[Booker T Sucka]

I know he never held a belt and his most memorable feud was very forgettable. Still though he always put on a great match when given the time slot and his 2 year undefeated streak should count for something. He almost always got a huge pop and people loved him. While his heel turn is what killed him off, they never pushed him as a face no matter how popular he got.

 

[rabidwolverine27]

He lives 2 blocks away frome me no lie. In Tampa Florida

 

[JAROTO]

Tatanka was my brother's favorite wrestler.

 

[Booker T Sucka]

That's awesome, I'd love to meet him. He's also one of my favorites.

 

[Simpsons Modern Life]

I just think he basically lost the momentum that's all, I wouldn't say he failed though, he did pretty well, had some great feuds, the one with Rick Martel with the feathers I still hear being mentioned now and again, his undefeated streak of course until Ludvig Borga took this, I just think they slowed down his momentum and then he kinda faded out.

He had a good run none the less, even if he didn't hold any belts, he has the long streak under his belt etc..

 

[Booker T Sucka]

Would anyone else consider him HoF worthy? He had a pretty good run and is probably the most known guy to never hold a belt.

 

[GL]

Would anyone else consider him HoF worthy? He had a pretty good run and is probably the most known guy to never hold a belt.

I would simply because the requirements to be a WWE hof member are fuzzy at best. They have a couple of jobbers and plenty of mid card guys in.

Just depends on who they want to put in, not who deserves it.

AS far as most known guys not to hold a WWF belt (because Tatanka has held some belts but not in WWF), I think he would be pretty far down a list that would include...

Superfly Snuka
Mil Mascaras
Jake Roberts
One Man Gang
Kimala
Big John Studd
The Spoiler
Cowboy Bob Orton
Paul Orndorff
etc...

 

[ByTor]

Because he sucked as a heel. I was into his heel turn on Luger but he simply couldn't wrestle a heel style. Being a face played to his strengths. He had good babyface fire and got to do his little Hulk Up. The crowd liked him. As a heel, he did lots and lots of chinlocks. He did have a good heel sneer, but that's it.

As for why they never pushed him to a title as a face...well, I'm not really sure. I think he would have made a decent transitional IC champ. Titles didn't change much in those days though.

 

[SinJackal]

The United States committed genocide on most native americans and banished almost everyone that survived to nearly unlivable mountains way away from civilization.

Tatanka didn't exactly have a large racial fanbase to rally behind him.

 

[Booker T Sucka]

Forgot about Snuka, Snake, and Big John but I would put him over everyone else on that list when it comes to WWE career. I'd have Mr. Wonderful right there with him though.

Btw you forgot Lex Luger.

 

[GL]

Forgot about Snuka, Snake, and Big John but I would put him over everyone else on that list when it comes to WWE career. I'd have Mr. Wonderful right there with him though.

Btw you forgot Lex Luger.

Orndorff was in high profile main events with Hogan. AS far as I can remember Tatanka never was a main eventer, I may be wrong. Just my opinion. Don't get me wrong I liked him. I just don't see how anyone could place Tatanka's run over any of those guys, maybe Orton and Spolier but I think that's the range. That was just a quick list I am certain I could come up with 20 more guys who most people would place above Tatanka.

 

[Booker T Sucka]

Because he sucked as a heel. I was into his heel turn on Luger but he simply couldn't wrestle a heel style. Being a face played to his strengths. He had good babyface fire and got to do his little Hulk Up. The crowd liked him. As a heel, he did lots and lots of chinlocks. He did have a good heel sneer, but that's it.

As for why they never pushed him to a title as a face...well, I'm not really sure. I think he would have made a decent transitional IC champ. Titles didn't change much in those days though.

From what I've heard is that he was supposed to get the IC at WM but somebody backstage notorious for burrying talent didn't like that idea. Only rumors though but one that makes sense to me.

 

[Booker T Sucka]

Orndorff was in high profile main events with Hogan. AS far as I can remember Tatanka never was a main eventer, I may be wrong. Just my opinion. Don't get me wrong I liked him. I just don't see how anyone could place Tatanka's run over any of those guys, maybe Orton and Spolier but I think that's the range. That was just a quick list I am certain I could come up with 20 more guys who most people would place above Tatanka.

