Paul
Heyman On His Reticence To Sum Up ECW Legend Terry
Funk's Life 'In A Soundbite' - August 31, 2023
Terry
Funk died last week aged 79, and the wrestling world
has been full of tributes for the legend since then.
Paul Heyman, who credits Funk with putting ECW on
the map, also spoke about the WWE Hall of Famer on
the latest episode of "WWE's The Bump."
However, Heyman didn't want to try and define the
late wrestler's legacy through a quick interview segment.
"I'm
always hesitant to try to encapsulate a life like
Terry Funk's within a soundbite or even a portion
of a program. I didn't say anything publicly. I haven't
yet. And one of the reasons why is because I was aware
of the decline in Terry Funk's health and I had the
extraordinary opportunity and pleasure of speaking
with him in the last few weeks of his life. I withheld
my tributes because I got a chance to tell him while
he was alive, I didn't have to explain my affinity
for the man after his passing, I got a chance to let
him know."
That
said, Heyman did discuss the impact that Funk had
on the ECW roster, noting that he helped launch the
careers of Shane Douglas, Public Enemy, and more.
He also recited Cody Rhodes' recent tribute to Funk,
noting that the legendary wrestler was the "grandfather
of a revolution." Furthermore, Heyman hopes
that future generations follow in Funk's footsteps
and embrace the lessons he taught, such as pursuing
greatness with passion while still acknowledging that
pro wrestling is a business.
Source:
"WWE's The Bump" with a h/t to Wrestling
Inc. for the transcription
