#Remembering Terry Funk

[ringthedamnbell]

Top Five Terry Funk Rivalries

Top Five Terry Funk Rivalries

Rob Faint We recently lost a true legend in Terry Funk. A former world champion. A hardcore legend. A true gentleman. (I had the great pleasure of meeting him) His career spanned over 50 years and almost 4 ,000 matches. Among those matches there are some rivals that stood out above the rest. Continue reading Untitled

[littletroubledgrrrl]

[emeritusterzo]

ever watch a death match so breathtakingly beautiful you start crying

[fostersffff]

hey foster what the hell is kinnikuman about

Kinnikuman is the story of Japan's Worst Superhero turned Universal Savior, that also (by my current understanding) laid the foundations for what people think of when they think of "A Shonen Series".

It started in 1979 as a gag manga written by two college kids collectively known as Yudetamago who really love pro wrestling, and trucked along for a while doing one-off chapters about a "superhero" named Kinnikuman, who is actually the lost prince of Planet Kinniku (hold onto that for later). They introduce a couple supporting characters here, most notably Terryman (named for professional wrestler Terry Funk), a superhero from the Southern United States, who becomes friends with him after Kinnikuman does his first genuinely heroic act in the series: punching Terryman for charging a kid money to save his dad from a monster (this completely changes Terryman forever).

Sometime later, they hit the first actual story arc: the Superman (Chojin) Olympics, which is where the series first struck upon the winning formula of "what if a bunch of dudes with weird superpowers do professional wrestling moves on each other". It still has it's gag manga sensibilities- Kinnikuman winds up winning all of his matches via shenanigans- but in hindsight it's pretty clear they realized story arcs about tournaments are a really good idea.

After a short arc about Kinnikuman going on a world tour to defend his title (which the anime speedran because they knew what was up), they go back into the Chojin Olympics, which is where the series really seems to have found its footing by still being comedic, but also realizing they can get serious for more compelling action. For example:

Ramenman- a horrifically racist caricature of a savage Chinaman- goes from constantly talking about noodles and China's 4000 Year Tradition and how much he loves murder to forming a mentor-mentee relationship with the son of a chojin he murdered during the previous Olympics, before being put into a vegetative state by arc antagonist Warsman (he gets better). Important to note that Ramenman was and still is one of the most popular characters in this series, easily.

Warsman's manager is revealed to be Robin Mask, the former Chojin Olympics champion Kinnikuman defeated through shenanigans, and who trained Warsman with the specific purpose of getting revenge on Kinnikuman.

Kinnikuman then goes on to defeat Warsman, not with goofy antics, but tapping into his Burning Inner Strength (literally, a Hot Blooded Shonen Power Up) and inventing the Kinniku Buster, a move so cool that professional wrestlers in real life started using it.

And from this point it was basically off to the races with story arcs about a bunch of fucked up dudes who want to wrestle Kinnikuman and/or his friends, including:

Chojin who sold their souls to Satan for strength

Chojin who sold their souls to Satan for strength and stole the source of all Chojin strength in the universe

The source of all Chojin strength in the universe

Space God Chojin

Other Kinnikumans claiming to be the true heirs to the throne of Planet Kinniku (remember what I said about him being a lost prince)

This is when the original series ended, and then about a decade later they launched Kinnikuman Nisei, a Next Generation sequel about Kinnikuman's son. This is most notable for the 4Kids adaptation, Ultimate Muscle- especially seeing as subs for Kinnikuman Nisei basically don't exist, and a third season of episodes was produced specifically to be dubbed.

Years after that, Yudetamago relaunched Kinnikuman in 2011, taking place in the time between the end of the original series and Kinnikuman Nisei and even picking up the chapter/volume numbers, which is still ongoing and quite well received, and just recently started being adapted into a new anime series, the zeroth episode of which speedruns all the important bits from the original series (recapped above), notably leaning more towards action and drama than comedy.

I started checking it out after the new anime started up, and- unless I'm missing something that came before it, which is certainly possible- it's kind of crazy how foundational it feels to everything while not really feeling outdated (except for occasional contemporary-to-the-70's/80's-jokes). New villain(s) show up with some fucked up powers, the heroes have to muster their strength to either outwit or overpower them (or both), more than likely in some kind of tournament-style format, and more likely than not Kinnikuman will make some new friends along the way. In the same way that people often say that you don't know how much Japanese media has the DNA of tokusatsu/Kamen Rider until you actually watch it, Kinnikuman feels like that for Shonen Jump specifically.

I would actually heartily recommend the checking out new anime, again because that zeroth episode gets you primed with everything you need to know about the series and jumps right into "DUDES WITH FUCKED UP SUPERPOWERS WRESTLING".

Oh also critically important to note: that's not his face, it's a mask, and he's the the most beautiful, handsome man in history underneath, but by the laws of the Kinniku Clan neither he nor anyone else in his clan can show their face, which is why they all look Like That.

