For all the theatrics, Rikishi was a force to be reckoned with over a lengthy career that brought three tag team crowns and an intercontinental championship, leading to his own WWE Hall of Fame induction in Following older brothers Rikishi and Tama into the ring, Eddie Fatu made a tepid entry to the WWE as Jamal, one-half of the 3-Minute Warning duo, before returning with a bang in as the terrifying Umaga. The pound "Samoan Bulldozer" ran up an eight-month winning streak that culminated with a loss to champion John Cena , and he remained a top draw as he twice claimed the intercontinental championship.
Sadly, the ride came to an end after Umaga failed a second drug test in , leading to his release from the WWE, and he was dead a few months later from a heart attack. But he hit the ground running in the WWE as Roman Reigns, first as one of the three members of The Shield, before emerging as an individual superstar.
Using his devastating "Superman punch," the agile pounder has been crowned the WWE's United States, Intercontinental and Universal champion, among other accolades. And while he hasn't always earned a warm reception from audiences, Reigns turned more fans in his favor with his return in from a battle with leukemia.
Photo: Brent N. Football also loomed large in the early lives of Rikishi's twin sons Jonathan and Joshua Fatu, who played together at the University of West Alabama.
But they were ready when it came time to trade in the pads for tasseled costumes and tribal costumes, and they arrived in the WWE in under the respective names of Jimmy and Jey Uso. Initially billed as "heels" — wrestling's bad guys — the Usos rose in popularity thanks to energetic showings that included performances of the traditional Samoan Siva Tau war dance. They also joined cousins Johnson and Reigns as titleholders, becoming the first duo to win tag team crowns in both the Raw and Smackdown divisions.
Born in Australia to a cousin of the High Chief and a German mother, Savelina Fanene was drawn to basketball before becoming a plus-size model. However, all roads lead back to the family business, and she quickly worked her way up the WWE's development ladder to make a splash as Nia Jax in At 6 feet and odd pounds, Jax has fulfilled her destiny as an overpowering force in the women's field and yet another champion of the family tree, claiming the Raw women's title in and a tag team triumph with Shayna Baszler in After holding the gold for a few months, Rikishi exited WWE, leaving behind a memorable legacy of hilarious dance moves, unexpected acts and many, many stinky faces.
Superstar Stats Rikishi. Weight lbs. Hometown Isle of Samoa. Rikishi: Bio. Continue Reading. Rikishi: Latest News. In storyline The Sultan's tongue was removed thus he never spoke in promos. He was managed by the Iron Sheik and Bob Backlund. The Sultan gimmick was dropped in January and it was over. Fatu left the spotlight when the Sultan gimmick was canned, working on the independent circuit.
Then the name would become Rikishi Phatu. The name was eventually shortened to Rikishi when he started teaming with Too Cool.
He had gained a great deal of weight, bleached his hair blonde, and exchanged his long trousers for a thong. It was at this point that Rikishi's popularity began to soar as their post-match dance routine became popular with fans. During the Royal Rumble , Rikishi eliminated seven opponents in the Royal Rumble match; he was eliminated by six wrestlers working together. Two of those seven were Too Cool themselves, whom Rikishi eliminated after they performed their dance routine in the middle of the match.
Rikishi became famous for giving wrestlers the Stinkface , as his butt was rubbed in the face of an opposing wrestler. This move became very popular with the fans. On June 25 he defeated Benoit and Val Venis in the quarter and semi-finals respectively, but both his opponents hit him with a steel chair after losing, weakening his shoulder and helping Kurt Angle defeat him in the finals. Stemming from Venis's attack at King of the Ring, Rikishi faced Venis on July 6 and lost his title after Tazz hit him with a television camera.
In the course of the match, Rikishi ascended the cage and, in a move reminiscent of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka , leapt from the top, splashing Venis. Rikishi was defeated by Venis shortly after when Tazz once again hit him with a television camera. However, Foley stated later that night in the ring that Rikishi at that point had not debuted yet. The match went to a no contest when Austin dragged Rikishi to the parking lot and attempted to run him over, but a police car drove in front of Austin's car, saving Rikishi.
Though Austin was arrested, he had badly injured Rikishi, inflicting numerous cuts and bruises to his face. After a number of instances where Austin was attacked backstage by an unseen assailant, it became clear that Rikishi had an accomplice.
During a handicap match pitting Rikishi and Kurt Angle against Austin, Triple H came to the ring, seemingly to aid Austin, but swerved the audience by attacking Austin with a sledgehammer. This led to Triple H revealing that he had masterminded the assault, relegating Rikishi to his hired muscle. Rikishi never reclaimed the popularity he enjoyed throughout his initial run as Rikishi.
Rikishi lost to The Rock at Survivor Series. He then participated in the six-man Hell in a Cell match at Armageddon for the WWF Championship, during which Vince McMahon drove a flatbed truck to ringside in an effort to dismantle the cage and stop the match.
However, Rikishi was chokeslammed from the top of the cell into the truck bed by the Undertaker. He won a match entitling him to enter the Royal Rumble at number
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