In a recent interview on the highly followed Sportskeeda’s Wrestling Time Machine show, Teddy Long, the legendary wrestling figure, opened up about the profound influence of Terry Funk, the iconic hardcore wrestler, on his career and life.
The heart-wrenching demise of Funk, the stalwart of hardcore wrestling, was announced on August 23, shaking the professional wrestling industry to its core. This news was further shared across various platforms, further substantiating the magnitude of this loss.
Invoking nostalgia, Long reflected on the pivotal role Funk played in his career, “Terry was one of those pillars who provided me unwavering support during my early days,” Long shared. “We formed a memorable duo in ‘Funk’s Grill,’ which always brings memories of laughter, wrestling, and camaraderie to my mind.”
Long also reluctantly revealed about some of his interactions with Mark Callous at ‘Funk’s Grill’, before the transformation of Callous into the awe-inspiring ‘The Undertaker’. Remembering his fun-filled times with Funk, Long said, “Throughout the years, our conversations continued. I always made an effort to reach out to him, especially during the festive season. Our heartfelt dialogues certainly added a special touch to my memories with him.”
Funk, donning a signature tuxedo, interviewed a plethora of WCW stars in the crowd-pleasing ‘Funk’s Grill’ segment in the early 1990s. The Undertaker or then Mean Mark Callous graced the stage of ‘Funk’s Grill’ with Long in January 1990 on WCW Worldwide. The former WWE SmackDown and WWE ECW general manager, Long, who was then mentoring ‘The Skyscrapers’ – Mark Callous and Dangerous Dan Spivey, portrayed Callous as the embodiment of toughness in the professional wrestling overscape.
Back in those days, ‘The Skyscrapers’ were embroiled in a thrilling feud with the celebrated tag team, ‘Road Warriors’. This intense rivalry added to the quintessential competitive spirit of the pro-wrestling industry.