Well I put him over them just because of how long he lasted. He was a steady mid card guy through out his whole first run and built his streak off some big name guys like HBK and British Bulldog. Obviously HBK wasn't a very big deal in those day but to beat him at WM even if by DQ means something.

 

[GL]

Okay here's more for the list after some thought. I don't think any of these men ever held a WWF title, and that is crazy especially for the older guys becuase at opne point the WWF had their own US Title, and US Tag Titles. A ton of guys I suspected did not count because they had a random tag run or won the US Title. But I am pretty sure none of these guys ever did. I would not put Tatanka over any of them historically speaking, although again I liked him, and he probably does deserve a HOF spot eventually.

Here are 21 more....

The Crusher
George Steele (more for his 70's run)
Vader
JYD
Tiger Jeet Singh
Jerry Lawler
Jim Duggan
Ernie Ladd
Baron Von Rashcke
Killer Kahn
King Kong Bundy
Freddie Blassie
Peter Maivia
Don Leo Jonathon
Bobby Duncum
Bam Bam Bigelow
The Wolfman
Stan Hansen
Angelo Mosca
Mil Mascaras
Dusty Rhodes (not just his polka dot run but his run with Graham)

 

[Snapdragon]

The way I understand it

Shawn Michaels refused to drop the IC Title to him. He never recovered the momentum he lost after that

 

[Booker T Sucka]

Okay here's more for the list after some thought. I don't think any of these men ever held a WWF title, and that is crazy especially for the older guys becuase at opne point the WWF had their own US Title, and US Tag Titles. A ton of guys I suspected did not count because they had a random tag run or won the US Title. But I am pretty sure none of these guys ever did. I would not put Tatanka over any of them historically speaking, although again I liked him, and he probably does deserve a HOF spot eventually.

Here are 21 more....

The Crusher
George Steele (more for his 70's run)
Vader
JYD
Tiger Jeet Singh
Jerry Lawler
Jim Duggan
Ernie Ladd
Baron Von Rashcke
Killer Kahn
King Kong Bundy
Freddie Blassie
Peter Maivia
Don Leo Jonathon
Bobby Duncum
Bam Bam Bigelow
The Wolfman
Stan Hansen
Angelo Mosca
Mil Mascaras
Dusty Rhodes (not just his polka dot run but his run with Graham)

I see your point and yeah these guys you are naming are for the most part much more accomplished than Tatanka but he's still a lot more popular than some of those guys. His career wasn't as good but his second run got him a whole new generation of fans.

 

[Booker T Sucka]

The way I understand it

Shawn Michaels refused to drop the IC Title to him. He never recovered the momentum he lost after that

Yeah that's what I had heard but didn't wanna say it since I wasn't sure if anyone else knew that same story.

 

[just1988]

Tatanka came around when he was still fairly new to the business. At which point the WWE had the likes of Hogan, Savage, Flair & Sid and then when they all left Michaels, Razor, Diesel, Luger & Hart so there were so many guys ahead of him. Also he came through at a time when WWE had far less hours of weekly television and squash matches were still prevalent, so there's only a certain amount of TV time for top guys and only 4 belts up for grabs in the company.

 

[Kowalski's Killer]

I believe he also left on his own terms. He wanted to stop traveling and devote more time to his family and people. He was supposedly offered another contract and turned it down.
They buried him for a short time before he left because they knew he was leaving. If he agreed to a new contract there is a good possibility he would have received a sizable push.

 

[SpocksEvilClone]

I don't think he really had the sizable fanbase to be much more than what he was. Perhaps, had he defeated Michaels for the Intercontinental title at Wrestlemania 9, things would have been different. Or even the tag team titles with Bigelow.

However, I don't know anyone who really cared for him, as a wrestler or character. Even one of my best friends, who is half First Nations, never really cared for him. He was embarrassed when Tatanka came out at the 2005 Royal Rumble.