is colaps Funk in the head with 1940 02:30:30.000 --> 02:30:33.079 it. Funk collapses through the ropes to the floor. Tommy Young didn't see 1941 02:30:33.079 --> 02:30:39.319 it. He was admonishing Gary Hart. There he's cut himself. You can 1942 02:30:39.360 --> 02:30:43.399 see it. You can see it. You can see his fucking left hand 1943 02:30:43.600 --> 02:30:48.680 just gigging, gigging. Terry Funk come to Baltimore to slice his forehead open 1944 02:30:48.760 --> 02:30:52.040 so that people deem him worthy of the ticket, right, I mean, 1945 02:30:52.120 --> 02:30:56.559 look, he's he's here. He is here to show the fans that he 1946 02:30:56.760 --> 02:31:01.319 means business, that he's a serious Series Is contender. There's the color and 1947 02:31:01.399 --> 02:31:03.879 like you said, you call that it's Flair sends Funk headfirst into the ring 1948 02:31:03.959 --> 02:31:11.879 Post Jr. Going off And I've never seen a more physically contested battle for 1949 02:31:13.000 --> 02:31:16.719 the corner. Now, Flair mounting Funk and here come the close fists to 1950 02:31:16.799 --> 02:31:20.680 the cut of the Funker. Turnabouts, fair play. Tommy Young is like 1951 02:31:22.239 --> 02:31:26.760 horrified about blood spread and blood and all that shite. He's like convulsing in 1952 02:31:26.799 --> 02:31:31.440 the corner. He's like a corpse right now, stumbling out of the corner 1953 02:31:31.520 --> 02:31:39.399 like a zombie. Funny enough, he's a corpse now. Shit. Funk 1954 02:31:39.479 --> 02:31:43.120 lands on his seat, can barely stand the punishment of Rick Flair piling up 1955 02:31:43.200 --> 02:31:46.159 here in Baltimore. They've battled in both rings. They've battled a little up 1956 02:31:46.159 --> 02:31:52.280 the aisleway and the floor. In the crowd, Jr. Screaming like all 1957 02:31:52.319 --> 02:31:56.360 this the lines about how we're real wrestling and all that. Yeah, God, 1958 02:31:56.479 --> 02:32:01.319 look at the fucking blood coming out of Dairy Funk. He's a mess. 1959 02:32:03.920 --> 02:32:07.079 Slaps in the corners the Funk or Flair takes off, flies but misses 1960 02:32:07.120 --> 02:32:11.639 and crash his knee first into the buckling. And that's a perfect setup for 1961 02:32:11.760 --> 02:32:16.079 the spinning toe hold, and Terry Funk, even his discombobulated state, to 1962 02:32:16.159 --> 02:32:22.559 be thinking just that. He steps over spinning toe hold Jr. Calling out 1963 02:32:22.600 --> 02:32:28.120 that that's how he won the title, which is not true. Step over 1964 02:32:28.360 --> 02:32:35.639 inside Terry Wow. Claire reverses on top two, Rick Flair Wow reverses the 1965 02:32:35.719 --> 02:32:41.120 inside cradle and pins Terry Funk. Great great finish, and they rejoice. 1966 02:32:41.120 --> 02:32:45.719 In Baltimore. Gary Hart is not happy, but he takes a show, 1967 02:32:46.280 --> 02:32:56.120 trying to dig into the heel managers. I don't think Terry's done. Huh 1968 02:32:56.200 --> 02:33:03.399 oh, Murda, there comes Muda oh, because because the fucking green mist 1969 02:33:03.440 --> 02:33:05.719 would make you bump. Oh yeah, funk. Flaire hits the deck on 1970 02:33:05.840 --> 02:33:13.360 that. And now this is kind of like the announcement the unveiling of j 1971 02:33:13.520 --> 02:33:18.200 Tex Corporation, the Gary Hart led stable that would include Dick Slater, Dragon 1972 02:33:18.319 --> 02:33:24.639 Slayer, the Great Muda and Terry Funk and then Flair forming you know, 1973 02:33:24.680 --> 02:33:31.799 a baby face alliance with Sting and the rest. So this all plays out 1974 02:33:31.680 --> 02:33:33.959 in a prolonged way. Sting comes out, they fight all the way up 1975 02:33:35.559 --> 02:33:39.000 yep. Jim heard With criticized Flaiir later for fighting outside of the camera lights 1976 02:33:39.200 --> 02:33:41.879 because because he's looking at you know, nitpicking and understand and what do you 1977 02:33:43.200 --> 02:33:46.280 have, Flair? I don't understand. I mean we're sitting here trying to 1978 02:33:46.040 --> 02:33:50.319 you know, I'm trying to see your face, and you're finding fucking Dylan 1979 02:33:50.799 --> 02:33:56.920 Flair. Fucking moron. What a moron from getting fucking loser. He is, 1980 02:33:58.200 --> 02:34:03.959 like, you're supposed to be head of security, idiot, Like you've 1981 02:34:03.000 --> 02:34:09.680 got no there we go. I forgot that Sting had kind of dirty blonde 1982 02:34:09.719 --> 02:34:15.440 hair at this point. It's not the bleach blonde. No, it wasn't 1983 02:34:15.440 --> 02:34:18.799 peroxided. He was he was letting it darken like it's nineteen ninety six, 1984 02:34:20.000 --> 02:34:24.760 so we can pause on that, right. It's total legendary stuff there by 1985 02:34:24.799 --> 02:34:26.520 the way. You know what I love, You know what I love more 1986 02:34:26.520 --> 02:34:33.319 about this more than anything. I love seeing all this classic WCW NWA footage 1987 02:34:33.040 --> 02:34:37.559 with the WW logo. Oh god, yeah, I'm a lower left hand 1988 02:34:37.799 --> 02:34:41.399 the height that's that's money right there. That was the thing man. Once 1989 02:34:41.440 --> 02:34:45.079 they released their DVDs, like, this is the highest quality versions of these 1990 02:34:45.120 --> 02:34:48.959 matches by a mile. Yeah, But I just love seeing the WW logo, 1991 02:34:48.319 --> 02:34:50.079 and so every time you see it, it's probably going to be the 1992 02:34:50.159 --> 02:34:54.600 WW version of it because yep, you know, it's just such high quality 1993 02:34:54.639 --> 02:34:58.520 compared to people's toes. So I just sent you a little blurb here. 1994 02:34:58.600 --> 02:35:01.920 This is Terry Funk reflecting on working with Rick Flair here in Crash Here we 1995 02:35:03.079 --> 02:35:07.639 go in Regardless of how he felt personally about my promos, Flair was a 1996 02:35:07.719 --> 02:35:13.239 pleasure to work with. I truly enjoyed every one of our matches. We 1997 02:35:13.399 --> 02:35:16.559 had some very solid encounters. How could I not love a match when I 1998 02:35:16.719 --> 02:35:20.159 was in there with one of the best performers in the world. But I 1999 02:35:20.319 --> 02:35:24.040 paid a price for those matches. One night, I went over the top 2000 02:35:24.200 --> 02:35:30.959 rope and a match with Sting and hit the rail outside, cracking my sacrum. 2001 02:35:31.239 --> 02:35:35.600 It wasn't anybody's fault, just a bad landing. I ended up riding 2002 02:35:35.680 --> 02:35:39.120 around on a plane every day, going from town to town, and I 2003 02:35:39.200 --> 02:35:45.760 couldn't sit on the plane except for takeoff and landing. The only way I 2004 02:35:45.799 --> 02:35:50.280 could stand it was to kneel on my seat facing the person behind me. 2005 02:35:50.239 --> 02:35:58.280 Imagine I also had a nasty staff. In fiction, I had torn my 2006 02:35:58.520 --> 02:36:03.360 bursa and my elbow swelled to the size of a baseball. I got myself 2007 02:36:03.479 --> 02:36:18.159 some I got myself some needles from needles from from a veterinarian an amarilla, 2008 02:36:18.239 --> 02:36:22.959 as you do, and drained the damn thing myself every night. I can't 2009 02:36:22.959 --> 02:36:28.600 think of a better place to get was he fucking Patrick Swayze? Jesus Christ? 2010 02:36:28.680 --> 02:36:35.239 I was thinking I was some kind of a doctor, but I was 2011 02:36:35.360 --> 02:36:43.000 almost Doctor Kavorkian because I almost eliminated myself while draining the fluid out. I 2012 02:36:43.120 --> 02:36:46.799 was letting germs in and the result was a staff infection. I just didn't 2013 02:36:46.840 --> 02:36:50.280 feel like I had the time to go to a real doctor about it. 2014 02:36:50.399 --> 02:36:54.479 But Doctor Funk ended up ended up putting me out of action for a couple 2015 02:36:54.600 --> 02:37:01.120 of weeks. He wasn't one of my better characters. When I went into 2016 02:37:01.200 --> 02:37:03.360 shock from it, PAULI was the one who took me to the hospital. 2017 02:37:03.959 --> 02:37:07.600 They operated on me, and it was quite a deal. But Paul was 2018 02:37:07.680 --> 02:37:11.239 there for me when everybody else was gone, and he stayed with me. 2019 02:37:13.159 --> 02:37:18.079 No one else did. What heat was left after I toned down my interviews 2020 02:37:18.399 --> 02:37:22.479 wait for the last couple of weeks, built up to a main event and 2021 02:37:22.559 --> 02:37:28.239 match at the July pay per view, the Great American Bash eighty nine, 2022 02:37:28.879 --> 02:37:31.799 And what I'd said must be have done the trick because the show was a 2023 02:37:31.959 --> 02:37:37.719 sellout in Baltimore and it drew the best gate for a live show the company 2024 02:37:37.799 --> 02:37:41.399 ever had until nineteen ninety six. Yeah, a little bit more here. 2025 02:37:41.079 --> 02:37:46.280 Yeah, I had a lot of heat with those NWA fans almost everywhere I 2026 02:37:46.360 --> 02:37:50.399 went. One night in Marietta, I was on my way to the ring 2027 02:37:50.520 --> 02:37:54.840 to Russell Flair and a woman went after me with a butcher knife. Now, 2028 02:37:54.920 --> 02:37:58.440 why would you defend a banana nose instead of a good looking funker. 2029 02:37:58.159 --> 02:38:03.319 Now you'll notice I did say almost anywhere. Flair and I had a match 2030 02:38:03.399 --> 02:38:07.799 during our nineteen eighty nine campaign in Amarilla where no funk had ever been a 2031 02:38:07.879 --> 02:38:15.239 heel. Oh God, I would have given anything to see that shit. 2032 02:38:16.719 --> 02:38:20.120 Even if I'd wanted to be one that night, those people weren't gonna let 2033 02:38:20.200 --> 02:38:26.159 me. They booed the hell out of Rick Flair. He didn't He didn't 2034 02:38:26.200 --> 02:38:28.959 get flustered because he understood it, having been through the same kind of thing 2035 02:38:30.040 --> 02:38:33.559 in the Carolinas. To this day, no matter how big a heel is 2036 02:38:33.680 --> 02:38:37.000 everywhere else, they still love him in the Carolinas. And that's how it 2037 02:38:37.239 --> 02:38:41.520 was for me when he and I wrestled in Amarilla. The truth was, 2038 02:38:41.600 --> 02:38:45.040 when I went out to the other territories and played my heel role, that 2039 02:38:45.159 --> 02:38:48.120 only made me a bigger baby face back home, because a big part of 2040 02:38:48.159 --> 02:38:54.360 my routine was to talk about how great Amarilla and Texas were and how crappy 2041 02:38:54.440 --> 02:38:58.479 every other place was. There was no way I could ever have turned heel 2042 02:38:58.559 --> 02:39:03.959 and Amarilla the people just wouldn't have accepted it. Indeed, in one last 2043 02:39:05.000 --> 02:39:11.760 flurry, if you can handle it, leaving up to the Havoc match, 2044 02:39:11.879 --> 02:39:15.479 having quickly, do you remember this one Yeah, that's so tag matching the 2045 02:39:15.559 --> 02:39:18.840 thunder cage or whatever. Right, Yeah, the misfired Pyro and the paper 2046 02:39:18.959 --> 02:39:20.639 catching the paper mache catches fire on the top of the cave, right, 2047 02:39:22.159 --> 02:39:24.920 and it's just complete garbage, late shit show. But that's you know, 2048 02:39:24.000 --> 02:39:28.440 that brawl we saw with Flair and Sting versus Muda and Funk. That's setting 2049 02:39:28.520 --> 02:39:33.520 that first Halloween Havoc show up. Leaving up to the Havoc match. We 2050 02:39:33.639 --> 02:39:37.719 had a deal where I attacked Flair by putting a plastic bag over his head 2051 02:39:39.319 --> 02:39:43.319 and suffocate you know about this, and then we did the angle after that, 2052 02:39:43.760 --> 02:39:48.000 But that was just that that brunch. Do you know about this angle? 