Earthquake's Infamous Shoot Match | What REALLY* Happened (*maybe) - Wrestle Me Review

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Marc & Pete strum their Heavenly Mountain Harps as accompaniment to a legendary shoot match between Koji Kitao and John Tenta (a.k.a. Earthquake) from a Japanese WWF crossover show in 1991!!
Hosted by Marc Haynes & Pete Donaldson; Edited by BanyaBat
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wrestling, wwe, wwf, wcw, vince mcmahon, wrestle me, podcast, review, commentary, tnt, lord alfred hayes, raw, monday night wars, world championship wrestling, world wrestling entertainment, world wrestling federation, 90s, undertaker, paul bearer, wrestlemania, hogan, hulk, hulk hogan, 1986, roddy piper, hulkamania, jesse ventura, shoot match, shoot, wrestling shoot, rick rude, mark starr, ravishing rick rude, wcw champion, secret, secret shoot, 90's wrestling, goldberg, streak, 1997, 1998, wcw monday nitro, lord steven regal, steve regal, william regal, john tenta, earthquake, earthquake wwf, koji kitao, shoot match, shoot match japan, japanese shoot match, wwf shoot match, sws wrestling

[@WrestleMe]

Stop leaving yourself vulnerable to data breaches and brokers. Go to our sponsor aura.com/wrestleme to get a 14-day free trial and see if any of your data has been exposed.

[@WrestleMe]

Glad to see this episode has been so warmly received. Our next video will be a 3-hour countdown of our Top 200 Earthquake promos. (Only joking, we bloomin' love John Tenta really.❤️)

[@bloodeagle6458]

I think you guys are going to have to do a video on the comment section of this video 😂😂😂

[@severthindakari]

@ you guys are really good at taking little bits of accountability huh? Your comment sounds like it doesn't matter what you say about the guy because he doesn't cut a great promo? You F'd up, that's all, happens to all of us often. We;re all still here with yah, but seriously stop burying this legend, and move on to another punching bag. Your fans love and respect Quake.

[@TWKIC]

Not the Mark and Peter heel turn, does that mean the Card Guys will be faces now?

[@thethinkingcatakaneonormie3527]

You should do a deep dive on Genichiro Tenryu as he was a Sumo and a genuine Tough guy who unlike most of the top guys didn't have a massive ego willing to take a dive for people like onita Hogan and Stan Hansen.

[@WrestlingColin]

Koji Kitao is a guy who had 1,000 chances to not be a problem, and he failed every single one. Right after this match he apparently threw a chair at yet another old women during one of his tantrums. In terms of "who worked stiff with who first" in this particular match, we're just outsiders looking in (for my money, it's Kitao who's uncooperative). But if a lifelong asshole and a lifelong good guy get in the ring together, and things go wrong, I don't think the benefit of the doubt goes to the asshole.

[@JeremiahEcks777]

This. Quakemuffin has a history of awesome, to a *fault* actually, and was warm and generally lovely to fans. Kitao is a nightmare, always was. If Tenta appears to start something here, he had a reason. Think the lads have this wrong.

[@mattlong81]

The research department needs to be reprimanded for besmirching the good name of John Tenta.

[@LaughNStalk]

Honestly, good to see the comments section wasn't swayed. It was 100% the case of Kitao being Kitao and Tenta standing his own.

[@j.murphy4884]

Yeah I generally respect WrestleMe's research so I don't know what happened here.

[@davek.1186]

Kitao was notorious for taking liberties in the ring and shooting on people, so he kinda had this coming.

[@self-parternerd8661]

Honestly, if you can get fired for excessive racism against Koreans IN JAPAN, I will never believe you are the good guy.

[@Henshingod]

Yeaaah, unfortunately Korea and Japan have a long-standing dislike of each other.

[@MrTheShane]

@@Henshingodcompletely warranted on Korea’s side - the Japanese were beyond evil to them.

[@self-parternerd8661]

@@Henshingod There's a reason even North Korea's missiles end in the Sea of Japan and not in South Korea.🫡

[@johnathan7258]

Yeah WW2 was as good for South Korea as it was for France 😢

[@luobomu9747]

​@@HenshingodWell, Japan has a long history of disliking ALL of Asia and made sure the feelings became mutual.

[@jamief1263]

The story is meant to be tenta beat him in another match the week before to tenta and was kicking up a fuss backstage about having to lose again to tenta and said he was going to shoot in the match. This is why tenta goes in hard, he was expecting a shoot match.

[@aihf]

One of these men has a pattern of poor behavior and it's not John Tenta. This basically amounts to "yeah Kitao was a notorious piece of shit but Tenta made a mean face at him".

