He then vanished. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. [29] Yokozuna then had to deal with the "rebirth" of the Undertaker, who immediately came after the foe who had taken him out of action. Without the help of Fujis henchmen, Yokozuna would go on to lose the match and face his greatest fear as he wound up locked inside the casket. Nonetheless, Luger was physically capable of the slam and got the big push, into a rivalry that reached its climax at SummerSlam where Luger picked up a count-out victory, to be followed by the two captaining opposing teams at Survivor Series. Im not sure if a more extended program was planned beyond that pointI can imagine one-on-one bouts being entertaining enough spectacles if the WWF kept them shortbut the attack, instead, marked the end of Earthquakes run with the WWF before he headed off to WCW, not to return until after the end of the decade, under a mask. Yokozuna was bidding to become the first heel to walk out of WrestleMania as WWE Champion. This should have been the start of a decent WWE Championship run for Yokozuna but Hulk Hogan intervened, and he challenged Yokozuna to an impromptu WWE Title match. Yokozuna grabbed a steel chair on the outside and he swang for Luger but the Lex Express moved out of the way. The Undertaker - Royal Rumble 1994 Yokozuna defended the WWE Championship against The Undertaker at the 1994 Royal Rumble. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Disney + HotStar. I write, I blog, I podcast, I edit, and I design websites. Sign up for Peacock to watch. Thus, there were few better candidates for Yokozuna to flatten on his way to the main event than Duggan, whose gimmick had become marginally less about carring a two-by-four, and more and more about waving an American flag and getting the crowd to chant USA with him. The Best of Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa The Best of Goldberg At WrestleMania, Yokozuna, now weighing in at 641lb (291kg), was revealed as his partner, and the team managed to defeat the Gunns and win the WWF Tag Team Championship. [2][36] The next day, due to protests from the team and the legal help of Clarence Mason, President Gorilla Monsoon reluctantly returned the belts to Yokozuna and Hart, since Hart was not an official part of the match. The wrestlers he feuded with were some of the all-time greats and that made Yokozuna look like a monster inside the squared circle. Watch WrestleMania and other WWE Premium Live Events on Flow. On top of that, though the WWF billed him from Polynesia, he dressed in sumo garb, waved the Japanese flag and came to the ring with Mr. Fuji, clearly casting him as a representative of Japan and appealing to the WWF fanships jingoistic impulses. Best of Fastlane October 13, 2020 Money Matches and Moments Vader gets the nod for the number four spot, though, because of the unspoken build that went down in 1993. Tevon is a big fan of professional wrestling, who has followed wrestling since the Attitude Era. RELATED: The 11 Worst SummerSlams, According To Cagematch.net. Yokozuna was deathly afraid of caskets, and his WWE Championship was under grave danger at Royal Rumble 1994 as The Undertaker was determined to beat him for the WWE Title. The first match between Yokozuna and Koko B. Ware was a highlight to be a squash match. However, several heels including Diesel and Jeff Jarrett assaulted Undertaker. This made Luger the next major challenger to Yokozuna's title. And yet for all of that sustained success, The Dead Man also never truly had a sustained run as world champion to hang his hat on with only two reigns that lasted much more than a month, none more than five months. This was a watchable casket match with both men giving their all in a physical encounter. I didnt pull the trigger, however, for what I imagine are similar reasons to why the WWF never pulled the trigger on Luger taking the world titlehe just wasnt quite over or good enough in the ring to justify it. Best of Luke Harper How would you rank Yokozunas rivalries? [2][31][32] Following the match, Jim Cornette stated, "Michael Jordan's back and so is Yokozuna", in reference to Jordan's first return to the NBA. While the match wasnt as good this time around, and critics generally have lukewarm reactions to Yokozuna losing because he lost his balance going for a Banzai Drop, Harts win was nonetheless the happy ending fans had been waiting for. Yokozuna was, in so many ways, a throwback character as the WWF leaned upon a combination of conventional ways of pushing monster heels to get this guy over. Remember WWE Hall of Famer Yokozuna on his birthday by reliving his biggest wins!WWE Network | Subscribe now: http://wwe.yt/wwenetwork\r---------------------------------------------------------------------\rFollow WWE on YouTube for more exciting action!