2025 started as a great year for Free Ottman, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame at that year’s ceremony alongside former tag partner John Tenta. However, it has unfortunately now been revealed by his friend Leilani Kai on Facebook that the much-loved former WWE and WCW wrestler has had to undergo vascular surgery. This procedure is typically performed to treat narrowed arteries and damaged veins, aiming to prevent the development of more serious health issues.
69-year-old Ottman broke into the business in 1984, and after working for several territories, he signed with WWE in 1989. Initially, he debuted as Big Steel Man with Slick as his manager, but he was soon renamed Tugboat Tyler, then Tugboat Thomas, and finally just Tugboat.
From there, it’s understood that he was considered for the WrestleMania VII main event spot against Hulk Hogan, which eventually went to Sgt. Slaughter. Still, WWE had significant plans for Ottman, and after aligning him with Tenta, known at the time as Earthquake, he became Typhoon, and together they were presented as a dominant tag team called the Natural Disasters.
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