[@LordZaayl]

Yeah this definitely started backstage, but to assume its a setup or something... more likely that Kitao was talking mad shit backstage. From what is said, he let slip he planned to shoot on Tenta. Now by the time they are in the ring, maybe Kitao had cooled down and was willing to work at this point, but Tenta was operating on the justified assumption that this man planned to take liberties with him and try to hurt him. I've never heard a single story about Tenta being anything other than a big gentle sweetheart of a man. (Another reason why Sumo was a bad fit for him, the politicking and abuse going on in those stables was worse than pro wrestling.)

[@RGSMANIA]

@@LordZaayl Wrestling backrooms are drama filled, I'd totally buy someone seeing an opportunity to get someone back for being a shit by stirring it with the one guy that could actually take them. If Tenta is a gentle sweetheart of a man perhaps being told this guys coming for you primed him to defend himself but he certainly looks like the one that starts the shooting on the only footage we have so how can you possibly know for sure why when he did start it in the ring.

[@LordZaayl]

@@RGSMANIA Because of all the conflicting rumors, that Tenta was out there defending himself, or at least believing he needed to defend himself, makes the most sense. Its also the one most sources closer to the conflict agree on. Tenta has no history of shooting on people in the ring or taking liberties. Kitao has a history of attacking people and talking shit. Tenta was out there looking PISSED from the start, hopped up on adrenaline. For someone expecting to have to defend themselves this tracks better than "Hes just being a big bully." And also tracks better with his yelling "This is pro wrestling, what are you doing?" as opposed to that being a weird taunt from a bully. The Arm Bar spot is especially dumb to point to as "Looks he just trying to work and Tenta is being difficult!" Yes from our POV it does look like Kitao is trying to just work the match, from Tenta's, this guy is behind him, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him into a legit hold that he could easily use to break his arm. Of course he is going to shut that the fuck down. While I think WrestleMe was onto something with their other shoot match breakdowns/Goldberg matches, I think they are way off base this time. Their breakdown feels less like "Yes that is what it looks like" and more like confirmation bias. You can make that footage work from both sides of the story depending on how you interpret it so all we have to go on after that is rumors and who those two people are. A man with a reputation for kindness, and a entitled shithead who assaults elderly people. Even if it was true Tenta was in the wrong here, he is more deserving of the benefit of the doubt.

[@j.murphy4884]

@@LordZaayl Yeah, Earthquake has that rare reputation in wrestling where absolutely no one has anything bad to say about his work or his attitude, whereas Kitao was a notorious bollocks (and confirmed racist), so at the very least Earthquake believed Kitao was going to try and seriously hurt him. You're not going to feed a guy who could break your arm your arm if he was talking shit about breaking it backstage.

[@lukef3559]

you wanna piece a me, Kitao?!

[@ajp069]

Sorry, but there’s a load of background to this that is being ignored, around Kitao threatening Hogan, and Tenta stepping in to put a stop to his nonsense. A great way to get a load of comments anyway 😅

[@SpaceAgeMark]

The Wrestleme audience is defo Team Tenta lads. You're getting Xpac heat here with this one!

[@Peter-e2o]

I don't see what Mark is seeing here. I've never heard a bad word said about John Tenta from another wrestler. I actually met him and a had a photo with him in the ring at a show at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London when I was 13. He waited at the back of the venue to sign autographs for all he kids as they were leaving. He didn't have to but he chose to do so.

[@mrnaughtycat]

Mark is just a nasty man earthquake is dead yet he talks poo about him sad really

[@bengillam8024]

coming up next week on wrestle me, jimmy snukas' wife the real villain.

[@samspurgeon4222]

Mistress....the one who drove poor Superfly to do what he did

[@cillablacksbackpack8524]

Murderfly Jimmy Murder

[@mr.x9566]

Murderfly Jimmy Violence

[@TalkernateHistory]

Hahahaha 😂

[@SaintRukus]

💀

[@Kaltagstar96]

Considering how Kitao was notorious for being a nasty piece of work, to the point where he got booted out of both sumo and pro wrestling, you'll have to forgive me if I don't feel bad for the man when he got his arse handed to him by Tenta. Let me play a sad song for Kitao on the world's smallest violin.

