Is Terry Funk the most versatile wrestler of all time?

[It's...Baylariat!]

The reason for this thread is simple. In my eyes, Terry Funk is considered the most versatile wrestler of all time. Why? Well, the man was a former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion who defended the belt against some of the greatest wrestlers of all time. His finisher was a Spinning Toe Hold, a move that won him the belt. Funk is widely considered a great ring technician who can work a part of the body and expose any kind of weakness you have. He was a pure wrestler.

THEN, you have his later years, where he earned the moniker, 'Middle Aged and Crazy.' He went from ring technician to hardcore legend. He's wrestled in Japan in both technical and hardcore wrestling. He's done the same here. He made ECW a house hold name and his family, the Funks are a storied wrestling family. Ric Flair called Funk one of the all time greats because of his versatility as a ring performer.

So, the question beckons, is Funk the most versatile wrestler in pro wrestling history? If not, then who is?

 

[SavageTaker]

I don’t think there is anyone that is more versatile than Terry Funk is. I haven’t had the opportunity to check out a lot of his work from the NWA before he went to ECW, but I know that he is considered a great in-ring technician. He gained a lot of success as an in-ring technician during his time with the NWA but he was able to adapt to other styles of wrestling like hardcore and still be successful. Other wrestlers have tried doing what he has done and they haven’t been as successful for whatever reason. So yes, I do think Terry is the most versatile wrestler for being able to adapt to other styles and remain very entertaining and still have success.

 

[jmt225]

I'm not so sure if "versatile" would be the way I would describe Terry Funk. Gifted? Unbelievable? Insane? Awesome? These are words I would describe the Funker, one of the greatest wrestlers to ever exist. Definitely top 10, in my book.

However, versatile just doesn't seem to fit him. At least, to me it doesn't.

I really don't know where you got this technical stuff from TL, because Funk was hardly a technical wrestler. Just because his he had a Spinning Toe Hold as his finisher doesn't mean he was a technical wrestler. The guy was a brawler, who could tell stories, and knew how to work the crowd. However, you would never end up with a Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart type of match with him. Funk couldn't fly, and he couldn't work a technical match unless he was in there with someone who could carry him around it, like Bret Hart. For someone to be versatile in this sport, they need to be able to work any style of match, and Funk definitely couldn't do that. He could work with anyone and put on a decent match, sure, but he would hardly ever adjust his style to match his opponents.

So, with that said, I would have to say the most versatile wrestler of all time would have to be someone like Kurt Angle in my eyes. Here's a guy who could work a technical masterpiece with Chris Benoit, have an insane street fight against Shane McMahon, and also contain some of the best power and high flying moves in the entire business. THAT'S versatile, my friend. Moreover, like Funk, Angle always knew how to work a crowd, and give a match that made sense to his storyline. The guy could do anything, whereas Funk, while he could do unbelievable things with the gifts he had, was still limited in a ton of different areas.

 

[Leafy]

When you watch Funk you don't think versatile but his wrestling expertise is very large and he was able to fight two different styles.

First he was the brawler Terry Funk, able to beat his opponent into a pulp but still able to fight ground based wrestling. He was part of the best tag team ever, and won world titles in a wrestling golden age. An impressive career but most people recognize him for his other style of wrestling. Middle aged and Crazy.

When Funk met ECW the old technical side of Funk was gone and we saw his crazy side. He used weapons, did crazy moonsaults, and even beat Raven in a hardcore match. This shows the wide spectrum Funk was able to wrestle. No other wrestler can wrestle the many styles of Funk, and his age made it even more amazing.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I think your nailed it TL. the thing about Terry Funk is that he has been middle,aged and crazy for so long that you forget that back in the day he was actually a pretty clean cut guy who was a great in ring technician and former NWA Champ (not only that most wrestling fans weren't even alive when Funk was NWA champ, myself included) and I thought Funk was a great wrestler as that clean cut guy, but I remember him for the hardcore legend he is known for now. He did great and did even better when he became the hardcore legend, personally, I can't think of any other wrestler who is more versatile than Terry Funk.

Very good point

 

[Schoolboy-Chris]

I would also argue against Funk in favour of someone like Kurt Angle. While I enjoyed many of Terry Funk’s matches I feel that at his core he will always be remembered as a brawler and a hardcore wrestler. He never came across as much of an athlete, in that his matches were almost invariably slow paced and consisted of brawling rather than the chain wrestling that someone such as Kurt Angle could employ. In fairness it has to be remembered that Funk was most well known and notorious when he was much older, so it is understandable that he may not have flown around the ring like a cruiserweight. His psychology was great and he told a good story but to me at least he never came across as someone deserving of a title such as “most versatile wrestler.”

With Kurt Angle you have an absolute perfect combination of so many different facets of wrestling. Angle is of course recognised as one of the best technical wrestlers of his generation, and in my opinion of all time, he has also proven his mettle in hardcore matches, has a great repertoire of hard hitting impact moves and can utilise high flying moves such as his fantastic moonsault and even the 450 splash. Angle is a natural athlete, can also slow a match down when necessary with a submission or rest hold and can basically deliver on whatever is asked of him. I am a big fan of Funk and have always enjoyed his matches, but for me at least Angle steals the title of most versatile wrestler.

 

[Terry'sGordy]

His finisher was a Spinning Toe Hold, a move that won him the belt.

Terry won the title with an inside cradle.

As for most versatile I'd say no. A lot of wrestlers were versatile throughout the history of wrestling.

Take Flair: Great world champion who wrestled all the great all around the world. Fantastic tag wrestler who's team with Greg Valentine was fantastic. Was good as a heel or face, great promo guy, and had the figure 4.

So I'd go no with Terry.

 

[chicken wing]

Terry Funk was a great ring technican back in the 70's and 80's. It's a pity there isn't a great deal of footage available from the NWA in the 70's, which is when he was in his prime. His matches in all japan were usually excellent - his mat wrestling was far better than Kurt Angle's and he could bump like HBK.

 

[Freddy4190]

Terry Funk is without a doubt the most versatile wrestler of all time. He can work any style with any person. I've seen him put on great matches with damn near everyone. I saw him wrestle CM Punk in um.. ROH? I believe? It was damn good. He was still impressive in the ring at 60 something in a hardcore match at ECW One Night Stand.