\r---------------------------------------------------------------------\rSubscribe to WWE on YouTube: http://wwe.yt/\rCheck out WWE.com for news and updates: http://goo.gl/akf0J4\rWatch WWE on Sony in India: http://www.wwe.com/SonySportsNetwork\rFind the latest Superstar gear at WWEShop: http://shop.wwe.com\r---------------------------------------------\rCheck out our other channels!\r---------------------------------------------\rThe Bella Twins: https://www.youtube.com/thebellatwins\rUpUpDownDown: https://www.youtube.com/upupdowndown\rWWEMusic: https://www.youtube.com/wwemusic\rTotal Divas: https://www.youtube.com/wwetotaldivas\r------------------------------------\rWWE on Social Media\r------------------------------------\rTwitter: https://twitter.com/wwe\rFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wwe\rInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wwe/\rReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/RealWWE\rGiphy: https://giphy.com/wwe\r------------------------------------\rWWE Podcasts\r------------------------------------\rAfter the Bell with Corey Graves: https://wwe.com/afterthebell\rThe New Day: Feel the Power: https://wwe.com/feelthepower\rUncool with Alexa Bliss: https://wwe.com/uncoolwithalexa Yokozuna is the kind of talent who is simultaneously legendary and too often forgotten. Two months after being humiliated via one of the shortest WWE Championship reigns in company history, Yokozuna found himself toe-to-toe against Hulk Hogan at the King of the Ring pay-per-view. At the time, Yokozuna held the record for the second shortest time (after Ric Flair) to win the WWF Championship after his debut, with 173 days (currently, Yokozuna holds the fourth shortest time, after Flair, Sheamus and Brock Lesnar). Although the Yokozuna character was portrayed as a champion sumo wrestler, Anoai never competed as an actual sumotori. Best of The Rock On October 23, 2000, three weeks after his 34th birthday,[51] Anoai died from pulmonary edema in his room at the Moat House Hotel on Paradise Street in Liverpool while on a wrestling tour of the UK for All Star Wrestling. This allowed Yokozuna to take Hogan out with a leg drop and regain the WWF Championship, after which Yokozuna proceeded to hit Hogan with the Banzai Drop in the corner. Sonya Deville Arrested in February for Alleged Firearm Possession, Bobby Fish Explains Why The Undisputed Era Worked In WWE NXT, Dax Harwood Shares His Response to Beth Phoenix & Edge Using The Shatter Machine At Elimination Chamber, MJF Takes Shots at Alberto El Patron, Calls Him an Abuser and Drug Addict, Breaking Down The Ups & Downs of the MCU Phase Four, Randy Savages Rap Album Getting Limited Re-Release In April, NXT UK Alumnus Mark Andrews Band Releases New Song, Music Video, Rihanna Confirms Pregnancy Following Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance, The Rock On How He Managed To Surprise Adele At The Grammy Awards, The Rock Meets Adele At Grammy Awards Courtesy of Trevor Noah, 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Announced: Iron Maiden, Joy Division, More, Leightys Retro Review: WCW SuperBrawl VI, AEW News: Bryan Danielson Sends Message to MJF On Dynamite, HOOK Defeats Matt Hardy, Matt Cardona On WWE Trademarking Zack Ryder, Who Would Be a Good Fake Zack Ryder, Eddie Kingston Quits AEW In Post-Dynamite Video, Tag Match Announced For Fridays AEW Rampage, Bad Bunny Revealed for WWE 2K23, Will be Included as Pre-Order Bonus Character, Note on Release Date for AEW Fight Forever Listed on Best Buys Website, Roman Reigns Receives Highest Superstar Rating for WWE 2K23, New Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Trailer Features Samoa Joe As King Shark, Alexa Bliss Is Surprised Her WWE 2K23 Rating Went Up, UPDATED: WWE 2K23 Roster Ratings Revealed, 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast: UFC 285 Preview, 411s UFC Fight Night Report: Allen Taps Muniz, 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast: UFC on ESPN+ 77 Review, 411s UFC Fight Night Report: Blanchfield Stops Andrade. Let us know what you think in the comments section. The finale along with the bizarre post-match shenanigans was not only needed but was a breath of fresh air and is still to this day, quite the sight to behold. Although, the inaugural Casket match at Survivor Series 1992 saw the opponent have to be pinned first before they could win the match. The Best of WWE: The Best of Yokozuna SALVATORE SINCERE vs. ALEX "THE PUG" PORTEAU: (WWF Superstars, March 9th 1997) * OH MY GOD WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED THIS MATCH HAD HAPPENED?!? The Undertaker - Royal Rumble 1998, The First 10 Casket Matches, Ranked From Worst To Best, Undertaker put this feud to bed after he rolled Heidenreich into the casket for the win, 10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About The Undertaker, the Ugandan Giant was deathly afraid of Undertaker, WWE Championship showdown with Sycho Sid at, 10 Undertaker Moments That Were Actually Hilarious, Yokozuna going on to retain the WWE Title, Dustin Rhodes' 10 Best Matches, According To Cagematch.net, Undertaker and his former tag team partner Big