Tom Zenk
Encyclopedia
Thomas Erwin "Tom" Zenk (born on November 30, 1958) is a former Mr. Minnesota Bodybuilder, and most notably a American
professional wrestler, also known by his nickname Z-Man.
. At Rick Martel's request he moved to Montreal to participate in Martel's Lutte International (IWA) before travelling with Martel to work in Japan and eventually the WWF.
Between 1987 and 1994 Zenk made a total of 9 tours of Japan working for both AJPW and NJPW.
(WWF) alongside Rick Martel
and the pair formed a tag team known as the "Can-Am Connection
" in late 1986. The team defeated the tag team of Don Muraco
and Bob Orton, Jr.
in the opening bout of WrestleMania III
in March 1987. The tandem was so popular that they were being built up as the successors to the Hart Foundation as the next World Tag Team Champions, but Zenk would abruptly leave the promotion, allegedly over the result of a contract dispute.
in early 1989 and was the last man eliminated by Larry Zbyszko
in a battle royal for the vacant AWA World Heavyweight Title. After receiving several shots at the AWA title, Zenk went on to wrestle for Jim Crockett Promotions
(later renamed to World Championship Wrestling
) in 1989. Before commercial breaks, a graphic stated that "The Z-Man is coming...September 12, 1989". Zenk, under the name Z-Man, debuted at the first Halloween Havoc event in 1989. He soon formed a tag team with Brian Pillman
and they won the United States Tag Team Championship
while beginning feuds with the Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton
and Stan Lane
) and the Fabulous Freebirds
.
However, during this time Zenk tore a muscle while weightlifting and had to take several months off to recover. His physical appearance was quite different upon returning, still muscular, but more slender than before. Upon his return, Zenk began feuding with Arn Anderson
over the World Television Championship
and later won the title. When the promotion changed its name to World Championship Wrestling in 1991, Zenk officially became the final World Television Champion under the NWA banner and the first under the WCW banner, but he later lost the title back to Anderson. Later that year, he, along with Dustin Rhodes and Big Josh
, feuded with the York Foundation
and the Fabulous Freebirds over the World Six-Man Tag Team Championship
. Zenk, Rhodes and Josh later won the title from the Freebirds before losing the title to the York Foundation, who would become the final champions. Zenk left WCW in early 1994 and finished his career in the independents in 1996.
, Brady Boone
, Curt Hennig
, Rick Rude, John Nord
, and Barry Darsow
.
Now retired from wrestling, Zenk is currently working for a small Community
Hedge Fund
trading Convertible Bond
arbitrage
.
1The title's name was changed to the WCW World Television Championship due to WCW withdrawing from the NWA after Zenk won it, technically making him the last World Television Champion under the NWA banner and the first under the WCW banner.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler, also known by his nickname Z-Man.
Early career
Zenk started wrestling in 1984 in working for an indie promotion, Bill Watts and Mid Altlantic before joining AWA, later moving to the Pacific Northwest territory where he feuded with Bobby JaggersBobby Jaggers
Bobby Jaggers is a retired professional wrestler.-In wrestling:*Finishing moves**Elbow drop**Reversed neckbreaker-Championships and accomplishments:...
. At Rick Martel's request he moved to Montreal to participate in Martel's Lutte International (IWA) before travelling with Martel to work in Japan and eventually the WWF.
Between 1987 and 1994 Zenk made a total of 9 tours of Japan working for both AJPW and NJPW.
World Wrestling Federation
Zenk later made his way to the World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) alongside Rick Martel
Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
and the pair formed a tag team known as the "Can-Am Connection
Can-Am Connection
The Can-Am Connection was a tag team composed of Rick Martel and Tom Zenk in the World Wrestling Federation through 1986 and 1987.-History:...
" in late 1986. The team defeated the tag team of Don Muraco
Don Muraco
Donald Muraco , better known by his ring name "The Rock" Don Muraco, is a retired American professional wrestler...
and Bob Orton, Jr.
Bob Orton, Jr.
Robert Keith Orton is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Cowboy" Bob Orton. He is the father of wrestler Randy Orton, who is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment...
in the opening bout of WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
in March 1987. The tandem was so popular that they were being built up as the successors to the Hart Foundation as the next World Tag Team Champions, but Zenk would abruptly leave the promotion, allegedly over the result of a contract dispute.
Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling
He reappeared in the American Wrestling AssociationAmerican Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
in early 1989 and was the last man eliminated by Larry Zbyszko
Larry Zbyszko
Lawrence "Larry" Whistler is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino during the early 1980s....
in a battle royal for the vacant AWA World Heavyweight Title. After receiving several shots at the AWA title, Zenk went on to wrestle for Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
(later renamed to World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
) in 1989. Before commercial breaks, a graphic stated that "The Z-Man is coming...September 12, 1989". Zenk, under the name Z-Man, debuted at the first Halloween Havoc event in 1989. He soon formed a tag team with Brian Pillman
Brian Pillman
Brian William Pillman was an American football player and professional wrestler best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling....
and they won the United States Tag Team Championship
WCW United States Tag Team Championship
The WCW United States Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship contested for in the United States-based National Wrestling Alliance , Jim Crockett Promotions , and World Championship Wrestling promotions. The title was only contestable by male tag teams and in tag...
while beginning feuds with the Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton
Bobby Eaton
Robert Lee "Bobby" Eaton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, who made his debut in 1976. Eaton is most famous for his work in tag teams, especially his days as one-half of the team the Midnight Express. Under the management of Jim Cornette, Eaton originally teamed with Dennis...
and Stan Lane
Stan Lane
Wallace Stanfield "Stan" Lane is an American professional wrestler, trained by Ric Flair, who started wrestling in 1974 in Championship Wrestling from Florida. For a brief time in Florida, he was nicknamed Nature Boy...
