Learning to Love Dory

[Jingus]

Dory Funk Jr. vs Jumbo Tsuruta (08/29/74)

This was not one of Dory's better outings, he didn't seem that interested and was mostly on auto-pilot here. This won't be a match to turn around Dory haters, because he shows basically no emotion at all during this

That's putting it mildly. We watched this match in the GWE chatroom tonight, and pretty much everyone hated it. Dory wouldn't sell ANYTHING, sandbagged on half the moves, and looked like he even might've been taking liberties with some of those uppercuts. Just a slow, dull, selfish performance which made both men look like shit and totally killed the crowd.

[Matt D]

There was a moment where I thought Jumbo was doing some really focused arm-work and the match could have turned around if Dory just sold it after the fact. Of course he didn't.

 

I did watch Dory vs Bock, btw. And I basically took the bullet for you guys there. First off, the VQ is so bad that you don't see Dory's face, which is a plus, but you also don't see Bock's face,which takes away from what he does. The best way I can describe it is 30 minutes of the first ten minutes of an AWA match (and I'd be interested in Kevin watching it with that in mind). Lots of working a hold, building out of it to a few spots and going back to it. They sort of alternated with that though instead of it never led to a middle heat segment. The match really didn't go anywhere until they picked up the pace at the end. That said, what they did, in a bubble was quite good. It was a fine exhibition but a pretty crummy match.

[JerryvonKramer]

Dory vs. Jumbo 74 is not the match I'd have recommended for the marathon, or indeed for anyone. Any of Dory's 75 CC matches would have been better.

[JerryvonKramer]

Dory Funk Jr and Terry Funk vs. Harley Race and Ted DiBiase (4/8/82)

 

The fact that our friend uploaded this on my birthday was just too much!! Ted from this tour is pretty rare. For some reason Lou Thesz is ref here.

 

This is a really really fun match, basically a 10-minute bomb throwing contest. Features one ridiculous comedy spot where Terry ties to headbutt Harley and knocks himself out. Terry also takes a brainbuster on the floor outside. Harley and Ted really bust out the offense here, first unloading a pile of suplexes and things on Dory, then on Terry. The finishing stretch features some of the biggest hamstring snaps (by Ted on Terry) that I've ever seen. Finish was pretty well worked too, built around Ted's figure-four (on both Funks) which was eventually reversed into an inside cradle for the three count. Nice clean finish.

 

This is a really good match that I'd recommend to anyone wanting to get a quick look at these four in 1982 without spending hours going about it. I loved it.

 

***1/2

[jdw]

 

Mentions a match he had with Giant Baba now that went 58 minutes, says its famous in Japan. I can't find any record of this..

 

 

From puroresu.com, here are Dory's title matches in JWA:

1969/11/28 Tokyo - Kuramae Kokugikan (12,000)

NWA International Tag Team Title: Giant Baba & Antonio Inoki* (1-1) Dory Funk Jr. & Danny Hodge

1: Hodge (27:12 pin) Inoki

2: Inoki (11:15 abdominal stretch) Hodge

3: (60min time limit)

 

1969/12/01 Hiroshima - Pref. Gym

All Asia Tag Team Title: Antonio Inoki & Michiaki Yoshimura (2-1) Dory Funk Jr. & Harley Race

1: Race (16:28 pin) Yoshimura

2: Inoki & Yoshimura (6:23 DQ)

3: Yoshimura (2:32 pin) Harley Race

 

1969/12/02 Osaka - Pref. Gym (10,000)

NWA World Heavyweight Title: Dory Funk Jr.* (0-0) Antonio Inoki

1: (60min limit draw)

 

1969/12/03 Tokyo - Tokyo Metro. Gym

NWA World Heavyweight Title: Dory Funk Jr.* (1-1) Giant Baba

1: Baba (21:07 pin)

2: Dory (3:47 spinning toe hold)

3: draw (60min time limit)

 

This is likely the match that Dory is talking about with Baba.

 

There was online a clip of it on Youtube, but got yanked... which is bizzare considering all the stuff that's up there. My recollection is that it looked pro shot. Anyway, this would be high on the list of holy grails.

 

The Inoki match historically is the one folks talk about more as being a key moment in Inoki's career. Baba had matches prior to this point with NWA, AWA, WWWF and WWA world champs.

 

Going forward...

 

1969/12/04 Sapporo - Nakajima Sports Center

NWA International Tag Team Title: Giant Baba & Antonio Inoki* (2-1) Dory Funk Jr. & Buddy Austin

1: Dory (18:12 pin) Inoki

2: Baba (2:19 pin) Austin

3: Inoki (4:06 abdominal stretch) Dory

 

1970/07/30 Osaka - Pref. Gym

NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba* (1-1) Dory Funk Jr.

1: Dory (17:20 pin)

2: Baba (28:20 pin)

3: (6:55 DCOR)

 

Note: that was for Baba's title.

 

That wasn't uncommon. Bruno and Kiniski's matches in Japan were typically for Baba's belt rather than their own, though Bruno's first was for the WWWF Title instead.

