John Anthony Tenta Jr. (June 22, 1963June 7, 2006)
was a Canadian
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
and
sumo wrestler (''
rikishi
A , or, more colloquially, , is a professional sumo wrestler. follow and live by the centuries-old rules of the sumo profession, with most coming from Japan, the only country where sumo is practiced professionally. Participation in official t ...
'') best known for his work in the
World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and var ...
as Earthquake, though initially known as Canadian Earthquake.
After a promising start to his sumo career, using the name Kototenzan, Tenta switched to professional wrestling and became a high-profile star for the WWF, feuding with
Hulk Hogan and winning the
WWF Tag Team Championship
The World Tag Team Championship was the original professional wrestling world tag team championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) promotion, and the promotion's third tag team championship overall. Originally established by the then- ...
with partner, and personal friend,
Typhoon
A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...
.
His professional wrestling career also encompassed runs in
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nati ...
, where he was known as Avalanche and The Shark,
All Japan Pro Wrestling
(AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba ...
and a return to WWF as Golga. Tenta died in 2006 after a long battle with
bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of cancer arising from the tissues of the urinary bladder. Symptoms include blood in the urine, pain with urination, and low back pain. It is caused when epithelial cells that line the bladder become ma ...
.
Early life
John Tenta was born in
Surrey, British Columbia. Named after his father, he was a large baby weighing 11 pounds, 3 ounces at birth.
Inspired by professional wrestlers
Gene Kiniski
Eugene Nicholas Kiniski (November 23, 1928 – April 14, 2010) was a Canadian athlete who played football for the Edmonton Eskimos and then became a three-time professional wrestling world heavyweight champion. "Canada's Greatest Athlete", as he b ...
and
Don Leo Jonathan
Don Heaton (April 29, 1931 – October 13, 2018), also known as Don Leo Jonathan, was an American-Canadian professional wrestler.
Professional wrestling career
Jonathan, nicknamed "The Mormon Giant" was a second generation star (his father was f ...
, Tenta decided to pursue wrestling at age 6. He learned
freestyle wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. American high school and men's college wrestli ...
at
North Surrey Secondary, becoming a Canadian junior champion in 1981. Shortly after his 18th birthday, he finished sixth in the super-heavyweight category at the World Junior Wrestling Championships in Vancouver. Tenta won an athletic scholarship to
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...
(LSU), where he competed in
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
-level
collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling (also known as folkstyle wrestling) is the form of wrestling practiced at the college and university level in the United States. This style of wrestling, with some slight modifications, is also practiced at high school and m ...
. At LSU he was nicknamed "Big John" Tenta, lettering on the Tiger varsity wrestling team and participating on the
football team. LSU dropped varsity wrestling to comply with
Title IX
Title IX is the most commonly used name for the federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part (Title IX) of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other educat ...
in 1985, forcing Tenta to choose a new sport. Tenta then walked on to the LSU football team, where he played in some junior varsity games as a defensive lineman. He was also known as a "quiet giant" while employed as a bouncer at an LSU college bar, The Bengal. Tenta also played
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
for the LSU Rugby Club.
Sumo career
Tenta then moved to Japan to pursue a career in
sumo after being recruited by a former ''
yokozuna
, or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
This is the on ...
'' who met Tenta on a trip to Vancouver.
In October 1985, he joined a sumo
stable,
Sadogatake, run by former ''yokozuna''
Kotozakura Masakatsu (his stable also produced ''
ōzeki''
Kotoōshū Katsunori
Kotoōshū Katsunori ( ja, 琴欧洲 勝紀) (legal name: Karoyan Andō, born February 19, 1983 as Kaloyan Stefanov Mahlyanov, bg, Калоян Стефанов Махлянов) is a former professional sumo wrestler or ''rikishi'' from Bulgar ...
from
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...
). Following tradition, the young ''
sumōtori
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
...
'' took the ''
shikona
A is a sumo wrestler's ring name. The tradition of ring names in sumo dates back to the Edo period, where they were used as a means to attract customers and hide the identities of the '' rikishi''.
Like standard Japanese names, a ''shikona'' ...
'' name of , surname translated as Tenta the Harp.
Beginning the sport at age 22, he entered nearly seven years later than many non-college aspirants. The combination of his size—he already weighed 192 kg (423 lb) at a height of 6' 5.75" (197 cm)—and training as a wrestler were to his advantage in learning and advancing in the sport. The novice won all of his 24 bouts in his eight-month active career, and was later renamed , surname meaning Heavenly Mountain Harp. The novelty of being a rare Westerner Rikishi in the mid-1980s, and the third-ever
Caucasian
Caucasian may refer to:
Anthropology
*Anything from the Caucasus region
**
**
** ''Caucasian Exarchate'' (1917–1920), an ecclesiastical exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Caucasus region
*
*
*
Languages
* Northwest Caucasian l ...
, garnered him press coverage, and he earned the additional nickname of the "Canadian Comet".
Despite doing well as a newcomer he soon quit the sport due to the difficulty of the sumo lifestyle and the toll the hard ring surface was taking on his body. Tenta commented, "Nothing I have ever done – not football, not college wrestling – compares with the kind of physical abuse you inflict on your body in sumo."