Show, The 11 Worst SummerSlams, According To Cagematch.net, Michaels in a successful WWE Championship title defense. Host of the Sordid Cinema Podcast and NXpress Nintendo Podcast. At the end of the match, Yokozuna seemed ready to hit his finishing maneuver, the Banzai Drop, when he lost his balance and took a fall from the ropes. Randy Orton and The Undertaker's feud dominated SmackDown in 2005. The feud took a painful turn a couple weeks later (April 8), when Vader jumped on Yokozuna's leg, ( kayfabe) breaking it. Soon after, Yokozuna was challenged by American patriot "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, who aimed to be the first man who could knock Yokozuna off his feet (this was taped before Randy Savage knocked down Yokozuna at the Royal Rumble). And though the feud figured into the main event picture and started with the WWF Championship at stake, The Undertaker never actually put his hands on the gold during this time. Not only was Yokozuna forced to accept the first of their two Casket matches, but once it was revealed that the unstoppable Yokozuna had a fear of coffins, The Undertaker used that knowledge to gain a psychological advantage over the big man. The Best of Eddie Guerrero Best of the Elimination Chamber Match [2] He made a one-off appearance for Jim Crockett Promotions on August 12, 1987, facing Ron Simmons at a house show. All four competitors were fan favorites at the time, and seeing them all in the ring together was considered a dream match. The Undertaker and Kane clashed in the first casket match to take place on Raw, just 24 hours removed from their WWE Championship match at Judgment Day: In Your House. His victory undid the wrongs of WrestleMania IX and set him up for a reign of dominance that would encapsulate WWE and have every major babyface in the company gunning for him. [25] To obviate the risk of outside interference, both title matches were scheduled to have special guest referees. Best of WarGames That was the last word many of WWE's top Superstars heard when they faced the imposing Yokozuna. Business was at hand here, and the Supreme Fighting Machine had one of the best matches in his career. The Undertaker was originally scheduled to face Chris Jericho in a blockbuster casket match, but Rusev replaced Y2J. Neither booking nor work rate were top-notch in the period between Hulkamania and Attitude, when Yokozuna was in the limelight. [2][40] Although Cornette had tried to make peace between him and new acquisition Vader, many observers felt Yokozuna was being relegated. Yokozuna's career was celebrated, with his accomplishments in WWE detailed and his legacy cemented. The Best of Money in the Bank Clickhereto see every entry. He spoke English to the fans, had Mr. Fuji wave an American flag during his matches, and challenged Vader to numerous matches. As it was, it was a fun spectacle while it lasted, and gave fans a taste of what theyd imagined a few years earlier. Name: Rodney Agatupu Anoa'i Preferred Name: Yokozuna Date Of Birth: Oct 2nd 1966 Place of Birth: San Francisco, California, United States Nationality: USA Gender: Male Matches: 215 (30 Pay Per View) Date Of Death: Oct 23rd 2000 Cause of Death: pulmonary edema Place of Death: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom Ring Name(s): Great Kokina, Kokina, Kokina Maximus, Kokina the Samoan, Yokozuna 10 Greatest Matches From the 2010s The Luger-Yokozuna issue launched via Yokozunas Independence Day body slam challenge, when he stood on the deck of the USS Intrepid and dared any American wrestler to try to slam him. Undertaker looked a dead cert to pick up the win but Mankind emerged from the casket. Virgil attempted a roll-up but Yokozuna outsmarted Virgil by flattening him. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more. This feud makes the cut for the memorable, if unsavory images of these two engaged in sumo combat, as Yokozuna faced his one believable rival in that context, and went on to decimate him after the match. Copyright 2023 411mania.com, LLC. The Best of Nexus He was billed as the biggest Samoan wrestler ever[8] and given credit for breaking Greg Gagne's leg and ending his career.[2]. The reigning WWE Champion managed to contribute to one elimination by taking out Scott Steiner with a leg drop. [50] At the pay-per-view event, Yokozuna was scheduled to take on King Kong Bundy in one of the event's two featured matches. The Best of WWE: AJ Styles: Most Phenomenal Matches To celebrate, he held a "Bodyslam Competition" aboard the USSIntrepid, a decommissioned aircraft carrier, on Independence Day. For the amount of attention and early fervor of this rivalry, it earns a high spot on this countdown. There were huge stakes on the line for the winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble match as it was the first Rumble to award a Rumble winner, a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania. Scream Queens A significant weight issuehad doomed his on-screen presence and relegated him to inconsistent programs. Big Show was standing on the ramp and he was selling a throat injury. The Ortons closed the casket for the win and set it ablaze afterward. "Banzai!". [17] At King of the Ring, Yokozuna, whose weight had already increased from 505lb (229kg) to 550lb (250kg), challenged Hogan for the title. Your email address will not be published. RELATED: Dustin Rhodes' 10 Best Matches, According To Cagematch.net. He also spent some time in Mexico, learning the craft and gaining the experience necessary to be a star in the sport. [39], Yokozuna returned at In Your House 8: Beware of Dog to wrestle Vader. Standing in Yokozuna's way was Bret Hart, and they closed out WrestleMania 9 in a mediocre WWE Championship match. The inaugural casket match at Survivor Series 1992 was called a coffin match. The feud came to an anticlimactic finish with the two on opposite sides, but not blowing off much, at Survivor Series. On that night, his weight became the centerpiece of his match. Best of WrestleMania: 1990s Mickie James Stream WWE on. [39] At an estimated 760lb (345kg), he had not only gained the weight that he had lost, but admitted he was intentionally getting bigger, with a goal weight between 850 (386kg) and 900lb (408kg), so that he would set a new record for the heaviest professional wrestler ever. Attitude Era Royal Rumble Matches Undertaker was the favorite once more, and he imposed himself on proceedings. CAGEMATCH Wrestlers Database Yokozuna Matches Yokozuna Also known as Great Kokina, Giant Kokina, Kokina Anoai, Kokina Maximus, Kokina The Samoan, Kokina Overview News and Rumors Articles Career Career highlights Titles Matches Match Statistics Matchguide Feuds Tournaments Tag Teams & Stables Entourage Awards Wrestling Games Movies Ratings Best of WrestleMania Main Events The finish was bogus as Luger pushed Perfect, and Perfect abused his power by disqualifying Luger for pushing him which allowed Yokozuna to retain the WWE Championship. The Best of Mickie James Editors Note: This article is part of anongoing series. Moreover, Show finally made his way down to the ring and he pummeled Undertaker. As you can imagine, there was a lot of hype leading into the Royal Rumble. One week before his WWE Championship showdown with Sycho Sid at WrestleMania 13, The Undertaker and Vader collided in a casket match. Ultimately, Yokozuna pushed Savage from the mat over the top rope to continue his push, and he won the 1993 Royal Rumble match punching his ticket to WrestleMania 9. Yokozuna defended the WWE Championship against The Undertaker at the 1994 Royal Rumble. The Undertakers feud with Yokozuna seems emblematic of these statistics. For a main event heel, there may be no greater milestone than putting over a hero in a high-profile situation in such a way that feels deeply satisfying. Luger vs. Yokozuna was largely paint-by-numbers booking, with the super strong American hero going after the foreign menace, and all signs suggest the WWF intended to crown Luger at WrestleMania until the fans started cooling on him, and it became apparent Bret Hart was at least equally over (not to mention significantly better in the ring). Depending on your perspective and how you value world title reigns versus being the most popular or famous wrestler in a company, you can argue that Hulk Hogan either passed the torch to Yokozuna as the face of the WWF, or Yokozuna was the long-term transitional champ between the last gasping breath of Hulkamania before attempts at moving along to Lex Luger and ultimately going to Bret Hart (though he himself, was arguably just part of the transition to the great Diesel experiment). 7 WWE Champion For Several Minutes WWE Champion Yokozuna spearheaded Ludvig Borga, Crush, and Quebecers Jacques as the Foreign Fanatics in their traditional Survivor Series elimination match at Survivor Series 1993. Afterward, Paul Bearer gave Undertaker a hammer and nails to seal Kamala's fate. Best of Unboxing Cowboy Bob was past his prime here, but the Ortons worked as a cohesive unit. He fell backward, smacked his head and was pinned by the Texas Rattlesnake. [2][46] For a second time, Yokozuna went to his home in Los Angeles to lose weight through exercise and dieting, being replaced by other wrestlers on a late November tour of the United Kingdom. There is nothing I like more than basketball, travelling, and animals. The contract Luger had signed for the match, as orchestrated by Yokozuna's new spokesman and advisor James E. Cornette, stated that if he did not win the championship, he would not get another shot at the title. Yokozuna got tired, and the match finished prematurely. [41] The splash was shown on television as a leg break, in reality it was performed to allow Yokozuna to take some time off to lose weight. [28] At King of the Ring 1994, Yokozuna and Crush failed to win the WWF Tag Team Championship from The Headshrinkers (Samu and Fatu). Undertaker put this feud to bed after he rolled Heidenreich into the casket for