 

 

1970/08/02 Fukuoka - Sports Center

NWA World Heavyweight Title: Dory Funk Jr.* (1-1) Antonio Inoki

1: Funk (30:48 pin)

2: Inoki (7:04 german suplex)

3: (60min limit draw)

 

1970/08/04 Tokyo - Tokyo Metro. Gym

NWA International Tag Team Title: Giant Baba & Antonio Inoki* (2-0) Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk

1: Baba & Inoki (26:17 DQ)

2: Baba (5:45 half crab) Terry

 

1971/12/01 Nagoya - Aichi Pref. Gym

All Asia Tag Team Title: Antonio Inoki & Michiaki Yoshimura* (1-1) Dory Funk Jr. & Dick Murdoch

1: Murdoch (28:09 pin) Michiaki Yoshimura

2: Michiaki Yoshimura (23:00 rolling clutch hold) Dick Murdoch

3: (60min limit draw)

 

1971/12/07 Sapporo - Nakajima Sports Center

NWA International Tag Team Title*: Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk (2-1) Giant Baba & Antonio Inoki

1: Dory (16:05 pin) Inoki

2: Baba (5:34 boston crab) Terry

3: Terry (4:12 pin) Baba

 

Inoki's last match with JWA. He was officially expelled on 12/11, but was removed from the 12/9 & 12/10 cards prior to that. Sak taking his spot on the next card:

 

1971/12/09 Osaka - Pref. Gym

NWA World Heavyweight Title: Dory Funk Jr.* (2-1) Seiji Sakaguchi

1: Sakaguchi (17:17 pin)

2: Dory (4:21 pin)

3: Dory (2:15 pin)

 

1971/12/12 Tokyo - Metropolitan Gym (7,500)

All Asia Tag Team Title: Seiji Sakaguchi & Michiaki Yoshimura (2-1) Dory Funk Jr. & Dick Murdoch

1: Dory (14:00 pin) Seiji Sakaguchi

2: Sakaguchi (6:00 pin) Dory

3: Sakaguchi (6:30 pin) Murdoch

 

Seiji Sakaguchi & Michiaki Yoshimura win the vacant title (vacated by Yoshimura & Inoki when Inoki was shitcanned).

 

That the end of Dory's title matches in JWA. He has some in the US against JWA wrestlers, including dropping the NWA Int'l Tag Title to Baba & Sak in Los Angeles.

 

Both draws with Inoki are out there. I see you hit the 1969 one as well as the Sakaguchi match and the Sakaguchi & Yoshimura vs Dory Jr. & Murdoch match. The 1970 Inoki match is out there as well.

[Jingus]

Who owns the rights to JWA footage?

[jdw]

NTV. Which is why it would pop up on All Japan specials.

 

On the other hand, they have been allowing non-AJPW folks to use them. There were JWA matches on the Inoki box set.

 

The bigger problem is just as with the AJPW stuff: there is no incentive to mass release it. There isn't a weekly classics show they're feeding on a cable channel that needs constant "new" material. The market isn't huge for it, so they tend to slowly trickle stuff out, for the most part sticking to what they've previously converted. A special box set like Inoki or Tenryu might force them to find at least a few new things to sprinkle on.

 

There's an insane amount in the vault. We don't know how much of it the saved in the 60s, when many folks around the world were dumping their film. It seems like that the two most famous Destroyer vs Rikidozan matches do not exist. If they did, they would have come out by now.

 

 

Holy Grail.

 

There's stuff like the 1969 New Year Champion Series with it's four tag title matches between Giant Baba & Antonio Inoki vs Danny Hodge & Wilbur Snyder, with a pair of title changes and a 60:00 draw, a Int'l Title match with Baba defending against Snyder and a Hodge-Inoki singles match. There's a 1975 Baba & Jumbo title defense against the Texas Outlaws in the same series where the 1975 Open League singles tourney took place.

 

Just an insane amount of stuff. A lot of which likely has been lost, but loads that hasn't been and is just sitting there.

[JerryvonKramer]

[JerryvonKramer]

Diving into more of the awesome uploader's footage. Not entirely sure what has and hasn't been floating around before, but I'm going to watch stuff I've not seen before.

 

Dory Funk Jr vs. Stan Hansen (11/28/83)

 

Terry and Brody a seconds outside the ring. I'm wondering if there's a slim chance of Dory actually eating a pinfall here, let's see. With the two guys outside, probably a fuck finish. If you look at Dory here squaring up against Hansen, you can see he's actually a pretty big guy. And he's carrying some weight here in 83.

 

Hansen works a headlock and arm bar to start. This is maybe one Matt D should watch since it is a more technical Hansen we are seeing. Dory hits his cross cross forearm smash before being cut off by a knee lift. Snap mare by Hansen and a chinlock. Uppercuts by Dory. Jumping knee by Hansen. Dory powers out of a piledriver. Snapmare by him now. Nose swivel. Headlock. Back suplex by Hansen out of that. Dropkick by Hansen. Forearm smash by Dory. Headbutt by Hansen. Bodyslam. Misses a knee drop. Spinning toe hold! Spinning toe hold! Hansen escapes. Dory targets the leg now. Outside the ring. This is heading for a double count out. And of the very very lazy variety.

