On a day when WWE will anoint two new championship contenders at the Royal Rumble, the company is also paying tribute to a giant of its past.
Yokozuna is the subject of the WWE Network’s Icons Revisited series, premiering this Sunday, which is also the day of the Royal Rumble pay per view. Unfortunately, this particular docuseries is defined by the rise and fall of the larger-than-life Yokozuna, whose size helped him gain instant attention, yet also led to health issues that caused him to pass away at the age of only 34.
A memorable part of childhood for countless wrestling fans, Yokozuna was a character brilliantly performed by Rodney Anoa’i. The Icons special takes a deep dive into his life and career, showing his rise in wrestling as well as sharing intimate anecdotes detailing him as a father, brother and friend.
The son of a Marine, a turning point occurred in the life of Anoa’i after his parents learned that their son had cut so many classes in high school that he would not be earning a diploma. That put the wheels in motion for him to leave home in California and move to Florida for pro wrestling training under his uncles, Afa and Sika Anoa’i, famously known as the Wild Samoans. It was during this stretch when Anoa’i grew close with his cousins, best known as Rikishi and Samu, who later starred as the Headshrinkers. The preparation and discipline instilled by Afa and Sika laid the groundwork for the next tier of stars in wrestling’s long and distinguished Samoan dynasty. While all three played an important role, it was Anoa’i who became a two-time world champion as Yokozuna.
The Icons team did a tremendous job of detailing Anoa’i’s rise to stardom. This included unearthing some phenomenal footage from Southern Professional Wrestling in April of 1987, where Anoa’i was sharpening his teeth as Kokina Maximus. Icons followed his progression, highlighting a rare combination of versatility and speed for a performer that weighed over 300 pounds. Anoa’i represented an evolution in style and size for a heavyweight, gaining almost immediate interest from Vince McMahon.
There are numerous fascinating details revealed throughout the 77-minute special, including how the original plan for Anoa’i was to team with Samu as part of the Headshrinkers. Clearly, this would have altered pro wrestling’s timeline, but serendipity interfered. An injury prevented Anoa’i from competing at the television taping, and that spot was then cast to Rikishi, who worked as Fatu, and the Headshrinkers debuted on an episode of Superstars in July of 1992.
The company still had plans for Anoa’i. He had a non-televised match that September as Kokina, a member of the Wild Samoans, but there was no real direction for his character. It is revealed during Icons that Sgt. Slaughter offered the suggestion to McMahon that Anoa’i become a Japanese sumo wrestler, and McMahon embraced the idea. Anoa’i placed his flowing hair in a tight bun and received the mighty name of Yokozuna, which viewers later see is also engraved on his gravestone.
Despite a perpetual sadness over his increasing weight and failing health, the special did a phenomenal job of capturing the spirit and optimism that defined his run as a top act. He was paired with Mr. Fuji, and the pair proudly waved the Japanese flag, though it was noted that neither man was of Japanese descent. Yet there was undeniable magic between their partnership, and Yokozuna quickly gained steam as a monster heel, squashing opponents and getting primed for a run as champion.
Yokozuna’s breakout moment took place at the 1993 Royal Rumble, where he eliminated “Macho Man” Randy Savage in the show’s famed match and then challenged Bret Hart for the championship at WrestleMania IX. This stood out as a particularly riveting segment, as interviews with Hart, Hulk Hogan, and company executive Bruce Prichard highlighted the tension that exists between Hart and Hogan, one that has extended now for nearly three decades. This divide in philosophy between Hart and Hogan is clearly on display in Icons, with Yokozuna placed directly in the middle.
Yokozuna defeated Hart for the title at WrestleMania IX, and it was fascinating to hear Hart discuss how the match ended so suddenly. There were two parts to the match drawn up, Hart explained, but Yokozuna eschewed the second half of their detailed plan, likely due to cardio problems. Hogan is a lightning rod of controversy at this particular WrestleMania, revealing that he advocated to defeat Yokozuna to close out the show. And that is exactly what transpires, as almost immediately after winning the belt, Yokozuna drops it to Hogan.
Despite detail and precision throughout Icons, there was one piece of misinformation. Prichard notes that it was necessary for Hogan to win the belt at WrestleMania IX so he could serve as champ during the company’s upcoming European tour. Longtime listeners of Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard will certainly recall cohost Conrad Thompson vehemently arguing this point with Prichard, pointing out the European tour took place months after Hogan dropped the belt back to Yokozuna at that June’s King of the Ring pay per view.
Following King of the Ring, Yokozuna became the top act in the company, poised for a long run as a top act. With Hogan in the company’s rearview, he moved on to a program with McMahon’s newly anointed American hero, Lex Luger. The Luger-Yokozuna program was the top story through the summer and the fall, main-eventing SummerSlam in a singles match and the Survivor Series in a multi-man tag. Yokozuna also helped headline the 1994 Royal Rumble against The Undertaker before dropping the belt against Hart at WrestleMania X, which was his last night as the company’s top champ. Unfortunately, the story with Luger was not covered, though significant time was spent on his battle with weight. There are also cameos from Roman Reigns, who was a cousin of Anoa’i, as well as The Undertaker, a close friend. Insight was also shared from McMahon, Steve Austin, Mark Henry, and Kevin Nash, who likely would have had a program while he was champ against Yokozuna had he stayed healthy.
There is so much of the past to celebrate. This includes a great moment when The Undertaker recalls going to McMahon and practically begging to work with Yokozuna, partially in awe of the monster heel, but also due to frustration with the limited slate of giants he had been working with during that era. And while there was an unmistakable aura surrounding Yokozuna, that dissipated as his weight increased and his mobility was limited. His size helped him gain instant attention but also caused his demise.
As Anoa’i approached 700 pounds, he was released by the company in 1997. He returned to the indies a year later and taught at a wrestling school in 1999. Sadly, he did not return from a tour of England in 2000, passing away at the age of only 34 due to pulmonary edema, which causes respiratory failure. There was footage and memories of Anoa’i’s family-run memorial show, as well as his loved ones lamenting they did not do more to prolong the life of a dearly beloved member of their family.
Even if his time atop the upper echelon of the industry was fleeting, Anoa’i was a cornerstone of pro wrestling’s Samoan dynasty. The Icons series captures this with unmistakable grace, as well as highlights his kindness, sense of humor and love for family and friends. Had he regained his health, there could have been a wonderful second act for Anoa’i in both pro wrestling and in life. This special was able to celebrate the positives, while also noting the heartache over the far-too-soon passing of a legendary man and performer.
