FRED OTTMAN The Official Website!
WWE HALL OF FAME (2025)
The greatest honor I have ever received professionally happened on April 18, 2025, at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, the night before WrestleMania 41.
Below, you can read the few words I've shared with those gathered. You can also view the ceremony and then scroll down a little bit further... I have special words for my dear late friend Earthquake, John Tenta.
HALL OF FAME SPEECH
"First of all, I want to tell you all how grateful that The Natural Disasters are being put in to the 2025 Hall of Fame. Thank you WWE. And John, Joanna, thank you for all those beautiful things that you just said. It means a lot to me.
I just wish your dad was here next to me. He was my best friend. You know, we spent over 300 days a year on the road together, you know, and, I loved him. He was my brother from another mother.
And it is true, we had the tendency to be a little infantile sometimes... Okay. I did ride the Dumbo Ride and I had mouse ears on. Yes.
But I had wrote some things here to let you know more about us. You know, when they first came to me, they go, Quake had run his deal with Hulk Hogan. And I went to TV (taping) after just doing a photo shoot on tugboats in Rhode Island. And I got there and I got the "they want to see you in the office." And I'm like, what did I do now? You know? But they called me in the back and they said We had an idea. You know, Pat (Patterson) was back there, Vince (McMahon)... and they're like "We were thinking about putting you guys together as a team." Well, I go: Oh my God, that's awesome!
He's a phenomenal athlete. A great friend to me. And you know, sometimes tag teams don't gel in this business for one reason or another, you know, but they put us together and it was awesome! You know, we traveled overseas, we traveled here and worked here in all those days on the road, man. But to have somebody that cared about you and cared about me. We had so much in common, you know, he was a great dad, a great husband, you know, and just a wonderful person.
Sorry... But I got a call, he had had cancer and he had to move to Houston and it was in remission. I got a phone call at my house and he called. He was supposed to be going to his son's wedding in Orlando, I believe. And he called and he says: "It's back Fred."
And then it broke my heart. You know, this big strong man that loved everyone and everybody that's ever met him knew what a wonderful person he was.
So all I could tell you is if John, right now, he's looking down from heaven, seeing his children and what they've said, and I could see him with that big smile on his face and those dimples, you know, big old cutie!
But I just wanna say Quake: I miss you. And this one here, brother, this is for you.
Click on the video above to watch the 2025 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony.
To see the induction of The Natural Disasters, jump to 1: 13 : 42.
John, my best friend, my brother from another mother. You know how much I love you - I don't have to tell you, nor to your family.
You know, I said a lot from my heart about you… and shared with the world who you are. I knew that when I was on that WWE Hall of Fame stage with your family and my son, that you were looking down over us.
I even said it: you were looking down with those big red cheeks of yours, a smile on your face. The biggest regret I ever had is that, while you and me being a part of something so great, unfortunately you weren't there to share the moment with me… for me to give you a big hug, you know, and for your family to hug you too.
They tried to tell me they were going to give me a script to talk from. What can they know about what I feel?
I wish you were there, but I know you were there in my heart… What I know about you and me my friend, is that you were there to share that glory. Not in body, but definitely in spirit, and you're with me every day that I travel down the road. And when I go do autograph signings, when they ask me to sign something for them, a picture, an encyclopedia, no matter what it is, I sign Fred Ottman, or Typhoon… and 2025 Hall of Fame. And right next to me is your picture on which I write RIP - Rest in Peace - Earthquake, 2025.
I know that you’re always with me and I share that fact with everybody that comes and get something signed. Because WE are brothers.
God bless you my brother.
Fred
TO JOHN, MY BROTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER