Dory Funk Jr. has died at 85, according to Brian Blair, who said the wrestling legend was more than a name from the ring. Blair wrote that Funk became a mentor, a leader and a dear friend.
The timing matters because the news landed alongside fresh tributes that placed Funk’s career back in the center of wrestling conversation today. Paul Triple H Levesque called him a hard-nosed and fierce competitor whose style inspired countless performers, and said his work helped build the business into a global phenomenon.
Blair made the loss personal. He said his first memory of Funk was as a kid at the Bayfront Center, booing him as the ultimate heel while Funk faced Jack Brisco. That kind of reaction was part of what made Funk such a durable figure: he could draw a crowd, carry a match and leave an impression that lasted long after the bell.
Levesque’s tribute sketched the scale of that career. He pointed to Funk’s appearances at WrestleMania 2, WCW, ECW and dozens of NWA-affiliated promotions, along with his travels across North America and Asia. He also noted that Funk spent decades training athletes to perform in the squared circle he loved so much.
The tributes also underline something that goes beyond nostalgia. Funk was not remembered only as a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and WWE Hall of Famer, but as someone whose influence crossed generations and promotions. Dave Meltzer called him a fantastic world champion for his time and said he was the perfect champion for the 1969-73 period, adding that he became a legend in Japan and helped build All Japan.
There is still one basic fact left unstated in the public tributes: where and how Funk died has not been disclosed. That absence leaves the focus on the life that was publicly celebrated on August 4, 2026, and on the family, friends and wrestlers now left to reckon with the loss of a man who shaped the sport in and out of the ring.
