Eddie Kingston: Terry Funk Transcended Languages, Cultures

Eddie Kingston has a great amount of respect for WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk.

New Japan STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston recently sat down with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard. When asked about one of his idols, Terry Funk, Kingston spoke highly about what The Funker did for ECW in the 1990s.

“The ECW run was great because he helped that company,” Eddie Kingston said. “I’m not talking about when they went and did the pay-per-view. When they did the Desparado stuff… I mean early, like ’93, ’94. Before he left. I think in ’95. He helped that company; helped so many of the young guys learn their craft.

“Every ECW guy I talk to, when they talk about Terry Funk, they have nothing but amazing things to say about the man and how he helped their career. One of my heroes, Toshiyaki Kowada, when I interviewed him at High Spots, I asked him, ‘What was your first inspiration in wrestling?’ He said, Terry Funk. So he transcended languages and cultures.”

Eddie Kingston’s Watch List

The Mad King mentioned that he enjoyed matches involving Terry Funk and his brother, Dory Funk Jr. He also wanted fans to watch all those matches, and they would not be disappointed.

“I tell people to watch anything with him and his brother against Hanson and Brody or any Terry Funk versus Hanson, any Terry Funk versus Brody. And I tell them to watch that,” Eddie Kingston said. “Because watch the violence and the fight of it. You see guys fighting. Ain’t nothing pretty about it. I get it, some people like the prettier stuff, I get it; I don’t. Because I’m not a pretty guy, that’s why. If I could do moonsaults and stuff, I would.”

Kingston also mentioned that while he is jealous of highflyers, he enjoys a good fight.

“Trust me, folks. I get real jealous of dudes that could flip around, like Dante Martin and his brother Darius,” Eddie Kingston said. “I get unbelievably jealous to the things they do. Or Komander or Gravity or those guys. Those guys that… PAC, that’s another one. I wish I could do that. But I don’t. And I look at guys like Terry Funk, God, it’s just his aura, his presence, everything during any time period, but especially for me, you watch him against Brody in All Japan.

“And him against Stan Hanson, and him and his brother against him. God! Him and his brother against Jumbo Tsuruta and Giant Baba was great. I know a lot of people sleep on Baba, but man, they just… That match was great. I tell people check out those matches because they are on YouTube as well. So it’s easier to watch.”