In addition, the sumo world frowned on the large tattoo of a tiger on his left biceps and, though he covered it during matches, would have required him to remove it via skin graft before moving up to the higher-level competitions. In Japan, tattoos are associated with
gangsters
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
, and public display is widely prohibited.
[Andy Adams, "Kototenzan Quits Sumo!", ''Sumo World'', September 1986, pg. 12] Tenta's decision to quit was criticized by his stablemaster, while the head of the
Japan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling (called ''Ōzumō'', 大相撲) in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). '' Rikishi'' (active ...
Kasugano (the former ''yokozuna''
Tochinishiki
was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tokyo. He was the sport's 44th ''yokozuna''. He won ten top division ''yūshō'' or tournament championships and was a rival of fellow ''yokozuna'' Wakanohana I. He became the head coach of Kasug ...
), said Tenta had become arrogant after his run of consecutive victories. "He thought it would be easy. But there is no job in this world that is harder. It is better for him to leave."
Sumo career record
Professional wrestling career
All Japan Pro Wrestling (1987–1989)
![ジョン・テンタ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A7%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%86%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF.jpg)
After leaving sumo, he quickly signed up for
puroresu
is the predominant style of professional wrestling that has developed in Japan. The term comes from the Japanese pronunciation of , which is shortened to puroresu. The term became popular among English-speaking fans due to Hisaharu Tanabe's ac ...
(Japanese pro wrestling) under the tutelage of
Shohei "Giant" Baba.
He made his professional wrestling debut with
All Japan Pro Wrestling
(AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba ...
on May 1, 1987, teaming with Giant Baba and defeating
Rusher Kimura
was a Japanese professional wrestler, best known by his ring name . He was a five-time IWA World Heavyweight Champion, making him a five-time world champion.
Sumo wrestling career
He was a sumo wrestler under the ''shikona'' Kinomura, a dir ...
and Goro Tsurumi.
Tenta had a solid 18-month career, teaming with Baba,
Jumbo Tsuruta
, better known by his ring name , was a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) for most of his career, and is well known for being the first ever Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, having won the PWF Heav ...
, and
The Great Kabuki
, better known as , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is famous as the first to blow Asian mist in his opponents' faces.
Professional wrestling career
Mera was born on September 8, 1948 in Nobeoka, Japan. He started wrestling in ...
, before getting the attention of American pro-wrestling promoters, as well as making tours in Vancouver for
Al Tomko's
NWA All Star Wrestling
NWA All Star Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Vancouver) is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. All-Star Wrestling folded in 1989 but returned in 2007 no longer affiliated with the National Wr ...
where he first competed as a
babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to:
Nicknames
* Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber
* Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician
* "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...
, but later turned
heel when he began being managed by "Gentleman" Jonathan Sayers.
World Wrestling Federation
Various feuds (1989–1991)
After making two
dark-match appearances under his real name in March 1989, Tenta joined the
WWF full-time in September 1989. In his first match after signing on, a dark match on September 21, 1989, he portrayed a
lumberjack character named Earthquake Evans that was billed as being from the "Northern
Yukon
Yukon (; ; formerly called Yukon Territory and also referred to as the Yukon) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 43,964 as ...
Territory" who was managed by
Slick, and defeated
Paul Roma
Paul Centopani (born April 29, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Paul Roma. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling between 1984 an ...
.
Tenta then made his WWF television debut on the November 11, 1989, edition of ''
WWF Superstars of Wrestling
''WWF Superstars of Wrestling'' (later shortened to ''WWF Superstars'' and to ''Sunday Morning Superstars ''), also referred to as ''Maple Leaf Wrestling'' in Canada was an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by ...
'', where he was planted in the audience as a normal spectator at the taping held in
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located almost entirely in Ohio County, of which it is the county seat, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and also contains a tiny portion extending ...
. During an in-ring interview with
Gene Okerlund
Eugene Arthur Okerlund (December 19, 1942 – January 2, 2019), better known by his ring name "Mean Gene" Okerlund, was an American professional wrestling interviewer, announcer and television host. He was best known for his work in the World Wre ...
,
Dino Bravo
Adolfo Bresciano (; August 6, 1948 – March 10, 1993) was an Italian-Canadian professional wrestler and promoter, better known by the ring name Dino Bravo ().
After training under Gino Brito, he started his career in Montreal in the 1970s, w ...
challenged
The Ultimate Warrior
Warrior (born James Brian Hellwig; June 16, 1959 – April 8, 2014) was an American professional wrestler and bodybuilder. Best known by his ring name The Ultimate Warrior, he wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) from ...
to a strength competition. In order to demonstrate, Bravo and manager
Jimmy Hart suggested that they pick a random audience member to come into the ring and sit on the backs of Bravo and the Ultimate Warrior as they did push-ups to see who could do the most. The Ultimate Warrior agreed, and Hart, after pretending to look around the audience, centered his attention on the very large Tenta who was sitting in the audience in casual clothing and appearing surprised. Tenta came down into the ring, identified himself as "John from
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
" and proceeded to sit on Bravo's back as he did a set of push-ups. During the Ultimate Warrior's set, however, Tenta leapt down onto the prone Ultimate Warrior using a
seated senton
Strikes are offensive moves in professional wrestling, that can sometimes be used to set up an opponent for a hold or for a throw. There are a wide variety of strikes in pro wrestling, and many are known by several different names. Professional wre ...
that was adapted to be his signature move. Bravo and Tenta then beat and unleashed multiple
big splashes on the prone Warrior. Both then celebrated as Tenta was inaugurated into the WWF as a
heel with Hart as his manager. Tenta was pushed as The Canadian Earthquake – and by
WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI was the sixth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It took place on April 1, 1990, at SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario in Canada, marking the f ...