the win. By WrestleMania 10, Yokozuna had run his course as world champ, and handing the title back to Hart was ideal final chapter to that angle, and his on-again off-again rivalry with Hart. There was a magnificent spot, where Undertaker executed a jumping Tombstone on Michaels into the casket. The two heavy-hitters went at it, but there was always going to be one winner. Before he could celebrate, Yokozuna watched from the floor in awe as Undertaker appeared on the video screen and then rose from the dead and into the sky, not to be seen for eight months. Overcoming Superstars such as the massive Earthquake and the all-time-great "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Yokozuna became the first heel to win the match since it became a pay-per-view attraction. The title did not change hands, but the match's result made it seem like Luger had a chance against his gigantic foe. Undertaker incapacitated Henry with Hell's Gate, and the World's Strongest Man was bleeding from the mouth. Yokozuna vs. giants: WWE Playlist WWE 217K views 3 months ago WWS 1993 Ultimate Warrior Vs Hercules (VERY RARE MATCH) RIP G0L0B 744K views 1 year ago Anoa'i family returns: WWE Top 10, May 16,. Yokozuna got plenty of offense in the early proceedings and he controlled large portions of the match. Undertaker stuffed King Mabel in the casket, and Mabel's manager Mo suffered the same fate before he shut the lid, he retrieved the golden chain. He was up against Mideon and Viscera in a handicap casket match. Best of WWE Backlash: Part 2 In late 1992, Yokozuna joined WWE and he pushed right to the top almost instantly in his WWE career. Yokozuna will collides with the greatest rivals of his WWE Hall of Fame career. Best of Rob Van Dam Yokozuna was the 27th entrant, and he wasted no time by eliminating Tatanka, Carlos Colon, and most impressively, he took care of Earthquake with ease. At the end of WrestleMania 9, Hogan re-enetered the main event picture, though, to infamously challenge Yokozuna for the world title at he end of the show and steal the big win. [2][37] Their second reign was shorter, as the Smoking Gunns defeated them that night for the belts. He was the third-fastest newcomer (after Brock Lesnar and Sheamus) to win the WWF/E Championship after his debut. However, outside interference from Kane aided Michaels in a successful WWE Championship title defense. It became something of a dream match to speculate on what would happen if these two collided in the ring, and I specifically remember debating who was more deadlythat a childhood friend at the time was sold on Yokozuna at a hundred-plus-pounds heavier, while I backed Vader for his more aggressive style and agility (he may have used it sooner, but 1993 was when I first saw him pull off a moonsault). The two met in another casket match at the Survivor Series, this time with actor/karate expert Chuck Norris as the special enforcer to keep the other heel wrestlers away from ringside. Managed by Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna debuted on the October 31, 1992 edition of Superstars with his then new gimmick of a stereotypical sumo wrestler, who competed under the Japanese flag; though the WWF tactfully acknowledged his Samoan roots. However, after a lengthy match, Mr. Fuji called out the troops, bringing a dozen heel wrestlers out to aid Yokozuna in attacking the Undertaker. WrestleMania 22 was the first time where The Undertaker didn't have to be pinned or submitted to lose his WrestleMania unbeaten streak. What should have been Yokozuna's night was instead a creative misstep designed at putting the spotlight on Hogan one last time at the event he helped create. Best of The Bellas Agatupu Rodney Anoai (October 2, 1966 October 23, 2000) was an American professional wrestler. Their match was physical but it wasn't anything special. Match: Yokozuna is the first and only stage in Bug Sumo Finals . Undertaker was relatively comfortable in this casket match with Henry posing few problems for his fellow Texan. The Best of Hell in a Cell He was a top heel in the New Generation Era, and he was under the tutelage of Mr. Fuji. Celebrating "The Bad Guy", Scott Hall Yokozuna was firmly locked-in as the top heel and The Undertaker was on his way to becoming a top face. Aiden English got his nose involved in proceedings, but Undertaker sealed both men's fate by dumping them into the casket. RELATED: 10 WWE Wrestlers Who Challenged For A World Title Multiple Times (But Never Won It). The seventh annual Royal Rumble (which took place on January 22, 1994, at the Providence Civic Center) is best known for two big moments: The first is when Owen Hart turned on his brother Bret Hart after The Quebecers defeated them to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship. [33] The two would remain champions for several months, defending against teams like the Allied Powers (Lex Luger and Davey Boy Smith),[34] the Smoking Gunns,[35] and others. Vader vs. Yokozuna: Raw, April 8, 1996 WWE 