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I named my son after him.
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This is Rodney named after his
grandfather Rodney Anoa'i,
3
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Yokozuna.
4
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- Banzai.
5
00:00:25,225 --> 00:00:26,860
- Oh, look at that.
6
00:00:26,994 --> 00:00:28,061
- Get ready for defeat.
7
00:00:28,195 --> 00:00:29,096
- We didn't have to groom him.
8
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He was already ready.
9
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- Unbelievable.
10
00:00:31,965 --> 00:00:33,100
Wow.
11
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- Yokozuna, that's all
I can think about right now.
12
00:00:35,235 --> 00:00:36,970
- They don't come
along every day like Yoko.
13
00:00:37,104 --> 00:00:40,173
- The Daily News
wants to wrestle you.
14
00:00:40,307 --> 00:00:43,911
- Definitely one
of the greatest big men ever.
15
00:00:44,044 --> 00:00:48,582
- But, he had that demon.
16
00:00:48,715 --> 00:00:50,150
It's hard to talk about.
17
00:00:57,624 --> 00:00:59,826
[laughter]
18
00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:03,864
- He was larger than life,
but that is what
19
00:01:03,997 --> 00:01:05,399
ultimately took him out.
20
00:01:05,532 --> 00:01:07,801
- Why Yokozuna looks like
he's gotten even bigger.
21
00:01:07,935 --> 00:01:10,037
- He would never tell
you that he's hurting.
22
00:01:10,170 --> 00:01:13,340
He would do everything
with his smile and continue on.
23
00:01:13,473 --> 00:01:15,142
- It's banzai time.
24
00:01:15,275 --> 00:01:17,678
- Stand-up guy, give
you the shirt off his back.
25
00:01:17,811 --> 00:01:21,982
- He took his platform and he
helped people that he loved.
26
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He helped people
that were in need.
27
00:01:24,551 --> 00:01:28,555
- That's the teachings of our
culture of the Samoan Dynasty.
28
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This was the Yokozuna
that people didn't know,
29
00:01:32,025 --> 00:01:33,594
Rodney Anoa'i.
30
00:01:33,727 --> 00:01:36,196
- Here comes the man of speed.
31
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He got him.
32
00:01:37,931 --> 00:01:38,999
[bell rings]
33
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♪
34
00:01:53,180 --> 00:01:57,584
- Where Rod grew up in LA it
was a rough neighborhood, man.
35
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It was a rough neighborhood.
36
00:01:59,486 --> 00:02:01,989
There's a lot of
gangbangers back in the day.
37
00:02:02,122 --> 00:02:05,225
The Bloods, the Crips,
blah, blah, blah.
38
00:02:05,359 --> 00:02:09,563
But for him, he comes from a
father that was in the service
39
00:02:09,696 --> 00:02:14,901
in the Marines, and his
father he didn't play, man.
40
00:02:15,035 --> 00:02:18,171
If Rod stepped out, what he
wasn't supposed to be doing,
41
00:02:18,305 --> 00:02:21,508
you can rest assure he'd get
his ass whooped by his dad.
42
00:02:21,642 --> 00:02:23,910
But in a good way, Samoan way.
43
00:02:26,813 --> 00:02:28,715
- He has always been a good kid.
44
00:02:28,849 --> 00:02:32,085
But my parents didn't know
that, you know,
45
00:02:32,219 --> 00:02:34,187
he was skipping classes.
46
00:02:34,755 --> 00:02:36,790
You know, probably to some
people him skipping class
47
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wasn't you know a huge thing.
48
00:02:40,427 --> 00:02:41,294
You know, everybody does it.
49
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Everybody's kids does it.
50
00:02:42,529 --> 00:02:45,165
But to my parents, it was a lot.
51
00:02:45,298 --> 00:02:47,834
You know, it had got all the way
to the month of graduation
52
00:02:47,968 --> 00:02:49,002
when they found out he wasn't
going to graduate
53
00:02:49,136 --> 00:02:50,937
from high school.
54
00:02:51,071 --> 00:02:54,274
He wasn't one of those troubled
kids, but my dad didn't want him
55
00:02:54,408 --> 00:02:57,844
sitting around not doing
anything with his life either.
56
00:02:57,978 --> 00:03:01,415
So, you know that's how he ended
up with my uncles.
57
00:03:01,882 --> 00:03:04,751
- Here come the Wild Samoans
heading out into this filled
58
00:03:04,885 --> 00:03:06,720
Madison Square Garden.
59
00:03:06,853 --> 00:03:09,489
Capacity crowd on their feet
giving a welcome
60
00:03:09,623 --> 00:03:11,758
to the Wild Samoans.
61
00:03:11,892 --> 00:03:16,263
- Afa and Sika the Wild Samoans
were a legendary tag team
62
00:03:16,396 --> 00:03:18,732
in the 1970s and 1980s.
63
00:03:18,865 --> 00:03:21,001
- We just want to make money.
64
00:03:21,134 --> 00:03:22,202
- You're smart.
65
00:03:22,335 --> 00:03:23,804
- We just want to beat people
up and go home and be
66
00:03:23,937 --> 00:03:25,405
happy with my children.
67
00:03:25,539 --> 00:03:28,875
- They also created the Wild
Samoan Wrestling Academy
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00:03:29,009 --> 00:03:32,012
with branches
in Pennsylvania and Florida.
69
00:03:32,145 --> 00:03:35,449
And that's where a young Rodney
and some of his cousins
70
00:03:35,582 --> 00:03:38,585
received their early
training and seasoning.
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00:03:39,386 --> 00:03:44,925
- We trained them in my
backyard and I told these kids,
72
00:03:45,058 --> 00:03:47,527
you got to work your butt off.
73
00:03:48,495 --> 00:03:49,629
- This is how the game is.
74
00:03:49,763 --> 00:03:53,166
You know, you've got to lay
them in.
75
00:03:55,569 --> 00:03:57,537
- During the time when
we're all training,
76
00:03:57,671 --> 00:04:01,575
we all became very, very close.
77
00:04:01,708 --> 00:04:04,878
Uncle Afa and Sika no longer
became Uncle Afa and Sika.
78
00:04:05,011 --> 00:04:07,614
They were like father
figures to us.
79
00:04:07,748 --> 00:04:11,218
- My parents would talk with my
uncles a lot you know to see
80
00:04:11,351 --> 00:04:15,055
how Rod was doing and making
sure he doesn't get outta line.
81
00:04:15,188 --> 00:04:19,192
And if he didn't like it, then
he could always come back home.
82
00:04:19,326 --> 00:04:22,629
- But, he loved
professional wrestling.
83
00:04:22,762 --> 00:04:23,964
You know, I would think he's
tired because he's
84
00:04:24,097 --> 00:04:25,799
the bigger one from us.
85
00:04:25,932 --> 00:04:27,234
He never quit.
86
00:04:27,367 --> 00:04:29,236
He wanted to keep going
and keep going and he wanted
87
00:04:29,369 --> 00:04:31,571
to be the best at it.
88
00:04:31,705 --> 00:04:36,543
- Now I'd like to go to the ring
for this next match, featuring
89
00:04:36,676 --> 00:04:40,881
the brother team of Kendall
and Barry Windham against the
90
00:04:41,014 --> 00:04:45,085
Great Kokina and Jimmy Becklin.
91
00:04:45,218 --> 00:04:49,456
- He started the independent
circles as Kokina Maximus.
92
00:04:49,589 --> 00:04:51,558
- Impressive,
impressive wrestler.
93
00:04:51,691 --> 00:04:55,962
This guy goes about 375 pounds
94
00:04:56,096 --> 00:05:00,367
- And for as big as Rod was,
he was a natural.
95
00:05:00,500 --> 00:05:03,236
- That is nasty, that is mean,
that is everything that the
96
00:05:03,370 --> 00:05:07,507
Windham's don't want to see
on a Saturday night.