, simply Earthquake – an unstoppable
monster heel who often sent his opponents out on a stretcher after repeatedly hitting them with his sitdown splash.
Earthquake's first PPV appearance was when he replaced
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham (born July 4, 1960) is an American retired professional wrestler. The son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan, he is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW ...
on
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo (November 15, 1952 – May 20, 2011), better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestl ...
's team at the
1989 Survivor Series
The 1989 Survivor Series was the third annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It took place on Thanksgiving Day on November 23, 1989, at the Rosemont Horizo ...
. Earthquake eliminated Hercules and survived the match, along with Savage and Dino Bravo.
He made his
WrestleMania
WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event held annually between mid-March and mid-April by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Since premiering in 1985, 37 editions followed, mos ...
debut at WrestleMania VI, defeating
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the ...
.
Tenta's career peaked when he entered a feud with
Hulk Hogan. The feud exploded in May 1990, when Earthquake snuck up on Hogan from behind during a segment of ''The
Brother Love Show'' (on ''WWF Superstars of Wrestling'') and repeatedly crushed Hogan's ribs with his "
Earthquake splash." Eventually, Hogan recovered and gained revenge on Earthquake and defeated him in a series of matches across the country, starting with Hogan's countout victory at
SummerSlam 1990.
Hogan and Earthquake were the final two participants in the
1991 Royal Rumble, with Hogan getting the victory.
After his stint with Hogan, Earthquake attained another WrestleMania victory, defeating former Hart
stable mate
Greg Valentine
Jonathan Anthony Wisniski (born September 20, 1951) is a retired American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.
Over five decades, Valentine held more than 40 championship ...
at
WrestleMania VII
WrestleMania VII was the seventh annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It took place on March 24, 1991, at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angel ...
.
On April 1, 1991, WWF held a joint show in
Kobe with Japanese promotion
Super World of Sports
Super World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "Straight and Strong".
History Formation
In April 1990, Genichiro Tenryu, one of the top stars of All Japan Pro Wr ...
called SWS Wrestle Dream. Earthquake appeared to face
Kōji Kitao, in a battle of two former sumo wrestlers. Kitao and Tenta broke
kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe, as a noun, is the portrayal of staged events within the industry as "real" or "true", specifically the portrayal of competition, rivalries, and relationships between participants as being genuine and not staged ...
by being uncooperative with each other. Kitao didn't
sell Earthquake's attacks and
shot
Shot may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Shot'' (album), by The Jesus Lizard
*''Shot, Illusion, New God'', an EP by Gruntruck
*'' Shot Rev 2.0'', a video album by The Sisters of Mercy
* "Shot" (song), by The Rasmus
* ''Shot'' (2017 f ...
on him. The match ended when Kitao was disqualified for kicking the referee. After the match, Kitao immediately grabbed a microphone and began telling the audience that wrestling is fake and that Tenta never could really beat him, as other Japanese wrestlers attempted to restrain him. The incident led to Kitao being fired from SWS.
After WrestleMania VII, Earthquake instigated a feud with
Jake "the Snake" Roberts
Aurelian Smith Jr. (born May 30, 1955), better known by the ring name Jake "The Snake" Roberts, is an American professional wrestler and actor currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he performs as manager to Lance Archer. He is be ...
, when in their match that aired on ''WWF Superstars of Wrestling'', he "squashed" Damien with his Earthquake splashes; Earthquake had tied up Roberts in the ropes before going on his rampage. In reality, Roberts' bag – one of two left at ringside for the match – contained
pantyhose
Pantyhose, called sheer tights, or tights, are close-fitting legwear covering the wearer's body from the waist to the toes. Mostly considered to be a garment for women and girls, pantyhose first appeared on store shelves in 1959 for the advert ...
stuffed with hamburger, and a small motor to simulate a "live snake." When the match aired on ''WWF Superstars of Wrestling'', footage of Earthquake landing on Damien was interrupted with cutaway shots to that show's "Events Center," although the incident aired uninterrupted and uncensored during ''
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
''WWF Prime Time Wrestling'' is a professional wrestling television program that was produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It aired on the USA Network from January 1, 1985, to January 4, 1993. A precursor to ''Monday Night Raw'', ''Pr ...
'' the following week. Later, Earthquake participated in a skit on ''WWF Prime Time Wrestling'' where he cooked "Quakeburgers" on a grill and served them to co-hosts Vince McMahon, Bobby The Brain Heenan, and
Lord Alfred Hayes
Alfred George James Hayes (8 August 1928 – 21 July 2005) was an English professional wrestler, manager and commentator, best known for his appearances in the United States with the World Wrestling Federation between 1982 and 1995 where he ...