[@jcngokai-76]

The funny thing is that he was knocked out with a roundhouse kick by Nobuhiko Takada during an UWF-I match between the latter and Kitao

[@TheDeadlyTikka]

You got a fair few things wrong here. Tenta had won their previous match and Kitao was refusing to lose again. Great Kabuki had told Tenta this and told him that Kitao will likely shoot on him so be ready. Apparently nobody told Kitao that he was still going to lose and assumed it was sorted out. Tenta got himself way to worked up and shot first. It's also worth noting that Kitao was known for shooting on people and being really rough to work with so Tenta was likely not wanting to risk it trying to work with him. The idiot shot on Haku. That should tell you just how stupid this man is!

[@maxtracker2904]

Haku drop-kicking Kitao in the face is my favourite “legit move disguised as wrestling” 😂

[@alexkrycek3359]

Interesting take. Absolute nonsense of course. Kitao did this constantly.

[@MyBestPalJimbo]

John Tenta was a very kind and lovable man, and a family man. He wasn't out there starting shit for no reason. All he was doing was defending himself. I think it's very likely that someone either told him that Kitao was gonna hook him, or Kitao himself had threatened something, or there were rumors that Kitao was reckless or dangerous or cruel, whatever the case may be, I think Tenta felt like Kitao intended to humiliate him in front of the crowd and ruin his career. And THAT'S when he thought to himself, probably backstage before the match, "well I'll fuckin' sort 'im out."

[@mrnaughtycat]

Sorry but this channel loves to poo on. Dead wrestlers sad really

[@mrnaughtycat]

Not my channel wrestle me channel

[@jrlonergan6773]

Bret Hart mentions in his book that this was brewing all tour. Kitao was absolutely the issue

[@Shacks-m6u]

Earthquake is the bad guy... because you think so. Got it.

[@MarkJackson-uu5ix]

OK lads obviously the April Fools Episode obviously slotted in 3 months early by mistake....... Other wise I'm assuming we're playing devil's advocate ain't we lads?

[@Ohfishyfishyfish]

Coincidentally, this match actually took place on April 1st, 1991. There might be another angle to this and both were just playing a prank.

[@smoothpoon86]

Kitao said he was going to shoot on Tenta before the match so Tenta went in to defend himself. You guys did no research on this?

[@TheEvolver311]

They often get easily researched stuff "wrong"

[@trident1314]

Young John Tenta looks like Kevin from the US version of the office.

[@frambojan]

The picture of him smiling at the table! I cannot unsee it now.

[@Rocketboy1313]

He does.

[@botindeldiablo]

I feel this was more of a case of people telling Tenta "this guy is pure problem, watch it" and Tenta went into the ring with his guard high, try to probe if Kitao would play foul and went he did, things got into a shoot.

[@Thrillho111]

Came here immediately after listening to this week's Rumble episode 😂

[@AGH69]

Did Mark apologise? I heard he lost 3 subscribers for this take

[@DavidWells-fm8oq]

Great show, terrible reading of what happened. The moment you think Kitao realizes he is in a shoot is actually when Kitao realizes that Tenta knew he was planning on taking advantage of him. You mentioned his history of racism. He didn't like the fact that Tenta was a foreign sumotori. That's probably why he tried to shoot on Haku who was also a foreign rikishi.

[@samspurgeon4222]

Now there's a terrible idea....is there footage of that anywhere? Nevermind...I saw that bit at the end and I'm guessing it ended with Haku biting his shoulders off and pinning them😂

[@kpllc4209]

@@samspurgeon4222 I have seen it, didn't look like a shoot to me, most wrestling fans don't know what a shoot even looks like, (they think Goldberg/Regal was a shoot)

[@frambojan]

I respect the willingness to explore a hot take, but I feel like the aggregate of both men's behavior over the course of their lives makes me a tad skeptical of Koji's redemption arc. Great video as always, though.

[@Kaltagstar96]

Exactly, like, if it was just this one incident where Kitao was a dick, then you could probably forgive it or move on. But considering Kitao had been thrown out of both sumo and pro wrestling for the way he treated people, maybe he's the problem?

[@normaningemann3868]

Exactly! Takada knocked him out legit! I have no sympathy for that guy!

[@pikethamike9359]

You know who's redemption arc is not appreciated; Benoit's

[@BelleElysium-PS4]

@@Kaltagstar96kitao is 100% the problem. He talked shit backstage then couldn’t back it up and got mad like a baby. He tried to undermine the business. Can’t believe anyone would think different. Tenta was known to be a gentle giant. Koji was known for being a jerk.

[@catflap76]

I think you're wrong about this one, lads.

[@normaningemann3868]

I can't belive they're trying to make Earthquake the bad guy!

[@kevinb9830]

They always do this - they love and fawn over whoever the non-white guy is. Every time.

[@christopherbaker9676]

I know right

[@MrTheShane]

Universally beloved within all circles of the notoriously fickle IWC, John Tenta.