97
00:05:07,641 --> 00:05:10,443
- And I think as he kept going-
98
00:05:10,577 --> 00:05:12,879
- The greatest man
that God ever created.
99
00:05:13,013 --> 00:05:15,482
- -you tend to see the birth
of this big kid you know
100
00:05:15,615 --> 00:05:17,784
moving around lightning
speed like that.
101
00:05:17,918 --> 00:05:19,853
- Look at this.
Oh.
102
00:05:19,986 --> 00:05:23,089
- I knew that he's very smart.
103
00:05:23,223 --> 00:05:30,430
He's very athletic and
with the proper discipline,
104
00:05:30,564 --> 00:05:34,768
we know that he could do it.
105
00:05:34,901 --> 00:05:35,402
- Geez
106
00:05:35,535 --> 00:05:37,504
- It's over.
107
00:05:38,004 --> 00:05:42,309
- The Giant Kokina Maximus.
108
00:05:42,442 --> 00:05:43,543
- I was very proud of him.
109
00:05:43,677 --> 00:05:46,546
I was proud that you know my
brother wanted to do this.
110
00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:48,515
- Kokina, welcome.
111
00:05:48,648 --> 00:05:49,749
- That's okay, Kokina.
112
00:05:49,883 --> 00:05:50,951
That's okay.
113
00:05:51,084 --> 00:05:52,352
- He was accomplishing
something with his life and
114
00:05:52,485 --> 00:05:56,489
you know we were
all proud of him.
115
00:05:58,225 --> 00:06:00,393
- It's now 1987.
116
00:06:00,527 --> 00:06:03,196
Rodney is 21 years old.
117
00:06:03,330 --> 00:06:06,633
Him and his girlfriend have
a daughter, Keilani,
118
00:06:06,766 --> 00:06:09,970
and they have a son, Justin.
119
00:06:10,870 --> 00:06:17,177
- As a father, he was one of the
best, but the pressure was on.
120
00:06:17,744 --> 00:06:21,381
- He's already got two children,
a lot of pressure.
121
00:06:21,514 --> 00:06:25,018
And frankly, if he's not able to
make it in the family business,
122
00:06:25,151 --> 00:06:26,886
what's he going to do?
123
00:06:27,454 --> 00:06:30,857
- And so the Wild Samoans
you know being family
124
00:06:30,991 --> 00:06:31,992
they went to WWE.
125
00:06:32,125 --> 00:06:34,861
They said, I got this big guy,
really big guy.
126
00:06:34,995 --> 00:06:39,900
And at the time we liked
really big guys.
127
00:06:40,867 --> 00:06:46,773
- Vince McMahon has a natural
predisposition to big men.
128
00:06:46,906 --> 00:06:52,379
- Listen to this tremendous
ovation for the Undertaker.
129
00:06:52,512 --> 00:06:57,150
- Wanting someone
who looks like an attraction.
130
00:06:57,884 --> 00:07:04,024
- So, I had taken a trip and saw
Kokina and thought, wow.
131
00:07:04,157 --> 00:07:05,358
- Whoa.
132
00:07:05,492 --> 00:07:07,127
- This guy has it.
133
00:07:07,260 --> 00:07:08,895
- Oh, man.
134
00:07:09,029 --> 00:07:10,964
- He moved like a 200-pounder.
135
00:07:11,097 --> 00:07:12,132
- He's so fast.
136
00:07:12,265 --> 00:07:14,467
I don't mean fast for a big man.
137
00:07:14,601 --> 00:07:15,502
He is just fast.
138
00:07:15,635 --> 00:07:16,736
Oh.
139
00:07:16,870 --> 00:07:18,305
- Amazing.
140
00:07:18,438 --> 00:07:23,009
We asked Rodney to come in and
do a tryout and how could you
141
00:07:23,143 --> 00:07:25,145
not be impressed?
142
00:07:25,278 --> 00:07:30,250
- Welcome to an exciting
evening with the Superstars.
143
00:07:32,085 --> 00:07:34,521
- When the WWE calls,
you're not only going to take it
144
00:07:34,654 --> 00:07:36,389
you're ecstatic.
145
00:07:36,523 --> 00:07:38,992
You got an opportunity
of a lifetime.
146
00:07:39,125 --> 00:07:43,229
So, here's Rodney, he doesn't
even have a high school diploma.
147
00:07:43,363 --> 00:07:45,398
He's got two kids.
148
00:07:45,532 --> 00:07:48,501
He's got to make
this wrestling thing work.
149
00:07:48,635 --> 00:07:53,006
- At 400 pounds, Kokina.
150
00:07:54,341 --> 00:07:59,646
- Initially he was Kokina "The
Wild Samoan", the Giant Kokina.
151
00:07:59,779 --> 00:08:01,815
He was Kokina Maximus.
152
00:08:02,849 --> 00:08:05,151
Unfortunately
that wasn't working.
153
00:08:05,285 --> 00:08:07,620
- How much does this man weigh?
154
00:08:08,021 --> 00:08:10,256
Does he speak English?
155
00:08:10,390 --> 00:08:13,994
[groaning]
156
00:08:14,127 --> 00:08:17,630
- So we knew that we wanted
to do something with him.
157
00:08:17,764 --> 00:08:22,469
- And Vince comes to me and he
says, "See that kid over there,
158
00:08:22,602 --> 00:08:24,170
Rodney?"
159
00:08:24,304 --> 00:08:26,706
I said, "Yeah, quite a talent."
160
00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,610
He said, "Yeah, I know, but I've
got seven Samoans now.
161
00:08:30,744 --> 00:08:32,846
What am I going to do with him?"
162
00:08:32,979 --> 00:08:37,117
So my wheels started spinning,
163
00:08:37,283 --> 00:08:39,386
"Sumo wrestler."
164
00:08:40,020 --> 00:08:41,054
- Oh, my.
165
00:08:41,187 --> 00:08:43,890
- Vince was like,
"Send the kid to my office."
166
00:08:44,024 --> 00:08:46,326
That's how excited
he was by him.
167
00:08:47,293 --> 00:08:48,728
- He says, "Put his hair
in a bun you know like
168
00:08:48,862 --> 00:08:50,997
one of those sumo wrestlers."
169
00:08:51,131 --> 00:08:56,403
The name Yokozuna came from
the number one sumo wrestler
170
00:08:56,536 --> 00:08:58,138
was the Yokozuna.
171
00:08:58,271 --> 00:09:01,908
So we had the greatest of all,
the Yokozuna.
172
00:09:02,042 --> 00:09:06,179
- Get ready for defeat.
With agony.
173
00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,816
[Yokozuna music]
174
00:09:09,949 --> 00:09:17,957
- Coming down the aisle with Mr.
Fuji, weighing 505 pounds,
175
00:09:18,091 --> 00:09:23,196
Yokozuna.
176
00:09:23,329 --> 00:09:26,733
- Where America was with its
understanding of Japanese
177
00:09:26,866 --> 00:09:31,371
culture, sushi was literally
just becoming a popular cuisine
178
00:09:31,504 --> 00:09:33,606
in the late 80s and early 90s.
179
00:09:33,740 --> 00:09:36,876
We really didn't have
a lot of experience, I think,
180
00:09:37,010 --> 00:09:40,246
with Japanese culture
in this country at that time.
181
00:09:40,380 --> 00:09:44,951
So Yokozuna jumped off the page.
182
00:09:45,084 --> 00:09:49,155
- Indeed, the pride
of the rising sun for sure.
183
00:09:49,289 --> 00:09:52,592
- And when Yoko took off the
robe the first time
184
00:09:52,725 --> 00:09:55,028
that he appeared in the gimmick.
185
00:09:55,161 --> 00:09:56,396
- Look at the size of this man.
186
00:09:56,529 --> 00:09:59,699
- Very, very, very impressive.