[focusfixated]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤

thank you for this! i think my favourite fics i've written are the ones that are basically like. my thesis statement. if you ask me about these characters, i will slide you one of these fics and say: here's my dissertation on the subject. everything you need to know about how i feel is in there.

can't get a life (if my heart's not in it)

libertines rpf | peter/carl | M | 20.9k

When Peter came to London, Carl was waiting for him under the hanging clock in the middle of Waterloo station. It had been romantic, in the way that Peter saw all their meetings as a little romantic – a song in the making, all Terry meets Julie and a sunset over the river. Or: the early days of Peter & Carl's love affair with London - and each other.

note: i wrote this one during my first year moving to london. inhabiting this story with these people and their music helped me settle there. this was also my way of taking every insanely romantic and toxic thing peter and carl did or felt about each other in those early years and weaving it into one point of reference.

on the wings of a nightingale

good omens | aziraphale/crowley | E | 11.1k

Aziraphale liked his body. He liked the shape of it, the way it moved and touched the world, a type of sensory feedback that made him understand the shape and extent of his corporation. Like he wasn’t just an ephemeral vessel. Like he was flesh. Or: Aziraphale gets a tattoo. Crowley is an accessory to this crime against good sense. Everyone’s kinks are very poorly disguised.

note: i think this is the one where i really got to grips with my authorial obsession with bodies, embodiment, sensation as existence. it's probably one of the most personal things i've written, too, in terms of its dissection of touch, and espousing thoughts on faith as tangible feeling vs abstract thought. this is the aziraphale that exists in everything else i've written in this fandom.

i hope i find my home

it chapter 2 | richie/eddie | E | 53k

The peak of summer is long gone, if it ever came, but the funk of stagnant air still hangs low over the suburban streets. Richie Tozier – sallow-skinned and puffy-eyed, wearing a too-small denim jacket that smells of sweat and mildew – hasn’t slept in several days, and he's trying to remember how he got here in the first place. Or: Coming back to Derry, Richie hadn't expected to live. Eddie hadn’t expected to die. In the aftermath of Neibolt, they’re both confronted by another shot at life.

note: possibly actually my favourite thing i've ever written out of all of these. features this ongoing obsession with bodies, though this is from a more confrontational perspective than the good omens one - there's an element of body horror, a sense of fear and discomfort about the body, and grapples with embodied repression. took me two years to write this one. it was a labour of love and hard work, and a proof of my commitment to getting this story about survival and recovery told.

le temps qu'il faut

disco elysium | harry/kim | T | 5k

Snow blows in from the east. It falls on Martinaise, thickening the frigid air like cornstarch, thick enough to chew on. Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi stands – quiet, watchful, an oddity placed at the centre of a racket – collar turned up against the weather. Or: winter is tough and so is Kim, but a lot can change in ten days.

note: a story where i feel like i got the closest to capturing the mood of the original media. it was such a fucking pleasure to write something that was almost pure atmosphere. felt right that the poetry came out of this cold and battered landscape, and really solidified my interest in capturing environments. (who needs plot when there are buildings and lakes covered in snow).

when we fight about love

our flag means death | multi | E | 41.2k

Bonnet took a dainty sip of rum, then put the mug down with a fussy finality. “Look, I’m not interested in deals and riches and who gets what from who. I want to find Ed, that’s it. You’ll come with us, and you’ll guide us to the Revenge, and when we’re done, you can have my other ship to do with what you like. Sell it, sail away, set it on fire, I don’t care. Do we have an accord?” Bonnet held out a hand. His nails were ragged, and there were blisters on his fingers. Somehow, he still smelled of lavender. With all the recalcitrance of reaching towards an open flame, Izzy shook it. (Or: after brokering an uneasy peace, Izzy Hands, Stede Bonnet and the rest of the Revenge’s depleted crew are thrown together for a mission: find Edward, snap him out of his terrible madness, and then – and then.)

note: this is the one. the story that sums it all up. "how do you feel about izzy? what do you think was going on with him? how would a coherent version of him, flaws and all, realistically interact with the people most important to him during this time?" well: like this. focuses on repression, again, a key theme for me. though the repression here is not just physical, but mental, too. this was an exercise in finding a way to present a dislikeable, misguided, unreliable narrator as a point of view character and still finding meaning and empathy in his perspective. one of the most satisfying things i've ever written.

[lazlolullaby]

temporal temp work, a Batman Beyond and WFA style fluid comic canon crossover (but mostly Bruce amnesia recovery/character study)

Bruce lost his memory. He has no idea who Batman is, or what he's done for the past 30 years of his life.

Bruce is still a detective, despite the holes in his memory. He keeps noticing little tells, bruises, signs of lying. He knows he did something in his spare time, he's not sure what.

The batfamily decide that if it's not going to come back easily, then they should treat it as a retirement for Batman. They all came to an agreement, that they would be "as civilian as possible" around Bruce as to not put pressure on him to perform as Batman when he's not ready.

Alfred and Dick had gently explained that they won't tell him anything until he comes to a conclusion by himself and tells the family. If he gets it correct, then they can talk about it. If he doesn't, they can't. The Batcave is still open for him to find.

(he's in the world's most elaborate detective game, basically.)

in the meantime, Bruce focuses more on the company, on bonding with his suddenly large brood of kids, and legal methods of fixing Gotham.

Everyone's backstories remain similar to what the press knows. Jason's case is special, as he's dead. So Jason explains that he did survive, he was mad at Bruce for a while, so he got out to get his own place. They are slowly repairing their relationship.

Damian also flat out goes: "Yeah I was grown in a jar for the League of Assassins." and everyone nods and goes along with it. Jason even says he's seen the jar.

He even starts to bond with Tim, Jason, and Duke again over investigating crime. (well. More for the kids to solve it.)

The ones that fight the most for Batman to come back, the ones that make the most progress in getting Bruce to remember are Tim and Terry, since they were the ones that got him out of his funks in canon.

Bruce has nightmares. Despite losing the context of the fears, he still has them, he still can remember some Caped Adventures. He blames that for his nocturnal sleep schedule.

The Justice League dropped by in capes, trying to get him to remember.

Bruce gets totally suspicious that he's funding an entire space station. It takes him a week to crack every. single. founding JL member's ID, and even some sidekicks...Except Batman and his merry brood of birds and bats. (It doesn't help that the Dark Knight has been missing. no new data.)

The Gotham Rogues are starting to get gutsy. The Batfamily is stretched thin. It gets to the point where either scientists or magicians step in and try to "Summon Batman".