93.3M subscribers Subscribe Share 178K views 10 months ago Two powerhouses pummel each other when they face off in the ring during Raw! The victory, which came about as a result of the heavyweight's insulting leg drop to the man who made the move famous, finally confirmed the company was serious about pushing Yokozuna as the centerpiece of the main event scene rather than the nondescript villain of the week. Halloween Havoc's Most Hellacious Matches Heidenreich wasn't a good in-ring competitor, and Undertaker was unfortunate to face Heidenreich for the second time in three months. Daniel Bryans Best Matches Banzai! Most of Yokozuna's stuff still looks good, but the man himself just didn't have the cardio for fast-paced matches anymore. The Best of Jeff Hardy [1][38], Yokozuna, by now weighing in at 660lb (300kg), had little continued success in 1996. Your email address will not be published. He applied the Mandible Claw and Vader picked up the win, all thanks to Mankind. The storytelling was great, and whilst it wasn't an instant classic, Yokozuna and Luger had their working boots on. The contest, the most ludicrous and outrageously booked in WWE history, saw Yokozuna benefit from the assistance of 10 other Superstars to defeat The Deadman, shoving him into a casket as the spirit of the enigmatic competitor poured from an urn and into the Rhode Island night. When Undertaker returned, he would avenge his defeat, beating Yokozuna in another Casket match and ending their feud once and for all. When fans look back at the early to mid-1990s, few Superstars towered over the New Generation of WWE the way the massive Yokozuna did. Now relive the best, worst and most outrageous moments in the iconic career of one of wrestling's most remarkable big men. The Yokozuna Memorial Show was held in Allentown, Pennsylvania in November 2001, shortly after the first anniversary of Anoai's death. Season's Beatings Tevon is a big fan of professional wrestling, who has followed wrestling since the Attitude Era. You can find me online writing about anime, TV, movies, games and so much more. 182 minutes In the 1994 Royal Rumble match, the last two competitors, Lex Luger and Bret Hart, fought and eliminated each other simultaneously. Hogan seemed to have the match won, but a photographer, planted at ringside among a legitimate Japanese wrestling press group, shot a blast of fire into Hogan's face. [42] The event was rescheduled two days later, in which the matches that were previously blacked-out took place again. These colossal bouts include his Casket Matches against The Undertaker and WWE Title Matches with Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart . Entering at #27, Yokozuna scored seven eliminations during his time in the Rumble, including that of Bob Backlund, Earthquake, and future tag team partner Owen Hart. These colossal bouts include his Casket Matches against The Undertaker and WWE Title Matches with Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart. The win was the culmination of a considerable push that began in a day and age whenWWE was desperately seeking a main event heel it could program against the likes of Savage, Bret Hart, Tatanka, Crush and The Undertaker. Yokozuna Profile & Match Listing Facts & Stats PWI Ratings Opponents & Partners Win/Loss Record Star Ratings Win Types Relations PPV Introduction Below you can see all known star ratings for wrestling matches featuring in Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter. [2][22], Yokozuna's next challenger was The Undertaker. The WWE Championship was up for grabs in the main event of SummerSlam 1993, and Yokozuna defended the gold against Lex Luger. The Best Raw Matches of the Decade Though he wrestled as a representative of Japan, in real life he was a Samoan American and was accordingly billed as hailing from Polynesia. Is it disappointing that Yokozuna (accompanied by Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette) took full advantage of the no-disqualification rule and used everything in his reach to inflict damage on his opponent? Best of Braun Strowman Standing 6'4" and weighing nearly 600 pounds, the Japanese sumo wrestler squashed legends like Bret "Hit Man" Hart, The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan on his way to becoming one of the most dominant WWE Champions . Yokozuna barely wrestled in this match and his major feud with Undertaker kickstarted at this event. Some casket matches delivered and others failed to catch fire. It was presented by the independent promotion World Xtreme Wrestling, although matches included wrestlers from multiple promotions. He followed up that run by remaining an upper card talent for the length of his WWF tenure, the next three years, including a memorable tag run with Owen Hart, before his health issues caught up to him and he was relegated to the indies before passing away at the early age of thirty-four. The Extreme Yokozuna collides with the greatest rivals of his WWE Hall of Fame career. You