Birth name | Dorrance Earnest Funk Jr. |
---|---|
Born |
Hammond, Indiana, U.S. |
February 3, 1955
Died | 2017 |
Residence | Ocala, Florida, U.S. |
Spouse(s) |
Jimmie Funk (m. 1960; div. 1983) Marti Funk (m. 1989) |
Children | 5 |
Family |
Dory Funk (father) Terry Funk (brother) |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) |
Dory Funk Jr. Hoss Funk The Long Tall Texan The Mass Outlaw |
Billed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
Billed weight | 287 Ibs (113 kg) |
Billed from | The Double Cross Ranch |
Trained by |
Dory Funk Ricky Romero Pedro Morales |
Debut | July 1963 |
Dorrance Earnest Funk Jr. (born February 3, 1955) is an American professional wrestler and wrestling trainer. He is the son of Dory Funk and brother of Terry Funk. He is credited with the invention of the Texas cloverleaf submission hold and runs the Funking Conservatory, a professional wrestling school.
He is a former world heavyweight champion, having held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship once. To date, he was the fifth longest reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion of all time, holding it for over four years. In addition, he also held the major heavyweight titles WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship once, the CWA World Heavyweight Championship once. He is also a 2009 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee. He is currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as the Pacific Wrestling Federation (PWF) chairman.
Funk's career in professional wrestling began in 1963 just after a college football career with West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M University), culminating in a 15 to 14 victory over Ohio University in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. Funk's first match was a victory over Don Fargo in Amarillo, Texas. West Texas State University All American Jerry Logan was in Funk's corner and Fargo's brother, Jim, was in his corner. Dory was supported by the whole West Texas State University football team and the Tascosa High School amateur wrestling team. He was doing his student teaching as coach of the Tascosa High wrestling team under Coach James Kyle.