Dory Funk JR. Discusses Advice He Gave When Training Kurt Angle, Changing His Name, Jimmy Jack Funk, More
    Submitted by Errol Leigh Farrell on Sunday, July 29, 2007 at 2:50 PM EST



  • Dory Funk JR. Discusses Advice He Gave When Training Kurt Angle, Changing His Name, Jimmy Jack Funk, More

    (Credit: WorldWrestlingInsanity.com)

    This week’s edition of JG’s Radio Free Insanity is on the air and available right now at http://www.WorldWrestlingInsanity.com (Flash and MP3 download) This week's guest is the Legendary former NWA World Champion Dory Funk Jr.

    James Guttman begins things by talking about this week's guest. Dory Funk Jr. has done so much in the industry, not only as a wrestler, but as a trainer. His past students have included Kurt Angle, The Hardys, Edge, Christian Cage, Rhino, Snitsky, Chris Sabin, and tons more. He also features free matches from both he and his students on Dory-Funk.com.

    Dory Funk Jr.'s full interview on ClubWWI.com lasted for 55 minutes and included talk of The Funkin' Conservatory, Bang! TV, Training Kurt Angle, Advice He Gave Kurt Early On, Wrestling in Japan, His first Tour in 1969, Dory Funk Sr., James Storm, Giant Baba, Antonio Inoki, His Relationship with TNA, His Relationship with WWE, Triple H as an Example, Harley Race, Jimmy Jack Funk, Becoming Hoss in WWF, His Brother Terry Funk, Being The Only Set of Brothers To Win The NWA Title, Slamboree '93, Wrestling Nick Bockwinkel, Jack Brisco, WWF's Funkin' Dojo, Adapting To a Changing Industry, Wrestling To Forget Your Problems, "The Hogan Explosion," Dennis Stamp, Amateur Wrestling, Tips on Doing Promos, Dr. Tom Prichard, The Rise of The Hardy Boys, Snitsky's Teeth, and much more!

    Among the other interviews available on ClubWWI.com are Kevin Nash, Eric Bischoff, Jerry Lawler, DDP, Sid, John Heidenreich, Demolition, Rob Conway, Paul Bearer, Bobby Heenan, Ted DiBiase, Christian Cage, Samoa Joe, Road Warrior Animal, The Iron Sheik, Rhino, Earl Hebner, The Steiner Brothers, Nidia, Christy Hemme, Chris Daniels, AJ Styles, Vince Russo and many many more. Plus audio shows from Bull Buchanan, Lisa "Ivory" Moretti, D-Lo Brown, Kevin Kelly, Orlando Jordan, and Dr. Tom Prichard.

    Guttman then talks about the websites of former guests. He hits on Eric Bischoff's recent blogs blasting some of the media on their reporting of Benoit fallout. James agrees with much of what he said and talks about the insane reports about the toxicology results. JG felt going into the results that whatever the medical examiner said would be the final word. Sadly, it wasn't. People put their own spin on it and if you were to go back to see the conference firsthand, you'd be amazed. The examiner all but laughed at the idea of "roid rage" and then said that the testosterone was almost incidental. He wrote it off as a fairly common treatment for men Chris' age. While it's technically a "steroid," the examiner felt it was being used for legitimate purposes and not body-building. You'd never know that from the post-conference reporting though. James urges the listeners to see the press conference for themselves before making any judgments. With that, he cues up this week's interview.

    James Guttman starts the interview by introducing Dory Funk Jr. and asking what's been going on at the Funkin' Conservatory. Dory explains that he not only trains stars, but features them in a free online TV show called "Bang! TV" on his site, Dory-Funk.com. His site features full cards and will feature the show that's being taped tonight (Sunday, July 29th; starting at 7pm). It will feature TNA's Cowboy James Storm as the guest referee for the Three Way Women's Championship Match between The Claw, Claudia Reiff and the "Pop Tarts," Lady Kimberly and the Champion, Miss Vicki. Also appearing on the card are Dory Funk Jr., Father James Mitchell, Italy's Il Marchese (The Mystro) with the Contessa, Flyin' Ryan "Air" Mitchell, with Sandii Skye, Elvis Sharp, England's Mario Benedetti, Cory Squires and more.

