This review was commissioned by portablestove over on my Ko-fi account.
One of history’s great formula wrestlers meets one of history’s most versatile ever. Of course, in this case, it’s Terry Funk that adjusts to the situation, slotting himself seamlessly into the classic Hogan main event. At this point, Hogan’s almost two years into his defining first reign as the WWF Champion, and the structural building blocks he relies upon are about as simple and effective here as they’ve ever been.
Want to learn three act structure in pro wrestling? Watch some Hulk Hogan.
Simplicity does not detract from quality though, because the fact of the matter is that it all just works. The first half of the match especially demonstrates just how great Hogan was at controlling a babyface shine. It is a riotous and fun affair, a key part to every Hogan match. He’s having a ball out there ragdolling the challenger, hotdogging in between, and one can imagine how easy it would be to get lost in that act. Just picture it, sitting in that crowd, watching this golden giant of a man impose his will on his opponent, energetic and charismatic all throughout. Hulkamania makes all the sense in the world when you finally see it in action.
Funk’s role in all this is ostensibly as a passenger to the tried and true formula, but in typical Funk fashion, he makes it come alive in his own ways. In this match, he’s just a remarkable stooge. That famous expressive, and at times awkward (affectionate) bumping and selling? It’s out in full force here. Funk gets all tangled in the ropes, bumps around the ring and the floor, shows ass in about a million different ways, happily painting himself the fool of the night. I especially love how Funk’s first attempt to enter a heat segment with a short headbutt and a low blow mule kick gets immediately paid back in turn too. Hogan, never afraid to get his hands dirty against challengers, repays the injustices in kind–crotching Funk on the top rope, and delivering an atomic drop and headbutt for good measure.
Funk gets a few good shots in there too with his Jimmy Rave wrist tape choke and some well-timed interference from Jimmy Hart at ringside, but he reads here way more like a steady hand to shine up the big star, even in comparison to some of Hogan’s other challengers of the time. That’s okay, Funk doesn’t need all this adulation, his legacy can withstand playing second fiddle now and then. If anything, it only strengthens it.
Along the way, we get some hearty, concise wrestling TV out of it anyway.
Rating: ***¼