 

This was an extremely pedestrian match with both guys in real auto pilot mode. Not a lot to see here other than to provide Matt D of an example of Hansen working with a more technical opponent who he doesn't guzzle.

 

**

 

Dory Funk Jr vs. Super Destroyer (12/25/82)

 

Poor old Dunk must have spent the Xmas of 82 in Japan. Gets a good reaction from the crowd. Super Destroyer works over the arm to start. Eventually Dory takes over on the leg. Couple of spinning toe holds. Destroyer tries a waist lock. Suplex by Dory before a flash pin after a piledriver reversal into a sunset flip.

 

Dory wins a plaque of some sort after the match. Nothing-y little match, your basic AJPW competitive semi-squash.

 

**

 

Dory Funk Jr vs. Harley Race (??/71)

 

This is not the match from Kansas, 5/24/73 that I reviewed in the Harley thread (which had commentary), but silent film footage from St. Louis two years earlier. For St. Louis in 1971 this looks a hell of a lot more wild than you might imagine.

 

While it is clipped to shreds, this is a glimpse at a Dory NWA title defense and Harley takes an awful lot of the match with Dory taking a lot of bombs. Harley takes the first fall, Dory completely destroys his leg with the spinning toe hold in fall two. Harley knocks himself out on the railings with a missed move off the apron to lose by count out.

 

Glad I checked this out. Wish we could have a match like this in full, it looked like it rocked.

 

Dory Funk Jr vs. Dick Steinborn (??/69)

 

I think this is from Big Time Wrestling. This was just as Dory became NWA champ. A lot of chain wrestling here. And kip ups. Black and white.

 

Funny, during this the commentator calls Terry Funk "the forgotten man of wrestling".

 

The pace is really fast and not what you'd expect from the stereotypical wrestling of this era, it's very quick, agile chain wrestling. Moments of explosion. Dory wins with a backslide.

 

Pretty good little match. Dory very cleancut and babyface champ here. ***

 

Dory Funk Jr vs. Johnny Weaver (1/26/73)

 

This is from the garbage tapes. Another NWA title defence. High hopes for this as Weaver has looked good on so,e of this stuff. He works a grinding headlock on the champ. The ring is just stinking. More headlock from Weaver, but a good one.

 

Dory escapes with a shinbreaker. Back suplex. Arm bar. Arm over the top rope. He's starting to play dirty now. Weaver comes back. Dory bails. Forearm smashes by him now. Pushes the ref. Eats a boot. Weaver attacks. Escape with feet on the ropes. Both men over the top. Forearm smash off the apron. Snapmare back in. European uppercut. Abdominal stretch. Weaver says no. Crowd is hot. Still this abdominal stretch. Weaver eventually hip tosses out of it.

 

Butterfly suplex by Dory. Cover gets two only. Back slide by Dory. Weaver escapes. Big bump in the corner by Dory. Weaver coming back strong now. Arm bar. Uppercuts by Dory. Weaver lands on him going for a vertical suplex. Collision spot. Cover by Weaver gets two only. Both men down.

 

Sadly we don't get a finish. But the ten minutes we got of this was awesome. This was Dory as travelling champ against a local face, and this match looked terrific. I was properly invested in it by the time the footage ran out. The garbage tapes are awesome, love the feel of watching them with the crowd and no commentary.

 

Dory Funk Jr and Kerry von Erich vs. Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne (4/24/84)

 

Let's head back to Japan for this last match. This caught my eye for just looking flat out weird. When did Dory ever tag with Kerry? And against ... The High Flyers? It's strange ... Dory was tagging with Baba mostly around this time and they were working a feud against Hansen and Brody. In fact, when this match took place, Dory and Baba were tag champs and they dropped the straps the very next night! Baba must have had the night off or had business to attend to or whatever. Of course, Dory had tagged before with a von Erich: David in Florida circa 81-2.

 

High Flyers work over Dory to start with a head scissors. First Brunzell then Gagne. Dory bridges out after about five minutes into a Texas cloverleaf of sorts. Catches Gagne and sits him on the top rope. Headlock. This has been slow going. Criss cross. Dory says something to Kerry but doesn't tag out.

 

Criss cross again. Kerry switches in. Hammerlock sequence now. Arm wrench by Kerry into a chinlock now. Back to the hammerlock, Brunzell has switched in. Knee drop from the top by Greg onto Kerry's leg.

 

Dory back in. High flyers still dominating. Brunzell locks on the figure four. Dory struggles free but they've really cut this ring off and isolated his leg. It's kind of strange seeing Brunzell and Gagne working as de facto heels like this. Eventually Dory gets the tag to Kerry after this long FIP sequence. He goes for the claw but it is blocked.

 

High Flyers have dominated this match. Dory back in. Couple of nearfalls, Greg comes off the top with a flying cross body but the momentum takes him over for Dory to pick up what pin.

 

This is a really weird match that has High Flyers on top for basically 95% of the running time. No idea why it took place, and it is unlike any other Dory tag I can recall seeing. I don't think it is a great match and was slow going in parts, but as a total curiosity piece, it is worth a look.