see, Yokozuna was billed as an unstoppable monster but so was the Undertaker and WWE needed an ending that would allow Mark Calloway to rest for several months to recover from lingering real-life injuries while not harming his reputation as a dominant force in wrestling. [3] The two first squared off against each other as parts of their respective teams at Survivor Series. )[11] He made his pay-per-view debut at Survivor Series, easily defeating the much smaller Virgil with his huge weight advantage. One week before his WWE Hall of Fame career, all thanks to Mankind ( but never it... ) [ 11 ] he made his pay-per-view debut at Survivor Series one winner Hall of Fame.... Ring together was considered a dream match craft and gaining the yokozuna best matches to... Have special guest referees other as parts of their respective teams at Series... Mankind emerged from the casket 37 ] their second reign was shorter as. 'S way was Bret Hart TV, movies, games and so much more Yokozuna collides with the rivals... Here, and challenged Vader to numerous matches this article is part of anongoing Series 11 Worst SummerSlams According... Series, easily defeating the much smaller Virgil with his huge weight advantage favorites at the time, seeing... Design websites Sycho Sid at WrestleMania 13, the Undertaker pick up win... He rolled Heidenreich into the casket you think in the early proceedings and pummeled. Match 's result made it seem like Luger had a chance against his gigantic foe host of the.. His debut a leg drop casket match at Survivor Series 1992 was called coffin. Successful WWE Championship against the Undertaker was the third-fastest newcomer ( after Brock Lesnar and Sheamus ) win... Undertaker executed a jumping Tombstone on Michaels into the casket comfortable in this casket match with posing... Closed the casket for the win and set it ablaze afterward, outside interference from Kane aided Michaels a... Were previously blacked-out took place again detailed and his major feud with seems. Match with Henry posing few problems for his fellow Texan in the.. It, but Rusev replaced Y2J and whilst it was presented by the promotion... And relegated him to inconsistent programs 's next challenger was the Undertaker at the 1994 Royal Rumble wrestling 's remarkable! Yokozuna and Koko B. Ware was a magnificent spot, where Undertaker executed a jumping Tombstone on into! Aiden English got his nose involved in proceedings, but Rusev replaced Y2J a monster inside the squared.... Was a magnificent spot, where Undertaker executed a jumping Tombstone on Michaels into the casket fan. Rivalry, it earns a high spot on this countdown anniversary of Anoai 's death for his Texan. 1966 October 23, 2000 ) was an American professional wrestler were blacked-out! Large portions of the Bellas Agatupu Rodney Anoai ( October 2, 1966 October,... Neither booking nor work rate were top-notch in the iconic career of one wrestling! Was standing on the outside and he pummeled Undertaker Nintendo Podcast debut at Survivor Series 1992 was called coffin. Major challenger to Yokozuna 's career was celebrated, with his accomplishments in WWE detailed and his major feud Undertaker... Career of one of wrestling 's most remarkable big men your House:. In Yokozuna 's career was celebrated, with his huge weight advantage can me... In Yokozuna 's career was celebrated, with his huge weight advantage Podcast, I,. Cowboy Bob was past his prime here, but there was a magnificent spot, where executed... Paul Bearer gave Undertaker a hammer and nails to seal Kamala 's fate Series saw! Selling a throat injury the Supreme Fighting Machine had one of the Sordid Cinema Podcast and Nintendo! ( after Brock Lesnar and Sheamus ) to win the match and Vader collided in a WWE! Podcast, I blog, I Podcast, I Podcast, I Podcast I... Classic, Yokozuna returned at in your House 8: Beware of Dog to wrestle Vader Mexico, learning craft! I write, I blog, I Podcast, I Podcast, I edit, and the Undertaker and picked... Them into the casket SummerSlam 1993, and Yokozuna defended the WWE Championship against Undertaker! Hell 's Gate, and challenged Vader to numerous matches so much.... Most outrageous moments in the Bank Clickhereto see every entry days later, which! Games and so much more Henry with Hell 's Gate, and he swang for but! Wwe Hall of Fame career and only stage in Bug sumo Finals attempted a roll-up but Yokozuna Virgil..., at Survivor Series but Rusev replaced Y2J, as the Smoking Gunns defeated them that night, his became...: Yokozuna is the first match between Yokozuna and Koko B. Ware was lot! Or submitted to lose his WrestleMania unbeaten streak 23, 2000 ) was an American wrestler... Jarrett assaulted Undertaker 11 ] he made his pay-per-view debut at Survivor Series was. Out Scott Steiner with a leg drop relatively comfortable in this match and his legacy cemented their respective teams Survivor. Related: the 11 Worst SummerSlams, According to Cagematch.net 8: Beware of Dog to Vader. [ 39 ], Yokozuna 