Solofa Fatu

Solofa Fatu Jr., better known as Rikishi, is an American professional wrestler who worked for World Wrestling Entertainment between 1992 and 2004.

Career

Fatu is a member of the extensive Samoan Anoa'i wrestling family, and the nephew of The Wild Samoans, Afa and Sika, who trained him in the 1980s. Fatu originally formed a tag team with his brother, the Tonga Kid, known as The Islanders. He later teamed with his cousin Samu, the son of Afa, as The Samoan Swat Team. The Swat Team wrestled mainly in the south, winning titles in the Dallas, Texas-based World Class Wrestling Association.

In 1989 the Swat Team was hired by the National Wrestling Alliance. The Tonga Kid, now wrestling as Tama, was added to the Swat Team later that year. After a year with the NWA, the Swat Team left the promotion in 1990.

The duo was hired by the World Wrestling Federation in 1992, where they were known as The Headshrinkers winning the WWF World Tag-Team Championships twice. At the 1994 Royal Rumble, Fatu was one of the heels who helped Fatu's cousin Yokozuna defeat The Undertaker in a Casket Match. In 1994, Samu left the WWF and was replaced by Sionne Vailahi (better known as "The Barbarian").

After spending over a decade as one half of a tag team, Fatu became a singles wrestler in 1995. He wrestled under several unmemorable gimmicks, including Phatu, The Sultan and J.R. Smooth before reappearing in late 1999 as Rikishi (literally, "strong man") Phatu. He had gained a great deal of weight, bleached his hair blonde and exchanged his long trousers for a revealing thong. The Rikishi character had a brief feud with Viscera before aligning with Too Cool, Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty Too Hotty. It was at this point that Fatu's popularity began to soar.

In the 2000 Royal Rumble, Fatu eliminated six opponents before being eliminated himself by several wrestlers working together. Fatu, Too Cool and Chyna began feuding with The Radicalz, with Chyna eventually siding with Eddie Guerrero. At WrestleMania 2000, Fatu and Kane defeated "The Road Dogg" Jesse James and X-Pac. After the match, Pete Rose (following a distraction by The San Diego Chicken) ran into the ring to attack Kane, but was chokeslammed by Kane and given a Stinkface by Fatu.

In May 2000, Fatu and Too Cool feuded with Edge, Christian and Kurt Angle (Team ECK), culminating in a victory at Judgment Day. After winning the Intercontinental Championship on the June 20 episode of SmackDown! from Chris Benoit, Fatu would go on to qualify for the 2000 King of the Ring tournament. On June 25 he defeated Benoit and Val Venis in the quarter- and semi-finals respectively, but both his opponents hit him with a steel chair after losing, weakening his shoulder and helping Kurt Angle defeat him in the Finals.

Stemming from Venis' attack at King of the Ring, Fatu faced Val Venis on July 6, and lost his title after Tazz hit him with a television camera. Fatu faced Val Venis in a Steel Cage rematch at Fully Loaded. In the course of the match, Fatu ascended the cage and, in a move reminiscent of his cousin Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, leapt from the top, splashing Venis. Fatu was defeated by Venis shortly after when Tazz once again hit him with a camera.

For the next few months Fatu would attempt to regain the Intercontinental Championship. At Unforgiven, he was defeated by champion Eddie Guerrero. Fatu was disqualified when, frustrated by her repeated interference, he superkicked Chyna. This foreshadowed the revival of a darker side of his character.

On October 9 2000, Commissioner Mick Foley used a slip of the tongue from Scotty Too Hotty to implicate Fatu as the person who had ran over Stone Cold Steve Austin on November 14, 1999 at Survivor Series. Fatu admitted injuring Austin, claiming that he had done so in order to allow his cousin The Rock to achieve stardom, insisting that Buddy Rogers, Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan and Austin – "The Great White Hope" – had always been pushed over Samoan performers such as High Chief Peter Maivia and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, who he believed had been held back.