[@kevinb9830]

They always do this - they love and fawn over whoever the non-white guy is. Every time.

[@Mateus_Carvalho]

Tenta might as well have been an actual saint, even more so compared to Kitao.

[@michaelpilgrim8131]

Nope. Dead wrong. It was all a series of hilarious misunderstandings, like a classic episode of Three's Company.

[@johnschisler5381]

I just watched the episode called "jacks tattoo" recently, funniest shit I've seen in a while.

[@ifgwelf]

The Heavenly Mountain Harp is a badass name

[@num1shinfan]

I don't but that john was the aggressor. That's the first time I've heard that theory and it sounds like total bs

[@trevor9416]

I don’t think he was chewing I think he was doing breathing exercises to be ready for a real full all out fight

[@trevor9416]

The older 60s 70s and 80s wrestling in Britain is really interesting and would enjoy more of that getting reviewed

[@paulcharnley8245]

Guy was literally one of the worst yokozunas ever he was just a big lad he couldn't fight

[@ozzythecats]

THE worst. EVER!

[@rahowherox1177]

Ffs, he said he said he could beat tenta legitimately and threatened to shoot... with a history of doing so. He talked the talk, then got pissed tenta walked the walk.

[@A_real_Ha_So]

This genuinely the first time ive heard someone try to make Kitao the baby in this match.

[@tigerboy1966]

A lot of the "facts" about this bout are third-hand, hearsay or unsourced. Credit to Wrestleme for adopting the "say what you see" approach.

[@TheJesster]

“Justice for Kitao” is cringe as fuck…

[@TheJesster]

Also, slandering Jon Tenta like this is cringe as fuck

[@johnkallday]

Get over it you fuckin baby

[@Dadmcbeardface]

Getting heat for this video brothers 🤣

[@L_Train]

Congrats on the sponsor

[@UNIDENTIFIED388]

SPONSORS!!!!!! WE'VE MADE IT LETS GET SOME MORE WCW

[@gashmcnash3537]

Please make the tshirt. I can’t wear my Lord Alfred one every day.

[@douglasdoyle8944]

I simply don’t buy it Kitao has a history of causing problems and acting like he was in the right.

[@MrTheShane]

You are the only folk to even remotely take Kitao’s side on this, but yeah - even if he was fed to the wolves on the first night, he bought it on himself 150%.

[@amazinghayes1]

Is this a Wrestle Me heel turn? Way to get heat boys.

[@hdrock4533]

He kicked an 88 year old man and pushed a woman into a door and you have the audacity to act like he didn't deserve that?

[@gtf2584]

truth

[@mrnaughtycat]

They are nasty little men who probably wont even had the guts to say it to the wrestler face oh we wait till hes dead to make fun of him . Not nice really

[@MrUncleLeeLee]

What is the theme song of this podcast? It gives me life!!!

[@theweejoke9850]

Look up The Wrestler's Theme

[@MrUncleLeeLee]

Just listened to it like five times in a row, before noticing that most of the comments on the video I found were fellow "WrestleMe" fans who'd been rapidly looking for the song as well. Thank you, friend!

[@vaudevillian7]

Only the second time I’ve really disagreed with your take, the other time being with Louis Theroux 😂 Great videos though

[@Lonit-be]

What was the louis theroux take?

[@vaudevillian7]

@@Lonit-bejust generally misunderstanding Louis’ approach to documentary making

[@Kaltagstar96]

@@vaudevillian7 They also seemed to be glorifying the horrible training that Sarge put Louis through, as if Louis being annoying meant that he deserved to be put through that. Hell, none of the poor buggers in the Power Plant should have been treated the way that they were.

[@RealityCheckWithJayCooper]

Wrestle Me is an amazing show.....this take however is not, and is categorically wrong. It's even wronger than the take of Regal vs Goldberg....and the boys were very wrong on that!

[@krenwregget7667]

I saw John Tenta in the old Willowbrook Cinemas in Langley, BC, way back in the late 90s. He was an absolute mountain of a man, probably the largest human I've ever seen. He was with his wife who was a tiny little Japanese lady and the two of them made quite a hilarious pair. I just waved and said "hey Earthquake!" and he smiled and waved back.

[@LordJuzzie]

Wow the most obviously wrong you've ever been .

[@jordanpritchard607]

😂

[@JamesMMcCann]

Which is saying something!

[@Yellowblam]

A lot of Hong Kong kung-fu movies were funded by a watch company.