187
00:09:59,833 --> 00:10:03,636
- It was an "Oh, my God," gasp.
188
00:10:03,770 --> 00:10:07,874
- 505 pounds.
189
00:10:08,007 --> 00:10:10,710
- That's your holy -- moment.
190
00:10:11,177 --> 00:10:13,947
Kind of the aha.
191
00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:15,548
We've got it.
192
00:10:19,319 --> 00:10:20,053
[crowd cheers]
193
00:10:20,186 --> 00:10:21,254
♪
194
00:10:21,387 --> 00:10:22,989
- Oh, my goodness.
Oh, no.
195
00:10:23,122 --> 00:10:26,493
- When he first came in,
he was truly amazing.
196
00:10:26,626 --> 00:10:27,227
- Yokozuna.
197
00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:28,161
Oh.
198
00:10:28,294 --> 00:10:29,496
- I'd never seen
anything like it.
199
00:10:29,629 --> 00:10:31,231
- Banzai.
200
00:10:31,364 --> 00:10:32,232
- Banzai.
201
00:10:32,365 --> 00:10:33,600
- Here he comes [indistinct]
202
00:10:33,733 --> 00:10:35,668
- The way that guy can move,
he was incredible.
203
00:10:35,802 --> 00:10:39,472
He was a big man,
but he was an awesome big man.
204
00:10:39,606 --> 00:10:40,807
- Boom.
205
00:10:40,940 --> 00:10:44,110
- It is an understatement to say
he has made quite an impression.
206
00:10:44,244 --> 00:10:45,612
Yokozuna.
207
00:10:45,745 --> 00:10:46,746
- Oh, my goodness.
208
00:10:48,014 --> 00:10:49,616
- Watching him perform in the
ring, it's like, "Holy --."
209
00:10:49,749 --> 00:10:50,817
Wow.
210
00:10:50,950 --> 00:10:52,485
- He walked out,
it's like a stegosaurus walking
211
00:10:52,619 --> 00:10:54,187
out to the ring.
212
00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:55,355
It's like, "Holy --.
213
00:10:55,488 --> 00:10:57,857
Look at this guy."
you know?
214
00:10:58,591 --> 00:11:04,097
- As a fan, I was just like,
"Wow, I love seeing the big guy.
215
00:11:04,230 --> 00:11:06,266
He represented me.
216
00:11:09,836 --> 00:11:11,771
- He came along when
the WWE desperately needed
217
00:11:11,905 --> 00:11:13,306
a monster heel.
218
00:11:13,439 --> 00:11:14,741
- [foreign language]
219
00:11:14,874 --> 00:11:17,010
Banzai.
220
00:11:17,143 --> 00:11:21,614
- A big giant heel like
King Kong Bundy or
221
00:11:21,748 --> 00:11:23,850
Abdullah the Butcher.
222
00:11:23,983 --> 00:11:24,984
- Banzai.
223
00:11:25,118 --> 00:11:27,921
- Oh, no.
224
00:11:29,122 --> 00:11:30,423
Get this man away.
225
00:11:30,557 --> 00:11:31,524
Get him out of here.
226
00:11:31,658 --> 00:11:34,694
Is there no dignity whatsoever?
227
00:11:38,498 --> 00:11:41,734
- Most fans recognize that not
too many guys are going
228
00:11:41,868 --> 00:11:44,204
to mess with a guy
like Yokozuna.
229
00:11:44,337 --> 00:11:47,607
That's what you could
see coming out of him.
230
00:11:47,740 --> 00:11:50,176
That was the aura of him.
231
00:11:51,411 --> 00:11:53,880
- Kind of like Andre the Giant
in a way, Yokozuna
232
00:11:54,013 --> 00:11:56,149
became an attraction
immediately.
233
00:11:56,282 --> 00:11:58,851
- Just waiting to see the big
guys like Yokozuna coming
234
00:11:58,985 --> 00:12:02,155
out to wrestle,
maybe cause an earthquake.
235
00:12:02,288 --> 00:12:08,861
- And the arena just reacted to
every single thing Yoko did.
236
00:12:08,995 --> 00:12:12,131
[crowd boos]
237
00:12:12,265 --> 00:12:13,666
- Vince knew what he had.
238
00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,736
He had a rare killer heel.
239
00:12:16,869 --> 00:12:18,137
- Oh, no.
240
00:12:18,271 --> 00:12:19,372
- Banzai.
241
00:12:19,505 --> 00:12:20,106
[crowd boos]
242
00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:21,107
[laughing]
243
00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:22,809
- One, two, three.
244
00:12:24,110 --> 00:12:27,647
- But, Yokozuna
backstage was totally different
245
00:12:27,780 --> 00:12:30,583
than what the fans saw on TV.
246
00:12:30,750 --> 00:12:31,651
[yelling]
247
00:12:31,784 --> 00:12:32,885
[laughing]
248
00:12:34,420 --> 00:12:37,323
He seemed like he
was always in a good mood.
249
00:12:37,457 --> 00:12:40,426
- You know what I remember most
was that how much fun he was
250
00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:42,195
in the dressing room.
251
00:12:42,328 --> 00:12:45,164
He'd have the music going,
he'd be singing in the shower.
252
00:12:46,065 --> 00:12:51,170
- Watching Yokozuna eat
was a sight in and of itself.
253
00:12:51,304 --> 00:12:52,572
- We have steak entree
254
00:12:52,705 --> 00:12:56,609
for 10 people with a huge
amount of rice stew.
255
00:12:57,810 --> 00:13:03,282
- We did a video one time with
Yokozuna at a steakhouse.
256
00:13:03,416 --> 00:13:06,252
With the chef cooking up steak
and lobster and shrimp
257
00:13:06,386 --> 00:13:07,587
and everything for him.
258
00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:12,358
- I noticed you cut up two
steaks for Yokozuna.
259
00:13:12,492 --> 00:13:13,593
- And boats of sushi.
260
00:13:13,726 --> 00:13:14,794
- Oh, look at this.
261
00:13:14,927 --> 00:13:17,830
Oh, you've got to be kidding me.
262
00:13:17,964 --> 00:13:22,302
- We cooked enough food, no
kidding, for probably 20 people,
263
00:13:22,435 --> 00:13:24,771
and Yoko-
264
00:13:24,904 --> 00:13:27,173
- Oh my word.
265
00:13:27,306 --> 00:13:28,741
- -he ate the whole thing.
266
00:13:28,875 --> 00:13:30,576
- Where's all the sushi
that you guys ate, man?
267
00:13:30,710 --> 00:13:31,644
- Hey, you ate all the sushi.
268
00:13:31,778 --> 00:13:32,645
- You ate them all.
269
00:13:32,779 --> 00:13:33,680
- You guys ate
all the damn sushi.
270
00:13:33,813 --> 00:13:35,648
You took it back.
271
00:13:37,483 --> 00:13:40,320
- In the case of Yokozuna,
I'm sure it became that much
272
00:13:40,453 --> 00:13:44,324
easier for him to eat freely
because there's always a
273
00:13:44,457 --> 00:13:48,227
pressure for pro wrestlers
to look the part.
274
00:13:48,361 --> 00:13:52,065
His look was incumbent
on him being huge.
275
00:13:52,198 --> 00:13:55,501
So you wonder whether or not it
was semi-intentional and whether
276
00:13:55,635 --> 00:13:59,505
he thought, oh, let me just keep
building to my size,
277
00:13:59,639 --> 00:14:03,376
or if at some point, it just
becomes an unfortunate
278
00:14:03,509 --> 00:14:05,378
part of your lifestyle.
279
00:14:06,479 --> 00:14:09,082
But, at that time,
it was working.
280
00:14:09,215 --> 00:14:13,286
[crowd cheers]
281
00:14:13,419 --> 00:14:16,389
- Yokozuna with
"The Macho Man" Randy Savage,
282
00:14:16,522 --> 00:14:22,095
one of them will become the
challenger at WrestleMania IX.
