Terry Funk Net Worth

What Was Terry Funk's Net Worth?

Terry Funk was an American professional wrestler and actor who had a net worth of $1 million at the time of his death.

Terry Funk enjoyed one of the longest, most varied and most influential careers in professional wrestling history. After making his debut in 1965, he performed across six decades and repeatedly reinvented himself as the industry evolved. Terry was a traditional technical wrestler, an NWA World Heavyweight Champion, an international tag-team star, a volatile television villain and, later, one of the founding figures of hardcore wrestling.

Funk competed for the National Wrestling Alliance, All Japan Pro Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling, among numerous regional and independent promotions. He won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1975 and captured the ECW World Heavyweight Championship more than 20 years later. His memorable rivalries included battles with Ric Flair, Jerry Lawler, Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race and Mick Foley. During a WWF run in the late 1990s, Terry performed as Chainsaw Charlie and won the World Tag Team Championship alongside Foley's Cactus Jack.

Outside wrestling, Funk appeared in films including "Paradise Alley," "Over the Top" and "Road House." Terry and his brother, Dory Funk Jr., were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.

Early Life

Terrance Dee Funk was born on June 30, 1944, in Hammond, Indiana. His father, Dory Funk Sr., was a professional wrestler and promoter, and his mother was Dorothy Culver Funk. The family relocated to Amarillo, Texas, where Terry and his older brother, Dory Funk Jr., grew up immersed in the wrestling business.

Terry attended West Texas State University, where he played college football as an offensive lineman. The university became a pipeline for professional wrestlers, with future stars such as Dusty Rhodes, Ted DiBiase and Tully Blanchard also associated with the school.

Funk made his professional wrestling debut in 1965, defeating Sputnik Monroe in his father's Amarillo promotion, Western States Sports. He initially worked throughout Texas and frequently teamed with Dory Jr.

NWA World Champion

During the territory era, Terry wrestled throughout the National Wrestling Alliance system, competing in Texas, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and other regional markets. Although he was capable of delivering technically sophisticated matches, his emotional performances and unpredictable behavior helped distinguish him from the more restrained wrestlers of the period.

On December 10, 1975, Funk defeated Jack Brisco to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The title was wrestling's most prestigious championship at the time, and its holder traveled between territories defending it against each region's leading challenger.

Terry held the championship for approximately 14 months before losing it to Harley Race in 1977. He and Dory Jr. became the only brothers to have separately held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

The Funk brothers also achieved enormous popularity in Japan. Their matches for All Japan Pro Wrestling made them beloved foreign stars, and Terry developed an especially strong connection with Japanese audiences. In 1983, he held an emotional retirement match in Japan, only to return to wrestling the following year. It became the first of several retirements, comebacks and farewell appearances during his career.

WWF and WCW

Funk joined the World Wrestling Federation during its national expansion in 1985. Presented as "Terrible" Terry Funk, he played an unruly Texas cowboy who carried a branding iron and was managed by Jimmy Hart. Terry and Dory, who was renamed Hoss Funk, defeated Junkyard Dog and Tito Santana at "WrestleMania 2."

After leaving the WWF, Funk returned to the NWA's national television programming in 1989. He attacked Ric Flair following Flair's championship victory over Ricky Steamboat, beginning one of the defining feuds of Terry's career. Their rivalry culminated in a celebrated "I Quit" match at "Clash of the Champions IX."

Funk continued making appearances for WCW during the 1990s and returned for a more extended run in 2000. Although approaching his late 50s, he embraced the company's hardcore division and won the WCW Hardcore Championship three times.

(Photo by George Napolitano/FilmMagic)

Hardcore Wrestling and ECW

Rather than slowing down as he aged, Funk adopted an increasingly violent and physically demanding style. He competed in matches involving tables, chairs, barbed wire, fire and exploding rings, helping shape the form of wrestling that became known as hardcore.

In 1995, Terry competed in Japan's "King of the Death Match" tournament. He reached the final against Cactus Jack, the character portrayed by Mick Foley, in an exploding barbed-wire match. Funk became a mentor and major influence on Foley, who later described him as an idol and close friend.

Terry was also instrumental in establishing Extreme Championship Wrestling's credibility. At the 1997 pay-per-view "Barely Legal," he survived a three-way match and then defeated Raven to capture the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. Funk was 52 years old at the time.

He returned to the WWF as Chainsaw Charlie, a wild character who wore pantyhose over his head and carried a chainsaw. At "WrestleMania XIV" in 1998, Chainsaw Charlie and Cactus Jack defeated the New Age Outlaws in a dumpster match to win the WWF World Tag Team Championship.

Funk continued wrestling sporadically for many years, with his final match taking place in 2017. His career had lasted more than half a century.

Acting Career

Funk's rugged appearance and natural physicality led to a parallel career in film and television. He appeared alongside Sylvester Stallone in "Paradise Alley" and "Over the Top." Terry also played Morgan, one of the antagonistic bouncers working for Brad Wesley, in the 1989 action film "Road House."

Funk helped choreograph the climactic street fight between Stallone and Tommy Morrison in "Rocky V." His other credits included the Western television series "Wildside" and the wrestling comedy "The Ringer." He was also prominently featured in the 1999 documentary "Beyond the Mat," which examined the physical and emotional consequences of professional wrestling.

Personal Life and Death

Terry married Vicki Ann Weaver in 1965. They had two daughters, Brandee and Stacy, and remained married until Vicki's death in 2019.

Funk underwent multiple surgeries during his career and dealt with the accumulated effects of decades in the ring. His health declined in his later years, and his family confirmed in 2021 that he was receiving care for dementia.

Terry Funk died on August 23, 2023, at the age of 79. His numerous honors included induction into the WCW Hall of Fame, NWA Hall of Fame and WWE Hall of Fame. Beyond his championships, he was remembered for his versatility, generosity toward younger performers and willingness to adapt to nearly every era and style of professional wrestling.

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