Dory Funk Jr. passed away this week at the age of 85. News spread on Tuesday and many of his peers — including Ric Flair — and current wrestlers took to social media to pay their respects. WWE posted a memorial on their social media and will likely feature some sort of video package for him on Friday's episode of SmackDown.
Flair paid his respects to Funk in a signature Nature Boy style and wrapped it with a bit of a life lesson for anyone who read it. Here is a look at Flair's post.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
Who |
Dory Funk Jr., born Dorrance Earnest Funk, February 3, 1941 |
Died |
Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at his home in Ocala, Florida, age 85 |
Announced by |
Brian Blair and the Cauliflower Alley Club; wife Marti confirmed to the Ocala Gazette |
Career span |
Debuted 1963, wrestled more than 60 years |
Signature reign |
NWA World Heavyweight Champion from 1969, more than four years, second-longest unbroken reign in title history |
Hall of Fame |
WWE Hall of Fame 2009 alongside Terry; Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame 1996 |
Final match |
2024 in Japan at age 83, briefly the oldest male wrestler in a sanctioned match |
Training legacy |
Ran the Funking Conservatory in Ocala with Marti for 40 years |
Also paying tribute |
Triple H, Nick Aldis, Gerald Brisco, Jake Roberts, Adam Copeland, Matt Hardy, Natalya, NJPW, AJPW |
Memorial |
Private family ceremony planned; public ceremony on Thanksgiving Day in Ocala |
WWE has already posted its video tribute rather than waiting for SmackDown. Funk's wife Marti told the Ocala Gazette that a private family ceremony is planned, with a public ceremony on Thanksgiving Day in Ocala honoring Dory, Terry and several of their Japanese contemporaries.
Flair's post leaned on what the family name meant inside the business. "The Word Wrestling And Funk Are Synonymous," he wrote, adding that anyone who never faced a Funk missed the opportunity of a lifetime.
READ MORE about wrestling's legacy names:
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Funk was the brother of the late Terry Funk and the brothers made a significant mark on the industry with long-standing and highly decorated careers. Terry preceded his brother Dory in death by nearly three years to the day. Terry passed away at the age of 79 in August 2023.
