[NWa Bracket] Round 3 Match 3: Terry Funk Vs 'The Original Nature Boy' Buddy Rogers

[Hyorinmaru]

Terry Funk

Mostly known for being hardcore he has also won the NWA World Title. He has influenced many pro wrestlers we know today most notably Mick Foley. He has won PWI's Wrestler of the Year award in 1976, Feud of the Year award in 1989 for his feud with Ric Flair and he was voted PWI's Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year in 1997. he has been given 2 5-star matches by the WON 1 in 1984 and 1 in 1989, He was named best heel, best brawler and the best on interviews all in 1989. WON also named is 1989 feud with Ric Flair Feud of the year.



The Original Nature Boy Buddy Rogers

Buddy Rogers was one of the biggest wrestling stars in the beginning of the television era. His performances inspired generations of professional wrestlers, such as "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, who used Buddy Rogers' nickname, as well as his look, his attitude, and his finishing hold, the Figure four leglock. He was the first of many historic names to hold the title now known as the WWE Championship, and also the first man ever to hold the WWE and NWA Championships.
​

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Rogers influenced a multitude of wrestlers who dreamed of being the next statuesque, clean cut professional wrestling champion, whereas Funk was a dirty bastard who thrived on pain, violence, and malevolence. There may be no match-up in this tournament featuring men as polar opposite as we have here.

The Wrestlezone Tournament this year gave me new appreciation for Terry Funk. Though his legacy with today's fan is that of a hardcore legend who has put his body through Japanese Death Matches with C-4 explosions and flaming barb wire tables, many know him as a brawling heel with unparalleled talent and the ability to make fans everywhere care dearly for the well being of the babyface.

And yet, Funk is more well-known for being a 50-something ECW Champion, and for being "Chainsaw Charlie." Sad turn of events. Buddy Rogers, on the other hand, is "the man who inspired Ric Flair," who would take Roger's persona and make it ever larger than it already was.

Funk is a legend, but for the wrong reasons by the standards of today's fans. But more people know Rogers simply as "the man who Ric Flair was better than at being him." So I vote for Funk.

 

[Mr. TM]

I am going to vote for Funk as well. Funk has given himself to wrestling for decades, and for some reason, has put his body through a lot of tests for the business he loves. Funk may not be known by many, in fact, I had very limited knowledge of him until I watched Beyond the Mat. But if it goes by which wrestler has created the better legacy, Funk is the obvious choice for myself. Buddy Rogers has not left the same mark on wrestling that Funk has, and that is obvious, just by watching some of the things Funk set up in the last 20 years. Rogers was the inspiration behind Flair yes, but he never created Flair, like Funk created Foley. Funk inspired hardcore wrestling, that partially caused some of the aspects of the Attitude Era. Without Funk, ECW might not have been able to take of like it did. Funk created a Legacy, telling me he is the better legend.