RIP: Tom Zenk
Dec 17, 2017
Published in
Not in Hall of Fame News
It was reported today that former Professional Wrestling star, Tom Zenk passed away at the age of 59.
From Robbindale, Minnesota, Zenk was part of crew of athletes from Robbinsdale High School who would go onto a career in Pro Wrestling. This included Nikita Koloff, Curt Hennig, John Nord, Barry Darsow and “Ravishing” Rick Rude. Zenk would graduate in 1976 and would debut in 1984. Zenk would compete in the AWA, the Pacific Northwest and would then join IWA in Montreal as the tag team partner of Rick Martel. Through the latter, he would join the World Wrestling Federation in early 1987 as one half of the Can-Am Connection.
For a while it looked like the team would be WWF World Tag Team Title bound. They would score win after win, including victories over The Magnificent Muraco & Cowboy Bob Orton at Wretlemania III and on Saturday Night’s Main Event against Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik. They began a feud with the Islanders but Zenk would leave abruptly citing in later interviews that a discrepancy in pay between himself and Martel caused the departure. He would buried on television by Martel as a coward who could not handle the feud with the Islanders and Martel would team with Tito Santana as the rechristened Strike Force to win the Tag Titles.
Zenk would resurface back in the AWA in their dying days as a top contender for the AWA Title but he would debut in World Championship Wrestling in the Fall of 1989. From that time frame until 1994, Zenk would perform for the company and was a mid-card babyface for the duration. In 1990, Zenk would win his first title with the company as he and Brian Pillman would win the United States Tag Team Title. 1991 would see him win his first and only major singles title as he would win the Television Title by pinning Arn Anderson. He would also win the Six Man Tag Team Titles with Dustin Rhodes and Big Josh.
After a stint in All-Japan in 1994 and the AWF in 1996, Zenk would retire from the business.
Zenk did not pass away today rather he perished on the 9th. Following a series of entertaining shoot interviews, Zenk went silent and appeared to deliberately go out of not only the public eye but away from his wrestling peers as well. It is not known at this time how he passed away.
We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends and family of Tom Zenk.
From Robbindale, Minnesota, Zenk was part of crew of athletes from Robbinsdale High School who would go onto a career in Pro Wrestling. This included Nikita Koloff, Curt Hennig, John Nord, Barry Darsow and “Ravishing” Rick Rude. Zenk would graduate in 1976 and would debut in 1984. Zenk would compete in the AWA, the Pacific Northwest and would then join IWA in Montreal as the tag team partner of Rick Martel. Through the latter, he would join the World Wrestling Federation in early 1987 as one half of the Can-Am Connection.
For a while it looked like the team would be WWF World Tag Team Title bound. They would score win after win, including victories over The Magnificent Muraco & Cowboy Bob Orton at Wretlemania III and on Saturday Night’s Main Event against Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik. They began a feud with the Islanders but Zenk would leave abruptly citing in later interviews that a discrepancy in pay between himself and Martel caused the departure. He would buried on television by Martel as a coward who could not handle the feud with the Islanders and Martel would team with Tito Santana as the rechristened Strike Force to win the Tag Titles.
Zenk would resurface back in the AWA in their dying days as a top contender for the AWA Title but he would debut in World Championship Wrestling in the Fall of 1989. From that time frame until 1994, Zenk would perform for the company and was a mid-card babyface for the duration. In 1990, Zenk would win his first title with the company as he and Brian Pillman would win the United States Tag Team Title. 1991 would see him win his first and only major singles title as he would win the Television Title by pinning Arn Anderson. He would also win the Six Man Tag Team Titles with Dustin Rhodes and Big Josh.
After a stint in All-Japan in 1994 and the AWF in 1996, Zenk would retire from the business.
Zenk did not pass away today rather he perished on the 9th. Following a series of entertaining shoot interviews, Zenk went silent and appeared to deliberately go out of not only the public eye but away from his wrestling peers as well. It is not known at this time how he passed away.
We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends and family of Tom Zenk.