 

**1/2

[JerryvonKramer]

Enter Dory, or rather Hoss, as he saves Terry from JYD coming at him with the branding iron by nailing him on the back of the head with a cowboy boot. Even Jimmy Hart gets involved with the beatdown. Vince and Bruno call Dory "Dory Funk" throughout this.

The Body Shop (2/22/86)

Jesse says he's privileged to welcome such heritage and history to the Body Shop tonight. See, when it's Terry alone it's all Texas wildman, when it's the brothers together it's tradition and history. Just an interesting little wrinkle.

Jimmy Hart talks first, and he's delighted at the JYD beatdown. Terry introduces Dory as "the John Wayne of professional wrestling ... The silent type" Dory gets on the mic now, he's pretty animated. He says that they are blood, there may be other wrestling brothers but none like the Funk brothers. Jesse cuts him off and Terry takes over.

Seems like they went too long. Hey, they never once called him "Hoss" here.

Hoss and Terry Funk and Jimmy Hart vs. JYD and Andre (3/23/86)

Maple Lead Gardens again. Monsoon and Jesse. Andre is in a pair of yellow tights and is somehow both fatter than hold fuck here AND seemingly in pretty good shape, insomuch as his shoulders and arms look a bit more toned than normal.

Terry was using the "middle aged and crazy" line here.

Spot where JYD and Dory cross cross and Terry gets himself involved with the cross cross. Don't recall seeing that before. Quite funny.

Dory goes over and taunts Andre now. Is that wise? He actually wants JYD to tag out. Doesn't happen. I actually think secretly Dory just wanted a better worker in there with him.

European uppercuts on the corner on Dog. Terry jn with a piledriver. Jimmy Hart jn with token wimp offense. Immediate tag out. Terry dumps him. Dory with a backbreaker outside. Those red Maple Leaf guardrails don't look very secure.

JYD has been generally awful in this match, everything he does looks rubbish including taking head shots to the turnbuckle and waving his arms during a sleeper. You can't wrestle.

Andre in, double noggin knocker, but Dory cuts him off, and chokes him on middle rope. Terry grabs his leg. Two vs. One a lot here. Massive slap by Andre on Dory, you could hear that. Patentend elbow smash by Dory, patented "stuck in the ropes" from Andre. Funks double teaming. Terry attacking alone now, Andre starts no selling, comes back with a big slap. JYD back in with headbutts.

Dory in. Jimmy Hart from the top with a megaphone and it's a DQ. JYD and Ansre get to have a little bit of fun with Jimmy now to pop the crowd. Andre gets the big chain and swings it to ward off the Funks.

This match totally lost its way as it drifted into chaos by the end. No sort of structure or anything. It was at its best when Andre was in there with the Funks as one would expect. JYD is shockingly bad in this match. Both Funks looked kinda old and saggy here. Only Andre came out of it looking good.

**

Promo (3/24/86)

Jimmy Hart cuts a promo on JYD and Tito for Wrestlemania 2. Terry gets on mic too. Dory's contribution is so subdued and bland it's almost funny "There are going to be more people watching Wrestlemania 2 than any other event, and the Funks are going to be there."

Maybe I'll watch that now.

[JerryvonKramer]

Hoss and Terry Funk vs. JYD and Tito Santana (3/28/85)

Elvira is of course brutal on commentary. Lord Al and Jesse is an interesting and rare pairing though.

"Yeah but he was kicking that guy" - Elvira

This is exactly what you'd hope for which is Tito as FIP as the Funks work him over and with various suplexes, leg drops and the like.

Hot tag to JYD and he seems a lot more switched on here than he was in that Andre tag.

Decent match but "just a typical Funks match" in many ways.

***1/2

Promo (4/28/86)

Jimmy Hart has underwear with hearts on it thrown at him by fans. Andrian Adonis likes the underpants. Dory gets on the mic.

"You take someone like me, and you take Adrian Adonis here, and what do you see?"

*Okerlund double take*

"Well, I wouldn't like to say"

Ha ha. Classic. While Dory continues Adrian puts the underpants on the mic. Dory is not amused and picks them off onto the floor. Dory also throws shade at "that little bitty midget the Haiti kid". Jimmy says "never trust a midget". Adrian camps it up.

Dory also mentions he's seen Ricky Steamboat on TV with his "martial arts exhibitions ... Well karate don't scare us"

If I had to hand out awards for the most out of place person in a segment ever Dory here might be it. He is completely out of step with weird and whacky Vince World. Just a duck out of water here. Okerlund seems happy to wrap it up.

Hoss and Terry Funk vs. Chuck Simpson and George Wells (2/10/86)

My playlist a bit out of order here since we're back in February. Dory is announced as "Dory". Not a lot of consistency on this "Hoss" deal. Gorilla and Jesse on commentary. This is All Star and the Ontario tapings again.

Gorilla calls Dory "Dory Jr" and really puts over his credentials and background. Jesse does too. Can tell he had a lot of backstage respect just because of how they talk about him. This was actually his in-ring debut.

