It’s tough to imagine a career that’s more emblematic of pro wrestling than that of Terry Funk. With a body of work that spanned from the 1960s to the late 2010s, Funk has participated in a huge swath of pro wrestling history. He’s held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, challenged Hulk Hogan on Saturday Night’s Main Event, been ripped apart by barbed wire in both Philly and Japan, and perhaps most importantly, bequeathed Dean Ambrose a chainsaw on Monday Night Raw.
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He’s also emblematic of the breadth of pro wrestling, as he’s poured oil on his head to make fun of Floridians, recorded a novelty album, wielded a flaming branding iron, and embarked on countless retirements that just wouldn’t stick. Given all that, it should be no surprise that Terry Funk was once kicked by a horse in WCW.
The WCW Hardcore Division
A bloodsoaked brawler, Terry Funk not only helped innovate hardcore wrestling as popularized by ECW in the 1990s but also participated in it. By the late ‘90s, the major leagues like WWE decided to cash in, with WCW establishing a Hardcore Championship in July 1999 and brought in Funk to take part. In general, WCW’s version of hardcore wrestling didn’t live up to ECW’s violence or WWE’s anarchic silliness, but did offer highlights like the title reigns of “Screamin’” Norman Smiley or that battle royal where everyone had to escape a junkyard.
And -- obviously -- Terry Funk getting kicked by a horse.
That Fateful Episode Of WCW Thunder
The 5/31/2000 edition of the beloved and not-superfluous-at-all WCW Thunder opened straightforwardly enough. Cosplaying as Terry Funk, Chris Candido coming out to cut a heel promo ahead of his challenge of the aging Hardcore Champion (“Bring your wrinkled, old ass out here, ‘cause I’m gonna kick it!”).
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The Funker himself comes out, and a brawl ensues, taking the two backstage at the Idaho Center and straight to a flatbed truck. Funk rolls his opponent onto the bed, throws a chair at this face, and drives off as the referee attempts to give chase on foot, Hardcore Championship belt in hand.
Terry Funk Gets Kicked By a Horse
The drive doesn’t last long, leading to a horse ranch just down the road from the arena. There, Funk and Candido make use of the surroundings using rope, bales of hay, and a totally inconspicuous wooden folding table. As Funk is shoved face-first into a wheelbarrow of manure, Tony Schiavone on commentary remarks “He’ll be able to grow tomatoes in his beard.”
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Moments later, the brawl spills into an actual stable occupied by a real-life horse, where Funk plants Candido with a piledriver. That’s enough to get the horse BUCKING WILDLY, kicking Funk in the bicep as he leads Candido’s head out of harm's way. This leads Funk to to yell obscenities at the horse and threaten to kick its ass (for the record, the horse backed away after that). As his opponent scrambles out of the stable, Terry Funk just stands up and grabs an also-not-conspicuous aluminum trash can, cursing and shouting at the horse on his way out.
The Hardcore Legend Has Done It Again
It’s tough to imagine caring about the finish after seeing Terry Funk get kicked by a horse, but basically the champ puts Candido through a table and knocks out the referee with the aforementioned trashcan only to realize that he still needs him, so he dumps a bucket of water on the ref to wake him up for the three-count.
By the time the WCW Hardcore Championship quietly disappeared from television in January 2001, Terry Funk would hold the belt three times for 78 days total, with this bizarre horse fight likely being not just the most memorable moment of Funk’s reigns, but also the most memorable of what is arguably nobody’s favorite hardcore division.