; later, Earthquake revealed that the meat was ground from Damien's carcass. Heenan had already eaten three or four of the Burgers and Hayes was curious about the meat. Earthquake mentioned the animal from which the meat was taken rhymed with quake and Hayes said they were snake burgers. Hayes got sick and nearly threw up. Vince was angry over this and knocked the tray out of Earthquake's hands which knocked all the burgers onto the floor. Roberts and Earthquake feuded throughout most of late-spring and into the summer.
Natural Disasters (1991–1993)
Later in 1991, Earthquake formed a tag team with Typhoon (Tenta's friend,
Fred Ottman
Fred Alex Ottman (born August 10, 1957) is an American retired professional wrestler. He worked for the World Wrestling Federation from 1989 to 1993 under the ring names Tugboat and Typhoon. As the former, he played a key babyface ally of Hulk Ho ...
, who had previously wrestled as Tugboat before turning heel) called
The Natural Disasters
The Natural Disasters were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Earthquake (John Tenta) and Typhoon (Fred Ottman) who worked in the World Wrestling Federation between 1991 and 1993. They won the WWF Tag Team Championship once.
Formatio ...
, managed by Jimmy Hart. Initially a heel tag team, the duo feuded with the
Legion of Doom
The Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains who originated in '' Challenge of the Super Friends'', an animated series from Hanna-Barbera based on DC Comics' Justice League. The Legion of Doom has since been incorporated into the main DC Univer ...
over the
WWF World Tag Team Championship
The World Tag Team Championship was the original professional wrestling world tag team championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) promotion, and the promotion's third tag team championship overall. Originally established by the then- ...
, but were unsuccessful. Later, the Disasters turned
face
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
when Jimmy Hart betrayed them and joined forces with
Money Inc.
Money Inc. was a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from February 1992 to August 1993. The team consisted of "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster (I.R.S.). They held the WWF Tag Team Champi ...
, a team composed of
Irwin R. Schyster and
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin DiBiase Sr. (born January 18, 1954) is an American retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. He is currently signed to WWE working in their Legends program. DiBiase achieved championship ...
; Money Inc. had just won the tag titles from the Legion of Doom, and at
WrestleMania VIII
WrestleMania VIII was the eighth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It took place on April 5, 1992, at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana in the Un ...
, they defeated Money Inc. by count-out but did not win the titles. Although Earthquake and Typhoon eventually won the tag titles (and defeated the
Beverly Brothers
The Beverly Brothers were a professional wrestling tag team comprising Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom in the World Wrestling Federation. They were also known as The Destruction Crew in the American Wrestling Association and the Minnesota Wrecking Crew ...
at the
1992 SummerSlam pay-per-view to retain the titles), it wasn't long before Money Inc. regained the belts. Tenta left the WWF in January 1993 after losing via count-out to
Bam Bam Bigelow
Scott Charles Bigelow (September 1, 1961 – January 19, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Bam Bam Bigelow. Recognizable by his close to 400-pound frame and the distinctive flame tattoo that spanned most ...
the night after the Royal Rumble for a spell in Japan for
WAR
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
. He also had a brief stint in
CMLL
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. (CMLL; , "World Wrestling Council") is a ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City. The promotion was previously known as ''Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre'' (''EMLL'') (''Mexi ...
in late 1993.
Singles run and departure (1994)
He returned to the WWF in January 1994 when he assisted
Bret Hart
Bret Hart (born July 2, 1957) is a Canadian-American retired professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE under a legend's contract. A member of the Hart wrestling family and a second-generation wrestler, he has an amateur wrestling back ...
in a match with
Shawn Michaels by countering
Diesel's interference. He defeated
Adam Bomb in a quick
squash match
Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals and circuses. In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence ...
at
WrestleMania X
WrestleMania X was the 10th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It took place on March 20, 1994, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The cen ...
.
He then engaged in a short feud with
Yokozuna
, or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
This is the on ...
, with whom he had a sumo match on ''Raw'' (the early days of Tenta's Sumo training were also revealed). Tenta won the sumo match. Earthquake was scheduled to face
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart (May 7, 1965 – May 23, 1999) was a Canadian-American professional wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the World Wres ...
in a
King of the Ring
King of the Ring was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and WWE Network event produced by WWE, a Connecticut-based professional wrestling promotion. The PPV event was held annually in June and was established in 1993 when the promotion ...
qualifying match. However, during a May 14, 1994 house show in
San Jose, California
San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popu ...
, Earthquake had been injured by Yokozuna and
Crush. Footage of Yokozuna hitting a Banzai Drop at the show was televised before the qualifying match to explain his absence in which Doink the Clown was his replacement. He again disappeared from WWF thereafter and returned to Japan for WAR.
World Championship Wrestling
Various alliances (1994–1996)
Personal financial difficulties led Tenta to contact
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nati ...
.
Hulk Hogan, a longtime friend, lobbied to have Tenta come in, and so Tenta left the WWF to join WCW. Before joining WCW, Tenta worked a tour of Japan for
UWF International
Union of Professional Wrestling Force International, better known as UWF International, U-Inter, or simply UWFi, was a shoot style professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1991 to 1996. The UWF international was the successor to the ''Newb ...
, where he teamed up with
Super Vader. Tenta was introduced as Avalanche and was a member of
Kevin Sullivan's
The Three Faces of Fear
The Three Faces of Fear was a professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling, from late 1994 to early 1995. Composed of Kevin Sullivan, The Butcher and Avalanche, the group fought against Hulk Hogan.
History Origins
When Hulk ...
, billed at 517lbs. He later aligned with
Big Bubba Rogers
Ray Washington Traylor Jr. (May 2, 1963 – September 22, 2004) was an American professional wrestler best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name Big Boss Man, as well as for his appearances with ...
and feuded with
Sting and Randy Savage. At
Clash of the Champions XXIX, Avalanche,
The Butcher and Kevin Sullivan lost to Hulk Hogan, Sting and
Dave Sullivan in a Six-Man Tag Team match with
Mr. T
Mr. T (born Laurence Tureaud, May 21, 1952), is an American actor. He is known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series ''The A-Team'' and as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film ''Rocky III''. He is also known for his ...
as the special referee. At
Starrcade
Starrcade was a recurring professional wrestling event, originally broadcast via closed-circuit television and eventually broadcast via pay-per-view. It was originally held from 1983 to 2000, first by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) from 1 ...
, Avalanche lost to Sting by disqualification. At
SuperBrawl V, Avalanche and Big Bubba Rogers lost to Sting and Randy Savage when Sting pinned Avalanche. At
Uncensored, Avalanche lost to Randy Savage by disqualification. At
Clash of the Champions XXX
''Clash of the Champions'' is an American series of professional wrestling television specials that were produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). T ...
, Avalanche lost to Sting with
The Guardian Angel as the special guest referee. The Avalanche name was dropped after WWF threatened legal action over similarities to the Earthquake character. Tenta returned under the ring name The Shark and joined
the Dungeon of Doom
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
faction. He believed this could be the beginning of a long term gimmick and even changed the tattoo on his arm of an
LSU
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
Tiger to that of a shark, a process that took 24 hours. Rumors were that WCW management forced him to do that, but in reality, it was Tenta himself that brought the idea up. At
Fall Brawl (1995)
Fall Brawl '95: War Games was the third Fall Brawl professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW). It took place on September 17, 1995 from the Asheville Civic Center in Asheville, North Carolina. A ...
, Tenta teamed with other members of The Dungeon of Doom
Kamala
Kamala refers to:
People
* Kamala (name), given name and surname, includes list of people and characters with the name
** Kamala Harris, the 49th and current Vice President of the United States
* Kamala (wrestler) (1950–2020), American profess ...
,
The Zodiac and
Meng
Meng may refer to:
* Meng (surname) (孟), a Chinese surname
* Master of Engineering (MEng or M.Eng.), an academic or professional master's degree in the field of engineering
* , "M with hook", letter used in the International Phonetic Alphabet
* ...
with
The Taskmaster) to face The Hulkamaniacs (Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage,
Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell Pfohl (born June 2, 1958), better known by the ring name Lex Luger, is an American retired professional wrestler, bodybuilder, and football player. In 2011 he began working with WWE on its wellness policy. He is best known for ...
and Sting) in a
WarGames match
WarGames is a specialized steel cage match in professional wrestling. The match usually involves two teams of either four, five, or more wrestlers locked inside a steel cage that encompasses two rings placed side by side. The cage may or may not ...
where they lost. On the October 9, 1995, edition of ''
WCW Monday Nitro
''WCW Monday Nitro'', also known as ''WCW Nitro'' or simply ''Nitro'', is an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and broadcast weekly every Monday night on TNT in the Unite ...
'', Shark lost to Sting in a match for the
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by the American promotion WWE, currently defended on the Raw brand division. It is one of two secondary championships for WWE's main roster, along with the WWE ...
. on the November 20 episode of Nitro, Shark lost to
Scott Norton
Scott Norton (born June 15, 1961) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, in which he was a member of the New World Order and nWo Japan. He ...
. Shark competed in the
WCW World War 3
World War 3 was an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The pay-per-view's title also was the name of its signature match, a three-ring, sixty-man battle royal. The event took place eve ...
(60 Man Battle Royal in Three Rings) for the vacant
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The WCW World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship originally used in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and later, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the original world title of ...
which was won by Randy Savage.
Singles competition (1996–1997, 1999)
He eventually left the Dungeon of Doom and wrestled under his real name after delivering a
promo
Promo or promos may refer to:
Promotions and advertising
*Promo (media), a form of commercial advertising used to promote television or radio programs
*Promo (professional wrestling), a televised interview in which a wrestler's on-screen personali ...
about the many other names and
gimmicks
A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand ou ...
he'd been forced into in the past, including the line "I'm not the Shark. I'm not a fish. I'm not an Avalanche. I'm a man".