2053 02:39:48.879 --> 02:39:54.399 No, this is always always like the second, if not the first, 2054 02:39:54.440 --> 02:39:56.760 thing that comes up when people talk about Terry Funk and Rick Flair. 2055 02:39:56.760 --> 02:40:01.479 At eeteen eighty nine an angle on TB where Flair comes with flares out there. 2056 02:40:01.479 --> 02:40:03.879 It's a big, you know, group brawl, gang warfare and what 2057 02:40:05.000 --> 02:40:07.879 have you, and Terry Funk sneaks up behind Ric Flair and puts a fucking 2058 02:40:07.920 --> 02:40:13.079 plastic bag over his head. Oh my god, go ahead, I was 2059 02:40:13.120 --> 02:40:16.079 going to kill the son of a bitch. I wanted to eat him like 2060 02:40:16.159 --> 02:40:22.399 a pancake. Uh, that deal could have been extremely hot if TB. 2061 02:40:22.840 --> 02:40:28.479 That's yeah, if TBS had gone along with it. They ended up getting 2062 02:40:28.520 --> 02:40:31.559 so many complaints about it. They never replayed it. People were calling in 2063 02:40:31.680 --> 02:40:35.479 and complaining about it so strongly you'd have thought I was really trying to murder 2064 02:40:35.600 --> 02:40:41.399 Flair. Maybe the complaints from Vince McMahon because that angle did get over it. 2065 02:40:43.239 --> 02:40:46.559 That was so tame compared to the stuff they do today. If you 2066 02:40:46.719 --> 02:40:50.600 did that same angle today, they'd just laugh at you. While all this 2067 02:40:50.840 --> 02:40:54.520 was going on, in nineteen eighty nine and McMahon's were testifying in New Jersey 2068 02:40:54.000 --> 02:40:58.600 and to get out of paying taxes to the Athletic Commission, they admitted in 2069 02:40:58.680 --> 02:41:03.000 public that wrestling was pre determined. Right after I heard about it, I 2070 02:41:03.079 --> 02:41:07.479 thought it was lousy. Well, in a few weeks though, I thought 2071 02:41:07.520 --> 02:41:09.840 it was one of the wisest things they could have done. Ultimately, what 2072 02:41:11.000 --> 02:41:15.000 it did was make the business stronger because it opened us up to the media. 2073 02:41:15.479 --> 02:41:18.639 The big issue of whether it was a real sport was gone, and 2074 02:41:18.760 --> 02:41:22.639 so the media didn't have to harp on have that to harp on bullshit, 2075 02:41:22.159 --> 02:41:26.559 Yeah, which meant they could focus on the kinds of stories that could improve 2076 02:41:26.639 --> 02:41:30.399 public awareness of his business. It was the smartest thing he could do, 2077 02:41:30.920 --> 02:41:33.920 not the smartest thing that we could do, but it was the smartest thing 2078 02:41:33.040 --> 02:41:39.040 for him because of the ridiculous commission situation and because of the change in dealing 2079 02:41:39.120 --> 02:41:43.079 with the media. So there it is the state of play post Great American 2080 02:41:43.159 --> 02:41:46.879 Bash. We're now building up to the Terry Funk Ric flair Ie Quick Match, 2081 02:41:46.959 --> 02:41:50.920 the famous Clash of the Champions battle in New York. And we got 2082 02:41:50.000 --> 02:41:54.239 to put a plastic bag on Ric Flair's head. Boss, Oh my god, 2083 02:41:54.319 --> 02:41:56.159 I have to do it. So let's go to disc sixteen where we 2084 02:41:56.280 --> 02:42:01.120 are, and let's go to fifty seven fifty three. This is from the 2085 02:42:01.159 --> 02:42:05.360 Clash of the Champions September twelfth, nineteen eighty nine, bench clearing brawl, 2086 02:42:05.399 --> 02:42:11.079 if you will, and the moment of truth. Are you ready almost? 2087 02:42:15.559 --> 02:42:22.079 Okay? Three two? Wait? Fifty seven? I got flairty seven fifty 2088 02:42:22.159 --> 02:42:26.600 three. Okay it says it says Class to the Champions. Is that correct? 2089 02:42:26.879 --> 02:42:31.319 On the bottom of the screen, that's correct? Okayre we go three 2090 02:42:31.639 --> 02:42:39.559 two one play. So here we see Dick Slater, who was in the 2091 02:42:39.639 --> 02:42:50.920 j Tex Corporation working over flair fre there is look at that he's playing there 2092 02:42:52.319 --> 02:42:58.319 to pray. Who's tying it off? Funk is deranged? Funk Funk is 2093 02:42:58.399 --> 02:43:03.000 deranged. What's happened? Trying a ride? He's been big by Slader and 2094 02:43:03.120 --> 02:43:07.879 Mood enough fuck me up? Past it fine and he's crying. He's tied 2095 02:43:07.959 --> 02:43:11.760 it away. Look for his leg. He's turning to chump. Literally, 2096 02:43:11.959 --> 02:43:16.079 don't lie found a champion. I'm plastic bad over his face. Claire cannot 2097 02:43:16.159 --> 02:43:18.239 praise this. Steve, Steve, he has his eyes cut up. Somebody's 2098 02:43:18.280 --> 02:43:22.479 trying to cut in his bite. The branding fucking fasting to the ring. 2099 02:43:22.639 --> 02:43:26.399 Come on, put your fingers through some Steve they've got standing down. Slader 2100 02:43:26.520 --> 02:43:31.959 has that branding iron, Muda holding stings leg If big out of the ring, 2101 02:43:31.840 --> 02:43:37.239 Steve's gonna be hipped across it. Wow, run across the foot with 2102 02:43:37.399 --> 02:43:41.959 that branding iron. They got him right there. They painted like they they 2103 02:43:41.120 --> 02:43:46.719 banned them, branding yarn on his leg. Fancy, that's hiss chaotic. 2104 02:43:46.600 --> 02:43:50.920 This is out the lab the phone. We gotta ships may tat just stratified. 2105 02:43:52.079 --> 02:43:54.600 We got we'll get I'm trying to care to take this break. We 2106 02:43:54.719 --> 02:43:56.600 can't take this pup. We have to we Well, you better don't go 2107 02:43:56.639 --> 02:44:03.040 away. Look at your cameras taking don't go away. We'll be that yep, 2108 02:44:03.920 --> 02:44:07.719 pause it up. Wow, what did you just see? That was 2109 02:44:07.840 --> 02:44:11.959 wild? I mean he puts it. He comes up from behind, He 2110 02:44:11.000 --> 02:44:18.200 puts the plastic bag on his on his h on his head, and Jesus 2111 02:44:18.360 --> 02:44:22.079 Christ just almost like a clan mask. It's a big white, yeah, 2112 02:44:22.319 --> 02:44:26.200 plastic bag that comes to a point and he just just wraps it around Flair's 2113 02:44:26.200 --> 02:44:28.159 head and Flair keeps it on his head. He goes through the ropes to 2114 02:44:28.239 --> 02:44:31.520 the floor, and you know that the panic in Jim Ross's voice, it 2115 02:44:31.639 --> 02:44:35.879 is it is an intense angle and uh it really is. It earned our 2116 02:44:35.920 --> 02:44:39.799 friend Jim heard a meeting with Ted Turner to hear him tell it. Well, 2117 02:44:39.840 --> 02:44:43.280 one of those ideas out of the committee was to have Terry Funk make 2118 02:44:43.440 --> 02:44:46.600 use of a plastic bag on Rick Flair. And supposedly that got you a 2119 02:44:46.799 --> 02:44:50.920 face to face meeting with Ted Turner. That wasn't all that pleasant. That's 2120 02:44:50.040 --> 02:44:54.159 right, Yeah, that's right. He called me in said, I don't 2121 02:44:54.200 --> 02:44:58.280 know if you remember our first meeting and I said, yes, we had 2122 02:44:58.440 --> 02:45:07.120 lunch in the Omni and you asked me to find a Bury told girl that 2123 02:45:07.280 --> 02:45:11.280 could beat all the gods. He said, that's the first meeting we had. 2124 02:45:11.399 --> 02:45:15.239 He I mean he did it as a joke really, but you know 2125 02:45:16.280 --> 02:45:20.000 it reminds you of a meeting. Sure, And he told you then, 2126 02:45:20.159 --> 02:45:24.319 he said, I told you then what I wanted. And he said, 2127 02:45:24.360 --> 02:45:28.760 this is the first time you've digressed from that. And it didn't take him 2128 02:45:28.799 --> 02:45:31.639 long to call me on the carbon and say, hey, we're not doing 2129 02:45:31.760 --> 02:45:37.280 that. A reference there to you know, Ted Turner saying we don't want 2130 02:45:37.319 --> 02:45:39.000 hyper violence, we don't want blood, which got Dusty Rhodes fired, of 2131 02:45:39.079 --> 02:45:45.959 course in his right the fit he threw and yeah, this is so you're 2132 02:45:45.959 --> 02:45:50.079 bringing Terry Funk to be Terry Funk, to pick business up and to get 2133 02:45:50.079 --> 02:45:52.840 things to be more intense. That is definitely going to clash with that edict 2134 02:45:52.840 --> 02:45:56.120 from Ted Turner. Eventually, Yeah, for sure. And there it was 2135 02:45:56.239 --> 02:46:01.879 there in the plastic bag angle that was infamous. Really the second had happened, 2136 02:46:01.920 --> 02:46:05.079 and even more so as the years went on and people realized that behind 2137 02:46:05.120 --> 02:46:07.879 the scenes component of it. Here's Rick Flair on what It was like being 2138 02:46:07.920 --> 02:46:11.159 on the receiving end of Terry Funk deciding that this is what's going to go 2139 02:46:11.319 --> 02:46:26.200 ahead and happen tonight. It was ad lib Terry Funk. I didn't even 2140 02:46:26.200 --> 02:46:31.600 know what was coming really really, because there was a lot of heat. 2141 02:46:31.639 --> 02:46:35.079 There was a lot of heat behind the scenes for that wasn't there. Oh 2142 02:46:35.239 --> 02:46:37.840 my good, we almost lost TV. Well what was said? Who said? 2143 02:46:37.840 --> 02:46:43.079 What? Where did the heat come from? Jim Barnett? Oh my 2144 02:46:43.280 --> 02:46:45.920 god, what have you done? I mean, it's kind of like the 2145 02:46:46.000 --> 02:46:50.440 time Brody, not meaning to by any means, we're a TV in Atlanta, 2146 02:46:50.200 --> 02:46:56.760 Brody was storming around and he kicked the kid's wheelchair and and the kid. 2147 02:46:56.000 --> 02:47:00.639 The kid didn't follow the wheelchair and anybody. He just rolled into the 2148 02:47:00.719 --> 02:47:05.280 crowd. I mean, like then, you know, and not an attempt 2149 02:47:05.559 --> 02:47:09.440 by any means hurt the kid. But that's just how crazy we got back 2150 02:47:09.479 --> 02:47:13.200 in those days. We didn't we didn't we didn't think out of the box 2151 02:47:13.280 --> 02:47:18.760 a big picture. We just were focusing on trying to draw money and entertainment. 