Pro-wrestling legend Fred Ottman, better known as Tugboat or Typhoon, was a recent guest on the Wrestling Inc. Daily to reflect on his career, and discuss his alliance with Earthquake to form the Natural Disasters tag team. Highlights are below.
On possibly turning heel to face Hulk Hogan and Sgt. Slaughter’s heel turn:
“I know very little about it. It’s scuttlebutt. You never know. They always do stuff. They flipped Sgt. Slaughter. He became part of the Iran Connection there. ‘Forsaken America jabroni!’ That’s the way it is in the wrestling business. It’s all behind the scenes business until they come to you and say, ‘This is what you’re going to do tonight.’”
Says he’s liked every different gimmick he’s played:
“I’m open to everything. I get questions all the time about what gimmicks I like the best. I liked them all. Through my period of 30 years I’ve had several wrestling gimmicks that I started with and have gone through one after another.”
Thoughts on forming the Natural Disasters with Earthquake:
“Quake had finished his run [with Hogan]. As a matter of fact, I got to see the Hasbro Tugboat figure that was never released. I was excited about it. They had a Tugboat t-shirt that was never for sale. My first wife had it as a sleep shirt that she wore. I’m sure she got rid of it after our parting ways. I met backstage after I just had the photoshoot on tugboats. I came back to TV. Vince and Pat Patterson call me into the office with the powers that be right there…”We’ve got this idea. We want to team you up with Quake with Jimmy Hart as your manager.” I loved the Quake because he was a great wrestler and worker and a great guy.”