On the May 27 episode of Nitro, Shark lost to
The Giant in a match for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. On the June 3 episode of Nitro, Tenta defeated Big Bubba by count-out. At the
1996 Great American Bash, he defeated Big Bubba Rogers; after the match Tenta cut Rogers' goatee off with a pair of scissors. On the June 17 episode of Nitro, Tenta defeated Big Bubba. On the July 1, 1996 edition of ''Nitro'', Tenta got another shot at the
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The WCW World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship originally used in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and later, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the original world title of ...
against The Giant but failed to win the title. At
Bash at the Beach 1996, Tenta defeated Big Bubba in a Carson City Silver Dollar match. During this time, Tenta began using "One Crazed Anarchist" as his
entrance theme
The use of music at sporting events is a practice that is thousands of years old, but has recently had a resurgence as a noted phenomenon. Some sports have specific traditions with respect to pieces of music played at particular intervals. Others ...
, which would later be adopted by
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler and singer. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the leader of the Jerich ...
.
Following a match with the Dungeon of Doom's Giant, Big Bubba Rogers, who had just joined the Dungeon, shaved half of Tenta's head. Tenta said he wouldn't shave off the other half because he looked in the mirror and relived the embarrassment. He would go out to get the mail and his neighbors would laugh. The two went on to feud against one another, with Rogers shaving off Tenta's beard as well after Tenta lost another match to The Giant. On the September 9 episode of Nitro, Tenta defeated Randy Savage by count-out. On the March 3, 1997, edition of Nitro, Tenta joined
Roddy Piper as a member of his "family." The angle was quickly dropped and Piper instead joined forces with the Four Horsemen, dropping the members of his "family." Tenta left WCW in early 1997.
In 1999, Tenta returned to WCW for one night wrestling under his real name when he defeated
Lash LeRoux
Mark LeRoux (born November 22, 1976) is an American cartoonist, caricature artist and retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Lash LeRoux. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling from the late- ...
on Monday Nitro in a dark match.
Return to WWF (1998–1999; 2001)
![Earthquake_2003](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Earthquake_2003.jpg)
After his feud with Rogers, Tenta left WCW and resurfaced in the WWF on the May 25, 1998, episode of ''
Raw is War
''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network in the United States. The show f ...
'' under the name Golga. He wrestled under a mask as one of the
Oddities and the character had a fascination with
Eric Cartman from the TV series ''
South Park''. The gimmick was given to Tenta because he lost a considerable amount of weight, so much so that the WWF thought it wouldn't be believable for Tenta to reprise the Earthquake gimmick with the weight loss.
On the July 28 edition of ''Raw is War'', he defeated
Marc Mero
Marc Mero (born July 9, 1960) is an American former amateur boxer and professional wrestler, as well as a motivational speaker. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) under his real name and with ...
. At
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
, The Oddities defeated
Kaientai
The was a trading and shipping company and private navy, considered to be the first corporation in modern Japan.
Kaientai, originally named Kameyama Shachū (亀山社中, "Kameyama Troupe"), was founded by Sakamoto Ryōma in Nagasaki in 1 ...
(
Taka Michinoku
(born October 26, 1973), better known by his ring name (with his first name usually stylized in all capital letters), is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. Michinoku is known in North America for his work for t ...
,
Dick Togo
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler. Togo is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of the Bullet Club stable, and its sub-group House of Torture.
Togo has spent the majority of ...
,
Mens Teioh
(born December 16, 1966) is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Men's Teioh (also written MEN's Teioh). The English translation of his ring name, Terry Boy, is a homage to American professional wrestler Terry Funk.
...
and
Sho Funaki
(born August 24, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler and color commentator signed to WWE, where he is a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Hardcore Champion. He currently works for WWE as a Japanese-language play-by-play co ...
) in a Handicap match. On the September 5 edition of ''Raw Saturday Night'' Raw, The Oddities defeated the
L.O.D and
Droz Droz is a surname:
* Joseph Droz (1773–1850), a French writer on ethics, political science and political economy
* Numa Droz (27 January 1844 – 15 December 1899), a Swiss politician
* Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721–1790), a Swiss-born watchmaker o ...
in a six-man tag team match. On the September 12 edition of ''Raw Saturday Night'', The Oddities faced
The Disciples of Apocalypse which ended in a No Contest when the top ring rope fell off. On the October 4 edition of ''
Heat
In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is ...
'', The Oddities defeated
The Headbangers
The Headbangers are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Mosh (Charles Warrington) and Thrasher (Glenn Ruth). As the name of the team implies, their gimmick is that they are a pair of metalheads, complete with heavy metal related T-sh ...
. On the October 17 edition of ''
Shotgun Saturday Night
''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night'' is a professional wrestling television program that was produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It aired from January 4, 1997 through August 21, 1999 as a syndicated broadcast. ''Shotgun Saturday Night'' ...
'', Golga and
Kurrgan
Robert Maillet (born October 26, 1969) is a Canadian actor and retired professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is known for his time in the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1997 to 1999, where he performed under the ring name ...
defeated
Too Much. On the October 18 edition of ''Heat'', The Oddities defeated
Los Boricuas
Los Boricuas were a professional wrestling stable that originated in the World Wrestling Federation in the late 1990s. The name was derived from a popular nickname for Puerto Rican people, since all the stable's members were from Puerto Rico. Diff ...
(
Jose Estrada,
Miguel Pérez, Jr. and
Jesus Castillo). On the October 25 edition of ''Heat'', Golga lost to
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett (born July 14, 1967) is an American professional wrestler and promoter. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he also serves as Director of Business Development.
Beginning his career in his father ...