[@RyWilsonGaming]

so did you guys have your eyes and ears closed to wat actually happened? i 1000% disagree with your take on what happened here..maybe even more. ffs.

[@trash80media]

I think Tenta's sumo past came out, he wanted to take out the disgraced yokozuna

[@cnking27]

dear god what did john tenta look like at 17…at 13…22 is so young lol

[@carlwessel4316]

My fav part of the video is where they show Haku (also a former sumo) was not having any of it and simply drop kicked Kitao in the face for being disrespectful.

[@mrnaughtycat]

Wow earthquake was a young guy in an older guys body back then

[@horgh_japan]

It's called Arn Anderson syndrome. A serious condition that causes young men to appear much older than they are and stay that way for the rest of their lives.

[@severthindakari]

Wow just wow, I'm blown away at this nonsense. Even if we skip passed the lack of any new info presented here, I guess this guy watched this match with a take already in his head, and then just went with it despite all of the known info, and slandered one of the only genuinely sweet men in pro wrestling. Not just wreckless, but also ignorant and mean. Love this channel too, but jesus lads, what is this?

[@ozzythecats]

It's absolutely bonkers. I feel embarrassed on their behalf.

[@bloodeagle6458]

Very entertaining tho 😂😂

[@TheEvolver311]

​@bloodeagle6458 Teenage edgelord cringe many things not funny

[@theweejoke9850]

Comment section is lively. I wanna know what Typhoon had to say about this match

[@thevoid99]

i saw this story on dark side of the ring where a lot of the boys in the back praised tenta for not taking shit from that jackass. kitao was a joke. he was a mediocre sumo wrestler and a worse pro wrestler. to try and shoot on tenta was a big mistake. especially since tenta was respected by not just guys in pro wrestling but also in sumo as he had a sumo career for a while and did alright.

[@legitimateking7961]

When a hot take is so bad that it hurts your feelings.

[@darksideka]

Obviously missed Kitaos multiple attempts to gouge out Tentas eyeballs or Snap his shoulder during the arm bar, His table throwing was a tantrum that Tenta was outsmarting his vicious attempts to maim John. You owe John Tentas family an apology for your smears against him.

[@stewroo]

This is a bad take Mark. Even Peter sounds a little incredulous at your stance. Are you trying to affect the same vibe present in your Regal Goldberg analysis? I agreed then but this time you come off as ignorant.

[@dixienormus6941]

TENTA TENTA TENTA!!! God, I love that massive hairy blob So underused in WWF

[@jubeaumont6305]

Hes awesome isnt he!

[@KomradeKrusher]

He wasn't a "blob", though. Everything about that guy was massive. Just look at those treetrunk legs. Kinda like a real life E. Honda.

[@Mal-u-Envy]

Wrestle Me has failed me when it comes to this video...

[@lotus-prince]

I'd hardly equate eye poking to a defense move, especially because Kitao wasn't in a hold, or anything; he just decided to take a shot at Tenta.

[@thethinkingcatakaneonormie3527]

I think the factor you're missing is Earthquake as a form sumo champion shown disrespect as its pretty likely Koji had publicly said something about Earthquake not being a true champion as Tenta was very anti racism with stories of in college him beating up a gang of racist who were attacking a POC member of his rugby team.

[@maxtracker2904]

I tend to agree with you that Tenta started the shoot. SOMETHING must’ve happened beforehand (I.e. Kabuki telling him Katao was gonna shoot) - cos Tenta is legendarily nice…

[@Razaprime]

John Tenta - The universally accepted Nice Guy in wrestling is at fault…. Hmmmm. Nope! And I’m sorry but hooking the eyes is not a defensive move

[@johngroves3251]

Justice For Tenta

[@ChipFreeSpace]

Those nicknames they gave John tenta in sumo were so badass. I'm not a simp for Japanese culture or anything, but wow, that's awesome

[@LordZaayl]

The other rumor is that Kitao was starting shit backstage and told Tenta he was going to shoot on him. If the Great Kabuki was involved, its more likely he told Tenta that Kitao planned to shoot on Tenta and legit pin him/humiliate him. This makes WAY more sense when you look at Tenta in the match. He is PISSED. If you're just acting as some promoters hatchet man, you don't come out pissed off looking like this guy just kicked your dog. He went in there thinking Kitao planned to take liberties. Which tracks with what he was screaming in the ring. Look at his reaction to the arm bar, an arm bar is a legit hold, you can easily break someones arm once its applied. Tenta was NOT going to let this man have his arm, even if he was trying to work, given what Tenta was expecting from Kitao.

[@JoeyMills-y3v]

Yeah I get the feeling tenta had been tipped off the guy was going to shoot too. Which is believable tbh.