2152 02:47:18.920 --> 02:47:22.280 And you know, we probably could have been a little more conservative in 2153 02:47:22.360 --> 02:47:24.520 our thought process, but we weren't. No, no, no, I 2154 02:47:24.639 --> 02:47:28.120 say, bring back the plastic bag. That was entertainment. Yeah, it 2155 02:47:28.360 --> 02:47:31.479 was, yeah, considered, I couldn't almost get it off my you know, 2156 02:47:31.559 --> 02:47:37.280 you understand what Terry. Terry doesn't work. It's a shoot. When 2157 02:47:37.360 --> 02:47:39.639 he put that bag on me, I had it was a fight to get 2158 02:47:39.680 --> 02:47:43.040 it off. You have no idea, not that he was trying to I 2159 02:47:43.200 --> 02:47:46.000 don't know for sure. He may have been trying to give me the pass, 2160 02:47:46.319 --> 02:47:52.239 trying to kill you. Please well pass out for sure. Now, 2161 02:47:52.479 --> 02:47:58.440 uh, that would have looked good. You know, listen, it's a 2162 02:47:58.600 --> 02:48:05.639 fucking it's a fucking plastic bag. Flare, stick a fucking finger in the 2163 02:48:05.799 --> 02:48:09.959 bag and open it up, you idiot. What a fucking moron. Here's 2164 02:48:11.000 --> 02:48:15.120 the thing. If you know that this is an angle that's supposed to get 2165 02:48:15.120 --> 02:48:16.559 it, you know, get over with people. You don't do that. 2166 02:48:18.520 --> 02:48:24.000 You you trust it, Terry Funk's gonna do. You know what it takes 2167 02:48:24.040 --> 02:48:26.000 to protect you. But if you want to get heat off doing it, 2168 02:48:26.079 --> 02:48:30.280 you don't just pop it with your finger. No, I understand, Well, 2169 02:48:30.360 --> 02:48:33.479 it's but it looks it. That was the first thing. No, 2170 02:48:33.639 --> 02:48:37.159 because you know what, actually it diminished the experience for me, the fact 2171 02:48:37.159 --> 02:48:39.920 that he didn't try to take it out. That the moment that fucking that 2172 02:48:41.200 --> 02:48:45.440 that that he left, that Funk left, the fact that he didn't get 2173 02:48:45.479 --> 02:48:52.120 in there and just fucking poke a hole and and you know, so he 2174 02:48:52.159 --> 02:48:56.159 could breathe through his mouth or something. I just I was out of it. 2175 02:48:56.479 --> 02:48:58.559 Interesting. Yeah, I think it's a great angle up until that moment 2176 02:48:58.760 --> 02:49:03.799 when Terry Funk leaves him, it gets ruined. He was moving too much 2177 02:49:03.879 --> 02:49:07.760 flair. He should have sold it like he had passed out. Yeah, 2178 02:49:07.040 --> 02:49:09.399 right, right, And that's kind of what he was saying in that clip. 2179 02:49:09.399 --> 02:49:11.840 He's not entirely sure that Terry Funk didn't go out there to make it 2180 02:49:11.879 --> 02:49:16.479 look as good as possible and actually try to see if he could suffocate him 2181 02:49:16.479 --> 02:49:20.040 for a second. Now, of course that's hyperbole, but again it happens 2182 02:49:20.079 --> 02:49:22.360 again with Terry. You know, like they're gonna say that about anybody else. 2183 02:49:24.040 --> 02:49:26.840 You're not gonna make that little comment about anybody else where. I don't 2184 02:49:26.840 --> 02:49:28.760 know, shit, Maybe you know, maybe it was real, he was 2185 02:49:30.399 --> 02:49:31.879 trying to kill me, Maybe he saw red for a second. And you 2186 02:49:31.959 --> 02:49:35.399 know, people are willing to believe that about Terry Funk. That's how good 2187 02:49:35.440 --> 02:49:39.159 he was. They were willing to believe. Be it the front row fan 2188 02:49:39.239 --> 02:49:41.479 that he hops the rail to get in their face of or be it even 2189 02:49:41.520 --> 02:49:46.479 good Flair himself that in the heat of the moment, he could very well 2190 02:49:46.239 --> 02:49:50.639 just become somebody that could give a fuck about you and just cared about getting 2191 02:49:50.639 --> 02:49:52.159 the angle over. How about back to Wrestle War eighty nine, we talked 2192 02:49:52.200 --> 02:49:56.079 about that pile driver on the table and how impack phlip was. Here's Rick 2193 02:49:56.120 --> 02:50:00.840 Flair talking about how how little he says he really about what he was in 2194 02:50:00.959 --> 02:50:03.799 for, and how much trust he had to put in the hands of the 2195 02:50:03.879 --> 02:50:07.559 funker who was committed to making this, let's say impactful. Now, I 2196 02:50:07.639 --> 02:50:09.840 was gonna ask you didn't even tell me. He said, follow me, 2197 02:50:11.120 --> 02:50:11.920 follow me, Rick, follow me. I said, follow you where? 2198 02:50:11.959 --> 02:50:16.479 I mean? You know, you know Terry right. I don't even think 2199 02:50:16.559 --> 02:50:20.120 he knew he was gonna do until we were out there. Well, it 2200 02:50:20.239 --> 02:50:24.760 was a pile driver onto a table. Yeah, and I'm assuming the table 2201 02:50:24.920 --> 02:50:26.399 wasn't it all gimmicked? It didn't break. In fact, you can see 2202 02:50:26.440 --> 02:50:31.040 your head and neck bounce off. It actually added to the injury angle. 2203 02:50:31.079 --> 02:50:33.840 But so you had no idea you were going to be pile driven on the 2204 02:50:33.879 --> 02:50:37.159 table. Absolutely none, and would have never gone for it had I known 2205 02:50:39.319 --> 02:50:41.479 Funk is crazy. You don't understand this. I've wrestled a lot of crazy 2206 02:50:41.559 --> 02:50:48.680 guys. Brody Hansoon to no where is crazier than Terry Funk. And Terry 2207 02:50:48.719 --> 02:50:52.040 Funk was really tough too, so he didn't mind taking it. I hit 2208 02:50:52.200 --> 02:50:56.200 Terry Funk harder than I've ever hit anybody in my life when I was chopping, 2209 02:50:56.440 --> 02:51:01.079 as you've seen. I mean, Larry and I have had some really 2210 02:51:01.079 --> 02:51:05.840 good exchanges. It's a different time in life, and I can't you know. 2211 02:51:05.959 --> 02:51:11.239 I talked to Terry now probably once a week. He's finally back home. 2212 02:51:11.079 --> 02:51:16.319 He's been in bad help, but he's he came, he came back 2213 02:51:16.360 --> 02:51:20.159 on it, but he got out of the facility was in that was helping 2214 02:51:20.239 --> 02:51:24.920 him get back on his feet. He's home, and God, he's tougher 2215 02:51:24.000 --> 02:51:26.440 than you know. He's like, he's like hard. I rased one of 2216 02:51:26.479 --> 02:51:31.719 those guys that's too tough to die, and so I'm just thankful that I 2217 02:51:31.879 --> 02:51:35.680 ever ever had the opportunity to wrestle with him. So there you have it. 2218 02:51:37.319 --> 02:51:41.479 Why does he have to fucking yell all the time Flair No Mark Madden. 2219 02:51:41.000 --> 02:51:45.680 Yeah, that's a great question. He's fucking so yelling, yelling, 2220 02:51:45.959 --> 02:51:50.319 yelling, yelling, shot up. I know you caly take it in small 2221 02:51:50.360 --> 02:51:52.319 doses. Actually you can't even take it in small doses. I can't. 2222 02:51:52.440 --> 02:51:56.559 I can take it into zero dose and last long the Flair Mat and Madden 2223 02:51:56.600 --> 02:52:01.319 podcast. Yeah, so who came up with the plastic bag idea? Now 2224 02:52:01.360 --> 02:52:05.239 that it's sort of like, you know, anathema, Now that it's like 2225 02:52:05.360 --> 02:52:09.719 the third rail at Turner Broadcasting, no one you know ever laid claim. 2226 02:52:09.799 --> 02:52:13.559 In fact, it basically came down to, like Funk just decided to do 2227 02:52:13.600 --> 02:52:16.879 it on the spot. That was probably the only tenable explanation, rather than 2228 02:52:16.000 --> 02:52:20.719 you know, this person approved it. This person approved it. Like Walter 2229 02:52:20.799 --> 02:52:26.639 Hobb's signature on the blank page, that's that's Jim Hurd by the way, 2230 02:52:28.280 --> 02:52:33.840 Yeah, Walter Hobbs and Jim hed w C the guy who comes in and 2231 02:52:33.920 --> 02:52:37.200 tells him to meet on Christmas Eve. That's Dead Turner. Yeah, yeah, 2232 02:52:37.399 --> 02:52:46.360 that that's Christmas Eve. And and uh be good having the loop but 2233 02:52:46.600 --> 02:52:52.520 uh thanks to and I can't wait for you to hear this pitch, Hobbs 2234 02:52:52.959 --> 02:52:58.760 finished, tremendous, but thanks to the tone of the one of a kind, 2235 02:52:58.799 --> 02:53:03.079 tone of the one person I like, who's a wallflower during all this 2236 02:53:03.239 --> 02:53:09.440 chaos, Who's who's watching, who's monitoring, who's listening but who's not necessarily 2237 02:53:09.520 --> 02:53:15.120 engaging, who's absorbing but not necessarily contributing, who is making careful mental notes 2238 02:53:15.399 --> 02:53:18.120 of the chess pieces moving around on the board with his back to the wall 2239 02:53:18.120 --> 02:53:22.079 at all times. We turned to the book of You You're You're in danger. 2240 02:53:22.200 --> 02:53:26.120 Yes, motherfucker knows what's up, and miss Motherfucker proposed the angle from 2241 02:53:26.200 --> 02:53:30.600 his book. Terry Funk was preparing for a long program with NWA World champion 2242 02:53:30.639 --> 02:53:33.319 Brick Flair and was figuring that it might be his last big run. His 2243 02:53:33.440 --> 02:53:35.879 brother Dorry suggested that he asked me to handle his affairs during what was sure 2244 02:53:35.920 --> 02:53:39.920 to be a grueling program for him. Even though I just turned down managing 2245 02:53:39.000 --> 02:53:43.959 Vader and passed on Sid Vicious and Danny Spivey, managing Terry Funk was different. 2246 02:53:43.200 --> 02:53:46.600 First of all, I wouldn't be developing him, just watching out for 2247 02:53:46.680 --> 02:53:48.159 him and taking care of his business. Second of all, I had managed 2248 02:53:48.239 --> 02:53:52.079 him on other occasions, like in Florida, Thirdly, after all Terry and 2249 02:53:52.159 --> 02:53:54.200 I had been through together, how could I possibly say no. Anytime I 2250 02:53:54.239 --> 02:53:58.200 could ever do anything for the Funk Boys, I did it. I've managed 2251 02:53:58.239 --> 02:54:01.879 them both and wrestled them both. We've always had a good relationship. But 2252 02:54:01.959 --> 02:54:03.760 I became Terry's manager. I made things that as easy as possible for him. 2253 02:54:05.159 --> 02:54:07.239 That way, the only thing he had to concern himself with was the 2254 02:54:07.280 --> 02:54:11.120 match itself. Everything else I would handle his positioning on television, his interview 2255 02:54:11.159 --> 02:54:13.200 content, angles, finishes, and things like that. Terry left all that 2256 02:54:13.319 --> 02:54:16.639 up to me because he knew who I was and what I had accomplished, 2257 02:54:16.920 --> 02:54:20.120 it was comfortable with my choices. A great part of my success was the 2258 02:54:20.159 --> 02:54:24.360 trust that I gained with the guys that I managed. Terry knew that if 2259 02:54:24.399 --> 02:54:26.520 something needed to be done, I was ready to stand up and do it, 2260 02:54:26.639 --> 02:54:28.799 and if there was something that needed to be changed, I was willing 2261 02:54:28.840 --> 02:54:31.079 to fight with the office in order to fix it. And I never worried 2262 02:54:31.079 --> 02:54:35.760 about getting fired. I just didn't care. Terry Funk's matches with Ric Flair 2263 02:54:35.000 --> 02:54:39.440 were drawing big money, but during their run, Terry got an infection in 2264 02:54:39.520 --> 02:54:41.920 his arm. Overpair to three weeks his arm kept getting worse and worse. 2265 02:54:43.319 --> 02:54:46.600 It was discolored, oozing pus and sickening looking. It also had an aroma 2266 02:54:46.719 --> 02:54:50.680 to it, and it didn't smell healthy. Anyone who knows Terry knows he 2267 02:54:50.680 --> 02:54:54.680 doesn't complain about being hurt every night. As I wrapped his arm up, 2268 02:54:54.680 --> 02:54:56.520 I would nack, Terry, you've got to take time off. I'm wrestling 2269 02:54:56.559 --> 02:55:00.200 the nature Boy on top and full buildings making money, and you are too. 2270 02:55:00.319 --> 02:55:03.559 He would argue, that's true. I would concede, However, your 2271 02:55:03.639 --> 02:55:07.680 armor is really bad. It's beginning to smell. Even with this Terry Funk, 2272 02:55:07.879 --> 02:55:09.120 Even with this Terry Funk attitude, he got to the point where he 2273 02:55:09.200 --> 02:55:13.159 was physically unable to go out and perform every night. No amount of money's 2274 02:55:13.200 --> 02:55:16.239 worth asking risking rather your arm over. And it was obvious to me that 2275 02:55:16.280 --> 02:55:18.319 he needed to go to the hospital. So I told the booking committee, 2276 02:55:18.360 --> 02:55:20.120 the people responsible for taking care of the talent, that Terry had to take 2277 02:55:20.159 --> 02:55:22.639 time off to recuperate his arm. They just looked at me and said that 2278 02:55:22.680 --> 02:55:28.000 he felt fine. You know how Terry is, I argued. Finally, 2279 02:55:28.079 --> 02:55:31.079 I told Terry, I don't care what you are. The booking committee thinks 2280 02:55:31.239 --> 02:55:33.079 I'm taking to the hospital right now, or I'm calling your wife and telling 2281 02:55:33.120 --> 02:55:37.120 her about your condition. Don't do that. He panicked. My girls would 2282 02:55:37.159 --> 02:55:41.479 go crazy. I don't care your son, your son of a bit. 2283 02:55:41.680 --> 02:55:45.719 Yes, I don't care. You could end up losing your arm. Terry 2284 02:55:45.799 --> 02:55:48.879 is an old war horse and will never accept defeat. It wasn't until under 2285 02:55:48.959 --> 02:55:50.479 thread of me calling his wife that he finally agreed to go to the hospital. 