) and the Fabulous Freebirds
Fabulous Freebirds
The Fabulous Freebirds were a professional wrestling tag team that attained fame in the 1980s, performing into the 1990s. The team usually consisted of three wrestlers, although in different situations and points in its history, just two performed under the Freebirds name.-History:The Fabulous...
.
However, during this time Zenk tore a muscle while weightlifting and had to take several months off to recover. His physical appearance was quite different upon returning, still muscular, but more slender than before. Upon his return, Zenk began feuding with Arn Anderson
Arn Anderson
Martin Anthony Lunde better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is a former American professional wrestler and author. His career has been highlighted by his alliances with Ric Flair and various members of the wrestling stable, The Four Horsemen, in the NWA/WCW...
over the World Television Championship
WCW World Television Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Television Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Championship Wrestling....
and later won the title. When the promotion changed its name to World Championship Wrestling in 1991, Zenk officially became the final World Television Champion under the NWA banner and the first under the WCW banner, but he later lost the title back to Anderson. Later that year, he, along with Dustin Rhodes and Big Josh
Matt Osborne
Matthew "Matt" Wade Osborne is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Osborne is a second generation wrestler, being son of "Tough" Tony Borne, but he is best known as the first wrestler to portray the character of Doink the Clown, which he still uses to this day.-Independent...
, feuded with the York Foundation
York Foundation
The York Foundation was a professional wrestling heel stable in that worked in World Championship Wrestling between 1990 and 1992. The stable was led by businesswoman Alexandra York with each member of the stable adopting business suits & attitudes after joining the stable.-History:Miss Alexandra...
and the Fabulous Freebirds over the World Six-Man Tag Team Championship
WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Championship
The NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship was first defended in the Tennessee Mid-America territory from 1974 to 1981 as the NWA Six-Man Tag Team Championship. Jim Crockett Promotions then created its own version of the titles in 1984 until it was abandoned in late 1989...
. Zenk, Rhodes and Josh later won the title from the Freebirds before losing the title to the York Foundation, who would become the final champions. Zenk left WCW in early 1994 and finished his career in the independents in 1996.
Personal life
Zenk attended high school with fellow future pro wrestlers Nikita KoloffNikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff is a retired American professional wrestler,. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he wrestled as "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, which was a play on the nickname of fan favorite "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes .Nikita was brought into the National...
, Brady Boone
Dean Peters
Dean R. Peters was an American professional wrestler and referee. He was perhaps best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation under the ring names Brady Boone and Battle Kat....
, Curt Hennig
Curt Hennig
Curtis Michael "Curt" Hennig , also known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler, manager and color commentator who worked for, among other promotions, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World...
, Rick Rude, John Nord
John Nord
John Nord is a retired American professional wrestler. He lives in Bozeman, Montana.-Career:John Nord started wrestling in late 1984 as "The Barbarian" for Mid-South Wrestling under manager Skandor Akbar...
, and Barry Darsow
Barry Darsow
Barry Darsow is a former American professional wrestler who is known as Smash, one half of the tag team Demolition, and as Krusher Kruschev, Repo Man, and The Blacktop Bully...
.
Now retired from wrestling, Zenk is currently working for a small Community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
Hedge Fund
Hedge fund
A hedge fund is a private pool of capital actively managed by an investment adviser. Hedge funds are only open for investment to a limited number of accredited or qualified investors who meet criteria set by regulators. These investors can be institutions, such as pension funds, university...
trading Convertible Bond
Convertible bond
In finance, a convertible note is a type of bond that the holder can convert into shares of common stock in the issuing company or cash of equal value, at an agreed-upon price. It is a hybrid security with debt- and equity-like features...
arbitrage
Arbitrage
In economics and finance, arbitrage is the practice of taking advantage of a price difference between two or more markets: striking a combination of matching deals that capitalize upon the imbalance, the profit being the difference between the market prices...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Missile dropkick
- Superkick
- Signature moves
- DropkickDropkickA dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
- Sleeper hold
- With Rick MartelRick MartelRichard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
- Stereo dropkicks
Championships and accomplishments
- Jim Crockett PromotionsJim Crockett PromotionsJim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
/ World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and... - NWA United States Tag Team ChampionshipNWA United States Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA United States Tag Team Championship is a name used by several championships that were or currently are under the National Wrestling Alliance 's supervision:...
(1 time) - with Brian PillmanBrian PillmanBrian William Pillman was an American football player and professional wrestler best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling.... - NWA/WCW World Television ChampionshipWCW World Television ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling World Television Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Championship Wrestling....
(1 time)1 - WCW World Six-Man Tag Team ChampionshipWCW World Six-Man Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship was first defended in the Tennessee Mid-America territory from 1974 to 1981 as the NWA Six-Man Tag Team Championship. Jim Crockett Promotions then created its own version of the titles in 1984 until it was abandoned in late 1989...
(1 time) - with Dustin Rhodes and Big JoshMatt OsborneMatthew "Matt" Wade Osborne is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Osborne is a second generation wrestler, being son of "Tough" Tony Borne, but he is best known as the first wrestler to portray the character of Doink the Clown, which he still uses to this day.-Independent...
- Lutte Internationale
- Canadian International Tag Team ChampionshipCanadian International Tag Team ChampionshipThe Canadian International Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in the Montreal-based wrestling promotion Lutte Internationale . The title lasted from 1976 until Lutte Internationale closed in 1987.-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Dan Kroffat
- Pacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S...
(1 time) - NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S...
(1 time) - with Scott Doring
1The title's name was changed to the WCW World Television Championship due to WCW withdrawing from the NWA after Zenk won it, technically making him the last World Television Champion under the NWA banner and the first under the WCW banner.