[@bloodeagle6458]

Yes exactly if you are going to put the boots to a guy you dont go fully geard up to the ring you play it cool calm and then when he least expects it WHAM

[@CatsClaw44]

You guys did a terrible job researching this.

[@uk_carnage]

Making jokes on how John Tenta looks, when you look like Inspector Blake from On The Buses? 😂

[@northstar5]

Just when I thought I could trust British wrestling content again... WRONG!

[@thereal2scummy636]

Highly doubtful that anyone was worried about him going around saying its fake , je would've been well aware that a couple lads with missing fingers would remove his head and other identifiable body parts if he was stupid enough to try saying anything like that 😂

[@Hyde_Hill]

Regal being the actual prick in the Goldberg match I am on board with. This take, no not so much.

[@KomradeKrusher]

The return of Jesse Ventura seems to have inspired you to take on the heel commentator roles ;) In all seriousness, though, EVERYONE describes Tenta as the nicest and gentlest guy you could ever have met. He was also supposedly tough as nails (as I believe you'd have to be to become a professional Sumotori) and not afraid of anybody or anything. For example, he reportedly did Sumo sparring with Haku in the lockerroom which coiuld get quite rowdy at times. By all accounts, getting this gentle giant to start manhandling him must've been a feat of Herculean proportions on Kitao's part, and one can only speculate how many times during this tour he was already testing the limits of Tenta's patience. Awww, man, I really miss John Tenta.

[@j.murphy4884]

Yeah, in a culture full of guys with big tempers and massive egos, Earthquake is one of those rare guys absolutely no one had an issue with. So if he's shooting on someone, it's very hard to believe they didn't do something to have it coming.

[@kpllc4209]

I heard he wanted to kick Arn Anderson ass for something he said on a promo.

[@DavidWells-fm8oq]

This is admittedly nitpicky, but Tenta never reached the professional ranks of ozumo. He would still have been considered as a young boy when he retired. He was a hot prospect having won his first 23 matches, but would have needed at least another two tournaments to reach the salaried levels. He is the rikishi with the longest winning streak to start his career, the only rikishi to retire unbeaten on the dohyo, and possibly one of the greatest what if stories of 80's sumo.

[@dandastardly2792]

Koji probably complained that it wasn't realistic for him to lose . He probably had an attitude despite his poor record. Earthquake got the memo and decided to shoot. Ego and Pride especially back then when it was tied to your paycheck is serious

[@markbelkin1303]

That Star Trek joke is amazing.

[@Peter-e2o]

That made me laugh hard. Just a shame about the rest of the video. Mark really missed the mark here.

[@PaulDavies4]

Always interesting to see another view point from the main stream. Personally I think there is enough evidence that Kitao caused this, I assume something happened before the match where Kitao had said he wasnt losing, and if Earthquake had an issue they could sort it out in the ring, so Earthquake went in angrily. Kitao was probably relaxed and didn't think Earthquake would actually do anything. That would fit what we know of Kitao's presonality.

[@brosciencegutfeelings7058]

A rare L for the channel.

[@mvgsports]

We FINALLY found the guy that would slap a 75 year old man, like Bret Hart talked about on the second-ever Raw...EEK! LOFL

[@knicknack4511]

Earthquake has been all over my KZbin feed the last 24hrs! STW did a great job covering his WWE career, can’t wait to watch this video.

[@andrewwilliams7661]

I found this channel based on their videos of old shoot matches of a Koko B. Ware match and a Rick Rude match then went down a rabbit hole of other shoot matches they covered. At first, I thought that’s what this channel was. I’m so glad to have found out they’re just an old school wrassslin’ podcast. I’m even more glad that they’re covering another classic shoot match. Huge fan and I have no idea why y’all don’t have more subscribers. This is, hands down, the best wrestling content on YT.

[@Adam-kn3tv]

I was literally thinking of this match moments before it came up in my feed. Wild.

[@ozzythecats]

Turning heel the day you get sponsored? Its A Bold Strategy Cotton, Lets See If It Pays Off For Em!