2286 02:55:50.719 --> 02:55:52.879 After getting him to the hospital, I called his wife and told her 2287 02:55:52.920 --> 02:55:56.280 that he was okay but in the hospital. She immediately jumped on a plane 2288 02:55:56.319 --> 02:55:58.799 and came to see him. By that time, Terry and I were friends 2289 02:55:58.799 --> 02:56:01.319 for twenty three years, and nobody knew him better than me. If I 2290 02:56:01.360 --> 02:56:05.559 hadn't made him go to the hospital, he would have kept wrestling and gotten 2291 02:56:05.559 --> 02:56:07.120 a staff infection that would have put him out of the business for good, 2292 02:56:07.360 --> 02:56:11.200 or he would have gotten a blood clot and ended up dead. Terry Funk 2293 02:56:11.200 --> 02:56:13.719 and I were trying to come up with a big idea for his return from 2294 02:56:13.760 --> 02:56:18.840 the hospital when we came up with the now infamous bag angle. There was 2295 02:56:18.879 --> 02:56:22.280 a clash of the champions from Columbia, South Carolina and Terry and I decided 2296 02:56:22.319 --> 02:56:24.360 to attack Rick Flair, put a bag over his head and suffocate him on 2297 02:56:24.440 --> 02:56:28.840 national television. We were really worried that because we were doing it after his 2298 02:56:28.920 --> 02:56:31.680 match, Rick wouldn't be able to get enough air. After having a long 2299 02:56:31.760 --> 02:56:35.159 ruling match, which is Rick's forte, It's not uncommon for wrestlers to get 2300 02:56:35.200 --> 02:56:39.559 winded and becomes very hard to breathe. Therefore, if you ever see a 2301 02:56:39.600 --> 02:56:41.680 tape of the angle, you'll notice that before I leave, I walk around 2302 02:56:41.719 --> 02:56:46.360 the pole and look right at Book to make sure he hadn't really suffocated before 2303 02:56:46.399 --> 02:56:50.360 I left. Wow, what a business that angle? Way to make sure 2304 02:56:50.440 --> 02:56:54.479 that just got to make sure. That angle was way over the top for 2305 02:56:54.600 --> 02:56:58.920 TBS, and their phone lines lit up moments after we did it. People 2306 02:56:58.959 --> 02:57:01.360 were incensed that Terry and I tried to suffocate someone on TV, and it 2307 02:57:01.479 --> 02:57:05.639 was so controversial that when the clash reaired two hours later, they did not 2308 02:57:05.799 --> 02:57:09.159 run the bag angle. I didn't know that. After the fallout, Jim 2309 02:57:09.239 --> 02:57:11.680 Hurd wanted to know exactly whose idea it was, and I ended up taking 2310 02:57:11.680 --> 02:57:13.879 the heat for it. Interestingly, that particular angle is still a hot button 2311 02:57:13.879 --> 02:57:16.479 issue because when the WWE put it on their Best of Rick Flair DVD. 2312 02:57:16.600 --> 02:57:20.479 Recently England made them take the bag angle out before it could be sold over 2313 02:57:20.559 --> 02:57:24.799 there. Wow, that's something. So we're building to the eye quick match, 2314 02:57:26.120 --> 02:57:31.680 the Final Collision, the final clash between Rick Flair and Terry Funk here 2315 02:57:31.719 --> 02:57:35.360 in nineteen eighty nine, and we've got some promos to set the table and 2316 02:57:35.440 --> 02:57:41.079 then we're going to watch this puppy to close out the national era for the 2317 02:57:41.159 --> 02:57:46.360 Fucker. So let's go to I Believe it's the same Disc one, fourteen 2318 02:57:46.719 --> 02:57:54.399 fifty six, get ourselves a bevy of promos here from the Funker having returned 2319 02:57:54.440 --> 02:57:56.559 from the aforementioned arm injury. This is after the Halloween Have It Cage match, 2320 02:57:58.719 --> 02:58:01.639 as disastrous as that, and we're going to go all the way through 2321 02:58:01.840 --> 02:58:05.360 to the November fifteenth, nineteen eighty nine New York Knockout event, Rick Flair 2322 02:58:05.440 --> 02:58:09.840 versus Terry Funk one last time in the I Quit Match. Are you ready? 2323 02:58:09.760 --> 02:58:13.280 Yes? Three? Two? One? Play, Oh No? The 2324 02:58:13.280 --> 02:58:18.399 Big Class of Champions nine event live as it happens on November the fifteenth, 2325 02:58:18.520 --> 02:58:22.840 right here on TBS the superstation New York Knockout Live from Troy, New York 2326 02:58:22.920 --> 02:58:26.360 the main event, a non title event with I Quit Rules nature Boy Rick 2327 02:58:26.399 --> 02:58:31.760 Flair, the final confrontation, perhaps with Terry Funk. But I understand you've 2328 02:58:31.799 --> 02:58:35.360 got something to say to Rick Flair and you want some special stipulation to smirk 2329 02:58:35.399 --> 02:58:39.959 off of your face. Rods. I know that you realize what happened in 2330 02:58:39.040 --> 02:58:43.239 the Thunderdome and you think that I led j Tex Corporation down, and so 2331 02:58:43.399 --> 02:58:46.879 do all of you people out there. Let me tell you something. The 2332 02:58:46.159 --> 02:58:52.799 NWA is not big enough for myself and Rick Flair. That's why I suggested 2333 02:58:52.840 --> 02:58:56.799 an I Quit match. I hate his guts, Rick Flair hates my guts. 2334 02:58:58.159 --> 02:59:01.000 But I'll say one thing to Rick Flair. Rick Flair, you're a 2335 02:59:01.159 --> 02:59:07.120 tough individual and you are about as tough of an opponent as I've ever gone 2336 02:59:07.200 --> 02:59:13.040 up against. And it's not big enough. This area is not big enough. 2337 02:59:13.079 --> 02:59:15.959 This country is not big enough in wrestling. And that's why I want 2338 02:59:16.079 --> 02:59:20.200 you in an I Quit match. But after it's over with, let's make 2339 02:59:20.319 --> 02:59:24.280 this the final match, and if you beat me, I will walk across 2340 02:59:24.440 --> 02:59:30.159 here and I will say to you, Rick Flair, you are the better 2341 02:59:30.280 --> 02:59:33.479 man when you shake his hand and say he's the better man if he beats 2342 02:59:33.479 --> 02:59:37.000 you. If he beats me, I will walk across the ring and say 2343 02:59:37.040 --> 02:59:39.879 that to him. But if I beat him, he has to do the 2344 02:59:39.000 --> 02:59:48.440 same to me. Special guest today on the talk show Funk Grill Flair. 2345 02:59:50.399 --> 02:59:56.120 I can't believe this is where we get that from one but before that, 2346 02:59:58.000 --> 03:00:05.239 simple mind people, a story. Once upon a time there existed a head, 2347 03:00:05.879 --> 03:00:11.040 no arms, no body, no legs, just ahead, and that 2348 03:00:11.319 --> 03:00:16.639 had prayed for a miracle. Well that miracle took place. That had turned 2349 03:00:16.760 --> 03:00:24.559 into a tomato, a rotten tomato. To you, simple minded people, 2350 03:00:24.319 --> 03:00:30.520 know what the moral of this story is. The moral of this story is 2351 03:00:30.760 --> 03:00:35.600 quit while you're ahead, and that goes for you too, Rick Flair, 2352 03:00:35.479 --> 03:00:41.479 Quit while you're ahead and while you still exist. Do you understand me, 2353 03:00:41.719 --> 03:00:48.760 Flair? You know, Terry Funk, I understand you all too well. 2354 03:00:48.600 --> 03:00:52.479 I sit here and you wonder why why am I here tonight? How could 2355 03:00:52.559 --> 03:01:00.399 I turned down the opportunity to be on the most prestigious talk show in thee 2356 03:01:00.520 --> 03:01:05.360 of American television, Funk's Grill Me turn that down? Not a chance. 2357 03:01:05.680 --> 03:01:09.200 I'm here and I'll make me a star, pal hell, I will make 2358 03:01:09.280 --> 03:01:16.040 you a star because I will make you look so foolish today and also on 2359 03:01:16.280 --> 03:01:20.680 November the fifteenth. You see, I don't want your belt, that gold 2360 03:01:20.799 --> 03:01:26.600 belt. I don't want your family. I don't want your money. I 2361 03:01:26.799 --> 03:01:33.079 want something that's more valuable than that ever will be. I want your pride. 2362 03:01:33.680 --> 03:01:37.879 I want to take fat from you and Troy New York. I want 2363 03:01:37.959 --> 03:01:41.879 to see those tears coming out of your eyes. I want to see you 2364 03:01:43.120 --> 03:01:50.319 running from this old dog with those rabbit pellets or raisins falling all over the 2365 03:01:50.440 --> 03:01:54.799 ring. That's what I want. I want you to crawl underneath that ring, 2366 03:01:54.159 --> 03:01:58.520 and I want to throw you the microphone flare and I want you to 2367 03:01:58.639 --> 03:02:05.719 screen al so loud. I quit, I quit, trifup. You are 2368 03:02:07.040 --> 03:02:11.600 the better man, and I want to see your arm reach up from underneath 2369 03:02:11.639 --> 03:02:18.840 there in shame and shake my hand out of fear. Can you understand that 2370 03:02:18.319 --> 03:02:24.639 Rick are not? Do you know how much I hate you? Yeah? 2371 03:02:24.680 --> 03:02:26.000 As the matter of fact, if you're asking me and give me a chance 2372 03:02:26.040 --> 03:02:31.040 to answer, now, I know exactly how much you hate me. And 2373 03:02:31.159 --> 03:02:33.120 you have to remember something, Terry Funk. I'm not worried about you taking 2374 03:02:33.159 --> 03:02:37.680 that gold belt, and I'm actually very very impressed with the fact that right 2375 03:02:37.760 --> 03:02:43.079 here you're addressing this on as serious a note as it needs to be addressed, 2376 03:02:43.399 --> 03:02:48.280 because I'm not talking about championship belts or not talking about women or cars. 2377 03:02:48.920 --> 03:02:54.799 We're talking about something that both you and I have held higher than anything 2378 03:02:54.879 --> 03:03:01.079 else and held first and foremost in our two careers. And that's that's integrity 2379 03:03:01.680 --> 03:03:05.280 and that's guts. You know, I'm criticized a lot these days because a 2380 03:03:05.319 --> 03:03:09.040 lot of people say, well, professional wrestling, there's way too violent. 2381 03:03:09.120 --> 03:03:13.719 Maybe Rick Flair's outlived this sport. Take that for what it means. But 2382 03:03:13.840 --> 03:03:20.000 the bottom line is professional wrestling, like football, is a violent contact sport. 2383 03:03:20.520 --> 03:03:24.680 And in Troy, New York, a national television funk, two of 2384 03:03:24.760 --> 03:03:31.639 the greatest combatants in the history of professional sports are going to meet head up, 2385 03:03:31.319 --> 03:03:35.879 not for a title belt, but for one another's pride, for one 2386 03:03:35.879 --> 03:03:41.120 another's guts, for one another's integrity. One of us is gonna say I 2387 03:03:41.360 --> 03:03:46.239 quit, and I'm telling you it's not gonna be me bringing on baby, 2388 03:03:48.360 --> 03:03:52.399 come on, yeah, come on, yeah, yeah, come on, 2389 03:03:52.959 --> 03:03:54.319 I'm ready for you. Yeah. We don't need any holler in her screaming. 