Alan J. Wojcik Reviews 'Ringside With Terry Funk' DVD

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Kayfabe Commentaries honored him as their last Ring Roast victim, now “the Living Legend” Terry Funk joins the Ringside series with new host the legendary Bill Apter (recently interviewed on Online World of Wrestling Radio, www.owwradio.com for archive info) who replaces Sean Oliver. Funk & Apter have been friends since 1969 and you can tell by their chemistry. Here is the full listing of the matches:

Terry Funk vs. Jack Brisco
December 10, 1975
Miami Beach, Florida, Miami Beach Convention Center
Championship Wrestling From Florida
Terry Funk wins the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (Terry was not the original opponent, his brother Dory was the announced opponent.)

Terry Funk vs. Harley Race
February 6, 1977
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Maple Leaf Gardens
Frank Tunney Sports (Maple Leaf Wrestling)
Terry Funk loses the NWA World Heavyweight Championship

Terry Funk vs. Abdullah The Butcher AKA Spanky (explained by Funk)
July 18, 1979
AJPW, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa, Japan
Ishikawa Prefectural Industrial Exhibition Center

Terry Funk vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler
April 6, 1981
Memphis, Tennessee, Mid-South Coliseum
The Empty Arena Match

Terry Funk vs. Hulk Hogan
December 19, 1985 (Aired on January 4, 1986)
WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event
Tampa, Florida, USF Sun Dome

Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr. vs. The Road Warriors
September 20, 1987
WWC Aniversario ’87, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium

Terry Funk vs. Ric Flair
November 15, 1989
WCW Clash Of The Champions IX: New York Knockout
Troy, NY, RPI Houston Field House
I Quit Match

Mr. Funk is the perfect guest for this show having been NWA world champion and wrestled in several decades. He has forgotten more about the sport then many of will ever know. Like the previous releases with Big Van Vader and Demolition, due to someone else owning every piece of wrestling footage ever shot; the DVD is a sit down interview with a TV monitor in front of Funk & Apter. Funk was born into the sport (Dory Sr. & Jr.) and his love for it resonates throughout the program as does Apter’s. Funk gives interesting insight into the responsibilities of the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight champion and being married to the belt. Funk was also the American booker for the Japanese promotions and he gives stories of dealing with promoters like Giant Baba and the talent. Another amazing thing is Funk’s great recollection of stories from his career that some of his generation would never remember. He can remember a 64 consecutive day run in WWF in the 80’s, meetings with Vince McMahon Sr. & Jr., the Japanese promotional wars, dealing with the Puerto Rico promotions and creating the “Empty Arena” and “I Quit” angles. This DVD is just the cusp of the historical matches Funk has been part of and I hope it makes you seek out other DVD’s and material.

The next 3 scheduled releases from www.kayfabecommentaries.com are all from the YouShoot series: former WWE diva Maria Kanellis, TNA President Dixie Carter in a live format and Jim Cornette returns with the “lost questions.”