This is where Terry comes in. He gets summoned with Ace the Bathound. They survive on the streets of Gotham, then find Nightwing and Red Robin facing off against a Joker that's "pining for his eternal rival"

Tim is barely in danger but Terry's instincts go full throttle and he starts to roast. They see Ace has a harness with a Wayne Security badge and a license that are both dated for decades in the future.

Dick and Tim take Terry home. Say he's a friend in a tight spot, but Bruce sees right through it. Terry is the seventh black haired kid to be sheltered by Bruce and he knows it's a ploy to jog his memory. He's not having it. Terry also isn't interested in playing along with that either, instead loudly acknowledging he's got family already.

Ace gets along well with lots of the Batfamily. Terry makes a comment that he was trained as a PTSD-support dog. He knows how to sit and block people from getting into your space, how to use his weight as a grounding method. Bruce starts researching getting one for the house.

The batfamily train Terry on the streets for a few nights just in case. Nightwing goes back to Bludhaven. Dick does as well, and Bruce figures the connection quickly. The Justice League is seen with a new Batman.

Terry decides to annoy Bruce into becoming Batman again. Being ever so slightly off kilter, but still dedicated to helping. Always saying "If the guy I'm temping for doesn't like it, he can come out and do the job again."

Terry sees Bruce's psych profiles and list of Batman and Batman II suspects and makes a comment. "You writing a murder mystery or something?"

"Or something."

"What's the seventh rule of Knox's 10 commandments of detective fiction?" Terry asks.

"The detective must not commit the crime?"

"Mmm-hmm. Good thing you're not writing."

Bruce is getting tired of not knowing. Not getting better. Terry talks about how he was an assistant to an old man. That he also had trouble with being less active than he used to be.

Batman II shows up to save a hostage Bruce Wayne, and Bruce plays 20 questions. "why are you here in Gotham?"

"someone has to. And I already promised that I would."

"who did you promise? Why does it have to be you?"

"What makes this work is that I chose it. I work so I won't destroy this legacy. Me. My choice."

"You didn't say who you promised."

"The last guy who wore the bat...he got swallowed up by it. Didn't even think of himself as anything but Batman at the end." He shrugged. "Separating yourself from the mask is important. You know about Superman, yeah? He needs that job. He needs his friends and family, if not to feel human, just to be the best he can. Bruce. You have your friends and family. What are you willing to do to protect it?"

idk i can't figure out a suitably appropriate and dramatic emotional situation where Bruce figures it out. But he does.

Bruce gathers all of the family in the Wayne Study for a Classic Detective Reveal. He goes through the Batfamily one by one an unmasks each of them correctly, even confirming the ones who had other identities.

Bruce takes up the Cowl again, this time with a little more restraint and respect to his Bruce Wayne identity.

Terry goes back to Neo Gotham, stronger and happier that he knows the Batfamily.

[wrestlinghistorywithkay]

The Color Red In A World Full Of Black & White: Remembering Bray Wyatt

One year ago today , the wrestling business paused once again to remember one of their own. The day after the death of Terry Funk , came the death of Bray Wyatt. This article is going to celebrate the life and career of Bray Wyatt and how he has impacted professional wrestling.

Windham Lawrence Rotunda was born to Stephanie and Mike Rotunda on May 23,1987 in Brooksville, Florida. He was the oldest of the three children , a younger brother , Taylor , and a younger sister , Mika. He was an amateur wrestler in high school and won the state championship in 2005, the year he graduated. He also played football as a defensive tackle and a guard in junior college. He earned a football scholarship from Troy University and played football there for two years. During his time there , he decided to join the family business and become a professional wrestler.

Windham was a third-generation wrestler. His grandfather was BlackJack Mulligan , his uncles are Kendall and Barry Windham. Therefore , his father is ‘ Mr.IRS ’ Mike Rotunda. He was trained by his uncle Barry before being signed to WWE in 2009 and making his debut in a dark match on an episode of Florida Championship Wrestling ( FCW ) , in February of the same year. FCW is now known as NXT. In June of the same year , he would go on to win the FCW Tag Team Championships alongside his brother , who was known as Bo Rotundo. He would be known as either Alex Rotundo or Duke Rotundo during this time.

In June of 2010, Windham would take the name , Husky Harris , and join the Inaugural season of WWE NXT. He was a Rookie and would be paired with Cody Rhodes as his Pro. Cody is the son of ‘ The American Dream ’ , Dusty Rhodes. He would be eliminated from the competition on the August 17 episode of NXT. He kept the Husky Harris name as continued to work in FCW. In October of the same years, he would join Wade Barrett’s Nexus faction. They would torment the main roster, especially John Cena. He would also be in the group under the rule of CM Punk. Thus, he would be taken off WWE TV and repackaged into the gimmick he would be well known for after being kicked in the head by Randy Orton. He would make his return to FCW in 2011 under the name Axl Mulligan, thus , this character never made it to TV. He would still be known as Husky Harris.

When WWE made the decision to rebrand FCW into what is now known as NXT in 2012 , Windham Rotunda became known as Bray Wyatt. He would make his NXT debut on the July 11, 2012 episode. Originally, he had a wrestler named Eli Cottonwood as his tag team partner. This pairing happened in FCW. After suffering an injury to his pectoral muscle and having surgery to repair it , Wyatt remained on NXT TV, cutting promos and forming a faction , came to be known as The Wyatt Family . The faction consisted of him , Luke Harper , and Erick Rowan. Wyatt returned to the ring in 2013 and defeated Yoshi Tatsu. Therefore , he suffered his first loss in NXT when he was defeated by his brother, Bo Dallas. His second loss was to Chris Jericho. Harper and Rowan would become NXT Tag Team Champions on the May 2 episode of NXT. On May 27,2013 , WWE began airing vignettes of the faction on Monday Night RAW , teasing their debut on the main roster.