283
00:14:22,228 --> 00:14:26,733
- WWE at that time was like they
were giving him the big push.
284
00:14:26,866 --> 00:14:28,334
- Oh, Banzai.
285
00:14:28,468 --> 00:14:30,470
- Vince liked the reaction
he was getting.
286
00:14:30,603 --> 00:14:31,738
That's what everything
was based on.
287
00:14:31,871 --> 00:14:33,873
So obviously, he was strong
and that's how they moved
288
00:14:34,006 --> 00:14:35,241
you along the card.
289
00:14:35,374 --> 00:14:37,009
- Oh, there you go.
290
00:14:37,143 --> 00:14:39,245
[bell rings]
291
00:14:39,378 --> 00:14:41,447
[crowd cheering]
292
00:14:41,581 --> 00:14:49,655
- Yokozuna on his way
to WrestleMania IX.
293
00:14:49,789 --> 00:14:54,093
- To get a push like that
that early was a phenomenal
294
00:14:54,227 --> 00:14:56,462
opportunity for him.
295
00:14:56,596 --> 00:15:02,168
- Our whole family was like
we can see it become reality.
296
00:15:02,301 --> 00:15:04,837
[fans cheering]
297
00:15:04,971 --> 00:15:10,843
- Yokozuna, from introduction
to get to that point,
298
00:15:10,977 --> 00:15:16,416
I think it was kind of a hell of
a fairy tale ride for Yoko.
299
00:15:16,549 --> 00:15:21,354
And Yoko kind of went through an
even keel, but there was a bit
300
00:15:21,487 --> 00:15:25,892
of that kid from Kansas in New
York City a little bit awestruck
301
00:15:26,025 --> 00:15:29,028
and looking around going,
"Wow, I'm here."
302
00:15:29,162 --> 00:15:32,732
I don't think that
he saw himself doing that.
303
00:15:32,865 --> 00:15:35,802
- The Daily News wants to
wrestle you.
304
00:15:37,970 --> 00:15:40,406
- So much happening here,
and of course, the big one we're
305
00:15:40,540 --> 00:15:44,110
looking forward to features
the World Wrestling --
306
00:15:44,243 --> 00:15:47,246
Champion, Bret "The Hitman"
Hart, squaring off against the
307
00:15:47,380 --> 00:15:52,285
505-pound challenger
from Japan, Yokozuna.
308
00:15:52,418 --> 00:15:54,720
- You're going in there and
you're a main eventer, nothing
309
00:15:54,854 --> 00:15:56,355
prepares you for that.
310
00:15:56,489 --> 00:15:58,558
That's a lot of pressure
311
00:15:58,691 --> 00:16:02,028
- As far as Yoko went
him being the main event
312
00:16:02,161 --> 00:16:05,665
kind of guy, most wrestlers I
think thought he wasn't ready.
313
00:16:05,798 --> 00:16:06,566
- Yokozuna.
314
00:16:06,699 --> 00:16:07,867
Oh.
315
00:16:07,967 --> 00:16:11,971
- But at Wrestlemania,
he was a real pro in the ring.
316
00:16:12,104 --> 00:16:14,207
- Center of the ring,
right though Hart.
317
00:16:15,007 --> 00:16:15,908
What?
318
00:16:16,042 --> 00:16:17,376
Hulk Hogan here.
319
00:16:17,510 --> 00:16:18,744
- The place was
already electric you know?
320
00:16:18,878 --> 00:16:21,214
It was like we dropped
a bomb in the ring.
321
00:16:21,347 --> 00:16:23,216
- The crowd wants him
to go for it.
322
00:16:23,349 --> 00:16:26,853
- To be on that card with the
legend Hulk Hogan,
323
00:16:26,986 --> 00:16:29,121
I don't think that Vince would
have given that opportunity
324
00:16:29,255 --> 00:16:35,528
to run or anybody if Vince
didn't trust the person.
325
00:16:35,661 --> 00:16:36,562
- Hulk Hogan is in the ring.
326
00:16:36,696 --> 00:16:38,197
- Ding-ding.
327
00:16:38,331 --> 00:16:40,733
- And knew that he can
handle the pressure.
328
00:16:40,867 --> 00:16:41,767
- Yokozuna.
329
00:16:41,901 --> 00:16:44,103
Hogan drops the leg.
330
00:16:44,237 --> 00:16:45,171
Hogan in the cover.
331
00:16:45,304 --> 00:16:45,872
- No.
332
00:16:46,005 --> 00:16:47,139
- Hooks the leg.
333
00:16:47,273 --> 00:16:50,109
- And then all of a sudden,
Yoko and Hulk was traveling
334
00:16:50,243 --> 00:16:55,248
all over the world together, and
that set up the championship
335
00:16:55,381 --> 00:16:58,384
match at King of the Ring.
336
00:16:58,518 --> 00:17:00,920
- Yokozuna drops
the leg on Hogan.
337
00:17:01,053 --> 00:17:02,922
Yokozuna with the leg hooked.
338
00:17:03,055 --> 00:17:04,390
- One, two, ring the bell.
339
00:17:04,524 --> 00:17:07,293
[bell rings]
340
00:17:07,426 --> 00:17:08,361
[music]
341
00:17:08,494 --> 00:17:14,901
[crowd cheering]
342
00:17:15,001 --> 00:17:19,238
- It was another moment
that touches my heart.
343
00:17:20,506 --> 00:17:24,510
How proud I am to see one
of our kids was blessed
344
00:17:24,644 --> 00:17:29,315
for this opportunity,
and it brings me back to what we
345
00:17:29,448 --> 00:17:32,318
have always drilled in them
about hard working
346
00:17:32,451 --> 00:17:34,787
you know, nothing's going
to be handed to you.
347
00:17:34,921 --> 00:17:39,091
- Yokozuna obviously, to me,
is a grand champion.
348
00:17:39,225 --> 00:17:46,132
- I know when he became
champion, he broke down.
349
00:17:46,265 --> 00:17:49,068
He was just happy.
350
00:17:49,435 --> 00:17:51,003
You know, he made it.
351
00:17:54,740 --> 00:17:55,474
- Yokozuna drops
the leg on Hogan.
352
00:17:55,608 --> 00:17:56,309
Yokozuna with the leg hooked.
353
00:17:56,442 --> 00:17:57,343
- One, two,
354
00:17:57,476 --> 00:17:58,444
Yokozuna beat Hogan.
355
00:17:58,578 --> 00:18:00,813
[bell ringing]
356
00:18:02,815 --> 00:18:05,117
- Do you know who that is, baby?
357
00:18:05,251 --> 00:18:06,052
Who was that?
358
00:18:06,185 --> 00:18:06,686
- Who was that?
359
00:18:06,819 --> 00:18:07,720
- Papa.
360
00:18:07,853 --> 00:18:10,323
- Yeah.
361
00:18:11,023 --> 00:18:15,094
- He gave me Busty.
362
00:18:15,227 --> 00:18:18,331
As a kid, you know just
breaking things, whatever.
363
00:18:18,464 --> 00:18:23,936
So, when I watched his matches
and he would do the Banzai,
364
00:18:24,070 --> 00:18:25,838
he would yell my name.
365
00:18:25,972 --> 00:18:27,940
He would just yell "Busty."
366
00:18:28,074 --> 00:18:30,943
- Busty.
367
00:18:31,077 --> 00:18:33,179
- That's it, Hulkamania.
368
00:18:33,312 --> 00:18:36,482
- Hulkamania is dead.
369
00:18:36,616 --> 00:18:37,550
- I did hear it.
370
00:18:37,683 --> 00:18:39,618
- I've seen the
American dream right there.
371
00:18:39,752 --> 00:18:42,822
- It's so shocking too it's just
that he shouted my name out
372
00:18:42,955 --> 00:18:46,459
like that and yeah he just won
the biggest of them all.