2390 03:03:54.399 --> 03:03:56.959 Let's just go out there and see who's the best. Let's in there. 2391 03:03:58.760 --> 03:04:01.000 Hey, I got a better one than that. Why don't you bring 2392 03:04:01.120 --> 03:04:05.680 everything that you've ever had in your wife, which is everything you have right 2393 03:04:05.799 --> 03:04:11.760 now, and that's your reputation, pal, because don't forget the fire line. 2394 03:04:11.719 --> 03:04:16.879 Not only are you gonna say I quit, but you're gonna crawl across 2395 03:04:16.000 --> 03:04:22.879 that ring and in front of fifty million people, you're gonna say Rick Flair 2396 03:04:24.120 --> 03:04:28.040 long shaking his head back and forth, Yep, yeah, never, never, 2397 03:04:28.799 --> 03:04:31.399 never will I do that? Tentlem at ringside here in Troy, New 2398 03:04:31.479 --> 03:04:35.079 York with Gary Hart and Terry funkt. Here's a show later tonight. You 2399 03:04:35.360 --> 03:04:39.440 or Rick Flair will say I quit to this whole crowd in the world. 2400 03:04:39.479 --> 03:04:43.000 You shut up for one minute. Hey, Rick Flair and I see eye 2401 03:04:43.079 --> 03:04:46.879 to eye on very few things. He likes to ride first class in an 2402 03:04:46.879 --> 03:04:52.079 airplane. I ride coach. He likes to drive a Mercedes. I drive 2403 03:04:52.159 --> 03:04:56.639 an old pickup truck. He likes a fast lane. I like the double 2404 03:04:56.760 --> 03:05:01.520 cross rams. One thing we have in common, no, as we both 2405 03:05:03.120 --> 03:05:09.159 love the sport of professional wrestling. He says he's not a quitter. Well, 2406 03:05:09.280 --> 03:05:15.040 I'm not quitting here in New York at the knockout, only one person 2407 03:05:15.239 --> 03:05:18.719 is going to quit? Is that right or not? Because you remember you 2408 03:05:18.920 --> 03:05:24.399 are Texan. Your daddy was great, your brother was Me and Junior were 2409 03:05:24.440 --> 03:05:30.719 the only two brothers that ever held the world title. Don't at faris Texas 2410 03:05:30.799 --> 03:05:35.120 here tonight? All of Texas is watching. All of Texas is watching brother. 2411 03:05:35.559 --> 03:05:37.920 Don't let him down most pointing, go let me out. Oh, 2412 03:05:39.120 --> 03:05:41.719 Jerry, I am not going to let you down. But I don't want 2413 03:05:41.840 --> 03:05:48.639 your help. I don't need anyone's help. I don't need your help either, 2414 03:05:48.879 --> 03:05:54.959 Jim Ross, not because I am the best. Flare's a quitting and 2415 03:05:54.040 --> 03:06:01.360 here we go. It's fifteenth Anthony nin Troy New York. Funk has the 2416 03:06:01.440 --> 03:06:20.520 mic for them. One chance to quit right now? Wow, Flare, 2417 03:06:20.399 --> 03:06:24.319 he might as well save his breath. The coss Flair is not gonna walk 2418 03:06:24.360 --> 03:06:28.000 away from this or any other fight. Oh yeah, Flair didn't accept. 2419 03:06:28.799 --> 03:06:33.799 Yeah. Is this first time you're seeing this one? Boss? Yeah, 2420 03:06:33.799 --> 03:06:37.639 I've never seen this one before. Sit back and enjoy Flair. Funk. 2421 03:06:37.760 --> 03:06:48.000 I quit TBS in the end of the eighties for the Funker or no, 2422 03:06:48.040 --> 03:06:52.360 the duck underneath Flair fires a chopping terry immediately head over heels to the floor 2423 03:06:52.399 --> 03:07:00.239 and he's shaking the rails. Hah oh, sick at this guy. He's 2424 03:07:00.280 --> 03:07:03.760 such a fucking he's so great. He's leaning gut first over the edge of 2425 03:07:03.760 --> 03:07:07.280 the rail like he's trying to lunge at the fans and throwing punches that he 2426 03:07:07.360 --> 03:07:15.079 knows full well won't connect with anybody, but still too damn close for comfort. 2427 03:07:15.120 --> 03:07:18.040 Back in the ring now, Funk circling Flare with the Duke's up call 2428 03:07:18.079 --> 03:07:24.399 her an elbow and I don't want that. Flare with the chop, add 2429 03:07:24.440 --> 03:07:28.639 another, add another light up TBS corner to corner. Funk hits the buckling 2430 03:07:30.200 --> 03:07:33.879 and again the other opposite corner and a big chop in Funk Wow brought to 2431 03:07:35.000 --> 03:07:43.799 his knees to the outside, Lucy attacking Flick the photographer. Funk at the 2432 03:07:43.840 --> 03:07:50.959 floor and immediately punched a photographer in the head. So awesome because he's just 2433 03:07:52.040 --> 03:07:56.680 a loose you know, he's nobody's safe. I love when he I love. 2434 03:07:56.959 --> 03:08:00.920 I'm realizing the more I watch this stuff that he acts out on innocence 2435 03:08:01.000 --> 03:08:05.040 when his opponent's getting the better of him. Yes, yes, you know 2436 03:08:05.159 --> 03:08:07.360 that's when he's like, he's angry and it's their fault, right exactly. 2437 03:08:07.920 --> 03:08:13.200 He's looking around for somebody to blame. Gordon solely on the call as well 2438 03:08:13.239 --> 03:08:22.000 with Jr. Really got it. So you know it's something that they're in 2439 03:08:22.040 --> 03:08:28.040 New York too, Yeah, for sure. So Funk's in throwing the right 2440 03:08:28.120 --> 03:08:31.600 jabs at a Flair Colornado side headlocked by the Funk or Flair pushes him off, 2441 03:08:31.680 --> 03:08:35.559 breaks f a tackle down, goes Flair, but he picks the ankle 2442 03:08:35.600 --> 03:08:39.159 immediately takes Flair to the can Funk to the canvas, now choking him on 2443 03:08:39.159 --> 03:08:45.879 the mat. This is November's right, So they've been going at it for 2444 03:08:46.239 --> 03:08:50.319 god six months pretty much. Yeah. I mean Funk had the hiatus while 2445 03:08:50.319 --> 03:08:54.559 he wheeled the arm and so the plastic bag thing was him showing up for 2446 03:08:54.600 --> 03:09:01.079 the first time in months now. Flair hanging halfway off the apron over the 2447 03:09:01.200 --> 03:09:05.040 nounce table and Terry Funk booting him in the head as the announcers head for 2448 03:09:05.120 --> 03:09:11.639 higher ground because the action is spilling right near them left hand Funk, what's 2449 03:09:11.680 --> 03:09:16.040 down? Flair? Like I said, Boss, as soon as we announced 2450 03:09:16.120 --> 03:09:20.440 lapsed Funk, people will like Funk, Flare I quit yep, yep, 2451 03:09:20.000 --> 03:09:28.520 oh yeah, Funk with big chop on Flair dropping him with the head butt 2452 03:09:28.600 --> 03:09:37.360 on the apron and uh Flair still on that ring apron outside, Funk grinded 2453 03:09:37.440 --> 03:09:46.079 rygame back through. Oh that fucking club to the was landing man clubbing, 2454 03:09:46.120 --> 03:09:50.719 blow to the black to the back by Terry Funk, chopped by Flair, 2455 03:09:50.840 --> 03:09:56.000 left hand, down goes nahe flat backing off a single Funk right hand and 2456 03:09:56.079 --> 03:10:11.920 a big elbow, empty arena match right nineteen Yeah, Rock imitating lawlor Funk 2457 03:10:13.000 --> 03:10:16.120 here and here the e quit match. Weeks later it would be folly in 2458 03:10:16.200 --> 03:10:22.760 Rock in the e quit. Yeah, that's right out to the apron now, 2459 03:10:24.120 --> 03:10:26.200 But part of thee I was before that, It was before that. 2460 03:10:26.760 --> 03:10:28.639 Yeah. Yeah, maybe I had the the order mixed up. Yeah, 2461 03:10:31.399 --> 03:10:33.399 but w W F and mc foley definitely going to the Terry Funk playbook. 2462 03:10:33.440 --> 03:10:43.559 There at the height of the attitude. Yeah, a woman right there, 2463 03:10:43.600 --> 03:10:48.559 Oh my gosh, oh Flare fires back. She stands right up to fence. 2464 03:10:50.120 --> 03:10:58.639 She's so happy all this violence. Loves men fighting each other. She 2465 03:10:58.760 --> 03:11:05.360 makes castle rolls. Oh yes, absolutely every Sunday. Look at that. 2466 03:11:05.639 --> 03:11:07.280 Look at that someone made a sign that said New York has a Flair for 2467 03:11:07.399 --> 03:11:13.120 Funk and they take LJ had action figure to it. Claire, Yeah, 2468 03:11:13.200 --> 03:11:20.200 she has like castrole every Sunday. When they watched the match, and when 2469 03:11:20.239 --> 03:11:22.319 she saw they were coming to Troy, She's like, I am going wrestling, 2470 03:11:22.879 --> 03:11:26.520 that's right. So Funk had the microphone in Flare's face in the aisleway 2471 03:11:26.559 --> 03:11:30.000 while he was punching a ship out of him. Flair coming nowhere close to 2472 03:11:30.079 --> 03:11:33.079 quitting. Now we're back in the ring and Terry Funk has Flair in the 2473 03:11:33.120 --> 03:11:43.680 corner, mount raining down left and he's got the mic. You're talking about 2474 03:11:43.680 --> 03:11:54.159 taking a ring sing, we're doing it here. I hate I hate I 2475 03:11:54.319 --> 03:12:03.200 quit matches for this. I love them for their violence. He doesn't quit, 2476 03:12:03.719 --> 03:12:07.639 but it comes alive with an atomic drop. I cannot stand the fucking 2477 03:12:07.719 --> 03:12:15.879 microphone aspect of an I quit mat drives me nuts well, never ready to 2478 03:12:15.959 --> 03:12:20.799 hear it. I don't like it at all. Who has a nice neck 2479 03:12:20.840 --> 03:12:26.559 breaking from funk Man. That was a very good one. Sad Heart, 2480 03:12:26.680 --> 03:12:33.079 what's heart doing? Heart's talking to Gordon solely sharing some news. Maybe I 2481 03:12:33.120 --> 03:12:37.040 think he actually you know what, I think he passed I think he passed 2482 03:12:37.040 --> 03:12:43.159 solely a knife. I think he said Jr Jr. Is not trustworthy. 2483 03:12:43.760 --> 03:12:46.399 Oh, Flair comes up and grabs Funk by the throat. You don't see 2484 03:12:46.399 --> 03:12:52.280 that from Rick often. And here come the chops. You're Tommy Young reacting 2485 03:12:52.319 --> 03:12:56.840 to the chops, and he can feel it from there. Funk spills beautifully 2486 03:12:56.879 --> 03:13:03.600 to the floor, brilliantly, tripping over chairs, tripping over humanity, the 2487 03:13:03.760 --> 03:13:11.600 chop. Oh my god, he nails. He's gonna go over god. 2488 03:13:15.200 --> 03:13:22.280 J oh Funk swinging at Doug Dilader. He saw it at the corner of 2489 03:13:22.360 --> 03:13:26.760 his eye. He knew he was fair game. Ye that he always is. 2490 03:13:26.879 --> 03:13:30.520 Fucking clean him out. Funk tries to roll back in the ring. 2491 03:13:30.760 --> 03:13:33.120 Flaire grabs him by the ankle, and he yanks him back out. This 2492 03:13:33.319 --> 03:13:37.440 is I quit. They red clash at the champions, face first into the 2493 03:13:37.440 --> 03:13:48.319 guardrail. Funk punch repeatedly. Oh always, Oh, Gary's got the switch 2494 03:13:48.399 --> 03:13:52.840 blade. You're in danger. He's ready to fucking cut ai. Motherfucker. 