Awesome / Yokozuna

• Yoko was one of the fastest rising WWE Superstars in the history of the company, becoming a certified main-eventer in only a few months. Only Sheamus has ever rose to prominence this quickly in WWE, and even he was never the monster presence Yoko was. This was his first four pay-per-views with the company:
  • In his first PPV appearance, Survivor Series 1992, he absolutely squashed Virgil flat in a matter of minutes. Given Virgil's reputation this might seem a modest start. Hang on.
  • In his second PPV appearance in January, he won the Royal Rumble after last eliminating Randy Savage.
  • In his third at Wrestlemania IX just a few months later, he pinned Bret Hart to win the title (only to be usurped by Hulk Hogan in an impromptu match).
  • And in his fourth, at King Of The Ring 1993, he defeated Hogan, one of the biggest stars in the company's history, to regain the title, then squashed him flat with Banzai Drops afterward to cement his reputation as the monster heel of the company.
  • To put all this in perspective: Yoko hadn't even been with the company for eight months, and he was already on par with The Undertaker as one of the most feared names in the business (which is part of the reason that their feud was so hotly anticipated).
• On an early 1993 edition of Superstars, Yoko absolutely destroyed "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan after throwing salt into his eyes, suplexing him, and then hitting with four Banzai Drops - the final of which had him under the American Flag. An injured Duggan was out for four months.