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Funk's Corner - Thoughts on my Final Match in Professional Wrestling
Not since my days as NWA World Champion have I felt as challenged as I will be on the upcoming All Japan Pro Wrestling "Excite Series" and my Sayonara Tour leading to my Final Match in Professional Wrestling at Tokyo's Sumo Hall where my partner, Osamu Nishimura and I will face Masanobu Fuchi and Genichero Tenryu. (Tenryu, Fuchi and Osamu Nishimura are all my students in professional wrestling).
Between our first show February 17, High Noon at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall and my final wrestling match Saturday March 1st at Tokyo's Sumo Hall, I will have wrestled 10 matches in 14 days against some of the best competition in professional wrestling.
It will be my honor for the first time ever to team with and fight against Keiji Mutoh (Famous wrestler known in America as Great Muta wrestling for WCW)
My tag team partner on the tour will be one of my best students of professional wrestling, Osamu Nishimura.
On February 21st in Shizuoka, Osamu Nishimura and I will team with my current student from the Funking Conservatory Flyin' Ryan "Air" Mitchell to face Kensuke Sasaki, Seya Sanada and Katsuhiko Nakajima (My young and athletic partner in Japan two years ago against Abdullah The Butcher and Kamala).
It will be awesome watching my student from the Funking Conservatory, Flyin's Ryan "air" Mitchell in competition with Nakajima. (Both are now 21 years old and stars of the future).
I will have the opportunity to compete with and against my Student who has fought his way to Stardom in Pro Wrestling in Japan, Taiyo Kea.
It is always a thrill to face a new opponent for the first time. Such will be the case on this tour as I face for the first time in competition, Keiji Mutoh, Masanobu Fuchi, Taiyo Kea, Seya Sanada, Katsuhiko Nakajima, T28, Kensuke Sasaki, Satoshi Kojima, Brother Yasshi, Silver King, Shuji Kondo, Kaz Hayashi, Joe Doering, KAI, Hiroshi Yamato, Nosawa Rongai, Mazada, Nobutaka Araya, Nobukazu Harai and Ryuji Hijikata.
My thanks to Keiji Mutoh for the honor of having my last match in professional wrestling for his company, All Japan Pro Wrestling. For me it is a "New Beginning" as I will devote full time to the training of the future stars of professional wrestling as Coach of the Funking Conservatory Wrestling School.
I will do my best. "Ganbaritai To Omoimasu."
More to come - Dory Funk Jr. - www.dory-funk.com.
Full Schedule for AJPW's Excite Series, Dory Funk Sayonara Tour is on our website.
For training information at the Funking Conservatory, Call 352-895-4658