[@ennbee2051]

Guys, truth is John was a big sumo star in the far-east. Now, Kitao was jealous and would shoot on Earthquake out of pure spite. Doink beat Bret on a house show. Kurt Henning was an infamous ribber and would rib anyone who wronged him. The wheel was supposed to land on the 'The Snake Pit' match at Halloween Havoc'92. The middle of the ring would be removed, and replaced with a pit of snakes! Steve Borden said it was TOO dangerous and would nix the idea. Aurelian Smith Jr caught a jobber dancing around to his theme backstage and got to Vince, citing disrespect on the jobber's part. Now, that jobber ONLY had to explain and apologize to Jake didn't he!!? Warrior, who was hiding in a locker, overheard and some believe THIS is why he had beef with Roberts. Yes sir. Yes indeed. Bossman beat Freddy Krueger AND Leatherface in tag-team action. The match occurred in Japan, at the abandoned Takamoto Prison, and was billed as a 'Halloween Prison of Horrors' match. Vic Grimes was 'Da Baldie'. Syxx baba'd in Tammy Sytch's hold-all bag🧐 The fanny pack was the target, but he settled for the hold-all. Sunny had turned Shauns advances down, so X-Pac got his revenge. On the flip side, Skinner would baba in Jerry Lawler's crown backstage at Royal Rumble 93 as a rib. Dallas Diamond Page owned his own diamond mine, and he would scout it for talent. He took Scotty Hall from it and polished him up. Some say Bret and Anvil sabotaged the ring ropes in their title change bout against The Rockers. Shawn and Marty got to Vince but nothing could be proven🧐. Vader and Sid were 'Da Masters of da Powerbomb'. Bray Wyatt's dad was the captain of a shrimp boat and could be seen shrimping up and down the bayou. Bray would join him occasionally and preached his message all over Lafayette. Macho SHANKED Flair at 'Cade 95. Sonny Onoo was a black belt in Taekwondo and would face, AND BEAT Chuck Norris in martial arts exhibitions. Yes sir. Scotty Hall was 'Da Bad Guy', yes indeed. Pat Patterson caught Nailz dancing around to High Energy's theme backstage and got to Owen and Koko. Owen and Koke made it to Vince's office before Nailz got them, but McMahon had big plans for Keven. Hulk couldn't let his ego go, but not through want of trying. Jo, no, Chyna necked Vince to win a battle royal on Raw. Sting got to Bischoff about the WCW push of one Raven. Steve didn't 'get' the Raven character. Scotty got hot and hopped back to ECW to cool off. He even tried to poach Page Falkinburg for Heyman. Cactus feuded with Sabu in Philly. The Philly street fight was their classic. Shawn didn't take to Foley at first. Mick overheard an HBK rant about him and ran out of the building. Rowdy Roddy was 'Da Pipes'. LOD vs The Powers was the classic. Lex got to Brody in the cage in the humidity of Florida. Tempers flared and THAT'S why Bruiser no sold, and THAT'S why Pfohl ran away. Fonzie confirmed it in a shoot. Tap 'Bill Alfonso shoot' and find what you seek🧐. Brutus Barber was 'Da Beefer'. Sid Eudy's favorite book was The Night of the Juggler by Willam P. McGivern. He'd read it backstage while waiting for his cues. Jimmy Del Rey worked as a stripper to pay for wrestling lessons. Rossy Ogawa was a great businessman with an even better wrestling mind. But when he got caught dancing around to the Stardom theme backstage, Bushiroad had had enough and sent him on his way. Anvil got to Virgil about doing the KKK gimmick on an independent. Virgil agreed to it, but it was still controversial. HHH would tag jobbers for real when they wouldn't comply. Percy wrote all of Undertaker's original promos. Pringle worked as a mortician and 'got' the character. Richard Rood was 'Da Ravishing One'. Raven wrote the infamous Chris Benoit promo at Starrcade 97. Chris got to Scotty backstage and asked him to write him a decent promo. Scotty inked a classic and couldn't wait to hear it before a live crowd. Chris forgot it when it came time, causing heat between the two men🧐. In Canada, Jacques Rougeau was king. He even outdrew and beat Hogan clean for the title, then danced around to Real American! The Beverleys spiked some jobber with the Shaker Heights Spike finisher. The Steiners got them back by stiffing them at the Rumble. Vince gave Hawk a dressing down after he ruined a Vader promo on heat. Tap 'Vader promo Hawk'. Hillbilly Jim was a real hillbilly. Lawler took his theatrics to a whole new level in Memphis. Terry Gene Bollea was 'Da Real American'. Harry Fujiwara was a decorated SUPER-sushi chef! He would even cook for the BSK. Sometimes he'd spike Rodney's food with laxatives. Double J got to Chuck about taking the Sweet Chin Music at SSeries94. The two men practiced the spot for hours and even danced around to With My Baby Tonight. Vince prepared plans for a terrorist stable which would include Mahal and Ali. It was only nixed when Linda convinced him it was poor taste. Bam Bam's favorite match was with Bret on a house show. In Tokyo Japan, Masami Odate was queen. Hailing from Kamakura in the Kanagawa prefecture of Japan, she'd outdraw AND beat Alpha Female clean for the title. She'd then dance around AND goose-step to the German national anthem, adding insult to injury. Mark Callaway was 'Da Phenom'. The Steiners were shooters. Irwin Shyster hated wrestling in a suit and braces. Brian Pillman would 'rape, pillage AND plunder' the WWF. Sonny Onoo would 'crack, snapple AND pop' his opponent's legs.🧐 Candido shot on Horowitz when Barry used Chris's finishing move without calling it. Perry. Perry Saturn got hot and shot on a jobber. Vince got hot and gifted him the moppy gimmick. When Undertaker heard he was beating Hogan, clean for the title, he and Percy would dance around to Koko B Wares theme. Koke overheard and got to Vince. Mark and Percy met with McMahon, and the pair were forced to explain and apologize to Koke, ALMOST nixing the title change. The 1993 Survivor Series main event was to be an unmasking match. The Hart family was supposed to unmask the Knights and reveal them for what they were. Vince nixed it at the last minute. Bret and Owen got pissed and went looking for McMahon after the PPV. They found him in his hotel room, dancing around to Stand Back with Jimmy Del Ray and Dr. Tom Pritchard. So they joined in.

