2 Years Today - Remembering John "Earthquake" Tenta

Today marks the 2 year anniversary since the passing of John "Earthquake Tenta who passed away after his battle with bladder cancer.

Tenta's career began as a sumo wrestler leaving his home in British Columbia to work in Japan. He made the transition to pro wrestling training under Puroseru legend Giant Baba. Tenta spent a year and Japan before moving to the US where he signed with the World Wrestling Federation. He was originally called Earthquake Evans managed by the Doctor of Style Slick. After some tweaking he made his television debut as the Canadian Earthquake now managed by Jimmy Hart.

By mid-1990, Earthquake was pushed into the main event spotlight when he feuded with Hulk Hogan, Earthquake became the WWF's number 1 villain after attacking Hogan on the Brother Love Show segment putting him out of action for months. Earthquake wrestled Hogan as one half of the main event at SummerSlam '90.

In 1991, Earthquake moved into tag team wrestler, teaming with his former foe Typhoon becoming the Natural Disasters. In 1992, the Natural Disasters became fan favourites after dumping manager Jimmy Hart. The Natural Disasters defeated Jimmy Hart's new charges Ted Dibiase & Irwin R Schyster to win the WWF Tag Team Titles. At SummerSlam '92 the Natural Disasters defeated the Beverly Brothers to retain the WWF Tag Team Titles in front of a crowd over 80,000 fans at London's Wembley Stadium.

Tenta left the WWF in 1993 after the Royal Rumble to wrestle in Japan. He returned in early 1994, defeating Adam Bomb in a matter of seconds at WrestleMania X.

Earthquake left the WWF again jumping to WCW where he was renamed Avalanche. He feuded with Sting, the name Avalanche was shortly dropped after the WWF threatened to take legal action over the similarities over the name Avanlanche to Earthquake.

In 1998, Tenta returned to the WWF wrestling as the masked Golga, a member of the villainous turned fan favourites stable Oddities. Tenta made his last WWF appearance reprising his role as Earthquake for the Gimmick Battle Royal at WrestleMania X7.

In 2004, John Tenta retired from pro wrestling after he revealed that he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Tenta made the announcement on WrestleCrap forum. The internet wrestling community including Tenta's close friends in the wrestling industry rallied around John during throughout his treatment. On November 18, 2005, Tenta had announced on WrestleCrap Radio that his recent radiation dosage did not go as planned, and that it did not affect the tumor. He also announced that multiple tumors had spread to his lungs. Bret Hart honoured Tenta by telling the audience a funny story about his friend during Bret's Hall of Fame induction speech.

On June 7, 2006, John Tenta passed away 12:30pm.


RIP John "Earthquake" Tenta June 22, 1963 - June 7, 2006

He never did much for me, but I'll never his WWF debut, coming from the crowd and squashing the Ultimate Warrior.

Cancer is something that effects nearly everyone in some way. It's a very sad and fatal illness. I'll take a piss today, in memory of John Tenta, and just to piss off bladder cancer.