Wells actually gets a hot tag here and several body slams.

Texas Cloverleaf!! Wow, don't see Dory pull that one out often. Worth seeing just for that.

*1/2

Hoss and Terry Funk vs. Jeff Gripley and Ivan McDonald (5/5/86 on YouTube, actually 2/18/86 and shown 3/2/86 on All Star, guessing 5/5 was a replay on Prime Time)

Gripley is a proper jobber's jobber, a true wimpy. McDonald seems a bit more stacked like he might have been pushed in a small territory once somewhere. Finkel announces Dory as "Dory", the caption says "Dory Funk", Gorilla calls him "Dory". This is May and after Wrestlemania, there is zero consistency on the name. This has given me reason to doubt the date on the clip ... And sure enough it's from February. Seems to me the "Hoss" thing started sometime in March.

Monsoon puts over Dory Sr a good bit. Seemingly he's flying solo here. He calls Terry, "Terrible Terry" a lot. Oh there it is ...

"Apparently Dory wants to be referred to as 'Horse', he doesn't look much like a horse" - Gorilla Monsoon.

I think he probably misheard the memo.

Funks unload pretty much their entire arsenal of offense on Gripley, vertical suplex, butterfly suplex, piledriver, swinging neckbreaker, snapmare.

They have done a real number on him. Texas Cloverleaf! Maybe that was a Vince order?

We've only seen the spinning toehold once so far. Great squash!

**1/2

Hoss and Terry Funk vs. Hulk Hogan and JYD (1/5/86)

This is from SNME, Vince and Heenan on commentary. Hogan with slam and elbow drop on Dory. JYD and Dory lock up. Clothesline.

"His father had nine months and the best name they could come up with was Junk Yard" - Bobby Heenan

"Come on Hoss, slow it down, keep it to your pace" - Bobby Heenan

"Midget sheesh kebab my favourite" - Bobby Heenan

Basically all the Funks have done so far is pinball for the faces. But Jimmy Hart skewered Haiti Kid. JYD carries him back to the locker room.

"Looks like Junkyard Dog is on his way to rent a midget" - Bobby Heenan

Dory takes over on Hogan with uppercuts but Hulk reverses the suplex. Dory dumps him. Terry sneaks over and attacks the injures ribs with the branding iron. Jimmy Hart lays in wimp shots too. JYD slams Terry on the concrete. Back body drop on concrete.

Hulk had Dory in ring. Tags JYD in. Irish whip to corner. JYD charges. BAM. Sock to the throat. That's one of the coolest cuts off I've ever seen! Smashed him dead. European uppercut. Terry in. Haiti Kid is back out with a bandage on. Double collision spot. Slam by Terry. Misses splash from top and by a country mile. Hot tag to Hogan drops the leg on Terry and that's three.

I knew Terry would drop the fall and not Dory.

And now ... The Funks have Haiti Kid. Branding iron! This is a sick ambush on a midget! But Hulk saves him and grabs Jimmy Hart.

"This is disgusting, a 300lb man grabs poor Jimmy Hart and Haiti Kid takes advantage!" - Bobby Heenan

Heenan was on absolute fire here. A lot of midget business here, I'd actually like to see a regular tag involving Hogan and Funks, maybe with a more workrate-y partner than JYD.

**

Hoss and Jimmy Jack Funk vs. Jim Power and SD Jones (5/5/86)

A lot of JTTS in that ring, including JTTS megateam Powers and Jones, poor Dory, a former NWA champ slumming it with these chumps.

"What's become of Terrible Terry?" - Gorilla Monsoon

They are wondering if he's back on the ranch, Heenan on commentary also. They ask Jimmy Hart and he says "that's out business, he might be here, he might be in any arena, he could be here tonight!" Well that's one way of dealing with it.

SD a house of fire and Dory and Jimmy Jack both sell big for him. Cut off with boot in face. Dory hits a number of really nice vertical suplexes in this match.

Standing scoop powerslam by Jimmy Jack, Texas cloverleaf finishes it.

*1/2

Interview (5/24/86)

Ken Resnick with the interview. Jimmy Hart talks. Dory throws a JYD action figure on the floor. Dory on mic now: explains he's here because he can't stand successful people and the most successful is Hulk Hogan. He's also here for "the Junkyard Jackass". He introduces now his cousin Jimmy Jack. He's a crazed wild brawler. He's a loon.

Probably the best Dory promo I can recall seeing.

Interview (6/2/86)

Resnick again with Jimmy Hart. Dory has ... A MUSTACHE. Legit marking for Dory with a tache.

Jimmy Jack comes in again. This is basically a re-run of the previous promo, almost like they did it a few times. Weird.

Hoss Funk vs. George Wells (6/23/86)

This is from MSG, Monsoon and Lord Al on commentary. Wells does a kip up here.

Hayes and Monsoon do a good job of talking up Dory here, his character and his "credentials".

"What is Jimmy Hart saying to Hoss Funk? What wisdom could he possibly have for him?" - Lord Alfred Hayes

You can tell Lord Al loves Dory here. Uppercuts. Dumps him. Suplex back in. Grapevine. Wells reverses a suplex.