2495 03:13:54.040 --> 03:13:58.159 He doesn't care if it's if it's fake a real tonight, Gary Hart pulled 2496 03:13:58.200 --> 03:14:01.520 a handgun on it. Flare on National TV. Flair's got the mic now 2497 03:14:09.680 --> 03:14:20.760 is the hitting them with the microphone? Flaire out after Gary Hart. I'm 2498 03:14:20.760 --> 03:14:28.120 doing his job. Uh uh uh oh, so much for Gary Hart not 2499 03:14:28.280 --> 03:14:35.319 helping. Uh Terry, he just saved his ass. Terry Funk absolutely blind 2500 03:14:35.399 --> 03:14:45.200 siding Wick Flair from behind. Well he was distracted by Gary Hart. Question 2501 03:14:45.319 --> 03:14:50.600 about accenter and swimming neck break, Garden just said, no, question about 2502 03:14:50.639 --> 03:14:54.639 that? Did talking about how proud Dory function you must be with Terry right 2503 03:14:54.719 --> 03:15:03.079 now? You remember your name, don't you want to? Que I heard 2504 03:15:03.159 --> 03:15:11.200 you, Tommy, I'm holding the mind. What cameras taking you inside the 2505 03:15:11.280 --> 03:15:15.719 ring where you can actually hear these guys? Got a novelty around being able 2506 03:15:15.719 --> 03:15:18.239 to hear these guys in the MinC Boss, Well, I like these having 2507 03:15:18.280 --> 03:15:22.639 the camera in the ring too, Like that's a fucking novelty. You won't 2508 03:15:22.760 --> 03:15:31.399 say it, no, Claire says, no, it's got Flaire's head pinched 2509 03:15:31.440 --> 03:15:39.639 between his legs like a pile driver and slapping in the side box and protective 2510 03:15:39.879 --> 03:15:46.319 Claire refusing to uh, actly, yes, Boss, I mean yeah, 2511 03:15:46.760 --> 03:15:50.879 oh yacking flare Apps going for the pile driver? What is with what is 2512 03:15:50.000 --> 03:15:54.360 with this weird piled driver position of flips to hold the hand on the the 2513 03:15:54.399 --> 03:16:01.719 boat. I don't it looks so wetard, very uncomfortable. Another no from 2514 03:16:01.799 --> 03:16:07.559 Flair despite Terry absolutely planning him on that fat neck and then a leg drop. 2515 03:16:07.719 --> 03:16:28.920 Brother, h nah, head of the gutless pig, gutless pig is 2516 03:16:28.000 --> 03:16:35.760 let's go Rick chance Bert that the Humilia says it Flair tossed to the floor 2517 03:16:35.920 --> 03:16:39.879 violently. Terry Funk having to mix it up now, trying to find something 2518 03:16:39.920 --> 03:16:48.559 that's gonna get Rick Flair to quit. Easier said than done. He's got 2519 03:16:48.639 --> 03:16:58.360 a pile drive Flare on the floor now that micro oh here my handstand? 2520 03:16:58.760 --> 03:17:01.479 Has he always done that enough? I know he's been. He's done every 2521 03:17:01.479 --> 03:17:05.040 single time we've seen it with Funk, But like I don't remember him doing 2522 03:17:05.120 --> 03:17:09.399 that regularly. Yeah, he doesn't really take pile drivers in general anyway, 2523 03:17:09.639 --> 03:17:13.879 I guess not. Yeah. You gotta remember this is that ultra rare setup 2524 03:17:13.920 --> 03:17:18.040 where Flair is getting beaten up, you know, by a heel. He's 2525 03:17:18.079 --> 03:17:24.280 not getting tossed down by a baby face. The pile driver doesn't really fit 2526 03:17:26.120 --> 03:17:31.159 well. Luker did a pile driver back then, So Funk has pile driven 2527 03:17:31.200 --> 03:17:35.559 Rick Flair in the isleway and he's popping him in the head of the microphone. 2528 03:17:41.200 --> 03:17:46.799 Yes he can, he doesn't. He can hit him in that with 2529 03:17:46.840 --> 03:17:56.120 the microphone. Is fine, perhaps your active back and now Rick Flair certainly 2530 03:17:56.159 --> 03:18:03.200 worse for wear Referee Tommy Young with the microphone as the Funker hovers over Flair 2531 03:18:03.239 --> 03:18:09.920 and rains down shots bag albow floor is Flair decleats him. As a matter 2532 03:18:09.920 --> 03:18:22.879 of fact. Mt. Jim Rock just said, fucking Christ, this is 2533 03:18:22.879 --> 03:18:28.000 where Mike Tyson got his last two parking tickets, or it is j Jr's 2534 03:18:28.040 --> 03:18:33.040 first Tyson. It's very true. Out to the floor again, Funk lifts 2535 03:18:33.079 --> 03:18:39.920 Flair and what we got lay on a table. There we go. It's 2536 03:18:39.959 --> 03:18:43.440 so funny to hear Rick talk about the wrestle War pile driver. Is we 2537 03:18:43.559 --> 03:18:48.680 started hardcore that night because Bubba kissing his ass in two thousand and thirty backstage, 2538 03:18:48.719 --> 03:18:52.079 said that watching that pile drivers what made him want of these tables in 2539 03:18:52.120 --> 03:18:58.440 E C W or to the big time? Okay, Rick, As Funk 2540 03:18:58.479 --> 03:19:01.440 points out in his own book, Randy Savage did the first pile driver through 2541 03:19:01.440 --> 03:19:05.040 a table to Ricky Mortan in nineteen eighty four Memphis, and there was a 2542 03:19:05.079 --> 03:19:09.479 well known, really, and I'm sure it happened before that somewhere. I 2543 03:19:09.559 --> 03:19:11.920 mean he didn't even put him through a table either, just put him he 2544 03:19:13.000 --> 03:19:18.559 pile drove him onto the table. Oh God, sick leaned a table speaking 2545 03:19:18.600 --> 03:19:22.159 of a table that doesn't break against the apron and Flair just sent tor. 2546 03:19:22.319 --> 03:19:24.799 I mean you see the fucking wood. I mean it's like a it was 2547 03:19:24.879 --> 03:19:28.799 made in a fucking wood shop underneath the arena. Absolutely, this fucking thing. 2548 03:19:28.840 --> 03:19:31.000 It's like, it's not a table. It's not a table that you 2549 03:19:31.120 --> 03:19:37.840 go buy. Oh Jesus, come flying out of the on of frame, 2550 03:19:37.639 --> 03:19:43.399 jumping onto Terry's back, driving him into the rail. Wow, he's fucking 2551 03:19:43.440 --> 03:19:46.760 slipping slide amazing. Oh, Gary Hart, you see him swipe at the 2552 03:19:46.799 --> 03:19:54.479 fans. Yep, yep, Claire pulling Gary. He gets right up though 2553 03:19:54.520 --> 03:19:56.920 He's like, no, not stabbing. He will never he no, look 2554 03:19:58.000 --> 03:20:01.280 how fast he gets up, you know, damn well, why, there 2555 03:20:01.360 --> 03:20:05.920 is no way he will spend extended periods of time laying down with his fucking 2556 03:20:07.040 --> 03:20:11.799 belly exposed. All right, No fucking way. That was so awesome. 2557 03:20:13.360 --> 03:20:16.959 So they had the table kind of leaned down on the side, on its 2558 03:20:18.000 --> 03:20:20.680 side, and Rick ran Terry into the table and sent him flying. And 2559 03:20:20.799 --> 03:20:24.600 like you said, Terry does the slipping slide down the table and there's a 2560 03:20:24.719 --> 03:20:28.600 chair at the end of the table and he hits his head on that and 2561 03:20:28.680 --> 03:20:31.760 then Flair crotches Funk on the guardrail and chops the shit out of him till 2562 03:20:31.760 --> 03:20:35.719 he hits the floor. Tommy Young and Terry Funk's face with the mic, 2563 03:20:35.360 --> 03:20:41.399 Yep, what intensity. You didn't see guys do what Rick Flair just did 2564 03:20:41.440 --> 03:20:46.559 to Terry Funk in eighty nine Nationals. Not at all? Oh than the 2565 03:20:46.600 --> 03:20:52.520 Homer Simpson. It's over on the back center ring now, Funk ailing on 2566 03:20:52.600 --> 03:20:58.319 the canvas, flare out of the corner, big knee drop scores. Oh, 2567 03:20:58.520 --> 03:21:01.399 Terry scories immediately under the and wrote, knowing he's in trouble, he 2568 03:21:01.479 --> 03:21:09.159 wants to avoid the million dollar question. Funk back in the fray. Ric 2569 03:21:09.239 --> 03:21:16.719 Flair lording over Terry Funk taking the intensity to another level. Flair discovering a 2570 03:21:16.760 --> 03:21:18.760 new part of this game. I thought, Wow, I'll say, I 2571 03:21:18.840 --> 03:21:22.719 mean, there's just he's pulling. He's pulling, moved out of the hat 2572 03:21:22.760 --> 03:21:26.120 that I've never really seen him do before. Inverted atomic drop flare now draping 2573 03:21:26.200 --> 03:21:30.559 Terry Funk's leg over the bottom rope. We had set that leg up for 2574 03:21:30.600 --> 03:21:33.719 the figure four, no doubt, and I quit move if there ever was 2575 03:21:33.799 --> 03:21:37.079 one. Yep. Claire sits down on the knee and Funk is limping. 2576 03:21:37.719 --> 03:21:39.239 Look at that, Look at the way he look at himself, but any 2577 03:21:39.280 --> 03:21:50.520 weight on it collapses immediately upon attempting to crawling around as Terry Funk Flair Wow, 2578 03:21:52.440 --> 03:21:56.399 kick to the knee, chop to the chest, shop do this all 2579 03:21:56.520 --> 03:22:01.040 night. Yep, right hand turns Funk around or sixty degrees, chop right 2580 03:22:01.680 --> 03:22:07.680 right hand. Ah, Jesus, knock out indeed, back to the knee. 2581 03:22:11.559 --> 03:22:22.559 Claire's kicking ass. No they don't say, hold the microphone at the 2582 03:22:22.600 --> 03:22:28.280 Statue of Liberty. Well, you never know any time or in New York 2583 03:22:28.319 --> 03:22:31.159 after all, that's true. So Funk hits the floor, limping aggressively to 2584 03:22:31.200 --> 03:22:35.440 get out of there and tear in Rick Flair absolutely tackles into the aisle and 2585 03:22:35.559 --> 03:22:39.959 Flair lands right in his face on the floor. Clare's gonna be the shin 2586 03:22:41.040 --> 03:22:43.079 breaker here in the isleway. Guy's gonna lift Terry and carry him all the 2587 03:22:43.159 --> 03:22:56.840 way. Ah, it's a ring side there's j R. Yep Criaks of 2588 03:22:56.920 --> 03:23:07.799 Wrestling, fucking cage bosos. Thanks Jim fucking like Wall Street coked up motherfucker 2589 03:23:07.920 --> 03:23:16.280 I Wolf of Wall Street associates outside in Flair high to lay beautiful Flare. 2590 03:23:18.920 --> 03:23:22.959 You know that, sho. It was an honor for the Funker to go 2591 03:23:22.120 --> 03:23:26.879 up for that. That's right. Uh, I went ahead and did the 2592 03:23:26.000 --> 03:23:33.120 honor for Rick Flair. I was happy to do it. Flair when ahead, 2593 03:23:33.200 --> 03:23:35.440 and when ahead again, we'll see he hasn't gone ahead quite yet. 2594 03:23:37.079 --> 03:23:43.559 Flair trying like I know, we gotta see some color first before we get 2595 03:23:43.559 --> 03:23:46.399 to the end. I'm not sure to turn one of them. Oh, 2596 03:23:46.440 --> 03:23:50.520 actually, that's a good point, right, good point. The apron flex 2597 03:23:50.559 --> 03:23:52.879 Flair. Flair puts the block on him since Funk up and over. Oh, 2598 03:23:54.079 --> 03:23:56.719 on the hardest part of the ring. He lifted Funk in the soup 2599 03:23:56.799 --> 03:24:00.600 lex and then dropped him on his ass on the apron and now Flair going 2600 03:24:00.680 --> 03:24:07.760 up back to work on the the damaged leg of Terry Funk back in Funks 2601 03:24:07.799 --> 03:24:18.000 swinging on a bad wheel fuck Flair Fair chopping, chopping picks the legs single 2602 03:24:18.079 --> 03:24:22.079 leg Flare steps over your four locks. It out, they're on their feet. 2603 03:24:24.959 --> 03:24:28.639 Tommy Young and I level with a microphone in Terry Funk's face. Terry 2604 03:24:28.719 --> 03:24:35.479 flailing him out, tapping like a drunk man. Over up. But he 2605 03:24:35.600 --> 03:24:39.639 fucking wrenches that leg. Look at that, Look at Flair. Yeah, 2606 03:24:39.760 --> 03:24:46.920 we're here rotting right, Tommy Young pulling him. He's got deep in there, 2607 03:24:48.520 --> 03:24:52.920 he's got to deepen there, Gordon, have you ever seen it can 2608 03:24:54.079 --> 03:25:01.079 be revers it can be reversed. It's breaking, Yes, is that it? 2609 03:25:01.360 --> 03:25:11.520 Wow? I'm not explored. Wow, Gary Hart is living. Gary 2610 03:25:11.600 --> 03:25:18.360 Hawks just can't believe what happened. He didn't. Very Fox said, he 2611 03:25:18.639 --> 03:25:35.760 is the gentleman, the widow of the man, joy very Fop. I 2612 03:25:35.959 --> 03:25:45.399 told you, I told you I'd never say I quit, Harry, I 2613 03:25:45.559 --> 03:25:50.879 promise the people I want to i'most like his here, Like I said, 2614 03:25:50.639 --> 03:25:58.360 you know the hell of a man, Rick fir better than me? There? 2615 03:25:58.399 --> 03:26:01.799 It is. Wow. Oh that's a knockdown, drag out fight. 