Terry Funk Once Skipped WWE Show With Bizarre Excuse
In the wild world of professional wrestling, few tales are as delightfully absurd as the time WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk bailed on a major appearance by telling Vince McMahon that his horse was dying.
The legendary grappler recounted the story in his 2005 autobiography, Terry Funk: More Than Just Hardcore. According to Funk, he was poised to join WWE in late 1993. The plan involved Funk taking on a key role at that year’s Survivor Series pay-per-view, appearing under a mask as one of Jerry “The King” Lawler’s knights in a match against Bret Hart and his brothers.
“I was actually supposed to work in the WWF in late 1993,” Funk wrote. “They had called me about becoming head booker… They wanted me to wear some silly outfit with a blue mask, to be one of Jerry Lawler’s knights.”
Not only was Funk being tapped for an on-screen appearance, but WWE officials were also considering him for a significant backstage role, possibly replacing his close friend Pat Patterson as the company’s head of creative. Funk even sat down for dinner with McMahon, Patterson, and other top brass to discuss the opportunity.
But something didn’t sit right with the hardcore icon. As he lay in his hotel room that night, doubts crept in.
“As I lay there, I got to thinking, ‘I’m not sure if I want to follow through with this deal,’” he recalled.
Rather than formally bowing out, Funk decided to leave quietly. The next morning, he packed up and left a note for McMahon with a famously bizarre excuse:
“My horse is sick. I think he’s dying. I’ll see you later.”
He then made a swift exit to the airport. As he waited for his flight, airport staff paged him for a phone call from WWE, but Funk was already committed to his getaway.
When he returned to WWE in 1997 under the Chainsaw Charlie persona, McMahon hadn’t forgotten the curious exit.
“One of the first things Vince said to me was, ‘So how’s your horse?’” Funk wrote.
Ultimately, Survivor Series 1993 proceeded without Funk. Lawler himself was removed from the event due to legal issues, and Shawn Michaels took his place as team leader. The masked knight roles were filled by Jeff Gaylord (black knight), Barry Horowitz (red knight), and Greg Valentine (blue knight) in a match that wasn’t well received by fans and critics, only garnering a one and a half star rating from Dave Meltzer.
Which WWE Hall Of Famer Put Terry Funk At The Top Of Their Mount Rushmore Of Pro Wrestling?
WWE Hall of Famer and longtime friend of Terry Funk, Mick Foley, placed him in the number one spot of his greatest wrestlers of all time. Foley was paying tribute to the late Funk shortly after his death in 2023 and praised the legendary Texas wrestler for his in-ring and promo work, he also thanked Funk for helping to mentor him throughout his own legendary career.