Fred Ottman, known to wrestling fans as Tugboat, Typhoon, and The Shockmaster, has shared an unfortunate health update on Instagram, revealing he has been hospitalized for over 30 days due to a ruptured gallbladder, causing severe infection. However, the WWE Hall of Famer reassured his followers that he expects to return home shortly, demonstrating his upbeat attitude despite the severe medical ordeal he is facing.
“For 30 days I’ve been off the map. I’ve been out of touch. I just wanted to let you all know I didn’t fall off the planet … Unfortunately, my gallbladder exploded inside of me, and it released a bunch of poison into my body. So I’ve been on my back for 30 days.” – Fred Ottman
69-year-old Ottman is best known for his WWE run in the early ’90s, during which he debuted as Tugboat and teamed with Hulk Hogan. He then turned heel, becoming Typhoon, and with Earthquake, he formed The Natural Disasters, managed by Jimmy Hart, going on to win the WWF Tag Team Championship in 1992, memorably feuding with Money Inc. then in 1993, his WCW debut as The Shockmaster became legendary after he tripped and crashed through a wall on live TV, arguably creating wrestling’s most famous botch. Yet, despite this embarrassment, he would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame alongside the sadly deceased Earthquake in 2025.
