The Flying Hammerlock Video Review #65: Hulk Vs. Funk

 

This review is dedicated to the memories of Sylvester "The Junkyard Dog" Ritter, Dave Hebner, Terry Funk and Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea.  R.I.P.
 

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan (w/The Junkyard Dog) vs. Terry Funk (w/"The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart), WWF Saturday Night's Main Event #4, USF Sun Dome, Tampa, FL, January 4, 1986 (taped December 19, 1985).
 

I was at this show.
 

Hulk is wearing his alternate blue trunks and boots here.  JYD forces Jimmy Hart into a seat to prevent him from interfering.
 

Funk enters the ring and they circle each other and tie up and Funk walks Hulk back into the corner.  Funk goes to whip Hulk into the opposite corner but Hulk reverses it but Funk reverses it again but Hulk reverses it again.   Hulk whips Funk into the opposite corner and charges in with a clothesline.  Funk collapses and falls out to the floor.   (No pretty blue mats here.)  Funk gets back in the ring and they tie up and Funk powers Hulk back into the ropes.  Funk chops Hulk a few times.   Funk goes to whip Hulk across but Hulk reverses it.  Hulk drops down for the criss-cross spot and Funk gets hung up on the ropes.  Hulk gets up and clotheslines Funk over the ropes down to the floor.  Funk gets back in the ring.  They tie up and Hulk grabs a side headlock.  Into the ropes and Funk whips Hulk across.   Funk drops down for the criss-cross and Hulk goes back and forth a few times, stepping on Funk's back every time.  Funk escapes out to the floor, taking down the timekeeper's table in the process.  Funk throws a chair into the ring.  Hulk takes the chair, sits down in it, and gives the "bring it on" signal.  Funk gets back in the ring and they circle each other and tie up yet again and Funk walks Hulk back into the corner.  Funk chops Hulk three times, and Hulk responds by forcing Funk into the corner and punching away at him.  Hulk whips Funk into the opposite corner and Funk flips over the top rope and lands on the apron.   Hulk grabs Funk's head and brings him back into the ring.  Hulk hits a belly-to-back suplex but doesn't immediately go for the cover.  Hulk covers and gets 2.  Hulk brings Funk up and punches him.  Funk responds with a headbutt.  Another headbutt.   Funk grabs Hogan and kicks him low but out of referee Dave Hebner's view.   Hulk collapses from the kick.  Funk stomps Hulk's head and climbs up to the top turnbuckle but Hulk shakes the ropes and Funk ends up straddling the ropes.   Funk falls off the ropes to the mat.  Funk gets up and Hulk gives him an Atomic Drop.   Hulk headbutts Funk and whips him into the ropes.  Funk comes off and Hulk hits him with a clothesline.  Hulk drops an elbow.  Funk is rolling to the ropes but Hulk grabs him and brings him to his feet.  Hulk grabs a side headlock and Funk whips him into the ropes.  Hulk is about to come off the ropes but Jimmy Hart grabs Hulk's ankle.  Hulk goes out to the floor to chase Hart but Hart runs and finds himself surrounded by Hulk and by JYD.   Hart hides under the ring.   Hulk gets back in the ring while crew guys try to get Hart out from under the ring.   With Hebner distracted, Funk takes some of his wrist tape and uses it to choke Hulk, with Funk's arm blocking the view of the tape.  Hart comes out from under the ring.  Hart is acting up at ringside to distract Hebner as Funk throws the tape away.  Funk hits the piledriver but Hulk kicks out before 3.   Funk punches away at Hulk.  Funk uses his boot to rake Hulk's eyes.   Funk stomps and punches Hulk but Hulk starts his big Hulk-Up routine, puffing his cheeks out and no-selling Funk's punches.  Hulk comes back with three punches and whips Funk into the ropes and catches Funk with a back elbow.  Hulk whips Funk into the ropes and hits him with the Big Boot, sending Funk out to the apron.  The camera shows Hart holding Funk's branding iron.  Hulk tries to bring Funk back in with a vertical suplex but Hart hits Hulk in the stomach with the branding iron.  Funk lands on top for the pin but Hulk gets his foot on the rope.   JYD headbutts Hart on the outside.   Funk grabs Hebner and is arguing with him in the corner.  Funk turns around and Hulk hits him with the Axe Bomber (clothesline) for the pin at 8:40. ***1/2.

Really good match and it's too bad they didn't work together more often because Funk's selling made Hulk's offense look awesome.  Recommended and you can watch it here.