John 'Earthquake' Tenta.
http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/142/tenta6pn.jpg
Sometimes is hard for me these days to call some of the recent wrestlers that passed role models or heroes outside of wrestling. I mean, it's sad when you think that a lot of these guys passed away due to drug use, suicide, etc...That's really not the path I hope to go down in life. Outside of the wrestling ring, one guy in particular stands out to me as a role model, not just for wrestling fans, but for human beings. He was a guy that was truly dedicated to his passion and kept fighting until he just couldn't anymore. He's John Tenta.
John actually started out in sumo and was rather good. Around 1989, he entered the WWF as the Canadian Earthquake. He would later drop the 'Canadian' to his name. It's funny becuase everytime somebody talks about "what's your earliest wrestling memory" Earthquake always pops into my head. I don't know why I always assciate him with that. I remember hating the guy from day one because at his first WWF apperence he did the Erathquake sit down on the Ultimate Warrior.
As a kid of was definately intimidated by him. He was one scary looking guy. He was huge, had a full beard, and actually gave really good promos for his day. I'll always remember the way he never stopped moving in his interviews. He would sway back and forth and speak and scream into the camera. It's funny watching him today because you know how gentle and nice John really was.
The WWF alligned him with Jimmy Hart and Dino Bravo and I thought it was a cool trio. I enjoy watching thier segments today as Dino would get the win and Quake would come in and do his finisher. And then he do it again. They got some heat from the crowds. I was a big fan of the Side Suplex Bravo used to finish guys off with.
Earthquake's most famous run came in the summer of 1990. They put him in a feud with Hulk Hogan. They did a segment on the Brother Love Show where Quake flattened Hogan and then stood over Hogan doing Hogan's pose. That's probably my favorite Brother Love Segment of all-time. He also destroyed Hogan's buddy Typhoon a little later. John definately deserved that top heel spot and the feud was entertaining.
After that run died down, he followed up with another infamous feud with Jake Roberts. OK, I remember 5 times as a kid watching wrestling when I just stood shocked from a certain incident that just aired. One was the Barbershop with the Rpckers, one was Jake's snake biting Savage, one was Taker locking Warrior in a casket, one was HBK collapsing, and the other was Earthquake 'killing' Damieon. I couldn't believe he actually did that. And Jake's selling of it was phenomenal. They really fucked with the young kids out there on that one.
Earthquake eventually teamed with his buddy Typhoon and they called themselves the Natural Disasters. Great team and worked perfectly together. The two just fit very well together. Eventually Earthquake and Typhoon turned face after Hart backstabbed them. They did win the Tag Titles as babyfaces however. A much deserved title for John.
To be honest, I thought John was a much better heel then babyface. He just had that heel persona about him by just looking at him.
For the rest of his career, John would be nothing more then a mid card wrestler being fed to top guys. He went to WCW and became Avalanche/Shark and feuded with Sting, Savage, Hogan as a heel. He was a member of the notorious Dungeon of Doom, who night after night jobbed to Hogan and co. It was kind of sad really, although I got to admit I enjoyed WCW at that time. I've always been a fan of stables and gang wars and well, that's what WCW was at the time. It was cheesy, but I liked it.
John later returned to the WWF as a member of the Oddities after WCW and actually got over as Golga. The fans ate that whole Oddity gimmick up, but it was short lived. He would later appear at Wrestlemania 17, but this would end up being his last national apparence I believe.
When I found out John had cancer, I just assumed he would beat it. I really didn't think twice about it. And it seemed like everything was going ok with the treatment for a while. I'm glad he got to write the foward of Wrestlecrap, the book. I was shocked when it was announced the cancer had spread everywhere. And then he was gone just like that. A Giant of a man defeated by that disease. It was tragic, it was sad, and it frustrating to see him go out like that.
Like I said in in the opening paragrpah, Earthquake was a fighter and someone who was dedicated to what he did. Not matter the role given to him, he went out there and did his job. He didn't bitch or complain, he just did it. I never once read or heard of him bitching about his cancer and he had every right to. The guy was a true role model and will be missed.
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