2616 03:26:03.360 --> 03:26:09.120 Holy shit, I mean what a a I really I really would have loved 2617 03:26:09.159 --> 03:26:11.440 it, he said, Rick Flaara, I told you I'd never said I 2618 03:26:11.600 --> 03:26:16.559 quit, and I never said It's funny. As the years passed, he 2619 03:26:16.639 --> 03:26:20.479 had this whole convoluted joke he'd do about The only reason I said I quit 2620 03:26:20.600 --> 03:26:24.799 is because we're playing like a mind game where he said do you quit? 2621 03:26:24.959 --> 03:26:26.200 Yes, no, yes, no, and then he said no, and 2622 03:26:26.280 --> 03:26:31.520 I said, yes, that's the only reason you won that night. Of 2623 03:26:31.639 --> 03:26:33.639 course, of course, un could write the Flare feud wound up with an 2624 03:26:33.639 --> 03:26:37.200 I quit match, with the loser would submit and shake the winner's hand. 2625 03:26:37.239 --> 03:26:39.000 It was time for me to get my come up, and time for Flair 2626 03:26:39.079 --> 03:26:43.120 to finally go over in a big way, and time for the feud to 2627 03:26:43.239 --> 03:26:45.879 be over. The idea of doing an I quit match was my idea. 2628 03:26:46.120 --> 03:26:48.760 Actually, I'm the guy who created the I Quit match in the nineteen seventies 2629 03:26:48.799 --> 03:26:50.719 with Dusty Rhodes. We'd sold out the Bay Front Center in Saint Petersburg, 2630 03:26:50.760 --> 03:26:52.959 Florida with the match, and I thought it would be an exciting end to 2631 03:26:54.040 --> 03:26:56.639 the Funk Flair feud for the fans. This is one of the times I 2632 03:26:56.760 --> 03:27:00.920 was right, because it was broadcast in WTBS and became the most watched wrestling 2633 03:27:00.959 --> 03:27:05.079 match in the history of cable television up to that point. So of that 2634 03:27:05.159 --> 03:27:07.799 again, the most watched wrestling match in the history of cable television up to 2635 03:27:07.879 --> 03:27:15.760 that point. M okay and then I quit match. Two men fight until 2636 03:27:15.799 --> 03:27:18.840 one says those two words. I thought when I said I, I'd be 2637 03:27:18.959 --> 03:27:22.360 quitting the match. I didn't realize Hurd's idea was that I was saying I 2638 03:27:22.479 --> 03:27:26.719 quit wrestling. My age was one of the reasons they wanted to push me 2639 03:27:26.799 --> 03:27:28.959 out, but the other was that I just did not fit. I didn't 2640 03:27:30.000 --> 03:27:35.239 belong to one side or the other in those power struggles I described earlier. 2641 03:27:35.319 --> 03:27:37.000 I wasn't for any group of wrestlers or for Jim Hurd. I was for 2642 03:27:37.120 --> 03:27:41.319 the promotion. I was really on the NWA side. I was never worried 2643 03:27:41.360 --> 03:27:45.000 about being ruined by losing a big match, in part because I always believed 2644 03:27:45.000 --> 03:27:48.280 I could get myself over with the people through my working ability in my interviews. 2645 03:27:48.520 --> 03:27:50.239 Maybe that was foolish of me. Maybe if I'd been a more selfish 2646 03:27:50.280 --> 03:27:52.840 guy, I'd have gotten a lot richer. But to me, my way 2647 03:27:52.920 --> 03:27:56.639 was a successful way. Maybe it came from the way I grew into the 2648 03:27:56.680 --> 03:27:58.440 business as the son of a promoter, with the mindset that we had to 2649 03:27:58.479 --> 03:28:01.479 do business to be able to keep writing checks to all the guys and making 2650 03:28:01.559 --> 03:28:05.280 a living for ourselves. That sense of putting the company first and helping the 2651 03:28:05.360 --> 03:28:09.440 company never left me. After that match, they asked me to do commentary. 2652 03:28:09.680 --> 03:28:13.680 I finished out my time there by calling matches with Chris Cruise, and 2653 03:28:13.760 --> 03:28:16.600 then I went home. They wanted me to take a pay cut to an 2654 03:28:16.639 --> 03:28:20.360 announcer's pay after my year's deal ran out, and I wasn't about to take 2655 03:28:20.360 --> 03:28:22.000 a cut and salary for all the back and forth travel, I felt I 2656 03:28:22.000 --> 03:28:26.239 could make more money doing other things picking my shots. And what it came 2657 03:28:26.280 --> 03:28:30.280 down to, Boss is Terry Funk felt like they shoot retired him on the 2658 03:28:30.319 --> 03:28:35.200 air without him agreeing to this, being like you said, not I quit 2659 03:28:35.239 --> 03:28:43.120 wrestling, but I just quit here against h Rec Flair through two tables, 2660 03:28:43.440 --> 03:28:48.879 through two tables, that's right, through a what do you call it? 2661 03:28:48.079 --> 03:28:56.559 A horrible slight? How did you you know? How did you wind up 2662 03:28:56.600 --> 03:28:58.840 there? And when you went into the NBA at that time, did you 2663 03:28:58.920 --> 03:29:01.319 think that that every thing you know involving yourself is gonna be as successful as 2664 03:29:01.360 --> 03:29:07.000 it was? Because it was it put you know, I mean, Basch 2665 03:29:07.040 --> 03:29:09.799 eighty nine to this day goes down in my books. It's the best wrestling 2666 03:29:09.840 --> 03:29:13.760 card from top to bottom that I've ever seen. You know which one was 2667 03:29:13.799 --> 03:29:18.079 the actually you and fare on top I to this day the best wrestling card 2668 03:29:18.079 --> 03:29:20.959 I've seen. Top about a lot of unusual things happened to me that year. 2669 03:29:22.200 --> 03:29:31.920 Uh broke my back pain, dinner kept on going, you know. 2670 03:29:31.479 --> 03:29:43.840 Yeah, Uh disappointment, really disappointment. What disappointed? It disappointed me because 2671 03:29:43.920 --> 03:29:50.399 they uh retired me without me knowing it. Really. Oh yeah, the 2672 03:29:50.520 --> 03:29:54.680 equip match. Yeah, because they said on television that this is you know, 2673 03:29:54.840 --> 03:29:58.479 whoever's gonna be heard. There's nothing said to me ahead of time and 2674 03:29:58.559 --> 03:30:01.280 everything else about that, And they brought it up that night because they were 2675 03:30:01.280 --> 03:30:05.360 going to retire my ass, right, Yeah, because I was too old 2676 03:30:05.360 --> 03:30:13.000 a restaurant. How well did they know? Indeed, Terry Heart recalling. 2677 03:30:13.159 --> 03:30:16.520 Terry was then booked for an eight quit match against Ric Flair at the Clash 2678 03:30:16.559 --> 03:30:18.040 of the Champions in Troy, New York. The finish was that Terry would 2679 03:30:18.120 --> 03:30:20.520 quit, I would get mad at Terry, Terry would attack me, the 2680 03:30:20.559 --> 03:30:24.120 Great Muda would come to my rescue, and then Terry in the Great Muda 2681 03:30:24.120 --> 03:30:26.000 would start a feud. Remember the match was supposed to be an e quit 2682 03:30:26.079 --> 03:30:28.559 match. But the booking committee switched it at the last minute to an eye 2683 03:30:28.600 --> 03:30:33.959 quit wrestling match and retired Terry Funk that night. After his match, the 2684 03:30:33.040 --> 03:30:37.319 Great Muda came down to jump on Terry with me, just as we had 2685 03:30:37.399 --> 03:30:41.200 planned, but their feud never happened. Terry and the Great Muda would have 2686 03:30:41.200 --> 03:30:43.719 done great business in the ring, but instead the booking committee put Terry in 2687 03:30:43.760 --> 03:30:48.360 a situation where he had an interview segment called Funk's Grill. Then they never 2688 03:30:48.440 --> 03:30:50.319 followed up on him and just ignored that he was there. If the booking 2689 03:30:50.319 --> 03:30:54.440 committee were men of their word, and if Terry and the Great Mooda actually 2690 03:30:54.479 --> 03:30:56.600 did get to have a program, Terry and I would have come up with 2691 03:30:56.600 --> 03:30:58.360 a way for us to double cross the Great Muda and make him the baby 2692 03:30:58.440 --> 03:31:01.760 face. Like I'm mentioned earlier, I would have had no problem doing that 2693 03:31:03.120 --> 03:31:07.040 when the time was right. Terry Fun had actually retired once again in nineteen 2694 03:31:07.040 --> 03:31:11.200 eighty seven after a tag team tournament in All Japan, so his return and 2695 03:31:11.280 --> 03:31:15.479 his debut rather in the NWA in nineteen eighty nine was also sort of his 2696 03:31:15.600 --> 03:31:20.520 return back to active wrestling, and again perhaps Bosson acknowledgment that the Hollywood career 2697 03:31:20.600 --> 03:31:24.399 didn't have the legs he perhaps hoped for. I agreed, and so this 2698 03:31:24.479 --> 03:31:28.239 feud took place, and from July twenty third till the end of October, 2699 03:31:28.319 --> 03:31:31.479 Dave Meltzer noted in nineteen eighty nine, Terry Funk and Rick Flair wrestled almost 2700 03:31:31.520 --> 03:31:35.159 every night. Funk was working with a broken back, and it was just 2701 03:31:35.000 --> 03:31:41.600 a very memorable slate. As we've documented, Funk planned another retirement of Meltzer 2702 03:31:41.639 --> 03:31:43.399 writes for his November fifteenth, nineteen eighty nine I Quit match with Flair and 2703 03:31:43.440 --> 03:31:46.879 Troy New York. Flare into the feud and used to figure four leg lock 2704 03:31:46.879 --> 03:31:50.559 and Funk screamedad I quit. The match was generally considered the best I quit 2705 03:31:50.680 --> 03:31:54.440 match in history for whatever reason. Meltzer writes, the day after that match, 2706 03:31:54.479 --> 03:31:58.079 the call that he told me he was most proud of was from Wally 2707 03:31:58.200 --> 03:32:01.600 Carbo, vern Gania's long time partner in the AWA, who called Terry Funk 2708 03:32:01.639 --> 03:32:05.319 to tell him that it was the best wrestling match he had ever seen. 2709 03:32:05.399 --> 03:32:09.520 Flair versus Funk, bringing the feud to a conclusion on TBS and the E 2710 03:32:09.680 --> 03:32:13.280 quit match for a four point nine rating on TBS Meltzer noted that was the 2711 03:32:13.280 --> 03:32:18.639 second highest rated television show the WCW promotion did until Nitro Caught Fire years later, 2712 03:32:20.639 --> 03:32:22.600 and that the Flair Funk sell out in Baltimore from the Great American Bash 2713 03:32:24.159 --> 03:32:28.879 and nineteen eighty nine was also the biggest crowd in gait that WCW did until 2714 03:32:28.879 --> 03:32:31.639 the mid nineties. The promotion pretty much told him. Meltzer wrote that the 2715 03:32:31.680 --> 03:32:35.840 e quit match would be his last match. He continued to work for the 2716 03:32:35.879 --> 03:32:39.600 company until his contract expired as a babyfaced television announcer and also on the booking 2717 03:32:39.639 --> 03:32:43.719 team. When the contract expired, the retirement was over, and of course 2718 03:32:43.760 --> 03:32:48.120 the tensions between Terry Funk and Rick Flair would melt away as the years did. 2719 03:32:48.879 --> 03:32:52.879 And here Rick Flair reflects on working with the Funker. Yeah, and 2720 03:32:52.319 --> 03:32:58.280 in our world. In our world, it's yeah, he's Mickey Mantle. 