On July 8,2013 , Bray along with Luke and Rowan , made their WWE main roster debut on Monday Night RAW. Their first victim would be Kane. Thus, they attacked other wrestlers such as 3MB and R-Truth to send messages to the Kane and telling him to , “ Follow The Buzzards ” . Wyatt was challenged to a Ring of Fire match by Kane at Summerslam the same year. Wyatt won the match with the help of Harper and Rowan. They soon targeted Kofi Kingston , with Wyatt having a match with him at Battleground and winning. Wyatt would go on to have major storylines with John Cena and Daniel Bryan ( Bryan Danielson ) during the later part of 2013 and into 2014. Cena would defeat Wyatt at Wrestlemania 30. This would be his first major loss while being on the main roster . The Wyatt Family would also go on to attack Chris Jericho, who was returning to the WWE from being on tour with his band , Fozzy. This storyline ended in a Steel Cage match on the September 8,2014 episode of RAW. Wyatt won the match by escaping from the cage.

Soon, Bray Wyatt would be involved with another major WWE Superstar after his rivalry with Dean Ambrose. During this rivalry, he would offer to help Ambrose as he did to Harper and Rowan, whom he set free. Their rivalry would end in an Ambulance match , which Wyatt would come out on top. Thus , Wyatt would be calling himself , ‘ The New Face Of Fear ’. At the WWE Fastlane Pay-Per-View , he would appear from a casket and call out The Undertaker, challenging him to a match at Wrestlemania 31. However, he would be defeated by The Phenom. The Wyatt Family would soon make their return as a faction in 2015. Wyatt would soon introduce a new member of the family the same year , Braun Strowman. Wyatt and Harper would soon find themselves in a match against the Brothers of Destruction at Survivor Series of the same year.

Wyatt would have a rivalry with Randy Orton in 2016. They would have two matches , one at Backlash and one at No Mercy. Thus, Randy joined The Wyatt Family after helping Wyatt in his match against Kane. Wyatt and Orton would be the only surviving team members for Team Smackdown at Survivor Series. This would occur after Orton saved Wyatt from taking a spear from Roman Reigns. They would go on to win the Smackdown Tag Team Championships. In 2017 , Randy turned his back on Wyatt and went after the WWE Championship. He would be shown destroying the Wyatt Family compound and Sister Abigail’s grave. At Wrestlemania 33, Wyatt would lose the WWE Championship to Orton. He would go on to form a tag team with Matt Hardy. They were known as The Deleter of Worlds.

In 2019, Wyatt would be repackaged as a Mr.Rogers type character. Fans would start seeing vignettes on WWE programming consisting of different toys such as a puppet of a buzzard and a doll that looked like a witch. Bray would appear in the vignettes of a what looked like a children’s show. This would be called ‘ The Firefly Funhouse ’ . Wyatt would also have a new look as well. He would have a shorter beard and a leaner body. During the segments , he would also use a puppet of Vince McMahon. He would also debut a new gimmick , The Fiend. Nevertheless, he would gain a manager in this role. His manager and co-host of Firefly Fun House would be Alexa Bliss. The two would be drafted to RAW in 2020 after being on Smackdown in 2019. In 2021 , Bliss would turn on The Fiend and say that she didn’t need him . Wyatt would be released in July of 2021.

In September of 2022, an acapella the song , ‘ White Rabbit ’ by Jefferson Airplane would be played at WWE Live Events and TV programming. QR codes would also be shown on both RAW and Smackdown. Everything involved during the eerie segments would lead to teasing the return of Bray Wyatt. At Extreme Rules , Wyatt would make his return to the company . At the end of the PLE, the lights on the arena would dim and a door would be seen. Wyatt would soon enter the arena from the door with a lantern and real life versions of his Fire Fly Funhouse characters. He would reveal himself as the White Rabbit. A new masked character , Uncle Howdy , would be debuted during his return as well. The light in the door that he came out of would be a tribute to fallen Wyatt Family member , Luke Harper ( Brodie Lee ) , who would pass away in 2020.

Bray Wyatt‘s last main roster storylines would be with LA Knight and Bobby Lashley. Wyatt and Knight would have a Pitch Black match at the 2023 Royal Rumble , with Wyatt being victorious. He would start a feud with Bobby Lashley going to Wrestlemania 39 , however , it was scrapped due to Wyatt being out of action with an illness. He was set to return to the ring on August 19th, 2023. Thus, his return would never happen.

Bray Wyatt tragically passed at the age of 36 on August 24, 2023 from a heart attack due to the COVID-19 virus. He left behind a fiancé , JoJo, and four children. He left behind a family who loved him as well as his fans and colleagues. WWE COO , Paul ‘ Triple H ’ Levesque , would announce his death on the social media platform , X ( Twitter), after getting a phone call from Mike Rotunda informing him of his son’s death. On the August 25, 2023 episode of Friday Night Smackdown , WWE would pay tribute to him alongside Terry Funk. The rocking chair Wyatt used would be placed in the middle of the ramp as the WWE Universe would use their cell phone flashlights as fireflies and sing , ‘ He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands’ . The show would end with LA Knight and Finn Balór main eventing . Knight being his last opponent and Balór being his first opponent under The Fiend gimmick. Wyatt would be signed to a WWE Legends contract and any merchandise sales would go to his children. In a video on YouTube , wrestlers such as Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn, Adam Pearce , Bayley , etc would pay tribute to their friend and say how he has impacted them. Other promotions such as AEW and TNA would pay tribute to Wyatt. In April of 2024 , a documentary about Wyatt would be released. On April 5, Wyatt’s father and uncle would be inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame as the tag team , the US Express . They would be inducted with Bray’s ‘ fireflies ’ and his entrance music. Jey Uso would also use the fireflies as his tribute to Wyatt in his entrance . In June of 2024 , as a tribute to his brother , Taylor revived the Uncle Howdy character and formed the Wyatt Sicks alongside Erick Rowan , Dexter Lumis , Nikki Cross , and Joe Gacy. Uncle Howdy will be making his in ring debut on the August 26 episode of Monday Night Raw against Chad Gable.

