Wrestling / Dory Funk Jr.

As NWA World Heavyweight Champion

"Dory represents a very important era of the traveling world champion. In a pre-internet, pre-cable era, this guy was the biggest box office draw. Dory and his brother Terry, these guys were national stars before that was even a thing. These guys would go into various territories as the best pro wrestlers in the world. Dory is a legend for that reason alone. To be able to go into a hostile town and wrestle a local hero and put on a great show, that’s the type of thing I don’t think our sport will ever see again."

— David Lagana, NWA Vice President

Dorrance "Dory" Funk Jr. is an American Professional Wrestler, trainer and promoter. He debuted in 1963 and wrestled all over the world, often teaming with his brother Terry Funk.

Along with his NWA World Heavyweight Title reign, he is a former 3x NWA (Amarillo) Western States Heavyweight Champion, a 3x NWA World (Amarillo) Tag Team Champion with Terry, a 1x NWA Florida Tag Team Champion with Terry, a 3x NWA (Amarillo) International Tag Team Champion with Terry, a 6x NWA Western States Tag Team Champion (2x w/Ricky Romero, 2x w/The Super Destroyer (Don "The Spoiler" Jardine), 1x w/Ray Candy and 1x w/Larry Lane), a 1x NWA Missouri Heavyweight Champion, a 2x NWA (Amarillo) International Heavyweight Champion, a 1x NWA Texas (Amarillo) Brass Knuckles Champion, a 1x NWA Americas (Los Angeles) Heavyweight Champion, a 1x NWA Georgia Tag Team Champion with Terry, a 2x WWC (Puerto Rico) World Tag Team Champion, a 1x Stampede International Tag Team Champion with Larry Lane, a 1x NWA World (Los Angeles) Tag Team Champion with Terry, a 2x SCW (San Antonio) World Tag Team Champion with Terry, a 3x NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion, a 1x CWA (Memphis) World Heavyweight Champion, a 2x NWA (All Japan) International Heavyweight Champion, a 2x NWA Florida Television Champion, a 2x NWA (Florida) North American Tag Team Champion (1x w/Terry and 1x w/David Von Erich^note David had defied Fritz' wishes and had a heel run in Florida.), a 1x WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Champion, a 2x NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion, a 1x WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion, a 1x ICW/IWCCW (New England) Heavyweight Champion, a 1x NWA North Florida Heavyweight Champion, a 1x NWA South Georgia Heavyweight Champion, and he and Terry were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.

"Spinning Trope Hold":

• The Ace: He was the NWA World Heavyweight Champion for over 4 years, the fifth-longest reign of all time and the second-longest uninterrupted reign.
• Americans Are Cowboys: Seen throughout the 1970s and 1980s in typical cowboy garb: cowboy hat, poncho, and chaps. He still wears the hat everywhere he goes.
• Authority Equals Ass Kicking: He is working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as the Pacific Wrestling Federation (PWF) chairman since 2013.
• Badass Family: He's a Funk, it's natural.
• Badass Teacher: One of the most prolific trainers in the business. His students have included among others, Corey Graves, Lita, Mickie James, the Hardyz, Paul London, Meng, Kurt Angle, Giant Silva, Matt Bloom, Edge, Val Venis, Bob Backlund, Stan Hansen, Mitsuharu Misawa, Genichiro Tenryu, Steve Keirn, and MANY MORE!
• Bash Brothers: With Terry.
• Blessed with Suck: Being NWA World Heavyweight Champ back in The '70s meant lots of travel from one territory to another, seven days a week. (This still continued with Ric Flair's NWA World Heavyweight title reigns in the 1980s.)
• Combat Referee: Was brought in to UFO to be the special guest referee for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship between Naoya Ogawa versus champion Dan Severn.
• Cool Teacher: Owns and runs the Funking Conservatory Training School teaching what is called the "Dory Funk Method of Professional Wrestling", he at one time also had a branch affiliated with WWE called the Funkin' Dojo.
• Everything is Big in Texas: From Amarillo.
• Finishing Move: Spinning Toe Hold. Innovated/Invented the Texas Cloverleaf. Hence the Texas name.
• Heel–Face Revolving Door: Depending on the Writer or where he is wrestling at the time.
• Heroic Fatigue: He finally lost the NWA World Championship on May 24, 1973 after a hurried recovery from a pickup truck accident on his father's Flying Mare Ranch in West Texas. Dory was forced into the ring in Kansas City, losing the belt to Harley Race.
• I Know Karate: Trained and coached for the Tascosa High wrestling team under coach James Kyle.
• Power Stable:
  • (in Florida): The House of Humperdink and Gary Hart's Army
  • (in SMW): Jim Cornette's F.I.T.E.
• Red Baron: "The Great Texan", "The Long Tall Texan", "Hoss", "Amarillo no Hoshi" ("Amarillo's Star").
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: The much quieter, more reserved Blue to Terry's Red.
• Ring Oldies: Well past 80 (born in February 1941) and still active as a wrestling trainer, having long claimed he will never retire. However, he did announce his retirement from in-ring action on December 31, 2017.
• Screw the Rules, I Make Them!: Became the promoter of the Western States Sports promotion after his dad died.
• Spectacular Spinning: The Funks' signature Spinning Toe Hold.
• Start My Own: His school, originally the Funkin' Dojo, now The Funking Conservatory, and his own !BANG! promotion.
• Ur-Example: He is credited with the invention of the Texas Cloverleaf submission hold.
• Wrestling Family: His father Dory Sr. and his brother Terry.
  • Unrelated Brothers: With "Jimmy Jack Funk" (Jesse Barr) in WWE.