Editing Tank Abbott (section)

==Background==
Abbott was born and raised in [[Huntington Beach, California]]. Abbott began practicing [[amateur wrestling]] when he was nine years old, and continued through high school where he also played football. He then continued [[Collegiate wrestling|wrestling]] in college at [[Cypress College]], where he was a [[CCCAA]] [[All-American]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-03-31-me-53338-story.html |title=A Man Who's Happy to Be Fighting His Way to the Top |work=Los Angeles Times |date=March 31, 1996 |access-date=June 8, 2024}}</ref> He then attended [[California State University, Long Beach]] where he graduated with a degree in history.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rossen |first1=Jake |date=2 September 2000 |title=When Doves Cry: The Tank Abbott Story! |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/02/when-doves-cry-the-tank-abbott-story |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527214507/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/02/when-doves-cry-the-tank-abbott-story |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |access-date=23 December 2021 |website=ign.com}}</ref> During this time he was trained in [[boxing]] by Noe Cruz who also trained world champion boxer [[Carlos Palomino]] at the Westminster Boxing Gym.

However, Abbott was mainly known for the many [[street fighting|street fights]] that he had engaged in, rarely losing.  While working at a liquor store to help pay for his college tuition, Abbott encountered a "smart-ass" customer. Abbott beat the customer severely, and the customer, who turned out to be the son of a detective, pressed charges for assault. Abbott was sentenced to six months in jail, the judge saying "Mr. Abbott, you are a maniac. I'm surprised you haven't killed somebody."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.knucklepit.com/mixed-martial-arts-tank_abbott.htm|title=Abbott not ready to call it quits just yet|author=Woods, Michael|publisher=ESPN|access-date=September 22, 2009|date=February 19, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227202334/http://www.knucklepit.com/mixed-martial-arts-tank_abbott.htm|archive-date=December 27, 2008}}</ref>