My Final Thoughts:

Bray Wyatt is a once in a lifetime wrestler. Yes , I’ll admit that he did scare me when I first saw him , however, I became a fan. He made it worth watching . From his in ring work to the Firefly Fun House , he was one of the most creative people I’ve ever seen. Windham , I just wanted to say thank you on behalf everyone who loves you . You would be so proud of Taylor and what he has accomplished with The Wyatt Sicks. I know you will be in the arena with him Monday. We love you and we miss you ! Sending love to the Rotunda family today! I wanted to pay tribute to Windham in my own way, by writing this article.

This article is dedicated to my friend and the biggest Bray Wyatt fan I know , Chris , aka Dump Truck .

Love You All,

- Kay

[differenteagletragedy]

Cove's new friend

A continuation of the ending of Baxter's Step 4. If you can't have all the boys, then maybe there's another suitable option for your childhood bestie right under your nose!

Just a nice lil thought, no content warnings :) Please be friends with me and talk about this game because it has eaten my brain and all that's left in my head is these lil buddies <3

"Together at last," Baxter murmured, clasping your hand and pulling it in close to his chest.

You grinned up at him, your new/old boyfriend, as dramatic as always.

"I know, we've been apart for maybe ten whole minutes," you teased fondly, letting him lead you in easy box steps around Scott and Jude's living room. "How did we survive?"

"I'll never know," he replied. He wore his signature smirk, but part of you felt like maybe there was a little truth to the remark -- after all, there had been times in your five years apart where it did feel like you might not survive.

You glanced up at his eyes, as warm and bottomless as you'd always remembered. While you felt like you'd never get tired of looking into them, you did take the opportunity to step in a bit closer to Baxter, resting your head against his chest as you danced.

After a moment of breathing in the moment, you took the opportunity to glance around at your friends. From your angle, you saw Miranda and Terry wrapped in a similar embrace, and you couldn't help but smile.

Miranda had ended the call with her brother and new brother-in-law a little earlier, letting the newlyweds get back to their honeymoon. Now that she didn't have to carry them around in their little screen for them to enjoy the party, her attention was solely on Terry, who then decided to grasp her firmly before dropping her down into a dramatic dip.

"Terry!" Miranda half-scolded, half-laughed, grasping onto his shoulders. "Give me a little warning next time!"

"You can't stop the funk," he told her plainly, picking her back up only to twirl her around a few times. "I know that as much as I know anything."

Miranda gave him a light kiss along with a giggle, and you felt Baxter chuckle too.

"Why can't we get funky too?" you pouted, looking at him.

"Hey, don't doubt the B-Man on this," Terry called out, catching your remark. "He gets it."

"I do indeed," the B-Man confirmed before sending you on a spin of your own.

You laughed, happier than you'd been in a very long time. As he expertly pulled you back to him, you caught a flash of sea green out of the corner of your eye that made you pause.

Cove was never one for dancing, and you know he was always perfectly content to stay on the sidelines whenever your friend group decided to partake in an activity that wasn't his cup of tea. But you didn't want to get too caught up in your rekindled romance with Baxter -- you didn't want him to feel like a fifth wheel.

Back in your boyfriend's arms, you tried to subtly drag him over towards the kitchen where you'd seen Cove heading as you were mid-twirl. He raised an eyebrow.

"I just want to check on Cove," you whispered, "but be cool about it, I don't want to make him uncomfortable."

He snorted, and you looked at him questioningly. He glanced up towards where Cove had went and then back at you and smiled warmly, then said, "I don't think you have to worry about him at the moment."

Curious, you gave up on subtlety and turned around so you could see what Baxter had seen.

Cove had gone to the kitchen like you'd thought, but he hadn't gone alone -- the last party guest, the most recent addition to your roster of friends, was right beside him. Xavier was standing by the counter, gesturing toward the tray of desserts they'd brought with them to the party. Cove was watching them with wide eyes, taking turns between looking down at the sweets and then looking back up at Xavier in awe.

If he had a tail, it would definitely be wagging.

You were about to call out to him, some joke on the tip of your tongue, but then you paused. Xavier had grabbed a napkin and picked up one of the muffins then handed it to Cove, their face breaking out into a grin. You saw a light blush break out on your friend's cheeks as he looked between Xavier and the muffin before taking it into his own hands and taking a large bite. His eyes rolled back in his head, something you thought may have read as a bit obscene if you didn't know that he truly just liked baked goods that much.

You felt Baxter wrap his arms around your waist, dropping his chin to your shoulder.

"An interesting development, I'd say," he said quietly.

You pulled your eyes away from Cove and Xavier then looked back to him, beaming.

"Quadruple date."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

[beardedmrbean]

This has been a hard week for fans. First, wrestling legend Terry Funk died, then the next day, it's announced Bray Wyatt did. I hear Bob Barker of the Price Is Right did today, and then this evening, I learned Arlene Sorkin (original voice actress & inspiration for Harley Quinn) has also died. Sheesh.

Terry Funk was a rough one for me, I knew the name when I saw it had to jog my memory a touch since it'd been a while I mostly remember him from his WCW days, I miss that promotion to it was nice to have two with megastars, the one thing that really caught my eye on is wiki was this

His debut match was against Sputnik Monroe on December 9.

