It’s been too long since we’ve featured your friend and mine, the legendary John Tenta, in a SQUASH of the Week! So let’s rectify that as we journey back to 1996 during his run in WCW under the gimmick of…
…John Tenta! That’s right, he wasn’t an Avalanche or a Shark, he was a man: JOHN TENTA. This man had just had half his hair cut off by Big Bubba, and decided to keep it that way to remind him of that embarrassment. Heck, his neighbors were laughing at him when he went to get his mail!
His opponent this would would be Fidel Sierra, who bounced around in WCW rings as enhancement talent for many many years. Just going to say I don’t like his odds here.
But the match starts and Sierra immediately goes on the attack, clubbering away and necking John on the top rope. When he attempts to sling shot him backwards however, Tenta just looks at him like he can’t believe someone would do something so stupid. Oh how I love this man!
And now the squash fully begins, as John waylays him with a clothesline, rains down punches, and walks across his prone body for good measure as well.
He follows that up with a giant elbow and a mighty legdrop too. I should note while this is going on, commentators Chris Cruise and Dusty Rhodes start talking about the health risks of burping too much. It’s the most surreal thing ever, as Cruise is doing his best to sound like an honest to goodness public service announcement!
John gives a belly flop splash next. Not gonna lie, that looked like it could use a bit of work. Hopefully he still has Uncle Fred Ottman on speed dial!
John tosses Fidel hither and yon, making total mincemeat out of the poor bloke. And Dusty and Cruise are now talking about farting as well, giving viewers at home sage wisdom on how to prevent such things. WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS COMMENTARY?
Meanwhile in the ring, John hits his signature sitdown splash and gets the duke. And the best part of all this? John looks HAPPY. He’s smiling, laughing, and just appears to be having the time of his life. That’s likely because this was a VERY rare instance when he was actually a good guy. I know he always wanted to do that more, and it looks like he couldn’t be happier about it. Just seeing him smile…well, that makes my week and I hope it does yours as well!