"You're right about Wells, he's put on a bit of weight recently" Lord Alfred Hayes

You know your career is in trouble if you ever get that call from Lord Al, a favourite of his to indicate a guy is on the slide. Scoop slam by Wells. Knee lift.

"Nice knee lift, yes, but he's moving slowly. Not moving with any quality- Lord Alfred Hayes

Lord Al really knew how to bury guys when he wanted to.

"His matches are following a pattern: start slow and get slower" - Gorilla Monsoon

They are really laying into Wells here, even while he's on top! They seem to be playing up an angle that he's not quite himself but it's coming across like a burial.

Dory goes up to the top. Caught! Backbreaker by Wells. Dory does not belong on the top rope. Flying cross body by Wells. Headbutt. Splash from top but Dory gets both knees up and that's enough for three.

"Moving like a tortoise. I'm afraid, he's simply carrying too much weight, the conditioning is not there." - Lord Alfred Hayes.

The thing is Wells wasn't even that big here, especially not compared to JYD. Lord Al and Monsoon were borderline cruel about Wells on commentary throughout this match.

**1/2

[JerryvonKramer]

Hoss and Jimmy Jack Funk vs. Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (7/26/86)

Philly. Uber rare heel vs. heel match here. Volkoff songs the anthem. No manager present for Sheik and Volkoff. Hart is there with Funks. Wonder where the Slickster was. Iron Sheik puts in a special request for the crowd not to say "USA" during this match. Monsoon and Dick Graham on commentary. Funks are de facto faces.

Nonetheless Jimmy Jack chokes Sheik with the tag rope. Comes in with a bodyslam. Atomic drop. Dory in. It's pretty weird seeing him in there against Sheik and Volkoff. Dumps Volkoff. Funks have not in any way tried to work as faces, proper heel vs. heel match.

Holy shit! Dory ate the pin for Sheik! Hell froze over in July 1986. I think that's maybe only the third time I've seen Dory pinned in all these matches.

**1/2

[JerryvonKramer]

Dory Funk Jr and Terry Funk vs. Abdullah the Butcher and The Sheik (12/13/79)

 

For some reason I've not seen this. Let's see if it lives up to any of their other classic encounters. This is obviously the RWTL final. Tournament highlights are alys fun to watch. Long time readers of Learning to Love Dory will note that I gave their last encounter (7/15/79) 4.75.

 

The Funks AJPW theme is one of the all-time greatest. They were incredibly over here. Terry especially. Dory sporting a beard here. It's a good look for him.

 

Funks clean house to start. I really like Sheik and Abby as a Dick Dastardly and Mutley style duo around this time. Sheik and Terry start out. Headlock by Sheik and he immediately tags out. Abby throws something in his eyes. Throat jab. Headbutt. Throat jab. And again. Wild comedy punching from Terry. Another jab to the through from Abby. Terry goes for spinning toehold. Dory in. Patented forearm smash. Goes for suplex and gets it! Abby is a big man to suplex. Stomps from Dory now. Terry in. Texas jabs from him. Fist drop. After all the stomps and punches, Abby is busted open. Massive diving fist drop from Terry now. And he's BITING THE CUT. Probably inadvisable.

 

Dory in. Double forearm smash. Funk special. Cover gets two. Sheik in with cheapness. Terry dumps him. Dory with more fists on Abby who just drops. SEVEN elbow drops from Dory in a row now. Abby is just a bloody mess. Blood all over the ring. Sheik grabs Dory and has the pencil, spiking him in eye and forehead as ref can't see.

 

Abby has his fork. Jabs Terry, sends him packing. Does a fork drop on Dory now. Fucking nasty. Elbow drop. Two only. Sheik jabs Dory with the pencil some more. Fork shot by Abby to Terry who is screaming in pain. Quite disturbing noises. I think it's his ear. Abby promptly bites the ear. Fork to the ear. Sheik chokes Dory with the pencil meanwhile. And of course is busted open.

 

Uppercuts by him on Abby now, while Terry is in agony on the outside. Sheik in. Pencil shot to throat, running forearm by Dory. Terry in and has pencil. Crowd is fucking wild. Pencil shot to the head by Terry on Sheik. Right in his face now. Abby spikes Terry on the top of the head with the fork. The ref completely lost control of this a good ten minutes ago.

 

Abby with some sick shots with the fork to Terry's hand now. Can see the cuts in the hand where the fork was. Another if fork shot. Terry looks like he's been crippled. A third big fork shot on the hand. Sheik in with more cheapness. Abby in and he's biting the wrist. Samoan drop by Abby. Cover gets two. Elbow drop. Cover gets two. Terry com back with Texas jabs cut connects with the injured hand. Sheik in with a camel clutch. Crowd is so loud. Terry manages to stand up with Sheik on his back almost and gets the hot tag to Dory.

 

Abby in. Sleeper by Dory. Dory covered in blood, Abby covered in blood. Some of the blood has dried across Dory's forehead. Abby fading but the arm doesn't drop. Cover gets two only. Reverse chinlock from Doey but Sheik comes in with a blatant choke. Terry in. Nose swivel on Abby. Blatant choke from Terry. Terry is still selling his destroyed hand by the way. Spinning toehold from Terry, Abby with a counter.