If you don't know who Sputnik is, you should look him up, guy that killed segregation in southern wrestling and then the rest of it in turn.

But for Funk

How you gonna go and make Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) look the least beat up out of the two of anyone, lol. Absolute legend.

Bray Wyatt I didn't really know much about, but he's a fav of a friend of mine so in no universe could he have been anything other than awesome and the response from his fans I don't know confirms that double time.

Don't think there's anything that can be said about Bob Barker that hasn't been said 10,000 times already.

As for Arlene Sorkin, she took a throwaway character from a (incredibly high quality) cartoon and imbued her with so much energy and spirit that, well where's Harley now, everyone knows her and for good reason.

So she's gonna live on for a long long time.

But ya it's been a rough one, and I don't even want to go see if anyone else is on the list since it's a bit too much already. ____

All that aside I hope married life is treating you well.

[pepsi-maxwell]

every so often i have a Sensible Chuckle™ when i remember terry funk's amazing worked punches being a result of him just punching people for real

[ringthedamnbell]

Remembering Terry Funk, The Man, The Legend

Remembering Terry Funk, The Man, The Legend

Robert Segedy Terry Funk sadly passed away this week and to honor his great legacy is an outstanding essay written by our own Robert Segedy. It was written before he Funk died, but truly captures what a great wrestler Terry Funk was. Continue reading Untitled

[wrestlingfaves]

Royal Rumble Marathon: 1998

The Rumble has entered 1998.

Warning, spoilers for past Rumbles.

We are now officially in the Attitude Era so expect shenanigans. I haven’t watched the Attitude Era in over a decade but I’m expecting to feel a lot of retrospective cringe.

The undercard:

We see a recap of the previous two months of Goldust’s activities. This is the era where Goldust dumped Marlena and is now accompanied by Luna Vachon. Dustin has ditched his traditional gold attire and now wears a variety of outfits. Tonight’s special is a lime green/purple-striped singlet tights, purple gloves, green and purple-striped face paint with blue hair.  Dustin is also wearing a leopard-print thong over his tights. Luna’s attire is a black/red bikini combo with a clear plastic skirt/tutu. She’s also wearing flesh-colored tights. Luna has half her face covered with the traditional Goldust colors. The other half of Luna’s face has her tattoos.

Goldust (with Luna) vs Vader. Match was fine. The ending comes when Vader (with Luna on his back) delivers a top-rope Vader bomb to Goldust. Dustin is always fun and Luna continues to be a badass. This era of Dustin was crazy but fun. You never knew what Goldust was going to wear.

Steve Austin arrives, threatens to whoop Michael Coles’ ass. The Godwinns are in search of Austin.

We have a six-man lucha libre match: Battalion, Tarantula, El Torito vs Max Mini, Mosaic, and Nova. Sunny is the special guest referee. Fun match.

Soon after this, Sunny’s life begins to spiral, leading to her dismissal from the WWF and a lifetime of self-destruction. It’s a shame as Sunny was a talented performer. Of course, the true tragedy is the man she killed due to her drunk driving.

The Nation of Domination is now in search of Steve Austin. Farooq tells Mark Henry that he has to “prove himself”.

Mike Tyson hangs out with Shane and Vince. I don’t care about Mike Tyson. I don’t care about boxing. Tyson’s rape conviction, and his abusive tendencies, do not make me excited to see him on my wrestling programs. Of course, sitting next to Vince makes Tyson look like an altar boy by comparison.

Recap of the Ken Shamrock-Nation of Domination feud. The Rock is still with the Nation at this point, Mark Henry has newly joined.

Rock promo where he advises Bill Clinton to “not lay down with dogs” (referencing Paula Jones, and yes, the Rock names her specifically) and to “cover his willy”. Remember those cringe moments I said we’d encounter in the Attitude Era. Calling the woman suing a man for sexual harassment, even a President, a “dog” is one.  

Ken Shamrock vs the Rock for the Intercontinental Championship.  The Rock wins via DQ. Shamrock attacks referee Mike Chioda in the aftermath. Fine match.

The Boricuas are now searching for Steve Austin but find the D.O.A. instead. This is the era of multiple factions – mostly centering on race – were running wild in the WWE. Los Boricuas, the Nation of Domination, The Truth Commission, and D.O.A. (Disciples of Apocalypse) were the main factions.

The New Age Outlaws vs the Legion of Doom for the Tag Team titles. The Legion wins via DQ. Back-to-back DQ victories is a questionable call on a pay per view.

The Rumble entrants, in order of appearance:

Cactus Jack

Chainsaw Charlie (Terry Funk)

Tom Brandi

The Rock

Mosh of the Headbangers

Phineas Godwinn

8-Ball (Don Harris)

Blackjack Bradshaw (JBL)

Owen Hart (Jeff Jarrett and Jim Cornette ambush Owen on his way to the ring)

Steve Blackman

D’Lo Brown

Kurrgan

Marc Mero (accompanied by Sable)

Ken Shamrock

Thrasher of the Headbangers

Mankind

Goldust (in silver singlet tights with red knee-high fishnets and a black bikini on the outside of the tights, Luna has also changed her outfit to a silver one)

Jeff Jarrett (accompanied by Jim Cornette)

Honky Tonk Man (Hunter and Chyna stroll out to ringside during his entrance and cause Owen to be eliminated)

Ahmed Johnson

Mark Henry

Skull

Kama Mustafa

Steve Austin

Henry Godwinn

Savio Vega (accompanied by the Boricuas)

Farooq

Dude Love

Chainz (Brian Lee)

Vader

Steve Austin wins again, making him the 3rd multiple time winner – Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels are the others.

