Question for the wrestling guys

51bigA

I have a buddy who collects athletes with a connection to Louisiana State University. It recently came to my attention that John Tenta, better known as early 90s WWF star "Earthquake", was a scholarship wrestler and football walk-on there. I'm wondering if anyone could point out a rookie or other key card I could be on the lookout for as a surprise for him? It'd be a great bit of variety for whats really turning into an interesting collection.

Dpeck100

Market Scene


This card is super tough to find. It is a variation. The other card that comes from the set that is #2 is Zues.


If you could find one for $10 or less it is a reasonable buy.


I personally don't own one.

MikeLeamer

I am by no means any kind of expert on wrestling cards, but I've amassed a pretty beefy hoard of random stuff over the years that I've begun combing through for grade-worthy cardboard, box by box. I recently busted a box of 1991 WWF Superstars Diamond stickers that I'd purchased in the wayback and am sending some of the better looking ones in for grading. Not sure if this is a rare card or not, but there has only been one card from that set graded thus far (a single PSA 8 #78 Hulk Hogan). I found an Earthquake card worth grading. I'm not sure if this is a rookie card, but I might have another in raw form.

51bigA

Great cards. Thanks for the info!

DanBessette

Look at that fat slob lol. I don't follow wrestling, but aren't most of them in better shape than that?

Dpeck100

<< <i>Look at that fat slob lol. I don't follow wrestling, but aren't most of them in better shape than that? >>



It has been very common during the history of professional wrestling to have very overweight guys perform. That said in today's wrestling you rarely see someone with a physique like Earthquake.


Top 10


Check out this list. The McGuire Twins story is amazing.

Dpeck100

<< <i>Great cards. Thanks for the info! >>




Tenta got his start in Japan as a sumo wrestler. There might be some early Japanesse cards of him as well.


John Tenta

Dpeck100

Earthquake 1991 Classic #138


This is probably a good bet.

DanBessette

<< <i>

<< <i>Look at that fat slob lol. I don't follow wrestling, but aren't most of them in better shape than that? >>



It has been very common during the history of professional wrestling to have very overweight guys perform. That said in today's wrestling you rarely see someone with a physique like Earthquake. >>



That's what I thought. As an outsider I think of the Rock, Lesnar and Stone Cold, Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior before that.

PMKAY

<< <i>

<< <i>Look at that fat slob lol. I don't follow wrestling, but aren't most of them in better shape than that? >>



It has been very common during the history of professional wrestling to have very overweight guys perform. That said in today's wrestling you rarely see someone with a physique like Earthquake.


Top 10


Check out this list. The McGuire Twins story is amazing. >>




I always enjoyed watching the fat wrestlers. Jerry Blackwell's AWA days were some of the first wrestling I watched. Example here

SumoMenkoMan

<< <i>

<< <i>Great cards. Thanks for the info! >>




Tenta got his start in Japan as a sumo wrestler. There might be some early Japanesse cards of him as well.


John Tenta >>



Unfortunately he was too low ranking and gave up sumo too soon to make it on to any card. Had he stuck it out e likely would have been in the 1997 BBM set barring any injuries.

thehallmark

<< <i>Look at that fat slob lol. I don't follow wrestling, but aren't most of them in better shape than that? >>



Lots of fatties in wrestling of course. Some could barely move.

However Mr. Tenta, by all accounts, was actually VERY athletic. Apparently he was the type of giant guy who actually had the musculature to run and jump, dunk basketballs, etc. Early in his run as Earthquake he was all over the ring, jumping off ropes, etc.

51bigA

Via his wiki page I learned that while at LSU he got a large tiger head tattooed on his arm. In Japan, tattoos are associated with gangsters and are especially frowned upon in the sumo world. As a result he was forced to cover it up while competing. If he would have ascended the ranks, a coverup wouldn't have been enough. He would have had to get the tattoo removed via skin graft!

Dpeck100

Debut


This was pretty wild when it happened.

Gemyanks10

myurl


Does anyone know who played this masked man who attacked Earthquake? He only made a couple appearances on Superstars/Wrestling Challenge and then was never seen again...any ideas? It seems the angle was dropped quickly.

Dpeck100

<< <i>myurl


Does anyone know who played this masked man who attacked Earthquake? He only made a couple appearances on Superstars/Wrestling Challenge and then was never seen again...any ideas? It seems the angle was dropped quickly.


>>

Mystery Man



Just did a Google search and found this.

Gemyanks10

Wow Thanks Dpeck, I see it now. Before chasing Jimmy Hart out of the ring, you can see Beefcake "gasping" lol. It must have been too soon after his parasailing accident to let him back full-time since they saddled him with an interview segment shortly after. I can also remember him doing the "double chop to the neck" a lot as Brutus Beefcake.


Jimmy

SumoMenkoMan

Tenta leaving sumo was a big deal at the time. He had a lot of potential and he quit fairly early which made quite a few people upset and gave a bad impression of foreigner's work ethic. Reading his side of the story sumo was really hard on his body and he realized he would suffer some long-term effects if he stuck around.

Dpeck100

Earthquake


I have dealt with this person before. The price is ridiculous but maybe you can send them a message and see if they will lower the price.

The Market Scene cards came from New Zealand and are rare to begin with and this is one of the three variation cards in the third series set so even tougher.