DISCUSSING HARDCORE WRESTLING
By Dory Funk Jr. on 9/18/2008 10:23 AM
Funk's Corner - Hardcore Wrestling
At the Funking Conservatory Safety in professional wrestling is our top
priority and we do teach Hardcore as an elective along with our regular
wrestling programs.
There is a right way and a wrong way to do everything in professional
wrestling including Hardcore. It is most important "when you do something" in
professional wrestling. (Timing) It is also important "how you do something."
Hardcore has been around a long time. The Texas Death Match was invented by
Dory Funk Sr. in the late 50's. Followed by the German Death Match, (Dory Funk
Sr. vs Fritz Von Erich) Arabian Death Match, (Dory Funk Jr. vs The Sheik) and
Russian Chain Match. (Dory Funk Sr. vs Iron Mike Dibiase)
In the German Death Match each man carried a large handkerchief to the ring
and when it was completely filled with his opponent's blood he would be
declared the winner.
The Arabian Death Match was the same as a Texas Death Match but there was six
feet of sand around the ring. Falls counted inside the ring or in the sand
around the ring.
In the Russian Chain Match to win you had to drag your unconscious opponent to
the four corners of the ring touching each corner. A variation was the
"Truckers Death Match" where you had to honk an air horn attached at the top
of each corner post. (Based on the fact that when truckers had an issue, they
would pull their rigs up and fight in the headlights. To be declared the
winner they had to leave their opponent unconscious and crawl through four
cabs and honk the air horns.)
There was the West Texas Death Match where each wrestler tied a rattlesnake's
tail to his wrestling boot. When you covered your opponent and the referee
counted three, you had to shake your leg and rattle the rattle to be declared
winner of the match. Just Kidding,
however this match did almost happen in Abilene, Texas between Don "the
Lawman" Slatton and Thunderbolt Patterson.
Here at the Funking Conservatory our training program includes Hardcore
wrestling. We train in the use of tables, ladders, chairs, trash cans and
cookie sheets and we do it within our safety program.
Now on !BANG! TV at
http://www.dory-funk.com, Hard Core Wrestling with ECW's Dory and Terry
Funk vs Public Enemy and the Funking Conservatory's Damien Steele vs Johnny
Romano.
Shane Chung and Elvis Sharp will be traveling to Japan to wrestle on All Japan
Pro Wrestling's 36th Anniversary Tour. Osamu Nishimura returns to the Funking
Conservatory to scout wrestling talent for All Japan Pro Wrestling Saturday
October 4th and Sunday October 5th. Next !BANG! TV Taping Saturday and Sunday
October 4th and 5th.
For more information and training schedules at the Funking Conservatory and
tickets for !BANG! TV, Call 352-895-4658.