373
00:18:46,592 --> 00:18:49,028
It's just- man.
374
00:18:49,161 --> 00:18:50,930
[crowd cheering]
375
00:18:51,063 --> 00:18:54,734
- Yokozuna has defeated
Hulk Hogan to win
376
00:18:54,867 --> 00:18:58,638
the WWE Championship.
377
00:18:58,771 --> 00:19:04,944
- To work with him, you know
it was just a pleasure.
378
00:19:05,077 --> 00:19:07,613
Hopefully, it gave him a
platform to get to the next
379
00:19:07,747 --> 00:19:13,753
level, but he was already
ready you know for the spot.
380
00:19:15,154 --> 00:19:16,422
- I mean that was it.
381
00:19:16,555 --> 00:19:21,060
For him to beat Hogan that way,
when you beat the golden goose,
382
00:19:21,193 --> 00:19:23,462
right, and you beat him
in that fashion,
383
00:19:23,596 --> 00:19:25,364
that means you've arrived.
384
00:19:25,498 --> 00:19:29,502
[fans cheering]
385
00:19:29,635 --> 00:19:30,469
- All right, here he is.
386
00:19:30,603 --> 00:19:34,040
Yokozuna and his advisor
Jim Cornette.
387
00:19:34,173 --> 00:19:36,709
- That sent him on his way, man.
388
00:19:37,309 --> 00:19:40,246
- From there on, he became
the big star that he was.
389
00:19:40,379 --> 00:19:44,884
[fans cheering]
390
00:19:45,017 --> 00:19:47,219
- But he wasn't overwhelming.
391
00:19:47,353 --> 00:19:53,459
He wasn't full of himself
as a lot of the good ones are.
392
00:19:53,592 --> 00:19:55,694
He was just one of the boys.
393
00:19:55,828 --> 00:20:01,333
- This big mega, mega, mega
superstar in the industry never
394
00:20:01,467 --> 00:20:04,537
let the industry change him.
395
00:20:04,670 --> 00:20:08,007
He took his platform and
he shared and he helped
396
00:20:08,140 --> 00:20:09,575
people that he loved.
397
00:20:09,708 --> 00:20:11,944
He helped people
that were in need.
398
00:20:12,078 --> 00:20:16,816
Everyone, when I say-- I'm
talking about our whole clan,
399
00:20:16,949 --> 00:20:21,554
everything changed for
everybody because of Yoko.
400
00:20:21,687 --> 00:20:23,823
Because of Yoko.
401
00:20:27,426 --> 00:20:30,496
- When he was making the money,
he just wanted to make sure
402
00:20:30,629 --> 00:20:32,665
everybody was always
taken care of.
403
00:20:32,798 --> 00:20:36,635
He would always pay for
everything out of love.
404
00:20:37,703 --> 00:20:40,039
- The Headshrinkers
405
00:20:40,172 --> 00:20:43,142
- Back in the day when
I was a Headshrinker,
406
00:20:43,275 --> 00:20:46,245
Yoko was making a lot of money
407
00:20:46,378 --> 00:20:49,348
and we were kind of doing so so.
you know?
408
00:20:49,482 --> 00:20:52,585
I just moved into this home,
pretty much dumped everything
409
00:20:52,718 --> 00:20:57,857
that I have into this home,
and I needed heat in my home.
410
00:20:57,990 --> 00:21:05,598
I had no money, and Rod,
he gave me a blank check
411
00:21:05,731 --> 00:21:07,600
and he signed it.
412
00:21:07,733 --> 00:21:12,037
and I came home and put
a new system in the home.
413
00:21:12,171 --> 00:21:18,043
My family and my kids,
we had heat in the house.
414
00:21:18,177 --> 00:21:24,617
And he was around during
the hard times, and bad times,
415
00:21:26,352 --> 00:21:29,655
and Rod will always
be there for me.
416
00:21:29,788 --> 00:21:32,091
I'll forever love him for that.
417
00:21:32,224 --> 00:21:34,627
Sorry.
418
00:21:35,561 --> 00:21:37,663
- That's culture.
419
00:21:37,796 --> 00:21:41,200
You know, that's just the way
the island people are,
420
00:21:41,333 --> 00:21:43,335
I think that's the way
we were raised.
421
00:21:43,469 --> 00:21:49,175
- Once you are taught these
you values of Samoan culture,
422
00:21:49,308 --> 00:21:52,144
you know you arry with you
through the rest of your life
423
00:21:52,278 --> 00:21:56,148
and you pass it on to your kids
and your family as well.
424
00:21:56,282 --> 00:22:00,152
♪
425
00:22:00,286 --> 00:22:02,087
- He was a really good dad.
426
00:22:02,221 --> 00:22:03,989
That's all he ever wanted
to do was just make sure
427
00:22:04,123 --> 00:22:06,425
his kids were okay.
428
00:22:06,725 --> 00:22:11,096
- He was awesome,
he really was my best friend.
429
00:22:12,097 --> 00:22:16,602
- When he couldn't drop us off
at school, he was in a limo.
430
00:22:17,303 --> 00:22:18,237
All the kids went,
"Oh, who's this?
431
00:22:18,370 --> 00:22:19,772
Who's this?"
432
00:22:19,905 --> 00:22:21,807
It was a little too much,
but then it was like, man,
433
00:22:21,941 --> 00:22:24,944
you know that's how Pops was.
434
00:22:25,077 --> 00:22:29,348
- When Rodney come home,
he was that Rodney,
435
00:22:29,481 --> 00:22:31,917
but when it came
time to be Yokozuna,
436
00:22:32,051 --> 00:22:34,987
that's where you see
this face come.
437
00:22:41,727 --> 00:22:43,128
- You want to talk
about champions?
438
00:22:43,262 --> 00:22:46,866
Let's talk about the 568-pound,
maybe 600-pound by the time
439
00:22:46,999 --> 00:22:48,934
the bell rings Yokozuna.
440
00:22:49,034 --> 00:22:50,736
- You know when I think of
Yokozuna as being
441
00:22:50,870 --> 00:22:53,872
the WWE Champion at the time,
he was very believable.
442
00:22:54,006 --> 00:22:56,008
As a matter of fact,
he was so believable
443
00:22:56,141 --> 00:22:59,378
you think who's going to beat
somebody like Yokozuna?
444
00:22:59,511 --> 00:23:00,512
- Here we go, oh .
445
00:23:00,646 --> 00:23:01,914
- Oh.
446
00:23:02,047 --> 00:23:03,749
Can you believe this?
447
00:23:03,882 --> 00:23:09,188
- In the modern WWE era,
Yokozuna is the only heel in
448
00:23:09,321 --> 00:23:11,924
that period of time
that was dominant.
449
00:23:12,057 --> 00:23:15,728
- Then the fact that he was the
main event at WrestleMania two
450
00:23:15,861 --> 00:23:17,196
years in a row is phenomenal.
451
00:23:17,329 --> 00:23:20,733
- This is it.
452
00:23:20,866 --> 00:23:21,433
- Wait a minute.
453
00:23:21,567 --> 00:23:23,502
He's losing his balance.
454
00:23:23,636 --> 00:23:24,503
- He's hit his head.
455
00:23:24,637 --> 00:23:25,738
He hit his head.
456
00:23:25,871 --> 00:23:27,239
- One, two, three.
457
00:23:27,373 --> 00:23:28,040
- No.
458
00:23:28,173 --> 00:23:29,074
[bell rings]
459
00:23:29,208 --> 00:23:39,118
♪
460
00:23:39,251 --> 00:23:41,887
- I think that there would've
been many more of the
461
00:23:42,021 --> 00:23:49,795
Wrestlemanias, but the question
was, could he keep up?
462
00:23:53,799 --> 00:23:56,669
- Mr. Fuji, let me ask you,
how much is Yokozuna
463
00:23:56,802 --> 00:23:58,837
weighing right now?
