Fred Ottman
Encyclopedia
Fred Ottman is a retired American
professional wrestler
best known as Tugboat or Typhoon and teaming with John "Earthquake" Tenta
as The Natural Disasters
in the World Wrestling Federation
. Ottman is also well-known for his infamous "Shockmaster" gimmick in World Championship Wrestling
. In WWF, he is a one-time Tag Team Champion.
as a fan favorite
under the ring name
Tugboat Thomas, defeating Iron Mike Sharpe. His ring name was later changed to just "Tugboat". His costume consisted of a red striped shirt, white pants, and a sailor's hat. Part of his gimmick included raising his fist into the air and then pulling it down (similar to the way one would signal a trucker) and make a "Toot-toot" noise, like a foghorn on a ship. Tugboat aided Hulk Hogan
in his feud with Earthquake
and "Canada's Strongest Man" Dino Bravo
. This coincided with a substantial push that saw Tugboat emerging victorious on television against numerous opponents.
turn when he fought Hulk Hogan in a battle royal on the final NBC
Saturday Night's Main Event. Shortly afterwards he completed his villainous turn, changing his character's name to Typhoon and aligning himself with Earthquake as The Natural Disasters
, managed by Jimmy Hart. The Natural Disasters turned into fan favorites in early 1992, feuding with and eventually winning the WWF Tag Team Championship from Hart's Money Inc.
("Million-Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
and Irwin R. Schyster
) in July, before losing the titles back to Money Inc. three months later. When Earthquake took a leave of absence from the WWF early in 1993, Ottman wrestled in low-profile singles matches before leaving the company that spring.
(WCW) had recently signed Ottman, and he was to make his debut in a match alongside the fan favorite
team of Sting
, Dustin Rhodes and Davey Boy Smith
. He would be their mystery partner in the upcoming eight-man tag match against the villainous
team composed of Sid Vicious
, Big Van Vader
and Harlem Heat
at Fall Brawl and was to be a replacement for Road Warrior Hawk
(who had been advertised).
On "A Flair for the Gold", (an interview segment hosted by Ric Flair
) in front of a live audience at Clash of the Champions
XXIV, Sting and Smith were confronted by Sid and Harlem Heat, demanding to know the identity of their new partner. Sting exclaimed, "All I have to say is, our partner is going to "shock" the world, because he is none other than... The Shockmaster!!" The camera zoomed in on a particular section of the set where two torches set off a small pyrotechnics explosion in front of a sheetrock
wall. Ottman was supposed to make a dramatic entrance by crashing through the wall. His new costume consisted of a Star Wars
Stormtrooper
helmet painted silver and covered in glitter, a pair of jeans, and a long black vest. Instead, Ottman tripped over a piece of lumber that was framing the set, causing his helmet to fall off and slide across the floor. As he scrambled to put the helmet back on and get to his feet, Flair audibly exclaimed "Oh, God!". Ottman slowly walked towards the wrestlers and stood menacingly in an attempt to salvage the disaster. Booker T of Harlem Heat asked "Who is this Motherfucker
?" and Smith exclaimed "He fell flat on his arse...he fell flat on his fucking arse!". Both of these comments were audible to the audience and television viewers and would later be partially censored
in future showings of the footage by the WWE. Dusty Rhodes
later revealed on an episode of WWE 24/7's Legends of Wrestling that the piece of lumber previously wasn't there during a successful practice run and it was later put there by David Crockett
without informing Ottman.
Sid Vicious and Harlem Heat were visibly struggling to contain their laughter as Ottman began his promo, which was actually voiced by Ole Anderson
. The situation only got worse as Anderson started giggling at the beginning and mistakenly called Sid 'Stid' at one stage. Despite zero crowd reaction and leaving the announcers speechless, WCW decided to continue with the feud.
World Wrestling Entertainment
, which now owns all rights to WCW and its video library, has described The Shockmaster's debut as "one of the most unintentionally funny moments in sports-entertainment history," and "a debacle many still consider one of the worst gaffes in the history of sports-entertainment." While Ottman was displeased with the turn of events, he now finds humor in the incident.
," the Shockmaster was then portrayed as a klutz until the character was eventually abandoned.
as Tugboat. He now lives in Lakeland
, Florida and works as a safety manager for Gaffin Industrial Services, a building cleaning service. He also coaches the little league team of his two sons, Berkley and Beau and daughter, Bailey. He is one of the two uncles of Cody Rhodes, the other being Jerry Sags
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
best known as Tugboat or Typhoon and teaming with John "Earthquake" Tenta
John Tenta
John Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
as The Natural Disasters
The Natural Disasters
The Natural Disasters were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Earthquake and Typhoon who competed in the World Wrestling Federation between 1991 and 1993...
in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. Ottman is also well-known for his infamous "Shockmaster" gimmick in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
. In WWF, he is a one-time Tag Team Champion.
