John Tenta, better known by his ring name Earthquake, was a professional wrestler who competed in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the late 1980s and 1990s. He died on June 7, 2006, at the age of 42, after a battle with bladder cancer.
Contents
A Former Sumo Wrestler Turned Pro Wrestler
Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on June 22, 1963. He was a talented athlete who excelled in various sports, including rugby, football, and amateur wrestling. He attended Louisiana State University on a wrestling scholarship, but dropped out to pursue a career in sumo wrestling in Japan.
He adopted the name Kototenzan and became the first foreign-born wrestler to win the top division championship in his debut tournament. However, he left sumo after a year due to disagreements with his stablemaster and the strict lifestyle.
He then trained to become a professional wrestler under the legendary Giant Baba in Japan. He made his debut in 1987 and soon caught the attention of the WWF.
A Dominant Force in the WWF and WCW
Tenta joined the WWF in 1989 and was given the gimmick of Earthquake, a monstrous heel who would crush his opponents with his signature move, the Earthquake Splash. He feuded with some of the biggest names in the company, such as Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts, and The Ultimate Warrior. He also formed a tag team with Typhoon, known as The Natural Disasters, and won the WWF Tag Team Championship in 1992.
He left the WWF in 1994 and joined WCW, where he was renamed Avalanche and later The Shark. He was part of the Dungeon of Doom, a faction that opposed Hulk Hogan and his allies. He also briefly wrestled as Golga, a member of the oddball stable The Oddities, in the WWF in 1998.
He retired from wrestling in 2004, after working for various independent promotions. He also appeared in several video games, movies, and TV shows.
A Courageous Fight Against Cancer
Tenta was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2004, after noticing blood in his urine. He underwent surgery to remove his bladder and prostate, and underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy. He also lost his trademark long hair due to the treatment.
He announced his condition on a wrestling website and received an outpouring of support from fans and fellow wrestlers. He also documented his progress and shared his optimism on his personal website.
However, his cancer returned in 2006 and spread to his lungs and other organs. He died on June 7, 2006, in his home in Sanford, Florida. He was survived by his wife and three children.
According to Wikipedia, according to WWE, according to Sportskeeda, according to The Globe and Mail.