464
00:23:58,971 --> 00:24:01,940
- 569 and a half pounds.
465
00:24:04,543 --> 00:24:08,113
- There was a point where you
just started to notice that
466
00:24:08,247 --> 00:24:10,349
Yokozuna was getting bigger.
467
00:24:10,482 --> 00:24:13,619
- Are you concerned at all about
his cardiovascular conditioning?
468
00:24:13,752 --> 00:24:15,721
- Oh, no, no, no.
469
00:24:15,854 --> 00:24:19,458
He's in excellent shape.
470
00:24:20,326 --> 00:24:23,929
- Then you started to see
he's a step behind in the ring,
471
00:24:24,063 --> 00:24:26,031
he's a little bit slower.
472
00:24:26,665 --> 00:24:29,134
- Oh, my God,
I think he's getting bigger.
473
00:24:29,268 --> 00:24:32,137
Either that or that
fabric is shrinking.
474
00:24:32,771 --> 00:24:35,374
- Then you start
watching and going,
475
00:24:35,507 --> 00:24:41,447
"Hmm, he's not doing well."
476
00:24:41,580 --> 00:24:45,918
Yoko liked food and
the weight issue,
477
00:24:46,051 --> 00:24:47,586
it was obvious.
478
00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:50,089
- What do you like
the best about wrestling?
479
00:24:50,222 --> 00:24:52,424
- The business itself,
in and out of the ring,
480
00:24:52,558 --> 00:24:53,959
in front of the crowd.
481
00:24:54,093 --> 00:24:55,394
- What's the worst part about
wrestling?
482
00:24:55,527 --> 00:24:57,129
What do you hate?
483
00:24:57,262 --> 00:24:58,931
- The traveling.
484
00:25:00,599 --> 00:25:03,402
- As his size increased,
it became increasingly
485
00:25:03,535 --> 00:25:06,405
difficult to travel.
486
00:25:07,673 --> 00:25:09,842
We had first business class
seat, first class,
487
00:25:09,975 --> 00:25:15,514
but he was so big that he
couldn't fit in the seats.
488
00:25:15,647 --> 00:25:17,383
- One night we were in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and
489
00:25:17,516 --> 00:25:22,988
poor Yokozuna went into the
bathroom and he sat on the
490
00:25:23,122 --> 00:25:28,093
toilet and the toilet
just came off the wall.
491
00:25:28,227 --> 00:25:31,764
- I came around the corner and
we heard this big explosion.
492
00:25:31,897 --> 00:25:35,267
I thought someone flushed a hand
grenade down the toilet
493
00:25:35,401 --> 00:25:38,937
and I was like--
I didn't know what to do.
494
00:25:39,071 --> 00:25:41,874
he actually cut his butt cheek
on some of the broken porcelain.
495
00:25:42,007 --> 00:25:44,209
I remember it wasn't any fun.
496
00:25:45,911 --> 00:25:51,683
- I remember being exposed to
turkey ass with Yoko having a
497
00:25:51,817 --> 00:25:57,389
barrel of oil and cooking turkey
ass and taking the turkey ass
498
00:25:57,523 --> 00:26:05,230
out, dipping it in mayonnaise
and eating like 75 Turkey ass.
499
00:26:07,733 --> 00:26:10,035
- It's hard to tell somebody
like, "Hey" you know
500
00:26:10,169 --> 00:26:13,138
because Yok's always
been big like that.
501
00:26:13,272 --> 00:26:16,175
It's hard to tell them,
"Hey, you need to back off."
502
00:26:17,543 --> 00:26:20,245
- The first time that I got to
meet him, I ended up being
503
00:26:20,379 --> 00:26:22,614
the Yoko go-get-it guy.
504
00:26:22,748 --> 00:26:26,452
"Hey, Mark, go get me
a bucket of chicken."
505
00:26:26,585 --> 00:26:27,319
What am I going to say?
506
00:26:27,453 --> 00:26:29,288
"Yoko, man, you're 600 pounds.
507
00:26:29,421 --> 00:26:31,356
You know you should
be around 400."
508
00:26:33,692 --> 00:26:37,563
I was eating half
a bucket of chicken myself.
509
00:26:38,597 --> 00:26:41,366
- But he got to the point where
you know, we're like,
510
00:26:41,500 --> 00:26:44,436
"Hey, Yoke, dawg, man,
you know
511
00:26:44,570 --> 00:26:47,539
Maybe it's time
to lose some weight."
512
00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:50,876
- You know we had
that conversation,
513
00:26:51,009 --> 00:26:55,114
"You got to focus on
yourself right now.
514
00:26:55,247 --> 00:26:58,450
It's okay for you to take care
of you now, Rod."
515
00:26:58,584 --> 00:27:00,419
Rod being Rod,
"Ain't nothing wrong with me.
516
00:27:00,552 --> 00:27:01,820
I can still go."
517
00:27:09,761 --> 00:27:13,432
[laughter]
518
00:27:13,565 --> 00:27:16,435
- I'm sure he was
in denial about it.
519
00:27:21,373 --> 00:27:24,076
- You know he didn't really
want to engage in it you know.
520
00:27:24,209 --> 00:27:25,878
Everything's fine, everything's
going to be you know
521
00:27:26,011 --> 00:27:27,279
everything's good.
522
00:27:32,518 --> 00:27:37,256
- Then we had to send him to a
loading dock where they weighed
523
00:27:37,389 --> 00:27:41,326
crates and things like
that to weigh him.
524
00:27:41,460 --> 00:27:43,662
And that was a slap in the face,
that was a big,
525
00:27:43,795 --> 00:27:49,168
"Holy --. You've got
to drop some weight."
526
00:27:50,302 --> 00:27:54,273
So the next step was to take
Yoko and we looked
527
00:27:54,406 --> 00:27:56,041
into Duke University.
528
00:27:56,174 --> 00:28:02,114
And Duke University had
a weight loss program.
529
00:28:02,247 --> 00:28:04,449
Yoko didn't want to move to
North Carolina or wherever
530
00:28:04,583 --> 00:28:07,486
it is that Duke University was.
531
00:28:07,619 --> 00:28:09,988
So Yoko said,
"I'll do the program,
532
00:28:10,122 --> 00:28:11,323
but I'll do it at home."
533
00:28:11,456 --> 00:28:12,791
- Let's get you ready baby.
534
00:28:12,925 --> 00:28:16,261
- I'm ready.
535
00:28:16,395 --> 00:28:17,162
Let's do this.
536
00:28:17,296 --> 00:28:19,898
- You'll be in a lot
better shape.
537
00:28:20,032 --> 00:28:25,337
- Yoko was off for whatever it
was, maybe three months,-
538
00:28:25,470 --> 00:28:27,339
- The new and improved Yokozuna
539
00:28:27,472 --> 00:28:28,507
- -maybe even longer-
540
00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:29,908
- Well done-
541
00:28:30,042 --> 00:28:32,311
- Banzai.
542
00:28:32,444 --> 00:28:33,979
- Well done, right there.
543
00:28:34,112 --> 00:28:34,846
- Woo.
544
00:28:34,980 --> 00:28:36,615
- Right there.
545
00:28:37,416 --> 00:28:40,185
- -and came back
bigger than ever.
546
00:28:45,557 --> 00:28:47,492
- And I think that's when it got
worse, and that's when
547
00:28:47,626 --> 00:28:50,262
I really started getting
worried about him.
548
00:28:52,097 --> 00:28:57,002
- I started to notice I could be
having a conversation with him
549
00:28:57,135 --> 00:29:01,506
and next you know I see he's
just in a deep sleep or I notice
550
00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:05,444
while we're in the locker room
I'm talking to him and
551
00:29:05,577 --> 00:29:07,980
he nods off falling asleep.
552
00:29:08,947 --> 00:29:10,882
- He was sleeping.