Tugboat (1990–1991)
Ottman made his first appearance in the WWF in June 1989 in a dark match under the name Big Man Steel with Slick as his manager. He debuted on WWF television on the January 27, 1990 episode of SuperstarsWWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It debuted on September 6, 1986...
as a fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
under the ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Tugboat Thomas, defeating Iron Mike Sharpe. His ring name was later changed to just "Tugboat". His costume consisted of a red striped shirt, white pants, and a sailor's hat. Part of his gimmick included raising his fist into the air and then pulling it down (similar to the way one would signal a trucker) and make a "Toot-toot" noise, like a foghorn on a ship. Tugboat aided Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
in his feud with Earthquake
John Tenta
John Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
and "Canada's Strongest Man" Dino Bravo
Dino Bravo
Adolfo Bresciano was an Italian-born Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his work as Dino Bravo, self-proclaimed as "Canada's Strongest Man".-Territories:...
. This coincided with a substantial push that saw Tugboat emerging victorious on television against numerous opponents.
Natural Disasters (1991–1993)
In May 1991 Ottman teased a villainousHeel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
turn when he fought Hulk Hogan in a battle royal on the final NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
Saturday Night's Main Event. Shortly afterwards he completed his villainous turn, changing his character's name to Typhoon and aligning himself with Earthquake as The Natural Disasters
The Natural Disasters
The Natural Disasters were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Earthquake and Typhoon who competed in the World Wrestling Federation between 1991 and 1993...
, managed by Jimmy Hart. The Natural Disasters turned into fan favorites in early 1992, feuding with and eventually winning the WWF Tag Team Championship from Hart's Money Inc.
Money Inc.
Money Inc. was a heel professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation from February 1992 to August 1993. The team consisted of "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster . They held the WWF Tag Team Championship three times, defeating the Legion of Doom, The Natural...
("Million-Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
and Irwin R. Schyster
Mike Rotunda
Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R...
) in July, before losing the titles back to Money Inc. three months later. When Earthquake took a leave of absence from the WWF early in 1993, Ottman wrestled in low-profile singles matches before leaving the company that spring.
The Shockmaster incident (1993)
After departing from the WWF, Ottman would find himself the center of one of the most infamous moments in wrestling history. World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) had recently signed Ottman, and he was to make his debut in a match alongside the fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
team of Sting
Sting (wrestler)
Steven James "Steve" Borden , better known by his ring name Sting, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Dustin Rhodes and Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
. He would be their mystery partner in the upcoming eight-man tag match against the villainous
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
team composed of Sid Vicious
Sid Eudy
Sidney Raymond "Sid" Eudy is an American professional wrestler, best known as Sid Vicious in World Championship Wrestling, and as Sid Justice and Sycho Sid in the World Wrestling Federation...
, Big Van Vader
Leon White
Leon Allen White better known by his ring names Big Van Vader or Vader, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. White is perhaps best known for his time with New Japan Pro Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation and All Japan Pro Wrestling in the 1990s...
and Harlem Heat
Harlem Heat
Harlem Heat was a professional wrestling tag team made up of two real-life brothers, Booker and Lane Huffman. Booker Huffman took the ring name of Booker T, and Lane Huffman took the ring name of Stevie Ray...
at Fall Brawl and was to be a replacement for Road Warrior Hawk
Road Warrior Hawk
Michael James Hegstrand was an American professional wrestler. He is best remembered as Road Warrior Hawk, one half of the tag team known as the Road Warriors or The Legion of Doom , with Road Warrior Animal.-Early life:While living in Chicago, Hegstrand met Joe Lauranaitis, who would be later...
(who had been advertised).
"They put me in a Storm Trooper mask which they painted and covered in glitter, I couldn't see a thing. I got to the wall and put my hands up like a double axe handle and bust through. The top broke perfectly, but the bottom didn't give. The momentum took me through the wall and to the floor."— Ottman on The Shockmaster's debut.
On "A Flair for the Gold", (an interview segment hosted by Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
) in front of a live audience at Clash of the Champions
Clash of the Champions
The Clash of the Champions were a series of professional wrestling television specials aired by World Championship Wrestling. The specials were supercards intended to feature pay-per-view caliber matches, similar to World Wrestling Federation's Saturday Night's Main Event.The first Clash of the...
XXIV, Sting and Smith were confronted by Sid and Harlem Heat, demanding to know the identity of their new partner. Sting exclaimed, "All I have to say is, our partner is going to "shock" the world, because he is none other than... The Shockmaster!!" The camera zoomed in on a particular section of the set where two torches set off a small pyrotechnics explosion in front of a sheetrock
Drywall
Drywall, also known as plasterboard, wallboard or gypsum board is a panel made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper...
wall. Ottman was supposed to make a dramatic entrance by crashing through the wall. His new costume consisted of a Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
Stormtrooper
Imperial stormtrooper
The Imperial Stormtroopers are fictional soldiers from George Lucas' Star Wars universe. Stormtroopers are the soldiers of the imperial army under the leadership of the evil Sith Lord and Emperor Palpatine and his commanders, most notably Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin.They are shown in...
helmet painted silver and covered in glitter, a pair of jeans, and a long black vest. Instead, Ottman tripped over a piece of lumber that was framing the set, causing his helmet to fall off and slide across the floor. As he scrambled to put the helmet back on and get to his feet, Flair audibly exclaimed "Oh, God!". Ottman slowly walked towards the wrestlers and stood menacingly in an attempt to salvage the disaster. Booker T of Harlem Heat asked "Who is this Motherfucker
Motherfucker
Motherfucker is a vulgarism which, in its most literal sense, refers to one who participates in sexual intercourse with a mother, either someone else's mother, or his own.- Variants :...