Rumble Highlights: Cactus-Charlie brawl (minus the unprotected chairshots), Rock-Austin outside the ring brawl and in-ring finale

Rumble Feuds: Cactus vs Charlie, Rock vs Shamrock, Owen vs Jarrett, Owen vs Hunter

More cringe moments: the unprotected, non-gimmicked chairshots Funk and Cactus gave each other. Please, no! Did the Harris brothers have their Nazi tattoos yet? (I can’t see clearly but if so, that is worse than cringe).

First-time Rumblers:  Tom Brandi, Mosh, Steve Blackman, Kurrgan, Ken Shamrock, Thrasher, Mark Henry, Chainz

Surprise Entrants: Honky Tonk Man, 3 Faces of Foley

Quickest Elimination: Tom Brandi

Most Eliminations: Steve Austin

Unite to Eliminate the Big Man spot: Kurrgan

The final match of the ppv isn’t the Rumble (which I dislike). The final match is Shawn Michaels vs the Undertaker for the World championship in a casket match.

Shawn and Taker’s previous match was the first Hell In A Cell match. A casket match seems to be a step down in intensity.

Shawn is accompanied by Hunter and Chyna.  The New Age Outlaws and the Boricuas attack the Undertaker but are run off by Kane. Kane then attacks the Undertaker and throws him into the casket. Kane and Paul Bearer lock the casket and set it on fire.

Shawn wins but severely injures his back when he bumps on the casket during the match. This would lead to Shawn’s post-Wrestlemania match.

Rating: 6 out of 10. Solid undercard, fun Rumble, good main event

Wrestlers and others who have passed on: Howard Finkel, Vader, Luna Vachon, Tarantula (Espectrito II), Torito (Espectrito), the Legion of Doom, Terry Funk, Chyna, Paul Bearer

Total number of deceased individuals: 11 (down 3 from the previous Rumble)

[junkdrawerbrain]

Boss Radio 66: Aircheck Of The Week

It’s the summer of 1963, and Terry Knight is one of the top radio personalities in Detroit on WJBK. Knight would later be known as the frontman for Terry Knight & The Pack, who had a minor hit in 1966 with “I Who Have Nothing”. But he is probably best remembered as the man who guided the career of Grand Funk Railroad.

[astralbondpro]

I miss Terry Funk, and I am never going to not miss him. Yet, I must say how refreshing it is that in the modern age, 99.9% of all wrestling deaths tend to be of old age. I remember being a teenager and an early adult, having to hold my breath every time I went to load a wrestling news site. On any given day, it could of literally been anyone added to a very morbid list of casualties. Now? You're sort of prepared. Someone is getting up there in numbers, and you know we all don't last forever. It's still sad and it wrenches your heart, but very rarely is your heart ever torn from you.

[blowflyfag]

Wrestling World presents Wrestling Maniacs: JUNE 1999

TERRY FUNK: THE GUIDING LIGHT OF MAT MANIACS!

Terry Funk has become the soul of mat maniacs with the wild method of his never-say-die competition. Promoters and fans alike have come to respect Terry for his all-out, 100% effort and the way he has developed much of wrestling’s crazy style as it nears the year 2000!

By Len Matthews

HE IS the soul of hardcore. He is the guiding light of the mat maniacs. And on December 10, 1975, in Miami, FL, he pinned Jack Brisco to become the World Heavyweight  Champion as recognized by the all-powerful National Wrestling Alliance. When Brisco tried to clamp on his deadly figure four leglock, he countered with a perfect inside cradle to grab the gold. 

And on February 6, 1977, in Toronto, Canada, he lost the heavyweight crown to Harley Race when Race clamped on an Indian deathlock that finished the job of wrecking his knees. It looked like his career was over. 

Hell, the truth is Terry Funk was just getting started. 

Despite probably a dozen retirements, Terry Funk has become the soul of mat maniacs with the wild method of his never-say-die competition, both in this country and overseas. When “Bruiser” Brody tragically passed away, Funk became the bridge from the old style of mayhem to the new kind of madness.

Terry’s brother, Dory Jr., was and is the epitome of cool, calculated and cleaver wrestling. That certainly paid off for Dory Jr., as he had a four-year reign as NWA champion and today helps train promising new talent coming to the World Wrestling Federation. 

Even in the 1970s, though, Terry was the opposite of his brother. Wild and crazy and unpredictable, although ever shrewd and cunning about business, Terry upset many promoters when he took the crown. Since then, more promoters have come to respect Terry for his all-out, 100% effort and the way he has adapted, in fact developed, much of wrestling’s crazy style as it nears 2000. 

The injuries have been plentiful for Terry, who almost signed with the Denver Broncos after being a superb football player at West Texas State. But, like his father and brother, Terry could not resist the call of the squared circle. It is in his blood and he truly won’t retire until he drops, no matter how bad the knees and how painful the back. 

Terry cut his teeth on the wild-and-woolly West Texas style of wrestling and further refined the strategy as folks like he and Brody and Stan Hansen and Abdullah the Butcher ripped, clawed, battered and destroyed their way through Japanese rings. Even now, Terry heads to Japan for some of the smaller promotions and brings them an aura of respect and big crowds. 

Everyone remembers that Terry battled Atuyshi Onita in a ring which exploded and left Terry burned and bleeding before 40,000 fans.

And the feud with Abdullah was gruesome and ugly. At one point, Abdullah used a scissors to carve open Funk’s arm at the bicep and blood spilled everywhere. Terry retaliated by opening Abdullah's head and he bled buckets. How could anyone not respect, if appreciate, what Funk was willing to do for his sport? 

[When Bruiser Brody tragically passed away, Terry Funk became the bridge from the old style of mayhem to the new kind of madness and, well, set the wrestling world on fire!]