. On the October 26 edition of ''Raw is War'', The Oddities and
Insane Clown Posse lost to Kaientai in an 8-man tag team match by DQ when ICP shoved the referee. On November 16 edition of Raw, The Oddities lost to
D-Generation X
D-Generation X (DX) is an American professional wrestling stable, and later a tag team, who consisted of Triple H and Shawn Michaels.
The group originated in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now known as WWE) in the midst of the "Attitud ...
(
New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws were an American professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation (WWF) made up of "Road Dogg" Jesse James and "Badd Ass" Billy Gunn. The duo became popular in the late 1990s as members of the second incarnation ...
and
X-Pac
Sean Michael Waltman (born July 13, 1972) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE under a legends contract. He is best known for his appearances for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) under the ring names 1–2– ...
). On the November 23 edition of ''Raw is War'', The Oddities were defeated by The Headbangers when the Insane Clown Posse turned on them. At
Rock Bottom: In Your House, which took place in Tenta's hometown of
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
. The Oddities (Golga and Kurrgan) lost to The Headbangers.
On the January 10, 1999 edition of ''Heat'' The Oddities (Golga and Kurrgan) got their revenge and defeated The Headbangers. Throughout the rest of January and February, The Oddities would lose to Too Much and
The Disciples of Apocalypse on ''Heat'' and ''Shotgun Saturday Night''. At the
1999 Royal Rumble, Golga competed in the
Royal Rumble match
The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic Battle Royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the ...
entering at number 3 and quickly eliminated by
Steve Austin
Steve Austin (born Steven James Anderson; December 18, 1964), better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American media personality, actor, and retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most ...
. The last appearance of The Oddities was on the February 28, 1999 edition of ''Heat'' after the
Ministry of Darkness
The Ministry of Darkness was a villainous professional wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1999. Led by The Undertaker, the Ministry was a controversial group with pseudo-witchcraft-themed storylines that included rituals ...
beat them down when Kurrgan lost to
The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by the ring name The Undertaker, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Calaway spent the vast majorit ...
, with all Oddities members being released.
Tenta did, however, return to the WWF with the Earthquake gimmick for a pair of appearances in 2001. In April he competed in the 20 Man Gimmick Battle Royal match at
WrestleMania X-Seven
WrestleMania 17 (stylized as WrestleMania X-Seven) was the 17th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It took place on April 1, 2001, at the Reliant Astro ...
eliminated by
Kamala
Kamala refers to:
People
* Kamala (name), given name and surname, includes list of people and characters with the name
** Kamala Harris, the 49th and current Vice President of the United States
* Kamala (wrestler) (1950–2020), American profess ...
and won by
The Iron Sheik
Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri ( fa, حسین خسرو علی وزیری, romanized: Hossein Xosrô 'Ali Vaziri; born March 15, 1942), better known by his ring name the Iron Sheik, is an Iranian retired professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and ...
, while in December he defeated Tank Meloche in a
dark match
Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals and circuses. In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence o ...
prior to a taping of
''SmackDown''!.
Later career (1999-2003)
After leaving WWF, Tenta wrestled on the
independent circuit, also working in England and Canada.
He returned to
All Japan Pro Wrestling
(AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba ...
(AJPW) in November 2002 where he finished up his career in July 2003, being a part of the company's
Pro Wrestling Love era. At this time, Tenta (dressed in his Earthquake singlet) became a top gaijin during the transition period of owner Mrs. Baba selling the company to
Keiji Muto
is a Japanese professional wrestler and professional wrestling executive currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), where he is a former GHC Heavyweight Champion. He is best known for his work as in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and N ...
. Tenta rose up the card after
"Dr. Death" Steve Williams left the company in January 2003, also the month Mrs. Baba permanently left and the new ownership fully in effect. Throughout 2003, Tenta had storyline feuds and matches against
Keiji Muto
is a Japanese professional wrestler and professional wrestling executive currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), where he is a former GHC Heavyweight Champion. He is best known for his work as in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and N ...
and
Mike Awesome
Michael Lee Alfonso (January 24, 1965 – February 17, 2007) was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with the American professional wrestling promotions Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestl ...
, and Tenta would frequently team with
Gigantes (Jerry Tuite), who went to All Japan after his
independent circuit run as Malice ended. Tenta would also wrestle in hardcore matches during his second run in AJPW.
Illness and death
Tenta retired from wrestling in 2004 after it was revealed that he had developed
bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of cancer arising from the tissues of the urinary bladder. Symptoms include blood in the urine, pain with urination, and low back pain. It is caused when epithelial cells that line the bladder become ma ...
and was given a 20% chance to live, assuming he continued with his chemotherapy treatments. During his November 18, 2005 interview on
WrestleCrap Radio, Tenta announced that a recent radiation dosage did not go as planned, and had no effect on the tumor. He also announced that multiple tumors had spread to his lungs. On June 7, 2006, Tenta died of bladder cancer at the age of 42. The first public notice of his death was posted on WWE.com on the same day. On the June 9, 2006, edition of ''SmackDown'', and the June 12, 2006, edition of ''Raw'', WWE showed a bumper that read "RIP 'Earthquake' John Tenta" before each show began.