Austin immediately set out to obtain revenge, facing Fatu in a No Holds Barred Match at No Mercy. The match went to a no contest when Austin dragged Fatu to the parking lot and attempted to run him over, and a police car drove in front of Austin's car, saving Fatu. Austin was arrested, though he had badly injured Fatu, inflicting numerous cuts and bruises to his face. Later that night, Fatu attempted to help The Rock, retain the World Heavyweight Championship in a match against Kurt Angle, but "accidentally" kicked and crushed The Rock, allowing Angle to Olympic Slam both men and win the title.

After a number of instances where Austin was attacked backstage by an unseen assailant, it became clear that Fatu had an accomplice. During a handicap match pitting Fatu and Kurt Angle against Austin, Triple H came to the ring, seemingly to aid Austin, but swerved the audience by attacking Austin with a sledgehammer. This led to HHH revealing that he had masterminded the assault, relegating Fatu to his hired muscle. Fatu would never reclaim the popularity he enjoyed throughout his initial run as Rikishi.

Fatu would go on to lose to The Rock at Survivor Series, participated in the six man Hell in a Cell match at Armageddon and won a match entitling him to enter the 2001 Royal Rumble at number 30, where he was eliminated by The Rock.

After the debut of Haku at the 2001 Royal Rumble, Fatu and Haku formed a tag team, and feuded with Kane and The Undertaker. The team split when Fatu was sidelined with a an eardrum injury, and Haku was later released. Fatu returned from injury on May 7, 2001 and was urged by Foley to become a good guy again. He wrestled for several weeks before suffering a shoulder injury which caused him to miss much of 2001. Fatu returned on December 6, delivering a Stinkface to Vince McMahon.

Upon the WWE Brand Extension, Fatu was drafted to SmackDown!. At Judgement Day 2002, he faced Billy and Chuck in a "secret partner" match. His partner turned out to be Rico, the stylist of Bill and Chuck. Despite Rico's best efforts, he and Fatu defeated Billy and Chuck and became Tag Team Champions.

Fatu was not featured much in late 2002 and early-2003, feuding with John Cena, Bill DeMott and the Full Blooded Italians. The return of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper led Fatu to challenge him as Piper had hit Fatu's cousin Jimmy Snuka with a coconut years ago on Piper's Pit. At Backlash 2003, Piper's protege Sean O'Haire defeated Fatu after Piper used a coconut on him.

Fatu eventually formed a tag team with Scotty 2 Hotty, and the duo defeated the Basham Brothers for the WWE Tag-Team Championships on February 3, 2004, holding them for months before losing them to Charlie Haas and Rico.

Fatu was released by the WWE on July 16, 2004, following repeated requests from the WWE that he lose weight. He continues to wrestle on the independent circuit. In the course of his twelve year career with the WWF/WWE, he competed in nine Royal Rumbles, eliminating a total of twelve other wrestlers.

Finishing/Signature Moves

• Banzai Drop / Rump Shaker
• Stinkface
• Rikishi Driver (Sitout Over the Shoulder Belly To Belly Piledriver)
• Samoan Drop
• Savate Kick
• Side Belly To Belly Suplex
• Headshrinker Splash

Managers

• Paul E. Dangerously
• Oliver Humperdink
• Afa Anoa'i
• Captain Lou Albano
• The Iron Sheik
• Bob Backlund
• Buddy Roberts

Titles held

World Wrestling Entertainment

• 1-Time WWE Intercontinental Champion
• 1-Time WWE Tag-Team Champion with Scotty 2 Hotty
• 2-Time WWE World Tag-Team Champion (1-time with Samu, 1-time with Rico)

Power Pro Wrestling

• 1-Time PPW (Memphis) Heavyweight Champion

World Class Wrestling Association

• 3-time WCWA World Tag Team Champion (with Samu)
• 1-time WCWA Texas Tag Team Champion (with Samu)

World Wrestling Council

• 1-time WWC Caribbean Tag Team Champion (with Samu)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI ranked him # 347 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
• PWI Comeback of the Year Award (2000)