Trivia / Yokozuna

• Fake Nationality: A Samoan-American playing a Japanese wrestler. Apparently even the WWF was aware that it would be a stretch, as for a time Yokozuna was billed from "Polynesia" rather than the usual "Land of the Rising Sun" used for Japanese wrestlers. The fans taunted Yokozuna by chanting "U-S-A" during his WrestleMania IX match with Bret Hart. Ironic and funny, as in real life Yoko was American, while Bret is Canadian.
• Referenced by...:
  • On the November 6, 2000 Raw. The Undertaker defeated Val Venis, and celebrated the win by opening his vest to show that he was wearing a Yokozuna T-shirt in tribute, as Yoko had passed away on October 22.
  • In Japan, Akebono used the Banzai Drop for a time as a tribute to him. Extra irony not only in that Akebono was also a former sumo wrestler like the aforementioned Earthquake, he was also formerly an actual Yokozuna.
• What Could Have Been: He was originally supposed to debut in WWE as Kokina Maximus while also being a part of The Headshrinkers, but an injury delayed his debut. When he did return, he was presented with the Yokozuna character.
  • According to The Undertaker, his feud with Yokozuna would have happened a lot earlier than it did if he had gotten his way; Undertaker and Vince McMahon were watching Yokozuna (who had not debuted on television yet) wrestle a dark match in Maryland from backstage, and 'Taker, who was amazed at how well the gargantuan wrestler worked in the ring, outright begged McMahon to let him work with Yokozuna as soon as possible. Instead, McMahon introduced 'Taker to Giant Gonzalez, and the Undertaker/Yokozuna feud had to wait.
• Written-In Infirmity: Yoko had a brilliant run as WWF Champion, but afterwards he got so fat that he could barely move in matches, so WWF had no choice but to protect him by booking him in squash matches or pairing him with tag partners that did all the work (Owen Hart).

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