[@lewisholbrook]

Love this channel so much that I don’t even fast forward through the ads! Wrestle Me Lads!

[@dennett316]

I think Kitao wasn't happy about having to lose again and talked shit backstage that he was going to go after Tenta. He wasn't happy with Tenta being a foreign sumo wrestler and wasn't happy about losing to him once, never mind twice. He's hated backstage so the other wrestlers there let Tenta know what he was saying, and Tenta went in there to show the guy that he wouldn't sit back and take it. Kitao then throws a tantrum as he knows he's not going to get to take advantage of Tenta as he's ready for him. Tenta has no history of this while Kitao has a long and notorious history of being a prick to other wrestlers. He has no-one to blame but himself for his rep and his big mouth.

[@Badguy0124]

I couldn't believe that Tenta is a bad guy any less. Disappointing guys.

[@16dwreck]

First vid I’ve watched from you guys. This is one of the worst takes I’ve ever heard. Won’t be returning.

[@shock_n_Aweful]

I think they must have told Tenta some bullshit to get him to do that because everyone always talks about what a nice guy he was and wouldnt do something like that.

[@Rocketboy1313]

This is a fun alternate history where wild takes are offered to run counter to all common sense. Koji is a notorious problem facing off against a beloved worker. There is zero reason to believe this started during the match and it is almost certainly a last straw where he went into business during the match and Earthquake flipped his lid. Sorry, you have to correlate more than angry faces during the match to determine things.

[@fernandocadena2625]

4:26 it reminds me of wmmt when the driver is new its name is The highway flying dragon then its The highway demon king or The wangan wind then The wangan holy emperor #maximum tune

[@Necrotog82]

One of the reasons for Tenta quitting sumo was that he had a Tattoo of a tiger on his arm and no professional sumo can have tattoos, so they would have forced him to have it removed.

[@KomradeKrusher]

Exactkly, and it was a tattoo he had gotten as a Varsity athlete that had a connection to his Alma Mater and great personal value to him. I always felt so bad that he covered it up to make the "Shark" gimmick in WCW work, only to then get treated like he was.

[@gnarnanderson]

these two have a real "rewrite history" thing to them, probably years of being steeped in a woke /DEI environment. Plus, they lack wrestling knowledge, unless it's Hulkamania or Ultimate Warrior, they're lost

[@hairy_cornflake]

Imagine blaming and bad stuff about John Tenta, probably the most lovable and nicest guy in wrestling history.

[@Larzang]

I mean, just because Kitao's being set up and scared shitless, doesn't mean he wasn't still a massive prick and a spiteful dipshit. I mean, Tenta could have handled the situation differently, sure. But I can't exactly see him as the bad guy, under circumstances like this.

[@Rydonattelo]

Crazy to think Earthquake was in his mid 20s during this era.

[@kurtvanderbogarde8402]

5:13 Tribute acts didn't realy come along until the mid/late 90s. Although technically Giant Haystacks was a tribute to Haystacks Calhoun (he was originally called that in 1972 by Brian Dixon) and then there were Skull Murphy. Black Jack Mulligan , Killer Kowalski etc. (But then America had a rip off Kendo Nagasaki played by Kaxuo Sakurada)

[@jws2718]

I've come to realize that these guys don't know jack shit about wrestling outside of Britain.