553
00:29:11,016 --> 00:29:13,552
You know one time he scared me.
554
00:29:13,685 --> 00:29:17,856
He's jumping, looking for air
and I just went and jump on him,
555
00:29:17,990 --> 00:29:18,957
"Hey."
556
00:29:19,091 --> 00:29:20,826
He woke up and he's cursing me,
557
00:29:20,959 --> 00:29:22,260
[mimicking]
558
00:29:22,394 --> 00:29:23,328
"What the hell happened?"
559
00:29:23,462 --> 00:29:24,563
"You're not breathing."
560
00:29:24,696 --> 00:29:29,234
And he come back again, asleep,
and he start choking,
561
00:29:29,368 --> 00:29:30,669
looking for air again.
562
00:29:32,004 --> 00:29:40,479
- And now you're stuck with-
563
00:29:40,612 --> 00:29:41,747
"He's going to die."
564
00:29:45,517 --> 00:29:47,452
- [yelling]
565
00:29:47,586 --> 00:29:50,422
- Let's go man.
566
00:29:51,556 --> 00:29:53,692
- Don't let go, ref.
567
00:29:54,593 --> 00:29:59,197
- In 1997, his weight had
ballooned to, I'd say,
568
00:29:59,331 --> 00:30:02,968
in excess of 600 pounds,
maybe even more.
569
00:30:03,101 --> 00:30:06,471
And the New York State Athletic
Commission forced him
570
00:30:06,605 --> 00:30:08,407
to take a physical.
571
00:30:08,540 --> 00:30:11,943
And he actually failed.
572
00:30:12,077 --> 00:30:16,415
It really left the company with
no choice but to release him.
573
00:30:16,548 --> 00:30:23,689
- I just want to let everybody
know the big man comes back,
574
00:30:23,822 --> 00:30:27,893
he's going to kill every one
of them jabronis out there.
575
00:30:28,026 --> 00:30:32,631
- I think they really feared
for his health at that stage.
576
00:30:32,764 --> 00:30:34,833
and so here you have Rodney.
577
00:30:34,966 --> 00:30:39,237
Now he has to figure out
a way to support his family.
578
00:30:39,371 --> 00:30:43,308
And so he ends up working on the
independent circuit sometimes
579
00:30:43,442 --> 00:30:48,680
in front of you know 100 or 200
fans, and not for a lot of money
580
00:30:48,814 --> 00:30:50,015
- Yokozuna.
581
00:30:50,148 --> 00:30:52,584
- The fans are up at the
announcement of Yokozuna,
582
00:30:52,718 --> 00:30:56,788
the largest athlete in the sport
of professional wrestling.
583
00:30:56,922 --> 00:31:00,292
Wow, what a massive individual.
584
00:31:00,759 --> 00:31:04,062
- It would be hard on anybody
going from selling out Madison
585
00:31:04,196 --> 00:31:06,832
Square Garden or any kind
of arena and then working
586
00:31:06,965 --> 00:31:09,901
independent shows where
you only have 100 people there.
587
00:31:10,035 --> 00:31:11,803
- Banzai.
588
00:31:11,937 --> 00:31:14,072
Oh, no.
589
00:31:14,206 --> 00:31:16,007
- Cincinatti Red, that's it.
590
00:31:16,675 --> 00:31:22,114
- I don't think him working in a
lower level, it means that much
591
00:31:22,247 --> 00:31:31,056
other than you know,
592
00:31:31,189 --> 00:31:35,026
he felt like he let us down.
593
00:31:36,394 --> 00:31:42,334
- Then a sort of depression
might have set in.
594
00:31:43,568 --> 00:31:50,041
That's why it was hard because
we loved him regardless.
595
00:31:50,175 --> 00:31:56,414
He didn't have to prove
anything to us.
596
00:32:03,722 --> 00:32:06,858
- At the time, he also had
a wrestling school out there
597
00:32:06,992 --> 00:32:09,528
in Las Vegas.
598
00:32:09,661 --> 00:32:11,630
So, he taught.
599
00:32:11,763 --> 00:32:14,566
- Yokozuna, brother,
why are you here?
600
00:32:14,699 --> 00:32:17,068
- The reason why I'm here
in Las Vegas is to come out
601
00:32:17,202 --> 00:32:19,337
here and fulfill
everybody's dream.
602
00:32:19,471 --> 00:32:22,107
That is to become
a professional wrestler.
603
00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:24,810
Anybody out there that's got
the heart--
604
00:32:25,343 --> 00:32:26,812
- He was taking in people,
605
00:32:26,945 --> 00:32:28,346
[chuckles]
606
00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:32,884
kids you know who
didn't have to a place go.
607
00:32:33,018 --> 00:32:36,388
He was you know mentoring them.
608
00:32:36,521 --> 00:32:41,359
He just couldn't see them on
the streets, so he took them in.
609
00:32:43,361 --> 00:32:45,230
I've always looked up to him
for doing something like
610
00:32:45,363 --> 00:32:48,233
that for other kids.
611
00:32:48,366 --> 00:32:50,669
He's always been like that.
612
00:32:55,774 --> 00:33:01,813
- In the year 2000, the All-Star
promotion in the UK calls him
613
00:33:01,947 --> 00:33:04,583
to come over for
a month-long tour.
614
00:33:04,716 --> 00:33:07,853
- Right now, he's one of the
most recognizable stars of the
615
00:33:07,986 --> 00:33:12,123
mighty world of Wrestling,
the big man himself, Yokozuna.
616
00:33:12,257 --> 00:33:17,028
[crowd cheers]
617
00:33:17,162 --> 00:33:19,831
- He was doing what he loved.
618
00:33:19,965 --> 00:33:21,900
Whether it was in WWE or not.
619
00:33:22,033 --> 00:33:22,968
[crowd cheers]
620
00:33:23,101 --> 00:33:26,238
- Squash him.
621
00:33:28,473 --> 00:33:31,610
- Rod was really
passionate about wrestling.
622
00:33:31,743 --> 00:33:33,778
And it was his life.
623
00:33:33,912 --> 00:33:36,815
And that's all you know
he loved to do.
624
00:33:36,948 --> 00:33:39,885
- People like you guys
should have appreciate me
625
00:33:40,018 --> 00:33:42,053
and the Hammer right here.
626
00:33:42,187 --> 00:33:44,656
- We were there for a month.
627
00:33:44,789 --> 00:33:48,894
And we bonded
in a month like that.
628
00:33:49,027 --> 00:33:52,864
I mean we became blood brothers
we were that close.
629
00:33:52,998 --> 00:33:55,967
This guy was a gem.
630
00:33:56,835 --> 00:33:58,937
At the end of our tour-
631
00:33:59,070 --> 00:34:01,606
- Yokozuna.
632
00:34:01,740 --> 00:34:03,041
- -we wrestled,
633
00:34:03,174 --> 00:34:10,415
we went back to the hotel,
634
00:34:10,548 --> 00:34:13,485
and everybody said goodnight,
went to our rooms.
635
00:34:14,786 --> 00:34:16,388
- He just finished the show.
636
00:34:16,521 --> 00:34:18,123
We got home.
637
00:34:18,256 --> 00:34:21,660
And then he said he was really,
really tired, but it was weird.
638
00:34:21,793 --> 00:34:24,462
I guess he could called
a couple of people.
639
00:34:24,596 --> 00:34:31,570
I don't know if he knew that he
was not well or whatever.
640
00:34:31,703 --> 00:34:35,340
He just said he was really,
really tired.
641
00:34:35,473 --> 00:34:38,276
Everybody said, "Go to sleep."
642
00:34:42,180 --> 00:34:47,719
- He called us and
just you know saying goodnight.
643
00:34:57,796 --> 00:35:01,132
- And one of the last thing I
tell care him was he needed
644
00:35:01,266 --> 00:35:03,735
to take of himself.
