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WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi spoke highly of the late Yokozuna, on the WWE Icons docuseries premiere, and revealed that Yokozuna once financially helped him when he was broke.
The WWE Icons docuseries focuses on some of the biggest Superstars in WWE history, and takes a closer look at their careers as larger-than-life athletes. The first episode, focusing on former WWE Champion Yokozuna, features Rikishi and several other members of the Anoa’i family, opening up on their time with the legendary Superstar. Rikishi recalled Yokozuna handing him a blank check when he was in dire need of money.
"Back in the day when I was a Headshrinker, Yoko was making a lot of money. And we were kind of doing so so. I just moved into this home, pretty much dumped everything I had into this home. And I needed heat in my home. I had no money and uh, Rodney. He gave me a blank check and he signed it, and I came home and put a new system in the home. My family and the kids, we had heat, and a house. And he was around, you know, when times are hard for me."
Rikishi is just one of several stars Yokozuna helped during his run at the top
Yokozuna left the world too soon, at just 34-years-old. During his stint in WWE,Yokozuna was a major attraction, and one of the biggest heels in the company in the mid-90s. Yokozuna was involved in two straight WrestleMania main events, in 1993, and 1994. He lost both of those matches, to Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart, respectively.
Rikishi, The Rock, Roman Reigns, and several other members of the Anoa’i family took inspiration from Yokozuna, and went on to become top WWE Superstars themselves. Rikishi didn't become as big of a Superstar as the others, but managed to cement himself as a strong mid-card act on WWE TV for years on end. He is a former Intercontinental Champion, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.