    Guttman says that in today's wrestling environment, you don't really need TV clearance because you can get, in some cases, more eyes on your matches if you're online. Dory says that seems to be the case. The students training with him from overseas can let their friends and families see their matches instantly. Also, as opposed to sending out DVDs and tapes to promoters, students know that their matches are just a click away from any promoter. It cuts out the need to send out videos and hope someone can take a look at them.

    - ClubWWI.com break -

    JG then brings up Kurt Angle. Dory helped train him at the Funkin' Dojo. Guttman asks about training someone who gold medaled in wrestling at the Olympics and whether he knew he'd go on to be as big as he was. Funk says he did.

    "I actually, when Kurt won the Olympics, I made contact with his mother and at that time his decision was to go into broadcasting. And later on when I was at the WWE Funkin' Dojo, I had the opportunity to meet Kurt. And yes when I first met him and when I heard about his famous wrestling match at the Olympics, I thought he would be a great professional wrestler. T he first thing I told Kurt when we began training was that everything you did in amateur wrestling, you can do in professional wrestling and just adapt it to what we do in professional wrestling and it would be great. And he does that. He's extremely interesting to watch in the ring."

    James then talks about the way that Angle is used in wrestling and how none of it matters really because as a Gold Medal winner, he brings credibility to the industry just by being there. Funk says he reminds him of Jack Brisco. Jack was a great amateur wrestler who brought credibility with him. It's the same thing that Kurt brings to the sport. Dory says he was proud of all his matches with Jack.

    James asks about Dory's journey to WWF in the mid-80s. Just like Harley Race, who joined the company as "The King," Funk changed his name when he go there too and became "Hoss." Dory stops James and explains that it wasn't a problem for him at all:

    "First of all, I kinda like the name Hoss. So everyone knows, I don't mind that at all. In fact, I had a coach in high school that used to call me Hoss and I was pretty proud of that, so that's no problem. And I know there's that identity situation with WWE. They're marketing products and want things a certain way and I enjoyed that."

    Funk says he liked being able to work WrestleMania 2 and being a part of WWF for nine months during "The Hogan Explosion." James laughs and Dory says he even had the opportunity to work against Hulk, who was huge at that time. Guttman then asks about another new thing during that period - Jimmy Jack Funk. Dory and Terry were given a third gimmicked brother under a mask. He asks if the idea was something he was on board with. Dory says he was OK with it and when you're with a company, like he tells his students, you give your best effort to do what's good for them.

    "It's like Jim Ross once said while we were up there. He's not really looking for someone who wants to be WWF Champion as much as he's looking for someone who wants to be part of the WWE team."

    Dory says that he knows how young wrestlers may have things they've developed through the years, but when you're with a company you need to do what's best for them.

    Dory Funk Jr.'s full interview on ClubWWI.com lasted for 55 minutes and included talk of The Funkin' Conservatory, Bang! TV, Training Kurt Angle, Advice He Gave Kurt Early On, Wrestling in Japan, His first Tour in 1969, Dory Funk Sr., James Storm, Giant Baba, Antonio Inoki, His Relationship with TNA, His Relationship with WWE, Triple H as an Example, Harley Race, Jimmy Jack Funk, Becoming Hoss in WWF, His Brother Terry Funk, Being The Only Set of Brothers To Win The NWA Title, Slamboree '93, Wrestling Nick Bockwinkel, Jack Brisco, WWF's Funkin' Dojo, Adapting To a Changing Industry, Wrestling To Forget Your Problems, "The Hogan Explosion," Dennis Stamp, Amateur Wrestling, Tips on Doing Promos, Dr. Tom Prichard, The Rise of The Hardy Boys, Snitsky's Teeth, and much more!

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