As a kid, I watched my father, Dory Funk Sr. as a professional wrestler and tried all the holds on my brother, Terry Funk. Dory Funk Sr. was a tough teacher. In those days, He told me the largest number in the world was a “Zugal.” I tried to write a zugal and he always said it was bigger so I filled a paper with a “1” and all zeros and he still said that was not quite a “zugal.” Pleasing him was not easy.

As we grew up on the Flying Mare Ranch southwest of Amarillo, Texas, Terry and I were standing in the shadow of a very famous man. It was not until I was finishing up college that I made the decision that I wanted to become a professional wrestler.

Even though my hero and person I wanted to be like was my father, my in-ring training was by people he had a hand in training. Ricky Romero was my head coach however I received training from Lou Thesz, Bob Geigel, Vern Gagne, Joe Scarpello, Eddie Graham, Cowboy Carlson and more on the wrestling mat in our garage. In the ring I was also trained by Pedro Morales. (Wrestling as Johnny Como in the Amarillo Territory)   Jump to Dory’s Bio