645
00:35:03,868 --> 00:35:13,745
And then the phone call come
like 24 hours later.
646
00:35:13,878 --> 00:35:15,313
It was--
647
00:35:26,391 --> 00:35:28,226
- It's October 23rd, 2000.
648
00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:30,295
Rodney is in the UK.
649
00:35:30,428 --> 00:35:34,299
He's on this month-long
wrestling tour.
650
00:35:34,432 --> 00:35:39,971
So he calls home just to check
in, say hey to his family.
651
00:35:40,105 --> 00:35:43,341
Then he goes to bed.
652
00:35:45,310 --> 00:35:50,415
- The next morning, I'm waiting
to get picked up to do a show,
653
00:35:50,548 --> 00:35:52,817
and he won't answer his phone.
654
00:35:52,951 --> 00:35:57,188
And they finally went in.
655
00:35:57,322 --> 00:36:02,227
He was sitting up, and he had a
remote, a TV remote there.
656
00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:04,329
He was gone.
657
00:36:10,135 --> 00:36:16,207
- I remember getting
the call from my dad.
658
00:36:16,341 --> 00:36:24,115
And he broke down and told me
you know that Rod passed away.
659
00:36:25,316 --> 00:36:27,819
I was in shock.
660
00:36:27,952 --> 00:36:30,755
We were very close.
661
00:36:30,889 --> 00:36:32,857
That call I'll never forget.
662
00:36:35,660 --> 00:36:38,930
- It was devastating.
663
00:36:39,064 --> 00:36:44,002
You know,
I just dropped the phone.
664
00:36:51,142 --> 00:36:56,748
- I wish I was there.
665
00:37:00,118 --> 00:37:03,321
Yeah, that's my fault.
666
00:37:03,455 --> 00:37:09,027
I told my brother that I was
going to take care of his son.
667
00:37:12,530 --> 00:37:16,134
I'm sorry, brother,
that things didn't go the way
668
00:37:16,267 --> 00:37:22,307
that we planned
for the good of our kids.
669
00:37:28,913 --> 00:37:33,785
- His cause of death was
pulmonary edema where fluid
670
00:37:33,918 --> 00:37:36,187
overflows your lungs.
671
00:37:37,689 --> 00:37:41,726
- His heart was, man,
it was just blessed you know.
672
00:37:41,860 --> 00:37:46,397
Then his big heart
stopped that night.
673
00:37:47,999 --> 00:37:49,167
I'm sorry.
674
00:37:58,710 --> 00:38:04,048
♪
675
00:38:07,519 --> 00:38:09,721
- It was tough, it was.
676
00:38:09,854 --> 00:38:13,691
It was tough on all of us.
677
00:38:14,893 --> 00:38:17,829
He was a good dude, man.
678
00:38:17,962 --> 00:38:20,131
- That's a brother,
that's a brother.
679
00:38:20,265 --> 00:38:24,802
It's like, "Man, why we have to
lose people like that?"
680
00:38:28,806 --> 00:38:32,443
- Yoko was too young to die.
681
00:38:32,577 --> 00:38:36,247
But i was tragic in that Yoko
was a larger-than-life
682
00:38:36,381 --> 00:38:42,320
character in that he was
larger than life.
683
00:38:42,453 --> 00:38:46,124
But that is what ultimately
took him out.
684
00:38:46,257 --> 00:38:48,459
And that was sad.
685
00:38:55,233 --> 00:39:00,772
- Rodney, just know that
not a day goes by that
686
00:39:00,905 --> 00:39:02,106
we don't think about you.
687
00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:05,443
All your good deeds, your
brotherhood, your fatherhood,
688
00:39:05,577 --> 00:39:09,781
your kids miss you, your
siblings, your whole family.
689
00:39:09,914 --> 00:39:12,850
Thank you for leaving
your mark in this family.
690
00:39:12,984 --> 00:39:15,653
We continue to make
you proud and move through.
691
00:39:15,787 --> 00:39:18,022
Thank you.
692
00:39:18,156 --> 00:39:23,595
♪
693
00:39:23,728 --> 00:39:25,663
- When you look at that Samoan
legacy, obviously,
694
00:39:25,797 --> 00:39:29,000
you got Afa and Sika.
695
00:39:30,268 --> 00:39:33,037
In their time, they were it.
696
00:39:33,171 --> 00:39:34,239
- Samoan.
697
00:39:34,372 --> 00:39:35,573
Oh, my word.
698
00:39:35,707 --> 00:39:37,275
Pandemonium breaking out.
699
00:39:37,408 --> 00:39:38,409
[bell rings]
700
00:39:38,543 --> 00:39:39,744
[crowd cheers]
701
00:39:39,878 --> 00:39:43,014
- They've had such an influence
and have contributed to the
702
00:39:43,147 --> 00:39:46,784
business with their offspring
and their offspring's offspring.
703
00:39:46,918 --> 00:39:50,622
- Three men, one Bloodline,
four championships.
704
00:39:50,755 --> 00:39:53,524
- Roman Reigns and the Usos.
705
00:39:53,658 --> 00:39:57,729
This is what greatness
looks like.
706
00:39:58,496 --> 00:40:03,368
- But as far as who people
remember, and who they look
707
00:40:03,501 --> 00:40:09,607
at as megastars, Yoko is right
up there in that top echelon.
708
00:40:12,677 --> 00:40:18,216
- He's our first top guy,
first title bearer that held
709
00:40:18,349 --> 00:40:23,154
the responsibility in a global
product professional wrestling
710
00:40:23,288 --> 00:40:26,057
sports entertainment ring.
711
00:40:26,190 --> 00:40:28,393
He will be the most massive
presence that our family
712
00:40:28,526 --> 00:40:31,462
ever puts out there.
713
00:40:31,596 --> 00:40:32,530
- Oh, no.
714
00:40:32,664 --> 00:40:33,798
- Yokozuna on a tear.
715
00:40:33,932 --> 00:40:34,932
Look out.
716
00:40:35,066 --> 00:40:37,201
Banzai.
717
00:40:37,769 --> 00:40:39,470
- Definitely one
of the greatest big man ever.
718
00:40:40,271 --> 00:40:45,910
[crowd cheering]
719
00:40:46,044 --> 00:40:48,079
- He loved what he became and
what he did for the wrestling
720
00:40:48,212 --> 00:40:53,384
industry and being an icon and
everything but for us, we miss
721
00:40:53,518 --> 00:41:03,227
him as just a loving family
member, cousin, uncle, dad.
722
00:41:07,732 --> 00:41:12,737
- His heart was full of love,
full of caring, you know,
723
00:41:12,870 --> 00:41:14,205
full of giving.
724
00:41:14,339 --> 00:41:16,674
But this is the type of family
that he comes because all this
725
00:41:16,808 --> 00:41:20,611
starts within our living room
and it's the teachings of our
726
00:41:20,745 --> 00:41:24,115
culture, it's the teachings of
love, it's the teachings of our
727
00:41:24,248 --> 00:41:31,255
faith, it's the teachings of
who we are as the Anoa'i family.
728
00:41:31,389 --> 00:41:34,559
You live through your kids and
now you're going to live even
729
00:41:34,692 --> 00:41:39,030
stronger through your grandkids.
730
00:41:39,163 --> 00:41:43,468
You got one of your grandkids
named after you, Rodney.
731
00:41:43,601 --> 00:41:44,569
Wow.
732
00:41:48,639 --> 00:41:53,077
This was the Yokozuna that
people didn't know.
733
00:41:53,211 --> 00:41:57,215
This is the running that's
behind the scenes that I only
734
00:41:57,348 --> 00:42:03,321
wish you know that one day that
everybody can know the person,
735
00:42:03,454 --> 00:42:11,429
the man, the legend, the icon,
736
00:42:11,562 --> 00:42:16,801
Rodney Anoa'i, Yokozuna.
52676
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