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The Final Roundup! Rockwell Victorious Over Funk

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 By: CMBurnham

The started as enemies. The formed one of the most successful tag teams in Oklahoma history. And they ended as they had begun: against each other. Bernard Funk and ComPro Champion Tim Rockwell were inextricably linked for 7 years, but that all came to an end on June 3 when Funk put his career up against Rockwell's hair. It was a wager he couldn't win.

Rockwell had made it very clear that he blamed his uncle for the loss of the MWA Tag Team Titles and while they patched things up at points over the past 6 months to temporarily coopoerate, there was no hope for them as a team after Rockwell perpetrated a vicious attack against his own cousin (Funk's son) after a match in Spavinaw. This prompted Funk to step into the ring against his nephew for the first time in almost 6 years on May 6. Funk was out for revenge and seemed on the verge of winning the match. Rockwell could tell he didn't have the upper hand he wanted and in desperation he raked the eyes of referee Jeremy Evans, giving Funk the win by DQ, but saving himself from a more humiliating loss. After the match, Funk took the microphone and said he was tired of Rockwell attacking his family and wanted to put an end to it. He was willing to put his career on the line, but in return Rockwell had to offer something of his own. Funk wasn't interested in forcing Rockwell to retire. That wasn't damaging enough. Instead, he demanded that his nephew put up his hair!! Rockwell reluctantly agrees, knowing that he has a chance to finally get his uncle out of his hair (figuratively speaking) and they shake hands, but Funk pulls Rockwell in and beats on him , yanking the hair and then giving him a Texas Crunch which left Rockwell laying in the ring.

One month passed. Neither man took a wrestling date in that time so they could focus on preparing for this high stakes match. Rockwell knew that, even though he was treacherous and deceitful, there were many tricks that Funk had never taught him. Funk knew that he didn't have the same stamina and youth that Rockwell had. Both men understood what was on the line and wanted to be ready because one was walking away with a huge loss.

The time arrived. Rockwell confidently strode to the ring and announced that it was the last time that the crowd would see Bernard Funk. Funk came out to a great reception, brandishing a pair of clippers and trying to get inside Rockwell's head a little by turning them on and holding them near a microphone so he could hear them. It seemed to work as Rockwell wanted nothing to do with Funk for the first few minutes of the match, running outside the ring and ducking in the ropes, but it didn't matter because noone can run forever and Funk did catch up with Rockwell. The beating began and Rockwell was taken to the woodshed, as many of the fans felt he should have been a long time ago. Ever the wiley veteran, though, Rockwell fought back, desperate not to walk out of the arena bald. Both men, having worked together for so long, knew the counters to each other's spots so well. Out of nowhere, Funk caught Rockwell with the Texas Crunch and pinned him. But Rockwell was close enough to the ropes that he could put a leg over them. Referee Jeremy Evans didn't see that counted 3, but when Funk sat up, it was obvious the mistake that had been made. Funk was ecstatic and went for his clippers to begin the shaving of his nephew's head. While Evans tried to communicate that it was a mistake on his part and that the match was still continuing (all while working to get the clippers away from Funk), Rockwell grabbed the ring bell. While Evans was putting the clippers back at the ring table, Rockwell slammed the ring bell against Funk's head, then threw it out to the ringside area. Evans never saw this and when he turned around, Funk was prone on the mat and Rockwell was pinning him. 3 seconds later, the career of Bernard Funk was over.

Rockwell left and Funk's son leapt into the ring to help him up. Funk took the microphone and thanked all the fans for a great time, then took his final walk up the ramp to the back. It was the end of a career that spanned about 18 1/2 years. And even though the circumstances of his loss weren't what he would have liked, Funk still had no regrets. He knows his legacy stands for itself and he will be comfortable in that. Rockwell, on the other hand, could not control his ego and made sure everyone in the sound of his voice could hear him boast that he had eliminated his uncle.