▁gained ▁attention . ▁He ▁would ▁eventually ▁move ▁on ▁to ▁Florida , ▁Missouri ▁and ▁Japan ▁where ▁his ▁skills ▁improved ▁as ▁he ▁used ▁upper cut ▁for ear m ▁sm ash es , ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁su ple xes ▁and ▁leg lock s . ▁F unk ▁won ▁the ▁N WA ▁World ▁He avy weight ▁Championship ▁from ▁Gene ▁Kin is ki ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁ ▁in ▁T ampa , ▁Florida ▁with ▁a ▁spin ning ▁toe ▁hold ▁and ▁remained ▁N WA ▁World ▁Champion ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁four ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁years , ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁second - long est ▁un inter rupted ▁reign ▁of ▁any ▁N WA ▁World ▁Champion ▁( Lou ▁Th esz ▁held ▁the ▁N WA ▁world ▁title ▁from ▁November ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁to ▁March ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 5 6 ). ▁D ory ▁and ▁Terry ▁are ▁the ▁only ▁brothers ▁in ▁history ▁to ▁each ▁hold ▁the ▁title . ▁F unk ▁finally ▁lost ▁the ▁N WA ▁World ▁Championship ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁after ▁a ▁hurried ▁recovery ▁from ▁a ▁pick up ▁tr uck ▁accident ▁on ▁his ▁father ' s ▁F lying ▁Mare ▁R anch ▁in ▁West ▁Texas . ▁D ory ▁was ▁forced ▁into ▁the ▁ring ▁in ▁Kansas ▁City , ▁losing ▁the ▁bel t ▁to ▁Har ley ▁Race . ▁He ▁performed ▁regularly ▁throughout ▁the ▁N WA , ▁particularly ▁in ▁the ▁Mid - At l antic ▁and ▁Ontario ▁as ▁a ▁he el , ▁Georgia , ▁Florida