John Tenta and Fred Ottman were massive human beings. That’s the first thing you notice if you go back and watch old tapes from the early 90s. They didn’t just occupy space; they dominated it. When they teamed up as the WWF Earthquake and Typhoon duo, better known as the Natural Disasters, they brought a literal weight to the tag team division that the company hasn't really seen since. We're talking about roughly 850 pounds of raw, unadulterated bulk moving toward a ring that looked like it might actually collapse under the pressure.
It’s weird how people remember that era. Some folks think of it as purely cartoonish. Others see it as the peak of the "Big Man" era in professional wrestling. Honestly, it was a bit of both.
How the Natural Disasters Actually Started
You can't talk about the team without looking at the individual paths that brought them together. Earthquake was already a terrifying force by 1991. He had "broken" Hulk Hogan's ribs on The Brother Love Show—a moment that legitimately traumatized a generation of kids—and he was the premier monster heel. Then came Tugboat.
Fred Ottman was playing Tugboat, a goofy, babyface sailor who was supposedly Hulk Hogan’s best friend. It was... fine? But it wasn't going anywhere. The turn happened on a broadcast of WWF Superstars during a six-man tag match. Tugboat just snapped. He attacked Hogan and the Bushwhackers, joining forces with Earthquake and their manager, Jimmy Hart.
Suddenly, the "Tugboat" name was scrapped. He became Typhoon. The Natural Disasters were born. It wasn't some slow-burn storyline with layers of psychological depth; it was a simple, brutal "might makes right" scenario that worked because of the sheer physical visual of these two guys standing side-by-side.
Dominating the Golden Era Tag Division
The tag team division in the early 90s was crowded. You had the Legion of Doom (Road Warriors), the Nasty Boys, the Rockers, and Money Inc. Standing out was hard. But WWF Earthquake and Typhoon didn't have to do much to stand out—they just had to exist.
Most teams back then relied on high-flying moves or technical wizardry. The Disasters? They used "the squash." Literally. Earthquake’s finishing move, the Earthquake Splash, involved him jumping up and down to simulate tremors before landing his entire 460-pound frame on an opponent’s chest. Typhoon would usually soften them up with a tidal wave splash in the corner.
It’s easy to mock the simplicity now, but in 1992, the crowd reaction was deafening. They were heels at first, and they were hated. They represented an immovable object that even the strongest heroes couldn't budge.
💡 You might also like: Ebonie Smith Movies and TV Shows: The Child Star Who Actually Made It Out Okay
The Face Turn and the Tag Team Titles
One of the most interesting pivots in their career happened in early 1992. Jimmy Hart, their manager, basically traded them out. He started focusing more on Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and IRS), which led to the Natural Disasters feeling disrespected.
They turned babyface.
It was a strange transition. Seeing two men that large being the "good guys" felt different than seeing a guy like Hogan or Ultimate Warrior. They weren't flashy. They were just blue-collar giants who felt they’d been wronged. This led to their big moment at a house show in Worcester, Massachusetts, on July 20, 1992, where they finally defeated Money Inc. to win the WWF Tag Team Championship.
They held those belts for about three months.
Their reign ended back in the hands of Money Inc. later that October, thanks to some outside interference from the Beverly Brothers. Looking back, their title run felt a bit short, but it served its purpose. It validated them as a top-tier act rather than just a sideshow "fat guy" tag team.
Why the Chemistry Actually Worked
Fred Ottman (Typhoon) and John Tenta (Earthquake) were actually close friends outside the ring. That matters. You can see it in their timing. Most big men struggle with spacing, but these two moved in sync.
Tenta was a legitimate sumo wrestler in Japan before coming to the WWF. He had incredible balance for a man his size. He knew how to take a bump without hurting his opponent or himself. Ottman was the powerhouse who could throw guys around with ease.
📖 Related: Eazy-E: The Business Genius and Street Legend Most People Get Wrong
They didn't try to be something they weren't. They didn't try to do moonsaults or dropkicks. They leaned into the "disaster" theme. The gear was simple: singlets with earthquake cracks and tidal wave graphics. It was effective branding before "branding" was a corporate buzzword in wrestling.
The Decline and the "Shockmaster" Incident
By 1993, the landscape was changing. Smaller, more athletic wrestlers like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were becoming the focus. The era of the 400-pound giant was starting to wane. Earthquake left for a bit, and Typhoon's solo run didn't really catch fire.
When they eventually left the WWF, things got... weird.
Fred Ottman went to WCW and became the infamous Shockmaster. If you’ve seen the clip of him falling through a wall and his glittery Stormtrooper helmet falling off, you know exactly why that killed his momentum instantly. It’s widely considered the biggest blunder in wrestling history.
John Tenta also went to WCW as "The Shark" and later "Avalanche," but it never quite captured the magic of the WWF Earthquake and Typhoon era. The WWF tried to bring Tenta back later as "Golga," wearing a mask and carrying a South Park Eric Cartman doll. It was a far cry from the monster who almost ended Hulkamania.
The Legacy of the Natural Disasters
We shouldn't judge these guys by the goofy gimmicks they took on toward the end of their careers. Instead, look at what they did for the tag team division. They proved that a "Monster vs. Monster" or "Monster vs. Everyone" dynamic could sustain a long-term storyline.
Tragically, John Tenta passed away in 2006 after a battle with bladder cancer. He was only 43. The wrestling community mourned him deeply because, despite his terrifying on-screen persona, he was known as one of the kindest, most professional guys in the locker room. Fred Ottman is still around, often appearing at conventions to sign autographs and laugh about the Shockmaster incident with fans.
👉 See also: Drunk on You Lyrics: What Luke Bryan Fans Still Get Wrong
What Most People Get Wrong
People often lump the Natural Disasters in with other "gimmick" teams of the early 90s, like the Goon or the Red Rooster. That’s a mistake.
Earthquake and Typhoon were main-event caliber talents. They weren't just a joke. They were a legitimate threat. When they were in the ring, you believed the person on the other side was in actual physical danger. That’s a rare quality in modern wrestling where everything feels so choreographed.
They also represented the last gasp of the truly massive tag team. Today, tag teams are usually about speed and technical combinations. You rarely see two guys who combined weigh nearly half a ton working as a cohesive unit.
Actionable Insights for Wrestling History Fans
If you want to truly appreciate what WWF Earthquake and Typhoon brought to the table, don't just watch the highlight reels. Go to the Peacock/WWE Network and look for these specific matches:
- The Natural Disasters vs. Money Inc. (July 1992): This is their peak. The crowd pop when they win the titles is genuine and massive.
- Earthquake vs. Hulk Hogan (SummerSlam 1990): Even though it's a singles match, it sets the stage for the "Earthquake" mythos that later fueled the tag team.
- The 1991 Survivor Series: Watch how they interact with the other teams. Their presence completely changes the pacing of the match.
The Natural Disasters weren't just a gimmick; they were a force of nature. In an industry that often favors style over substance, Tenta and Ottman brought a literal substance that forced everyone to pay attention. They were the bridge between the old-school territory giants and the modern era of sports entertainment.
When you look back at the history of the WWF, don't just look at the guys on the posters. Look at the guys who made the ring shake. That was the Earthquake and Typhoon legacy. It wasn't always pretty, and it certainly wasn't quiet, but it was impossible to ignore. They left a footprint on the business that was as large as the men themselves.