Part of Violent People’s FUNKIN’ FALL series: View the full index.

1986 was a pivotal year for Capitol Sports Promotions. It is arguably the peak of the territory with the defining features that makes the Puerto Rico territory what it was. Bloody brawls, heated feuds and fiery promos built on blood. At the center of it all was the Carlos Colón versus Stan Hansen feud for the Universal title. After the second match in the feud ended with champion Hansen being stripped of the belt due to putting his hands on an official, a tournament was to be held at the following month’s Anniversario event to crown a new champion. A combination of both local and American talent would take part in the tournament that would span the three days of festivities.

Enter Terry Funk.

Funk was no stranger to Puerto Rico. He had previously wrestled in the territory’s tag team division alongside his brother Dory. Now he had the chance to become the top guy on previously charted waters. After defeating Barry Windham and Tito Santana in the previous rounds, he would officially cement his spot in the finals on the last night of the Anniversario festivities. Standing across from him would be Carlos Colón, the territorial ace who had been screwed by Terry’s countryman, Stan Hansen, the month before.

Prior to the match, the video file shows us a wonderful Terry Funk promo which crystallizes his approach to his upcoming match. Funk presents himself as a paper tiger. A man in a foreign land who hates the people who live there and views everything they stand for as beneath him. He berates Hugo Savinovich and spits on him, calling Puerto Ricans “yellow pigs.” It is an incredible encapsulation of what made Terry Funk special. His wit and impeccable read of his surroundings are what made him so adaptable in numerous time periods and promotions.

This fortitude extends to the match itself. Despite presenting himself in the pre-match promo as this intimidating raging gringo ready for a fight, he begins the match cowering away from Colón. He stalls, looks for the easy way out and cheats his way out during the majority of this match. In a territory filled with rudos and tecnicos who are not afraid to break boundaries in order to get their pound of flesh, Funk makes it his mission to be the most shameless and scummiest heel that its fans have ever seen.

For his part, credit has to be given to Colón for being able to deliver a performance in which he presents the opposite side of this spectrum. In a career in which his most famous matches feature him engaging in acts of violence against former friends, outsiders or monsters, he plays it completely straight here. He hits his signature triumphant punches, does his cartwheel and applies his signature figure-four to great effect. None of those things ultimately gives him the victory, though.

After being unable to put away Colón with his underhanded tactics, Funk resorts to trying to blind Colón with dirt. However, his plan fails and a bloody Colón dodges it and is able to apply the figure-four shortly thereafter. After narrowly being able to reach the ropes, Terry’s brother Dory arrives and hits Colón with a cowboy boot behind the referee’s back. Even then, Colón is able to kick out. Getting more desperate, he gets repetitive. He tries to hit Colón with a superplex after a previous attempt early on resulted in Colón reversing it into a pin attempt. This time, the same thing happens, and Colón is able to keep Funk’s shoulders down long enough to regain his belt.

Funk’s performance here, in which he presents a man that goes from brimming with overconfidence to a man desperate enough to come up with various ways to escape with victory, is impeccable. In a career that is essentially a sea of great performances in various countries, time periods and styles, his performance in this match is one of his most impressive.

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