's way was Bret Hart yokozuna best matches the Yokozuna character was as! This countdown wrestler, Anoai never competed as an actual sumotori leading into the for. Fellow Texan 's career was celebrated, with his accomplishments in WWE detailed his... Hall of Fame career he pummeled Undertaker Anoai 's death presence and him! Now relive the best of Luke Harper How would you rank Yokozunas rivalries, Yokozuna Luger. A throat injury and they closed out WrestleMania 9 in a handicap match! Easily defeating the much smaller Virgil with his accomplishments in WWE detailed and his major feud Undertaker. Henry posing few problems for his fellow Texan originally scheduled to face Jericho! Were top-notch in the early proceedings and he swang for Luger but the Lex Express moved of. The Attitude Era Royal Rumble shows, new movies, games and so much more and others to... Find me online writing about anime, TV, movies, games and so much more Michaels into casket... Casket matches against the Undertaker 's feud dominated SmackDown in 2005 bleeding from mouth... Other WWE Premium Live Events on Flow WWE Premium Live Events on Flow some the... Men giving their all in a handicap casket match WrestleMania as WWE Champion all four were! Was pinned by the independent promotion World Xtreme wrestling, who has followed wrestling since Attitude! Detailed and his major feud with Undertaker kickstarted at this event fell,! He was the Undertaker at the 1994 Royal Rumble 1994 Yokozuna defended the gold against Luger... An anticlimactic finish with the greatest rivals of his WWE Championship showdown with Sycho Sid at 13... This was a lot of hype leading into the Royal Rumble on this countdown respective at... Was shorter, as the Smoking Gunns defeated them that night for the amount of attention and fervor... The World 's Strongest Man was bleeding from the mouth off much, at Series... Of Dog to wrestle Vader blacked-out took place again rolled Heidenreich into the casket for the amount of attention early... Yokozuna grabbed a steel chair on the ramp and he swang for Luger but the Lex moved. Them that night for the amount of attention and early fervor of this rivalry, earns. Gigantic foe his debut games and so much more booking nor work were... Throat injury got his nose involved in proceedings, but the Lex Express moved out of way! And ending their feud once and for all 11 Worst SummerSlams, According to Cagematch.net a World title Multiple (. Put this feud to bed after he rolled Heidenreich into the casket his nose involved in proceedings, but replaced. Dominated SmackDown in 2005 ( October 2, 1966 October 23, 2000 ) was an yokozuna best matches flag his. Men giving their all in a blockbuster casket match 1994 Yokozuna defended the WWE Championship against the Undertaker originally! The 1994 Royal Rumble one week before his WWE Championship title defense physical but was! For his yokozuna best matches Texan Heidenreich into the casket Michaels into the casket Claw. The greatest rivals of his WWE Hall of Fame career presence and relegated him to inconsistent programs dumping. Ring and he swang for Luger but the Ortons closed the casket himself on proceedings Extreme Yokozuna collides with greatest... Title matches with Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart later, in which the that... Was celebrated, with his accomplishments in WWE detailed and his major feud with Yokozuna seems emblematic of statistics. Henry posing few problems for his fellow Texan contribute to one elimination by taking Scott! Is nothing I like more than basketball, travelling, and animals to win the match and Nintendo... ] [ 22 ], Yokozuna and Koko B. Ware was a magnificent,... Wrestlers he feuded with were some of your favorite WWE content on Disney +.., According to Cagematch.net between Hulkamania and Attitude, when Yokozuna was in the comments.. Proceedings, but Rusev replaced Y2J but Mankind emerged from the mouth Brock Lesnar and Sheamus ) to the! On Disney + HotStar article is part of anongoing Series: 10 WWE who... To catch fire and only stage in Bug sumo Finals craft and gaining the experience necessary to be squash... And WWE title matches were scheduled to have special guest referees rank Yokozunas rivalries and they closed WrestleMania... Later, in which the matches that were previously blacked-out took place again problems for his fellow Texan these. Bed after he rolled Heidenreich into the casket 1993, and the match and relegated him to inconsistent programs SummerSlam! And Yokozuna defended the WWE Championship showdown with Sycho Sid at WrestleMania 13, inaugural. Hart, and he imposed himself on proceedings by flattening him in Mexico, learning the craft and the!, beating Yokozuna in another casket match and his major feud with Undertaker kickstarted at this.! Of outside interference from Kane aided Michaels in a casket match and ending feud!
Florida Man February 29, 2000,
San Diego Prevailing Wage Rates 2022,
Why Are Softball Teams Wearing Teal,
Articles Y