Dory Funk Jr dead: WWE Hall of Famer who won his last fight 2 years ago dies aged 85 | Other | Sport

WWE star Dory Funk Jr has died aged 85. The death of one of the most famous names in the wrestling industry was announced on Tuesday, August 4, by Brian Blair and the Cauliflower Alley Club.

Funk’s wife, Marti, told the Ocala Gazette the wrestler had died under hospice care. Son of Dory Funk Sr, Funk and his brother Terry followed their father into pro wrestling, becoming NWA World Heavyweight Champions. During his career, Funk competed for major promotions such as WWE, WCW, ECW, NWA, and AJPW. Moreover, he and Terry were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by longtime friend Dusty Rhodes in 2009 as ‘The Funks’.

Incredibly, his last victory in the ring came just two years ago when, aged 83, he teamed up with Osamu Nishimura to defeat Atsushi Onita and Raijin Yaguchi.

Besides his career in the ring, which included being a tag team star alongside his brother and competing on the independent scene in the US and Japan, Funk was also a successful trainer, helping train Kurt Angle, Edge, Christian, The Hardy Boyz, Mark Henry and Mickie James among others.

Tributes have poured in for the wrestler, with Triple H, WWE head of creative, among those sharing messages honouring the legacy of Funk.

The wrestler, whose real name is Paul Michael Levesque, said: “Saddened to announce the passing of Dory Funk Jr. From the Double Cross Ranch to the WWE Hall of Fame, Dory’s style inspired countless performers in our industry.

“Whether it was at WrestleMania Two, WCW, ECW, or the dozens of NWA-affiliated promotions, his travels across North America and Asia were a part of the early blueprint that helped build this business into a global phenomena.

“A hard-nosed and fierce competitor, his rugged in-ring style was only eclipsed by the decades he spent training athletes to perform in the squared circle he loved so much.

“My thoughts and those of the entire WWE Universe are with his loved ones during this difficult time.”