Fred Ottman

Infobox Wrestler
name=Fred Ottman


names = Big Bubba Big Steel Man The Shockmaster Tugboat Tugboat Thomas Tugboat Tanna Typhoon U.S. Steel
height=height|ft=6|in=3
weight=convert|384|lb|kg st|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date=birth date and age|1956|8|10
death_date =
birth_place = Norfolk, Virginia, United States
resides = Lakeland, Florida
billed =
trainer =
debut = 1984
retired = 2004|

Fred Ottman (born August 10 1956 in Norfolk, Virginia) is a retired American professional wrestler best known for his notoriously bad "Shockmaster" gimmick in World Championship Wrestling.

Career

Early career

Ottman made his pro debut in 1984 in a match against CC Sonic (High-flying Artist) and soon settling into the Memphis territory, where he made his first big impact as Big Bubba the Belt Collector (not to be confused with Big Bubba Rogers, AKA Ray Traylor) in a feud with Jerry Lawler. cite web | url = http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/f/fred-ottman.html | title = Fred Ottman's OWW Profile | publisher = onlineworldofwrestling.com | accessdate=2007-08-16] After leaving Memphis, he headed to Texas All Star Wrestling where he was champion and feuded with Al Madril, Mike Golden, and Jonathan Boyd, among others. Ottman then headed back to Memphis as a heel then to Florida Championship Wrestling and became U.S. Steel (later changed to Big Steel Man because of legal threats from the U.S. Steel Corporation) and feuded with Dusty and Dustin Rhodes.

World Wrestling Federation

Tugboat

Ottman first appeared in the WWF in the June of 1989, where he wrestled as Big Man Steel once, with Slick as his manager. [http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/89.htm] . He joined the WWF full time that September, wrestling first as Tugboat Tyler on house shows, then as Tugboat Thomas (later Tugboat) upon his TV debut in January 1990. His character developed a close friendship with Hulk Hogan, and assisted Hogan in his feud with Earthquake. Although The Big Bossman took his place in Hogan's corner after Earthquake attacked Tugboat prior to the match, he later appeared on the same team as both Hogan and Bossman at the 1990 Survivor Series.cite web | url = http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/history/1990/results/ | title = 1990 WWF Survivor Series Results | publisher = WWE.com | accessdate=2007-08-16] He also was a participant in the 1991 Royal Rumble.

Typhoon

Ottman later became Typhoon after he attacked The Bushwhackers during a six-man tag team match. As Typhoon, he and Earthquake entered the tag team ranks as The Natural Disasters. They were managed by Jimmy Hart. After breaking away from Hart, the Natural Disasters defeated Money Incorporated for the WWF Tag Team Championship in 1992. cite web | url = http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/304454132111311 | title = WWE World Tag Team Title History | publisher = WWE.com | accessdate=2007-08-16]

No explicit separation with Earthquake was given on TV. However, their last known match together was the Royal Rumble 1993 when Earthquake exchanged blows with his partner Typhoon, ultimately eliminating him.

Typhoon made a few appearances on Monday Night Raw in the months that followed, including in the TV match debut of Doink the Clown, before leaving the WWF in July 1993.

World Championship Wrestling

The Shockmaster incident

In 1993, Ottman would find himself the victim of one of the most embarrassing moments in wrestling history. WCW had recently signed Ottman from the WWF, and he was to make his debut in a match alongside Sting, Dustin Rhodes, and Davey Boy Smith. He would be their "mystery partner" in the upcoming eight-man tag match against the heel team, Sid Vicious, Big Van Vader, and Harlem Heat (comprised of brothers Kole and Kane) at Fall Brawl.

When Sting and Smith were about to unveil their mystery partner, they did so during a live interview (on "A Flair for the Gold", hosted by Ric Flair) in front of the WCW audience together with Sid and Harlem Heat. Sting would say, "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. The Shockmaster was supposed to make his entrance by crashing through that wall in his new attire, consisting of a "Star Wars" Stormtrooper helmet painted silver and covered in glitter, a pair of jeans, and a long black vest.

As the camera was in for a close up, the upper part of his body broke through the wall, but the rest of his body did not, causing Ottman to fall through the rest of the wall. He slid across the floor, and his helmet rolled off long enough for audiences to see who it was while he scrambled to put it back on. Even the announcers were speechless. However, Flair was heard to say "Oh, God!" at what happened, and shortly afterwards Davey Boy Smith was heard saying "He fell flat on his arse! Fell flat on his fucking arse!"

Dusty Rhodes, later claimed on WWE 24/7's Legends of Wrestling" Series, that a 2x4 was placed on the bottom of the wall, which wasn't there on a successful rehearsal, which caused Ottman to fall through as opposed to crash through. He also joked that his son young Cody was watching with friends and cringed asking "I think that was Uncle Fred". [WWE 24/7- Legends Of Wrestling "Worst Characters]

Despite this, The Shockmaster resumed his entrance as if nothing had happened, and he continued walking up to Sid and Harlem Heat. The interview is generally considered one of the most laughable in wrestling history [ [http://www.x-entertainment.com/messages/431.html X-E - The Worst Angle In Pro-Wrestling History! ] ] , with the Shockmaster verbally threatening the four heels with, "They call me The Shockmaster. You've ruled the world long enough, Sid Vicious. Get ready! Come on, you want a piece of me? You want a piece of me? Come and get me." He continued the humiliating rant by messing up Vicious' name, saying "Come after me, Stid! I'm ready." The audience was dumbfounded, giving no reaction whatsoever and the heels were clearly trying to stop themselves from laughing while he delivered his threat. The Shockmaster's voice was a prerecorded tape that was provided by Ole Anderson. Anderson used the same voice effects as he did for another infamous WCW angle, the "Black Scorpion". Later, 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." After that point, the Shockmaster was portrayed as a klutz until the character was eventually abandoned.

Return to WWF

After leaving WCW in 1994, Ottman returned to the WWF, reprising his Typhoon character. He feuded with Yokozuna and Crush after the two of them (kayfabe) ended the career of his former partner, Earthquake. Ottman left the business after this angle.

Later career

Ottman returned to the WWF in 2001 (as Tugboat) for the gimmick battle royal at WrestleMania X-Seven which was won by Iron Sheik. cite web | url = http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wm17/results/ | title = WrestleMania X-Seven Results | accessdate=2007-08-16]

Personal life

Ottman now lives in Florida operating his own truck, driving freight over the road and coaching the Little League team of his three sons, Berkley, Bailey, and Beau. cite web | url = http://www.wwe.com/superstars/wherearetheynow/tugboat | title = Catching up with Tugboat | publisher = WWE.com | accessdate=2007-04-21]

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:* "Tidal Wave" (Running splash):*Bear hug:*High impact cornered splash

*Managers:*Jimmy Hart :*Downtown Bruno:*Slick

Championships and accomplishments

*Continental Wrestling Association:*AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jerry Lawler (1) and Goliath (1):*CWA International Heavyweight Championship (1 time):*NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Texas All-Star Wrestling:*Texas All-Star Wrestling United States Championship (1 Time)

*Independent Association of Wrestling:*IAW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bill Eadie

*Pro Wrestling Illustrated:*PWI ranked him # 490 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.

*Professional Wrestling Florida:*PWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Super World of Sports:*SWS Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Earthquake

*World Wrestling Federation:*WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Earthquake

*Other titles:*CPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Brett Sawyer

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards:*Worst Gimmick (1993)

References