Jon Moxley recalls doing a Raw segment with Terry Funk in 2016.
The segment between Funk and Moxley, who was known as Dean Ambrose at the time, took place on a episode of Monday Night Raw that was just days before WrestleMania 32, an event that Ambrose was scheduled to face Brock Lesnar at.
In a new interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Moxley recalled getting to work with Funk and how WWE wanted to give the legend a script for the segment.
“We’d met a few times before that, but all those were quick. This was the only time I worked with him. Terry Funk was a genius, a f------ genius. I already knew that, but I saw it firsthand that night. It’s insulting that we asked Terry Funk to memorize lines. It’s Terry Funk. But he found a way to do it his way. Back then, I was getting two-page f------ scripts all the time. They had this two-page script for us, and it was trash. It’s Terry f------ Funk. You don’t need to give him a script. When I walked in, a bunch of writers came up to me, and they were in a panic. It was all about Terry. ‘He can’t remember his lines,’ they kept telling me. They made it sound like he was having trouble remembering anything and that his confidence was in the toilet."
Moxley then recalled how the writers ended up doing a draft for Funk that only included one line. Instead, Moxley recalled Funk going off on a classic Terry Funk spiel.
“So the writers tried to make Terry feel better, and they finally started writing new drafts. The final one, Terry only had one line. The new plan was that I talked, then Terry would have his line, then I’d take it home. So I say my first piece. Then Terry is up, and he starts going off. He cut this f------ awesome, insane, f------ classic Terry Funk spiel. ‘This kid, he’s the best in the country!’ I loved that he said country, which was such an old school line. He was incredible. It took a second to see this wasn’t a sad old man with no confidence, it was Terry Funk.”
After the take, the writers in charge wanted to do another take, but Moxley refused, noting that he'd talk to Vince McMahon himself if he was upset about it.
“What we filmed wasn’t from the script, so the writer in charge wanted to do it again. I was like, ‘F--- this. We just got a Terry Funk classic. We’re not doing it again. If Vince is upset about it, I’ll talk to him myself.’ So the writers agreed, and I was pumped. We got a classic piece of Terry Funk in the flesh. Afterward, I spoke with Terry. ‘They think I’m just some crazy old man,’ he told me. He was smiling about it when he said, ‘I’m not going to remember all that sh-- they wanted me to say. Wasn’t it better this way?’”
Funk unfortunately passed away on Wednesday, August 23. Fightful continues to offer our condolences to the family, friends, and fans of the 'Hardcore Icon'.
Jon Moxley is set to challenge Orange Cassidy for the AEW International Championship at the upcoming All Out pay-per-view. Fans can see the updated card for the event by clicking here.
Special thanks to Sports Illustrated for the quote(s).
