It's very rude to make fun of other people's interests. Love and tolerate bro.
I'm being lectured on social etiquette by someone who sports a playfully racist interpretation of Neil deGrasse Tyson. I didn't make fun of your interests, I was noting how someone who seems to wear the term "weird" like a badge of honor was making what seemed like a serious attempt to criticize the status of this thread as being abnormal. If your interest is in failing to stay on track even though your mind practically runs on one rail, then I apologize for exploiting that in a way that doesn't involve a compelling interest.
So as to not rustle your butt jimmies further, yeah I can speak on John Tenta.
Oh, please lay off my butt jimmies. This website is always "butt jimmies" this and "butt jimmies" that. It's a fucking butt jimmies palooza over here. FINALLY!! Someone with the decency to just lay off my butt jimmies and give them a much deserved rest. THANK GOD!
Its unfortunate he died so soon because he has an accomplished sumo wrestler and for a short time an unstoppable monster heel. He was then fed to Hogan. He is exactly the type of guy that Cena would beat today. Remember the Mark Henry fake retirement and subsequent feud? Probably go a lot like that.
I'm getting a serious statement out of you?! If there was ever a need for a "HOLY SHIT!" chant, this beats crashing through three flaming tables in a heartbeat. Of all the people on this website, the internet incarnate of Rainbow Yaz is ignoring the lure of "You're a stupid head!" insults and is making headway into the frightening world of serious debate. I'm not saying any of this with an ounce of sarcasm or ridicule, your effort alone is universally commendable. I'm glowing right now because someone on this website intends to prove me wrong with actual conclusive thought, even if I lose this debate I'm happy.
I beg to differ on the notion that Earthquake was "fed" to Hogan. Indeed, both men gave each other the rub. History, and our nostalgic warping of that history, will recognize that a monster called Earthquake challenged Hogan and failed to end Hulkamania like so many other villains before him. How did he fail at doing that? He was counted out in his match with Hogan unlike Bundy, Slaughter or Kevin Sullivan who all lost more decisively. The only person I'd put on par with Earthquake in terms of his ability to survive a Hogan onslaught would be Roddy Piper. I realize that it's silly to argue semantics, either way I admit that it would have been silly for Earthquake to ever pin someone of Hogan's caliber.
Here's the thing about John Cena. He's not someone of Hogan's caliber either, maybe he'll be that someday but the dude has had to take a backseat to other stars because his program was getting redundant in a negative way. Hogan did the job for Warrior because he respected him and because he was going to get the belt back anyway; while it can be argued that Hogan's style was no less redundant (or possibly more-so) than John Cena, Hogan never lost the crowd to the degree that John Cena has.
Who were the fans cheering for when John Cena took on Luke Harper last RAW? Do you think it would be a stretch to imagine that the fans would pop huge if Earthquake stomped to the ring to challenge John Cena? I realize that I'm not trying to convince them, I'm trying to convince the forum of this website.
It would probably go like the Mark Henry fake retirement? Wow, you're so abrasive toward WWE creative and yet before you were calling me rude for supposedly joshing in regard to your interests. I'm not going to bore you with my ideas for what would work for Earthquake in a feud with John Cena, I imagine you're bored enough at this point. It would be the return of an under-appreciated star and the pop would be that of when Diesel was a surprise Rumble entrant, the fans were booing Rey Mysterio when that happened.
If you were in that crowd, you'd pop for every one of his spots against Cena as well. Needless to say, Earthquake is the underdog in this fight. In the fairy tale world that pro-wrestling continuity is dictated by, the underdog has a better chance of pulling off a victory.
And let's not pretend he was above criticism. He once cooked Jake Robert's dead snake and fed it to Vince and Heenan, and ended his career as a member of the Oddities.
You know what? No joke, it broke my heart when he supposedly killed Damien. I absolutely HATED him for that, and that's what you do to build interest for your match. I'm not going to negatively criticize him for being a great heel in an age where that kind of program was relevant. Earthquake would go into the match as the class act that he is, so even though the crowd would pop for him he would go out of his way to make Cena look like the good guy. If history has anything to show for it, he'll do a damn good playing a heel that warrants an emotional reaction.
Yes, he was a member of the Oddities. Performers are often relegated to lower roles if they return after selling tickets for a competitor. He wasn't on the main card, he was lucky if he made the mid-card. Was that because Earthquake was less of a performer? Absolutely not, that was because the WWE felt that they already had a good enough mix of faces and heels to keep the crowd coming back. He was part of a foolish endeavor to market the ICP, but he was willing to become whatever gimmick they needed him to be if only to entertain the fans. People loved him as Earthquake, and people loved him as Golga.
I don't even like Cena, but Tenta is a mere ripple in the wrestling world.
I try not to mention people if only to recognize that I just don't like them without providing an explanation, it helps the topic of John Tenta remain in focus.
Let's try something. From now on, how about we don't recognize our tiny bubbles of perspective in regard to the wrestling world as the actual wrestling world. If you watched wrestling when I watched wrestling, and if you were exposed to as much of it as I was, then maybe you'd have recognized John Tenta's contributions as more than just a mere ripple.
The man has proven that he can draw ANYWHERE he goes. Big men don't get very far if all they can do is a splash and a sloppy belly to belly suplex. John Tenta raised the bar for big men and he raised the bar for western performers of all sizes in Japan. Pro-wrestling or legitimate sport, John Tenta showed them that a quiet guy who was raised in Canada and trained in Louisiana can stomp the best of them into a state of discipline.
John Tenta passing was unfortunate, I met him when he had cancer the first time and there wasn't one day that he let depression compromise his mood. He confirmed what everyone else had told me, that John Tenta was a great person and an absolute joy for anyone to share an experience with. For that matter, it should be mentioned that he didn't actually kill a living thing on tv.
Why do I think he can beat Cena?
John Tenta did something that Cena can never do, and that every wise entertainer dreams of being able to do. He left the crowd wanting more, he left the ring when we weren't done being entertained by him. He'll be remembered for great moments, because every moment involving him was a great moment.
John Cena has been the same guy, doing the same thing for the last ten years. Fans aren't just hungry to see him lose, they're hungry to see him get destroyed. If John Cena retires today, he won't leave a sense of longing in anyone, not even his fans.
