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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Boo: Funk Gets Buzzed

Chainsaw Charlie
Photo courtesy: WWE
By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Terry Funk is a wrestling legend.  In the 1970's he held the NWA world's heavyweight title.  He wrestled all around the world, beating many of the all time greats in the business.  By 1998, he was back in the WWF for another stint, but this time there was something different about the Funker...

You see the man from the Double Cross Ranch had an identity crisis.  He traded in his cowboy hat, chaps, and branding iron for a chainsaw, thermal underwear top, and panty hoses over his face.  Terry Funk had became Chainsaw Charlie.  I don't know if this was based on the success that WWF alum Cpl. Kirschner enjoyed as Leatherface in Japan and on the indie scene or if something else motivated the character.

The highlight of the gimmick was seeing Funk and Mick Foley (who was Cactus Jack) team up.  The two had a match on Raw, when the tag team champions, the New Age Outlaws interfered.  This set up for a title match with the winners stuffing their opponents in a dumpster.  The faces won the match and titles, but a weird ruling came down that the wrong dumpster was used, so the two teams faced off again on Monday Night Raw, this time in a steel cage.  I'm pretty sure this is when Sean Waltman returned to the WWF and Degeneration X was formed with Triple H, the Outlaws, and X-Pac.  Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here.

Chainsaw vs. Cactus Jack
Photo courtesy: WWE
Funk aka Chainsaw Charlie didn't stick around too long, he had one last match with Foley on Raw and wrestled a few more times before heading back to ECW and WCW.  Despite the mask, announcers did refer to Chainsaw as Terry Funk from time to time.

Nevertheless, Funk is a legend and whether Charlie adds to or detracts from his legacy is up for debate. Charlie was a fun alter ego that Funk seemed to enjoy.  The fans responded well too, and I think at the end of the day that's what matters.  Of course this was the Attitude Era and the fans loved just about everything, except Beaver Cleavage...



1 comment:

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