2721 03:33:00.040 --> 03:33:05.360 That makes time. Yeah. I mean he was that tacular Terry Funk hardcore 2722 03:33:05.479 --> 03:33:11.319 before there was hardcore. Yeah. And the thing that people have forgot is 2723 03:33:11.399 --> 03:33:26.840 when that character in eighty nine was completely different, was completely different than Terry 2724 03:33:26.920 --> 03:33:30.200 Funk. There was the world champion. Does that make sense? Yeah, 2725 03:33:30.319 --> 03:33:35.600 of course Terry Funk the world champion is more regular tights than more of the 2726 03:33:35.680 --> 03:33:41.360 long boots. It's like it's like he had two different careers. And uh, 2727 03:33:41.120 --> 03:33:45.239 that's where I learned how to shop. If I was watching Terry Funk 2728 03:33:45.319 --> 03:33:48.719 go work one night and somebody had his arm right and he started shopping the 2729 03:33:48.799 --> 03:33:52.520 guy his right hand with his left hand, and I said, Dad, 2730 03:33:52.600 --> 03:33:58.799 that looks that looks pretty cool. And that's basically where I learned that from 2731 03:33:58.920 --> 03:34:03.360 Terry. I mean, there was so much learn He could make you laugh. 2732 03:34:03.559 --> 03:34:07.360 I know, if you're watching me today, that one day rush it's 2733 03:34:07.399 --> 03:34:11.879 not pretty hard. He turns her out and certain he walks right back and 2734 03:34:13.000 --> 03:34:18.440 do another one. I look at him. He cracked me up. In 2735 03:34:18.479 --> 03:34:24.559 the ring, you just walk over the vault room. I just loved riding 2736 03:34:24.600 --> 03:34:28.319 with him. I bet I asked at five times a day, they can't 2737 03:34:28.360 --> 03:34:33.360 be a world champion, they'll be a world chapin I drove him there. 2738 03:34:33.120 --> 03:34:35.440 He said, yeah, it'll be a tag kid. There'll be a tag 2739 03:34:35.559 --> 03:34:41.159 kid stock. It was his time. Indeed, my nineteen eighty nine, 2740 03:34:41.440 --> 03:34:43.399 one might say, to be exact. And there he was, young Rick 2741 03:34:43.440 --> 03:34:46.799 Flair, haunting Terry Funk, hoping he'd be champion one day. But in 2742 03:34:46.879 --> 03:34:50.639 nineteen eighty nine, for all that was accomplished and all that's remembered, it 2743 03:34:50.760 --> 03:34:54.319 was time for this cowboy to pack his things, branding iron, black leather 2744 03:34:54.399 --> 03:35:01.200 hat and a body battle worn by firing back and forth with the nature boy 2745 03:35:01.719 --> 03:35:05.319 Rick Flair. It was time for the eighties to come to an end, 2746 03:35:05.360 --> 03:35:11.520 Boss, and for Terry funk Well to move on down the road. Everything 2747 03:35:11.639 --> 03:35:16.280 was rushed because it was it was a very critical time in w W. 2748 03:35:16.760 --> 03:35:18.760 Was it? Yeah? And I can sit here and I can say everything 2749 03:35:18.760 --> 03:35:22.000 that I wanted to about Flair, and I can sit here and I can 2750 03:35:22.079 --> 03:35:26.399 say, oh, Flair to this or Flair to Jah. But one thing 2751 03:35:26.479 --> 03:35:28.959 I will say for Rick Flair, he was reason I was in w W. 2752 03:35:30.360 --> 03:35:33.159 Was he really? Wow? He's the one that suggests to bring me 2753 03:35:33.239 --> 03:35:39.639 down? Really the few for the feud? Yeah? Wow? So you 2754 03:35:39.719 --> 03:35:46.479 know, wow, I see how did you? How did what came about 2755 03:35:46.520 --> 03:35:52.520 you leaving w C W Oh gosh, Well it seems like you're unhappy no 2756 03:35:52.639 --> 03:35:58.719 out there in the first place. Yeah, yeah, just again, it's 2757 03:35:58.799 --> 03:36:05.719 time, ye. Gotta know when it's time to go. Gotta know when 2758 03:36:05.719 --> 03:36:11.000 it's time to go, Boss, Right, yeah, you do, and 2759 03:36:11.280 --> 03:36:18.159 well go where you may ask, where can Terry Funk go? After his 2760 03:36:18.280 --> 03:36:22.920 run in the National Spotlight was over, checks had been cashed and collected in 2761 03:36:24.000 --> 03:36:28.520 a nest egg built in the boom period of WWF and the heady post turner 2762 03:36:28.559 --> 03:36:33.760 acquisition days at WCW, some of his finest work done. Where can Terry 2763 03:36:33.799 --> 03:36:43.639 Funk go? It's time to go extreme, because in nineteen eighty nine there 2764 03:36:43.719 --> 03:36:48.760 was someone else that nary earned a mention in all the conversation we've had here 2765 03:36:50.239 --> 03:36:54.040 on this episode of The Lapsed Funk about Terry Funk's nineteen eighty nine that he 2766 03:36:54.200 --> 03:36:58.920 ran into in the NBA locker room and made a distinct impression upon an indelible 2767 03:37:00.040 --> 03:37:07.479 impression during this run, and there would be one that would lead to Terry 2768 03:37:07.520 --> 03:37:13.639 Funk defining not only a promotion, but in many ways what pro wrestling was 2769 03:37:13.760 --> 03:37:20.639 in nineteen nineties. And this is the story of the CW. Harry broke 2770 03:37:20.719 --> 03:37:26.239 his tail zone and making Georgia and I was fortunate enough to ride with him 2771 03:37:26.479 --> 03:37:31.079 to Savannah that night, and I had heard stories about his toughness, and 2772 03:37:31.200 --> 03:37:37.000 I had heard stories about how wrong owned he was. And he's in the 2773 03:37:37.079 --> 03:37:39.639 car and I'm looking over and I saw tears going down his face and he 2774 03:37:39.680 --> 03:37:45.840 wouldn't acknowledge it. I said, jeez, he's contain and he would he 2775 03:37:45.920 --> 03:37:48.879 acknowledge it. And right before he holding the Savanni turned me, he goes, 2776 03:37:50.040 --> 03:37:54.000 I'm goddamn hurt. Fuck, I'm hurt. And this is three weeks 2777 03:37:54.040 --> 03:38:00.680 before the Great American Basket Baltimore with him and fire it. And it scared 2778 03:38:00.680 --> 03:38:03.639 me because I I I never heard Terry Funk anomos. He was hurt, 2779 03:38:03.719 --> 03:38:07.040 and he was hurt. He broke his ass, literally broke his ass. 2780 03:38:07.600 --> 03:38:13.120 He broke his tailbone. So I took him to the hospital the next morning 2781 03:38:13.399 --> 03:38:16.879 and he didn't wanna go, and I said, Terry, you gotta know, 2782 03:38:16.200 --> 03:38:20.680 I don't know. I say, I got go. I took him 2783 03:38:20.719 --> 03:38:24.719 to the hospital and I said I and the answering him. The doctor came 2784 03:38:24.799 --> 03:38:28.319 in the room and he said, mister Funk, you have a broken single, 2785 03:38:28.239 --> 03:38:33.200 you have broken your tailbone. You'll be okay. He'll be back in 2786 03:38:33.280 --> 03:38:37.239 the ring in about nine months to a year. And he says, I 2787 03:38:37.399 --> 03:38:41.520 have a match of pay per view in three weeks. Kind of doctor says, 2788 03:38:41.760 --> 03:38:46.799 you if I have to admit you in this hospital. You don't have 2789 03:38:46.920 --> 03:38:52.120 a match in three weeks, forget it. And a year made me. 2790 03:38:56.319 --> 03:38:58.799 And when the doctor s tor room, I looked at him and he was 2791 03:39:00.440 --> 03:39:05.280 devastated, and I said, it's the pain. He goes no. I 2792 03:39:05.319 --> 03:39:09.280 said, it's the fact that you can't wrestle. He said no. I 2793 03:39:09.360 --> 03:39:11.559 said, is it because you think they're gonna screw you over? He said 2794 03:39:11.600 --> 03:39:16.719 nope. I said, what is it? And he said, there are 2795 03:39:16.760 --> 03:39:20.360 people who went three weeks from now are paying to see me work with Ric 2796 03:39:20.479 --> 03:39:24.600 Flair when they're expecting the hell of a match. And I'll be goddamned if 2797 03:39:24.639 --> 03:39:28.200 a doctor or a broken ass, or anybody on the face of this planet 2798 03:39:28.239 --> 03:39:33.559 short of God himself is gonna stop me from getting into that ring of Baltimore 2799 03:39:33.559 --> 03:39:39.639 and giving the people to show that they pays to see. Man had an 2800 03:39:39.639 --> 03:39:43.559 elbow that was puffed out to hear they drained it. His knees were swelling, 2801 03:39:43.600 --> 03:39:48.399 he was wearing knee braces. They were working him on the road thirty 2802 03:39:48.559 --> 03:39:52.719 four straight days that month, double shots against sing against Gilbert, against the 2803 03:39:52.760 --> 03:39:58.239 Steiner Brothers, every baby face and that promotion of programs against him, and 2804 03:39:58.319 --> 03:40:03.239 they were drawing money for them. He was carrying the promotion on his back. 2805 03:40:03.719 --> 03:40:07.840 He broke his ass, and the only thing that was going through his 2806 03:40:09.079 --> 03:40:13.440 mind was the fact that the people paid to see him do his thing, 2807 03:40:13.799 --> 03:40:35.879 and he would be damned if anything would stop him. That night, I 2808 03:40:35.000 --> 03:40:39.639 called my father on the phone, my father, who is one of the 2809 03:40:39.760 --> 03:40:43.680 hardest working men I've ever known, I said, Dad, I met somebody 2810 03:40:43.719 --> 03:40:48.159 who has that same work ethic. I met somebody who loves what he does. 2811 03:40:48.879 --> 03:40:52.280 I met somebody who takes such pride in what he does, and the 2812 03:40:52.360 --> 03:40:56.200 fact that people have believed in him, that he cares that much that he'll 2813 03:40:56.280 --> 03:41:01.479 make this type of sacrifice for the people, people who pay to see him. 2814 03:41:03.600 --> 03:41:07.559 On that night in nineteen eighty nine, I pray that I would find 2815 03:41:09.000 --> 03:41:13.360 one, let alone, a dressing room full of wrestlos who would have that 2816 03:41:13.520 --> 03:41:18.000 same work ethic, who would take that tradition to the next level. And 2817 03:41:18.159 --> 03:41:20.600 I looked around that dressing room at WCW. And there's no need to mention 2818 03:41:20.799 --> 03:41:24.559 those names, because it's not their night, is his. But the fact 2819 03:41:24.639 --> 03:41:28.440 is that there were very few guys who had dressing room that had that work 2820 03:41:28.520 --> 03:41:31.200 ethic. There are a lot of guys that you know, I got a 2821 03:41:31.239 --> 03:41:33.000 call, I'm off for a week. Hey, I got Anmberland too, 2822 03:41:33.040 --> 03:41:37.719 I need a month off. He didn't take it. They forced him not 2823 03:41:37.799 --> 03:41:41.040 to work on TV that night. They forced him not to work for the 2824 03:41:41.120 --> 03:41:46.600 next week. And then he put himself back in the ring eight days later 2825 03:41:46.639 --> 03:41:50.600 and he had a match with Flair on pay per view, and to me 2826 03:41:50.719 --> 03:41:54.520 to this day was Flair's best match with the exception of your equip match with 2827 03:41:54.639 --> 03:42:01.120 him. Moral of the story is is that when you look around an ECW, 2828 03:42:01.319 --> 03:42:07.159 what you see as a tribute to Terry Funk. Because the criterion to 2829 03:42:07.360 --> 03:42:11.799 work here is the working is to work through an injury like that. The 2830 03:42:11.920 --> 03:42:16.479 criterion to work here is to have that work ethic. The criterion to work 2831 03:42:16.520 --> 03:42:24.280 here is not charisma, is not size, is not marketability. The criterion 2832 03:42:24.399 --> 03:42:28.760 to work here is the first thing I'll look for in somewhere is work ethic. 2833 03:42:28.479 --> 03:42:35.239 And I learned that work ethic. I idolized that work ethic, and 2834 03:42:35.399 --> 03:42:39.000 we built a dressing room built with that work ethic. Because of the example 2835 03:42:39.079 --> 03:42:46.040 that has been set and was set since nineteen eighty nine by t Fuk. 2836 03:42:46.239 --> 03:42:50.079 He said that example, this dressing room and a trip to get work. 2837 03:43:09.000 --> 03:43:15.360 We did it our way because we love it that way. We love it 2838 03:43:15.559 --> 03:43:20.159 that way, and I have this wonderful gut feeling and I've had it all 2839 03:43:20.239 --> 03:43:24.520 my life when it's time to go, I think it's now, it's time 2840 03:43:24.840 --> 03:43:26.040 to go.