Likewise, Funk helped bring a measure of legitimacy to ECW in its early days. Younger guys were taking big bumps; Terry Funk took bigger. Funk threw the moonsaults and dove off the top rope to the concrete floor. He collided with the people trying to make a name for themselves and they did, because they held their own with the legendary Terry Funk.

[Terry tussles with Sabu in a classic battle of mat maniacs!]

The amazing part is that Funk does it because he loves the business. For instance, a few years back, Terry was booked on a card in Centralia, IL, before perhaps 500 fans. His opponent was powerful Ron Powers, a Brody protege who never really got a break because of politics. Powers was primed and pumped to make a reputation by giving Terry Funk a few lumps. 

What a war! Not on television. In the ring and out. If Funk swatted Powers with a chair, Powers banged Terry right back. The confrontation spilled into the crowd and the two gladiators crashed into a concession stand. Soon Powers, younger and stronger, started to take control. After Funk missed a dive from the top rope to the floor-some 15 feet or more–Powers scored from a leg drop from the top rope. 

And wily ol’ Terry Funk hooked him with an inside cradle when Powers tried to cover. One, two, three. Powers went berserk and the two again traded blows until Funk was hurled over the top rope. 

Afterward, in the relative calm of the dressing room, Funk approached Powers and talked to him quietly. The message was kid, you’ve got what it takes, don’t quit and never hold back. Go full throttle all the time. 

It was probably that influence which the WWF wanted in its chaotic dressing rooms and unpredictable rings when Funk came on board as “Chainsaw Charlie.” With panty hose on his head and swinging a chainsaw, Terry Funk was “over” from the first night a bell sounded. So-called stars who occasionally gave the effort and sometimes not were shamed into being professional by the things Funk did night after night. 

Think back to the remarkable duels with Mankind, or Cactus Jack. As partners, what a team and it’s a cinch that Mick Foley grew up with Terry Funk as an idol. Remember when they banged heads with the New Age Outlaws. Age certainly meant nothing to Terry Funk, who was right there tooth-and-nail for every battle. 

[A former NWA World Champion, Terry turns the tables on another former World Champ Bret “Hitman” Hart! 

Photos by Dr. Mike Lano 

The number of matches that have seen Funk left battered and bleeding on the mat are too numerous to count!]

When they bumped heads and became opponents, they literally wrecked arenas. Mankind prides himself on being crazy and willing to do anything. Terry Funk pushed him to new levels and made Mankind find even nuttier things to do.

Think back a few years when Terry Funk had a tremendous run in World Championship Wrestling. His bouts with Ric Flair are still regarded as classics. Funk was in the middle of so many wars and so much excitement. When he left WCW, Funk said he was going to retire. Hmmm? It was followed by tours in Japan, more ECW, independent shots and then the WWF tenure. 

So is it any wonder that there were more than a few skeptics when Funk left the WWF and declared he was finished?

Since that departure, which many felt was due to Funk’s disgust with the internal politics at the WWF more than anything, Terry has headlined in Japan and even popped up in ECW. Apparently, one Tommy Dreamer is about to learn from clashing with one Terry Funk head-on.

The irony of all this is that Terry Funk has all the attributes of a classic grappler. He knows the holds, the escapes, the takedowns. But more importantly, Funk has always understood what modern pro wrestling is and has to be to survive. 

When the time changed, Funk not only changed with them. He initiated many of the changes. He sensed that fans wanted more violence, more pizzazz and he gave it to them.

When young wrestlers and new promotions needed that vital boost, Terry was there to give it to them. And when the big-money giants need a shot in the arm, Terry Funk gave that to them as well. 

Of course, Terry Funk has gotten his share as well. What better way to get the last laugh than to have the bucks and the total respect of your peers as the soul of wrestling?

[A wily veteran, Terry Funk certainly knows how to fight fire with fire!]

[goodlucktai]

Hellooooo. 1. I love your work so much. You bring a certain charm to character dynamics that I can't seem to find anywhere else. I think I'm in love with it. I keep rereading your fics, especially the ones where characters are kind to each other. I have a soft spot for your post-rise movie fics where leo is loved by his family (whichever versions of them). Thank you so much for sharing your work online. 2. I wanted to ask, what are your favorite written works? Are there any books or fics that you feel inspire you?

thank you so much that means the world to me !!!! kindness is simply the whole point of it all and if that's the taste my writing leaves in your mouth then i can die happy

as for books that inspire me, i can't rec "the house in the cerulean sea" by tj klune enough ! it slotted into my heart and stayed there. my all-time, top of the pile favorite.

also the "gentleman's guide to vice and virtue" by mackenzi lee is the first book in a series that i absolutely adored. i havent followed a series as ardently as that one in years. the overall ending was so satisfying i'll cry right now just thinking about it. i also really loved "the watchmaker of filigree street" by natasha pulley (but i havent read the sequel yet!!)

"the thief lord" by cornelia funke was pretty formative for me, and so was "good omens" by neil gaiman and terry pratchett and "his dark materials" by philip pullman

on that note, there was a book by eva ibbotson called "journey to the river sea" that i loved as a kid. and then in high school i stumbled upon another book by her, "a company of swans," which swept me away down the amazon river all over again. and it honestly felt like revisiting a place i loved even though i’ve never actually been there

in their own ways, all of these stories are about discarding the parts of your life that hurt you/going against the grain/finding your own family...... which is also a recurring theme in 99% of everything i write. definitely safe to say i took some lessons from these greats 🙏

i could probably keep going all night, and i'll definitely remember like 10 more titles within the next hour that i'll hate myself for leaving out. but honestly i absorb a little something every time i read anything, whether its books, poetry or fanfiction. that little gut-punch moment of words arranged in just the right order that they take your breath away?? now thats what i live for