Other media
John Tenta's professional wrestling career garnered him appearances in several
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s. In 1991, Tenta as Earthquake was portrayed as a feature character in
Technos' popular arcade
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
''
WWF WrestleFest
is a professional wrestling video game developed and released by Technōs Japan for arcades in 1991, featuring stars of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The game was distributed by Technōs in Japan and North America, and by Tecmo in Japa ...
''. He was also included in the 1992 home video game ''
WWF Super WrestleMania
''WWF Super WrestleMania'' is a multiplatform wrestling video game based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), released in 1992 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Mega Drive/Genesis.
Two other 16-bit WWF games, ''WWF Royal Rum ...
'' by
LJN
LJN Toys Ltd. was an American toy company and video game publisher based in New York City. Founded in 1970 by Jack Friedman, the company was acquired by MCA Inc. in 1985, sold to Acclaim Entertainment in 1990, and dissolved in 1994. The toy d ...
for the
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (he wasn't in the
Sega Genesis version). In 2004, the Japanese video game developer Spike released ''King of Colosseum II'', a
puroresu
is the predominant style of professional wrestling that has developed in Japan. The term comes from the Japanese pronunciation of , which is shortened to puroresu. The term became popular among English-speaking fans due to Hisaharu Tanabe's ac ...
-wrestling game for
PlayStation 2 that featured Tenta as a playable character; it was a Japan-only release. On April 14, 2009, Tenta was announced as downloadable content for ''
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009
''WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009'' (sometimes subtitled with ''featuring ECW'') is a professional wrestling video game Video game developer, developed by Yuke's and video game publisher, published by THQ for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStat ...
'' which was released April 16, 2009. On February 23, 2016, he along with Typhoon appeared as downloadable content for ''
WWE 2K16
''WWE 2K16'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. It is the sequel to ''WWE 2K15'', and was succeeded by ''WWE 2K17''. ...
''. He also appeared in ''
WWE 2K17
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...
'' as well as ''
WWE 2K18
''WWE 2K18'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports. It is the nineteenth installment in the WWE game series (fifth under the ''WWE 2K'' banner) and a follow-up to '' WWE 2K17''. It was released wor ...
'' along with Typhoon.
Championships and accomplishments
*
All Japan Pro Wrestling
(AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba ...
** January 2 Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal (1988)
** World's Strongest Tag Determination League Fine Play Award (1988) – with
Shunji Takano
*
All Star Wrestling
All Star Wrestling (ASW) is a British professional wrestling promotion operated by Brian Dixon and based in Birkenhead, England. Founded as Wrestling Enterprises of Birkenhead in October 1970, it has also been known over the years as All Star P ...
**
UWA Heavyweight Championship ''(Vancouver version)'' (
2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
)
*
NWA: All-Star Wrestling
**
NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship ''(Vancouver version)'' (
1 time)
*
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...
**
PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year
This is a list of both active and inactive ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' awards which are voted on by ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') readers every year from 1972 onwards, expanding to more categories in later years.
Unlike other wrestling ...
(1990)
** PWI ranked him No. 40 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the
PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...
in 1992
*
Super World of Sports
Super World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "Straight and Strong".
History Formation
In April 1990, Genichiro Tenryu, one of the top stars of All Japan Pro Wr ...
**
SWS Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with
Typhoon
A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...
*
Tokyo Sports
is a Japanese daily sports newspaper founded in 1960.
See also
* Tokyo Sports Film Award
* Tokyo Sports Puroresu Awards
The are Japanese professional wrestling, or ''puroresu'', awards that have been handed out by the ''Tokyo Sports'' ma ...
**
Rookie of the Year (1987)
*
World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and var ...
**
WWF Tag Team Championship
The World Tag Team Championship was the original professional wrestling world tag team championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) promotion, and the promotion's third tag team championship overall. Originally established by the then- ...
(
1 time) – with
Typhoon
A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...
*
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
This is a list of both active and inactive ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' awards created by professional wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA) journalist Dave Meltzer. The first fourteen awards were created in 1980 as an informal poll between ...
**
Worst Tag Team (1998)
**
Worst Gimmick (1998)
**
Worst Feud of the Year (1996)
See also
*
List of non-Japanese sumo wrestlers
This is a list of foreign-born professional sumo wrestlers by country and/or ethnicity of origin, along with original name, years active in sumo wrestling, and highest rank attained. Names in bold indicate a still-active wrestler.
There are 186 w ...
*
List of premature professional wrestling deaths
According to a 2014 study by Eastern Michigan University examining professional wrestlers who were active between 1985 and 2011, mortality rates for professional wrestlers are up to 2.9 times greater than the rate for men in the wider United State ...
Notes
External links
WWE Alumni profile of EarthquakeAP Report of his deathWrestlecrap.com's John Tenta tribute pageHarold Keller
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tenta, John
1963 births
2006 deaths
20th-century professional wrestlers
21st-century professional wrestlers
Canadian male professional wrestlers
Canadian sumo wrestlers
Deaths from cancer in Florida
Deaths from bladder cancer
Expatriate professional wrestlers in Japan
LSU Tigers football players
LSU Tigers wrestlers
Masked wrestlers
Professional wrestlers from British Columbia
Sportspeople from Surrey, British Columbia