Professional wrestler Dory Funk Jr., a longtime figure in the sport and member of the famed Funk family, dies at age 85, multiple outlets report. NBC News and the Los Angeles Times say his wife confirmed his death, and the Los Angeles Times reports he dies in hospice care in Florida. Yahoo Sports adds that he dies at his home in Ocala, Florida.
Several accounts highlight Funk Jr.’s major honors and career legacy. He is described as a WWE Hall of Famer, and one source notes his induction into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2006. Another account reports WWE inducted him and his brother into its Hall of Fame in 2009.
Fox News notes that Funk Jr. held the NWA worlds championship for more than four years and trained future stars, including Kurt Angle, Adam Copeland (Edge), and Lita. Other sources similarly characterize him as an influential “old school” wrestling figure whose career spans decades and took him across multiple locations.
Across reports, Funk Jr.’s death is presented as the passing of a widely recognized wrestling pioneer and trainer.
