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Dory Funk, Jr. Interview Recap

Posted: Dec 26th 2009 By: mikeiles

Christmas has come and wrestle-network.com has invited the legendary Dory Funk, Jr. for the special interview. Dory has been in the business for
over 40 years. Host Daddy Shawn asked Dory some of the toughest questions during his career.

- Daddy Shawn talked to Dory Funk Jr. about holding the NWA World Heavyweight Title for four and a half years. Dory explained life of being the World Champion.
- Dory compared the longevity as the World Heavyweight Champion to the Champion now.
- Dorry Funk talked about the politics and atmosphere behind the NWA Board meetings.
- Dory talked about whether his father being in the NWA Board helped him to be the World Champion.
- Dory talked about the whole fiasco with Dory losing his title due to his auto accident at his father's ranch.
- Dory mentioned how some NWA wrestlers at the time believed they were better than Vince McMahon Sr.'s WWWF wrestlers.
- Daddy Shawn asked about his opinion about how Dory thinks of past Champions like Bruno Sammartino being really bitter about the business today.
- Dory talked about how tough it was for him running the territory after his father past away.
- Dory talked about the funny story about him having a bear in one of their shows, and it is very different to Terry Funk's version.
- Dory told Daddy Shawn how they would use their connections in the business and the promoters around the country to run their territory.
- Daddy Shawn asked if New Japan ever asked the Funks to jump ship since they were the backbone of the foreigners in All-Japan Pro Wrestling at the time.
- Daddy Shawn asked Dory Funk Jr. if he felt All-Japan pushed them down the card after All-Japan has signed Stan Hansen.
- Dory Funk Jr. talked about how hard Stan could hit, "You never knew where he was gonna hit!"
- With the foreigners (gaijins) in All-Japan was so strong at that time, Dory Funk Jr. was asked what they would do to make them stay on top of all the foreigners.
- Dory Funk Jr. talked about there were much more money made in WWF when he joined, at the same time he was running as hard as the time he was the World Champion.
- Talked about the name of Hoss and whether Dory Funk Jr. liked it.
- Dory was asked his opinion about Jimmy Jack Funk after Terry left WWF in 1986.
- Dory talked a bit about Bruiser Brody and Jumbo Tsuruta.
- Daddy Shawn asked which Japanese wrestler did Dory help train.
- Daddy Shawn asked Dory Funk Jr. on whether if he ever thought of joining Pro Wrestling NOAH instead of staying with All-Japan Pro Wrestling when the late-Mitsuharu Misawa took majority of the roster to NOAH at that time.
- Daddy Shawn asked why Dory Funk returned to Royal Rumble 1996.
- Dory talked about started to train some WWE up and comers at the requests by WWE. He also mentioned who were the first two recommendations he gave to WWE.
- When asked about ECW, Dory joked, "Why am I doing here!? How did this happen?"
- Dory talked about helping for Carmen Electra's Naked Women Wrestling League.
- Dory was asked what he thinks of the business which has become today.
- Daddy Shawn and Dory Funk Jr. talked about the business in China and how could China be turned into huge wrestling market.
- Dory mentioned how the internet is huge for the business. He used his BANG TV as the prime example.
- Dory was asked if he believe the art of professional wrestling has lost over the years.
- Dory was asked his thoughts of old-school style of professional wrestling training to his style of training.
- Dory mentioned why the old Japanese style of professional hierachy is not the way for any Japanese pro wrestling companies.
- Daddy Shawn asked who he believe is his finest student that he has ever trained.
- Daddy Shawn and Dory talked about his Chinese student Shane Chung and what plans there are for him.
- Dory told people who want to train as a pro wrestler to never give up.
- Dory and Daddy Shawn talked about doing a possible training seminar in China for 2010. Daddy Shawn also thanked Dory's help on helping him to connect with All-Japan Pro Wrestling.

To listen to the show this week, you can go to the following links.
http://www.wrestle-network.com/shows/sp/wnspecialdoryfunkinterview1.mp3
http://www.wrestle-network.com/shows/sp/wnspecialdoryfunkinterview2.mp3
http://www.wrestle-network.com/shows/sp/wnspecialdoryfunkinterview3.mp3
http://www.wrestle-network.com/shows/sp/wnspecialdoryfunkinterview4.mp3
http://www.wrestle-network.com/shows/sp/wnspecialdoryfunkinterview5.mp3
http://www.wrestle-network.com/shows/sp/wnspecialdoryfunkinterview6.mp3

Tags: Dory Funk, Jr., NWA, Terry Funk, Stan Hansen, WWF, Hoss Funk, Jimmy Jack Funk, WWE, Bruiser Brody, ECW