Current:Home > FinanceTerry Funk, WWE wrestling icon, dies at 79-InfoLens
Terry Funk, WWE wrestling icon, dies at 79
View Date:2024-12-23 16:11:06
WWE wrestling icon Terry Funk has died at age 79, his manager Timothy Beal confirmed to CBS News Wednesday. His cause of death was not immediately released, but Beal said that Funk "was in bad health for some time" and was "in a nursing home."
Funk's death was also confirmed in a statement by the WWE.
For Funk, wrestling was a family affair. Growing up in in Amarillo, Texas, his father, Dory Funk, Sr., was a professional wrestler, and he started out as a tag-team wrestler with his brother Dory Funk, Jr., according to his WWE biography.
Funk broke out as a wrestling star in the 1980s when he appeared in a tag team with his brother at WrestleMania 2. He then competed singularly throughout the U.S. and in Japan over the course of his 50-year career, the WWE said.
On Wednesday friends and fans from the wrestling community commented on his passing.
"He was the greatest wrestler I ever saw," retired WWE Mick Foley wrote on social media.
Known as a brawler, CBS Sports reported that Funk's career got a second chance when he joined Eastern Championship Wrestling, later Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Professional wrestler Ric Flair said on social media that Funk was "a great wrestler, entertainer, unbelievably fearless, and a great friend."
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame with his brother in 2009. His final wrestling match was in 2017.
Funk was also known for his breakout roles in Hollywood films. He appeared in "Roadhouse" with Patrick Swayze, "Paradise Alley" and "Over the Top."
- In:
- WWE
- Pro Wrestling
- Wrestling
Cara Tabachnick is a news editor for CBSNews.com. Contact her at [email protected]
veryGood! (3595)
Related
- Lou Donaldson, jazz saxophonist who blended many influences, dead at 98
- Cleveland to host WWE SummerSlam 2024 at Cleveland Browns Stadium
- Lawsuit accuses Columbia of singling out 2 pro-Palestinian groups by suspending them after protest
- Gender ID, sexual orientation can be talked about in Florida classrooms after lawsuit settlement
- Man found dead in tanning bed at Indianapolis Planet Fitness; family wants stricter policies
- Wild horses facing removal in a North Dakota national park just got another strong ally: Congress
- Matthew Koma gets vasectomy while Hilary Duff is pregnant: 'Better than going to the dentist'
- HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge to leave Biden administration
- Wendi McLendon-Covey talks NBC sitcom 'St. Denis Medical' and hospital humor
- Oscars 2024 red carpet fashion and key moments from Academy Awards arrivals
Ranking
- North Carolina offers schools $1 million to help take students on field trips
- Beyoncé Just Revealed the Official Name of Act II—And We’re Tipping Our Hats to It
- Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyer tell appeals judges that Jeffrey Epstein’s Florida plea deal protects her
- Wisconsin Republicans fire eight more Evers appointees, including regents and judicial watchdogs
- New York eyes reviving congestion pricing toll before Trump takes office
- The View's Whoopi Goldberg Defends Kate Middleton Over Photo Controversy
- South Carolina House nears passage of budget as Republicans argue what government should do
- Would Maria Georgas Sign On to Be The Next Bachelorette? She Says…
Recommendation
-
'Bizarre:' Naked man arrested after found in crawl space of California woman's home
-
The BÉIS Family Collection is So Cute & Functional You'll Want to Steal it From Your Kids
-
Sharon Stone reveals studio executive who allegedly pressured her to have sex with Billy Baldwin
-
Aaron Judge undergoes MRI on his abs and gets results. What's next for Yankees' captain?
-
Diddy's ex-bodyguard sues rape accuser for defamation over claims of 2001 assault
-
Elle King breaks silence about drunken Dolly Parton tribute concert: 'My human was showing'
-
North Carolina judges block elections board changes pushed by Republicans that weaken governor
-
If there is a Mega Millions winner Tuesday, they can collect anonymously in these states