John Tenta enters Surrey Sports Hall of Fame
Published 6:20 am Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Seventh in a series of 10 profiles of 2026 Surrey Sports Hall of Fame inductees, celebrated as the hall’s inaugural class during a June 2 ceremony at Surrey City Hall.
John Tenta, High Performance Athlete
John Tenta, born and raised in Surrey, entered the world at 11 lb 3 oz and grew to 6’6” and over 440 lbs. Though often seen as tough due to his size, those close to him described him as a gentle giant.
At North Surrey Secondary, John played rugby and discovered freestyle wrestling in Grade 11, quickly excelling. He earned a full scholarship to Louisiana State University, becoming the first Canadian to win gold at the 1983 World Junior Wrestling Championships. He also won three Canadian Junior titles and gold at the 1984 World Junior Super-Heavyweight Championships.
After university, John trained in sumo wrestling in Tokyo. Though his career lasted just nine months, he never lost a match—an impressive achievement. He later noted the intense physical demands of sumo surpassed anything he had experienced before.
John went on to a successful professional wrestling career as “Earthquake,” highlighted by his 1990 rivalry with Hulk Hogan. After retiring, he opened a wrestling school in Florida. Sadly, he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away in 2006 at age 42. Despite his shortened mentorship, John inspired many young wrestlers to pursue paths beyond amateur competition.
Source: Surrey Sports Hall of Fame