 

Sheik in. Dory in. Sheik holds Dory but Abby connects with him accidentally, and Dory pins Sheik. Look at that a clean job from Sheik right in the middle.

 

Abby is escorted out with a jacket over his head. Sheik skulks.

 

This is a total bloodbath but it lacks some of the psychology of the 2/3 falls from 7/15/79 because all semblance of there being any rules at all is thrown out of the window. Where in that match Abby and Sheik cheated like crazy, here they were just blatant, almost openly using weapon shots. It also lacks some of the insane wildness of the 5-star classic 9/19/78.

 

Terry's selling is borderline disturbing during this. And the attack on his hand with the fork by Abby is truly psycho stuff, and I can't think how they did that other than by hardway. Sheik seemed much more limited in what he did in this one. It's definitely worth seeing, and is a good match, but it's not up with their very best encounters.

 

***3/4

[JerryvonKramer]

Dory Funk Jr vs. Dick Slater (2/18/84)

 

This is from a bunch of Mid-Atlantic stuff that came online recently. Quarter final for the TV title. Winner faces Greg Valentine. Caudle and David Crockett on commentary. Quite a big match to have on TV this. Slater is US champ here. Tommy Young the ref.

 

Hip toss and an arm drag by Dory, into a pinning predicament. Arm bar. Up to a vertical base. Uppercuts. Forearm smash. Arm bar into a double wrist lock. Slater manages to wriggle across to counter. Nose swivel and an elbow drop. Goes for figure four but Dory counters, and Dory uses the arm drag again, into arm bar. Elbow smash by Slater. Lateral press by Slater. Dory rolls over. Uppercut. And another. Third. Cover gets two only. Cradle gets two. Rolling cradle. Two only. Headbutts from Slater. Back suplex. Cover gets two only. Forearms from Dory. Elbow smash by him. Spinning toehold! But Slater dumps him. Dory back in. Turnbuckle shot. Two more near falls. Side Russian legsweep. Handful of tights, and that's a pin!

 

Slater pins Dory! I think Dory must have been booker for Crockett here. I wonder if that Slater vs. Greg match is around, I'd love to see it.

 

**1/2

[JerryvonKramer]

The Funks documentary

 

Not gonna review, just going note any tidbits of interest. Dory has now started to look properly old as someone befitting someone in his mid-70s. Terry less so.

 

- Some footage of an interview from Bob Giegel talking about Dory Sr in 2000, wonder where that is from.

- Level of buy-in on the talking heads on this has been impressive so far, 12 mins in: Jim Ross, Tully, Bob Armstrong, Stan Hansen, Bret Hart, Manny Fernandez, Gerald Brisco, Tom Pritchard, Bruce Mitchell, JJ Dillon, Bill Apter, B. Brian Blair, Larry Matysik, Harley Race ... Surprising lack of Dibiase.

- Both Dory and Terry say that their father was a tough critic, always hard on mistakes and never once told either of them they had a good match.

- Dory and Terry both say workers made as much in Amarillo as they would in New York or Florida or LA. Said they had to pay well to get the boys to actually work there.

- Brisco says the territory was marked by its professionalism.

- I'm not entirely sure what this 8mm footage is they are showing. Suspect it is not Amarillo, but it could be cos it seems like all Dory or Terry matches. I've not seen them. Intriguing.

- Worked a 7-day loop weekly. Said the TV show was great but there isn't much footage because they'd recycle the tapes.

- Dory vs. Kiniski for the NWA title in Tampa in 69 was a sell out, on a Tuesday night. Dory said that his father finally said he was proud of him, which meant a lot.

- Dory worked 300 nights a year as champ, many hour-long Broadways.

- JR says Dory was a tremendous champion because he could work with anyone, fan favourites or villains as the situation dictated.

- Brisco says they didn't leave the belt on him for almost five years for nothing, they left it cos he was doing great business at the box office.

- Blair says that no one was a better ring general than Dory: knew every high spot in the business, timing spectacular

- Apter says there'd be no "boring" chants during his sixty-minute or even ninety-minute matches.

- Dory has a ledger which lists all 7,000+ matches he ever wrestled. Says he worked with Jack Brisco around 150 times.

- Everybody still sticks to their side of the story on the Dory injury.

- Dory Sr had a heart attack after shooting with Les Thronton, he choked him out with a front facelock but then suffered the heart attack.

 

As we hit Terry's title run, I'll pause it for now.

[stro]

I've been getting into Dory a lot over the past 2-3 years. As a kid, he was a weird old dude who was boring. As an adult, he's a weird old looking dude who was pretty damn dope. Fascinating that he looked middle aged at like 25.

 

 

[WingedEagle]

Terry Funk and Dory Funk Jr vs. The Sheik and Abdullah the Butcher (9/19/78)

 

 

 

Does anyone know if this one is online? I can seem to find just about every other match in this feud but am having trouble tracking this down.

[andrew79]

Does anyone know if this one is online? I can seem to find just about every other match in this feud but am having trouble tracking this down.

 

I believe the match date is 12/9/78 (and it's in the All Japan archive).

[WingedEagle]

 

Does anyone know if this one is online? I can seem to find just about every other match in this feud but am having trouble tracking this down.

 

I believe the match date is 12/9/78 (and it's in the All Japan archive).

 

 

Well that certainly changes things. Have seen 12/9/78 so perhaps the date confusion here explain it. Thanks!

[paul sosnowski]

I definitely cannot find the 9/21/78 match vs Bockwinkel and Lanza. Is it available on Classics? On Dailymotion, there is one listed as that, but when you start the match, it clearly says 12/5 instead.

 

 

And I do not think the 12/9/78 match vs Sheik and Abby is the same as 9/19/78. On the Drive, it is marked as 12/9 when you start the match...

 

EDIT---- I AM 100% CONVINCED THAT THERE IS NO 9/21 MATCH. IT NEVER HAPPENED. The Funks were in Canyon TX that night, Clawmaster archives.

 

Thursday, September 21, 1978 – West Texas State Fieldhouse – Canyon, TX
1) Noah Jones fought Dennis Stamp to a draw
2) Marie Laverne defeated Kay Noble
3) Dory Funk, Jr. & Larry Lane fought Doug Somers & Roger Kirby to a draw
4) Ted DiBiase defeated Mr. Pogo (w/ Oliver Humperdink)
5) Texas Death Match: Terry Funk defeated Adrian Adonis
The main event included the $5,000 Golden Challenge, payable if Adonis was pinned within the first 10 minutes.

 

 

Bockwinkel worked in Memphis on the 18th and on the 22nd in Minneapolis against Rufus R Jones. http://crazymax.org/newsite/results/awa-results-1978/

 

The Highspots Funks in Japan match listed as 9/21/78 is indeed 12/5....

 

Dory was not in Japan all year until the December tag league, according to Masa Horie's site----- http://www.oocities.org/smokyrobmoore/jp103000.htm

 

 

Prove me wrong...i would love to see 2 matches between these teams....

 

I am also fairly certain that there was no 9/19/78 match against Sheik and Abby, since Dory wasn't in Japan all year....

[JerryvonKramer]

As I recall, I for those dates from here:

 

http://www.midatlanticwrestling.net/resourcecenter/results/pages/results_funkjr.htm

 

NWA Western States:
09/01 Lubbock, TX Mr. Pogo & Adrian Adonis beat Dory Funk, Jr. & Super Destroyer
09/14 Amarillo, TX Dory, Jr & Terry Funk beat David & Kevin Von Erich by DQ
All Japan Pro Wrestling:
09/19 ??, Japan Terry Funk & Dory Funk, Jr. vs. Abdullah the Butcher & The Sheik
09/21 ??, Japan Dory Funk, Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Nick Bockwinkel & Blackjack Lanza
Central States Wrestling:
10/07 Des Moines, IA Bob Orton, Jr. beat Dory Funk, Jr. by DQ
Big Time Wrestling:
10/08 Detroit, MI Dory Funk, Jr. beat Rick Martel

 

I did wonder why those matches happened in September rather than December which is the usual RWTL.

 

This would make sense.

 

But both those matches are on tape, I watched them. Bock and Lanza worked AJPW in 78, so it was definitely that year. It'll be the one on Dailymotion listed for December.

[paul sosnowski]

Trust me, I did a lot of research two weeks ago and I can conclusively say that Dory was never in Japan during 78 until the RWTL.

[peachchaos]

Right, All Japan didn't run any shows in Sept. '78.

[eas]

Yup, there were 4 Funks vs Abby/Sheik 2 vs 2 Tags:

 

13.12.1979 All Japan Pro Wrestling Real World Tag League 1979: The Funks (Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk) defeat Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik (17:15)
AJPW Real World Tag League 1979 - Tag 13 @ Kuramae Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan
15.07.1979 All Japan Pro Wrestling Tag Team Two Out Of Three Falls: The Funks (Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk) vs. Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik - Draw (18:23)
AJPW Summer Action Series 1979 - Tag 9 @ Shinagawa Prince Hotel Gold Hall in Tokyo, Japan
09.12.1978 All Japan Pro Wrestling Real World Tag League 1978: Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik defeat The Funks (Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk) by DQ (12:29)
AJPW Real World Tag League 1978 - Tag 9 @ Kuramae Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan
15.12.1977 All Japan Pro Wrestling Open Tag League 1977 Final: The Funks (Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk) defeat Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik by DQ (14:40)
AJPW World Open Tag Team Championship Tournament - Tag 13 @ Kuramae Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan

 

The incorrect 9/19/78 date drove me nuts as well last year when I was trying to hunt down these matches.

 

They are all available on The Archive in full. Of course, there are other matches that tie into this fued (singles, 3 vs 3's, etc) but to me these 4 are head and shoulders above the rest.

[JerryvonKramer]

It's either th fault of Highspots DVD compiler or the guys at Midatlantic Gateway. My money is on the former.