?" and Smith exclaimed "He fell flat on his arse...he fell flat on his fucking arse!". Both of these comments were audible to the audience and television viewers and would later be partially censored
Bleep censor
A bleep censor is the replacement of profanity or classified information with a beep sound , in television or radio...
in future showings of the footage by the WWE. Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
later revealed on an episode of WWE 24/7's Legends of Wrestling that the piece of lumber previously wasn't there during a successful practice run and it was later put there by David Crockett
David Crockett (wrestling)
David F. Crockett is a former professional wrestling announcer and executive from Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the son of Jim Crockett and brother to Jim Crockett, Jr. He was usually paired in announcing duties with Tony Schiavone, with Crockett providing color commentary and Schiavone...
without informing Ottman.
Sid Vicious and Harlem Heat were visibly struggling to contain their laughter as Ottman began his promo, which was actually voiced by Ole Anderson
Ole Anderson
Alan Robert Rogowski , better known by his ring name of Ole Anderson, is a retired professional wrestler and a promoter. He held numerous NWA World Tag Team Championships with Gene Anderson, who was portrayed as his brother...
. The situation only got worse as Anderson started giggling at the beginning and mistakenly called Sid 'Stid' at one stage. Despite zero crowd reaction and leaving the announcers speechless, WCW decided to continue with the feud.
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
, which now owns all rights to WCW and its video library, has described The Shockmaster's debut as "one of the most unintentionally funny moments in sports-entertainment history," and "a debacle many still consider one of the worst gaffes in the history of sports-entertainment." While Ottman was displeased with the turn of events, he now finds humor in the incident.
Post-Shockmaster (1993–1994)
WCW attempted to salvage the incident by introducing a new character called the "Super Shockmaster." Also portrayed by Ottman, this was intended to be the Shockmaster's nephew, who would then refer to the Shockmaster as "Uncle Fred." Subsequently entering the ring to a distorted version of the Beatles song "Day TripperDay Tripper
"Day Tripper" is a song by The Beatles, released as a double A-side single with "We Can Work It Out". Both songs were recorded during the sessions for the Rubber Soul album...
," the Shockmaster was then portrayed as a klutz until the character was eventually abandoned.
Return to WWF (1994)
Ottman returned to the WWF as Typhoon in May 1994, primarily being used to put over other talent, before departing in August.Personal life
Ottman retired from wrestling after WCW folded in 2001. Ottman was one of the participants of the 20 Man Gimmick Battle Royal match at WrestleMania X-SevenWrestleMania X-Seven
WrestleMania X-Seven was the seventeenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 1, 2001 at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The event was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Texas...
as Tugboat. He now lives in Lakeland
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
, Florida and works as a safety manager for Gaffin Industrial Services, a building cleaning service. He also coaches the little league team of his two sons, Berkley and Beau and daughter, Bailey. He is one of the two uncles of Cody Rhodes, the other being Jerry Sags
Jerry Sags
Jerome Saganovich is an American professional wrestler best known as Jerry Sags. He is one half of the tag team The Nasty Boys along with Brian Knobbs.-Career:...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Tidal Wave (WWFWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
) / Shockmaster Splash (WCW) (Running splash)
- Tidal Wave (WWF
- Signature moves
- Bearhug
- High-impact corner body avalanche
- With EarthquakeJohn TentaJohn Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
- Typhoon hits a high impact corner body splash and keeps the opponent/s cornered while Earthquake splashes his back, crushing the opponent with the impact of both of their weights
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
- Slick
- Jimmy Hart
Championships and accomplishments
- Continental Wrestling AssociationContinental Wrestling AssociationThe Continental Wrestling Association was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually referred to as Mid-Southern Wrestling...
- AWA International Heavyweight ChampionshipAWA International Heavyweight ChampionshipThe AWA International Heavyweight Championship, originally known as the CWA/AWA International Heavyweight Championship was a major professional wrestling title defended in the Continental Wrestling Association...
(1 time) - AWA Southern Tag Team ChampionshipAWA Southern Tag Team ChampionshipThe AWA Southern Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the Tennessee area from the 1940s through the late 1980s. It was originally named the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship from its inception through 1977, when it was renamed the AWA Southern...
(2 times) - with Jerry LawlerJerry LawlerJerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
(1) and Goliath (1)
- International Wrestling Association
- IWA United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Super World of SportsSuper World of SportsSuper World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "STRAIGHT AND STRONG".-Formation:...
- SWS Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with EarthquakeJohn TentaJohn Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
- Universal Superstars of America
- USA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Earthquake