Best of Asukas Undefeated Streak outside, where Yokozuna seemed to be completely over-matched. A significant weight issuehad doomed his on-screen presence and relegated him to inconsistent programs. His victory undid the wrongs of WrestleMania IX and set him up for a reign of dominance that would encapsulate WWE and have every major babyface in the company gunning for him. [2][37] Their second reign was shorter, as the Smoking Gunns defeated them that night for the belts. The WreslteMania match between the two was too short to count for much, and their rematch at King of the Ring was fully realized but pretty bad. As you can imagine, there was a lot of hype leading into the Royal Rumble. Celebrating Black History He clobbered Virgil to the ground, and he finished off with Virgil with his patented Banzai Drop to open up his account in WWE with a comprehensive victory. It was the only way to move a man of Yokozuna's size. He fell backward, smacked his head and was pinned by the Texas Rattlesnake. Best of the Elimination Chamber Match Shortly after he was offered a new gimmick: Yokozuna. Undertaker and The Rock's chemistry together has never been there which is quite surprising considering the quality of the pair. 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Ware with his signature finisher, the Banzai Drop. The best of WWE Hall of Famer Yokozuna | WWE This video is either unavailable or not supported in this browser Error Code: MEDIA_ERR_SRC_NOT_SUPPORTED Technical details : The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported. RELATED: 10 WWE Wrestlers Who Challenged For A World Title Multiple Times (But Never Won It). Watch WrestleMania and other WWE Premium Live Events on Flow. The reigning WWE Champion managed to contribute to one elimination by taking out Scott Steiner with a leg drop. The two met in another casket match at the Survivor Series, this time with actor/karate expert Chuck Norris as the special enforcer to keep the other heel wrestlers away from ringside. [43] He appeared at Free for All just before SummerSlam, facing off against Stone Cold Steve Austin. Entering at #27, Yokozuna scored seven eliminations during his time in the Rumble, including that of Bob Backlund, Earthquake, and future tag team partner Owen Hart. Mr. Fuji blinded Hart by throwing salt in the Hitman's eyes, and Yokozuna covered Hart to capture his first WWE Championship although his joy was short-lived as Hogan beat him in an impromptu WWE Championship match. The Best of Goldberg He clashed with Mark Henry in a casket match, and Undertaker was 13-0 on the Grandest Stage of Them All. In 1992, Anoai was contacted by Vince McMahon of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and offered a roster spot along with The Samoans (Fatu and Samoan Savage). The Deadman refused to stay down but the number's game proved to be too much with Yokozuna going on to retain the WWE Title. Jim Ross later commented that Yokozuna knew the release was coming and that it was also due to potential heart issues related to his weight and, following the unexpected death of Brian Pillman seven months previously due to an undiagnosed heart issue, the WWF didn't want to take the liability of letting Yokozuna perform with heart issues. After dropping the belt, Yokozuna's main event status began to fade away. The Best of Alexa Bliss Wrestling as Kokina, he defeated Ron Neal. For the amount of attention and early fervor of this rivalry, it earns a high spot on this countdown. He was largely dominant over the WWF main event scene for the length of 1993 when, after just a few months on the roster, he won a Royal Rumble, won two world titles (one at WrestleMania, one over Hulk Hogan) and held the strap for half the year. Without their help (although Irwin R. Schyster did successfully interfere on Yokozuna's behalf), Yokozuna could not win and eventually ended up locked inside the casket. [2][20], At SummerSlam, Yokozuna, now weighing in at 568lb (258kg), and the newly reborn patriot Luger fought it out for the WWF Championship. It was not always the strongest zeki but those with the most influential patrons who . ! Stars Matt Camp (voice) Yokozuna (archive footage) Rob Bartlett (archive footage) See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist He also spent some time in Mexico, learning the craft and gaining the experience necessary to be a star in the sport. The Undertaker and his former tag team partner Big Show were opponents in a casket match at Survivor Series 2008. Undertaker's Most Bone-Chilling Matches [17] At King of the Ring, Yokozuna, whose weight had already increased from 505lb (229kg) to 550lb (250kg), challenged Hogan for the title. With Hulk Hogans insertion into the main event scene, there was a natural pathway for Hart to both stay apart from Yokozuna, and for a groundswell of support to develop from Harts fans about the injustice of him never getting a rematch for the title he lost under heavy shenanigans. In late 1992, Yokozuna joined WWE and he pushed right to the top almost instantly in his WWE career. Nevertheless, the match flowed better than their Rumble match, and Undertaker turned the tables with a victory over the former two-time WWE Champion. What should have been Yokozuna's night was instead a creative misstep designed at putting the spotlight on Hogan one last time at the event he helped create. Drew McIntyres Road to the WWE Championship Luger battled on gallantly and there were several near falls but Luger clattered Yokozuna out of the ring, and he prevailed by count-out. Former WWE Tag Team Champions Daniel Bryan and Kane headlined SmackDown in a casket match. Yokozuna defeated Bret Hart to win the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania IX, capitalizing on Mr. Fuji throwing salt in the eyes of The Hitman to score the pinfall victory. Just moments after his status as the top villain in WWE was established, Yokozuna watched as Mr. Fuji arrogantly issued a challenge to Hulk Hogan for a title match. Vader vs. Yokozuna: Raw, April 8, 1996 WWE 93.3M subscribers Subscribe Share 178K views 10 months ago Two powerhouses pummel each other when they face off in the ring during Raw! The Best of Jeff Hardy Undertaker and Kamala were on opposing sides of the ring in this bout, and the Ugandan Giant was deathly afraid of Undertaker. SALVATORE SINCERE vs. ALEX "THE PUG" PORTEAU: (WWF Superstars, March 9th 1997) * OH MY GOD WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED THIS MATCH HAD HAPPENED?!? Best of Unboxing Lex Luger, The Undertaker, and the Steiner Brothers represented the All-Americans, and they were on the other side of the ring. The Undertaker, however, was not tagged into the match until after it was just him and Luger on the American Team. Austin attained the victory. Sign up for Peacock to watch. Scream Queens ECW Barely Legal 25 The Undertaker and Kane clashed in the first casket match to take place on Raw, just 24 hours removed from their WWE Championship match at Judgment Day: In Your House. Overcoming Superstars such as the massive Earthquake and the all-time-great "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Yokozuna became the first heel to win the match since it became a pay-per-view attraction. Show didn't make life easy for Undertaker who was celebrating 18 years with WWE. [48], After his WWF career ended, he performed for various independent promotions. This should have been the start of a decent WWE Championship run for Yokozuna but Hulk Hogan intervened, and he challenged Yokozuna to an impromptu WWE Title match. The feud came to an anticlimactic finish with the two on opposite sides, but not blowing off much, at Survivor Series. The Best of Hell in a Cell Former Editor-In-Chief of Sound On Sight, and host of several podcasts including the Game of Thrones and Walking Dead podcasts, as well as Sound On Sight. The Best of Halloween Havoc The Best Raw Matches of the Decade Soon after, Yokozuna was challenged by American patriot "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, who aimed to be the first man who could knock Yokozuna off his feet (this was taped before Randy Savage knocked down Yokozuna at the Royal Rumble). Yokozuna was unable to pass a physical required for professional wrestlers by the New York State Athletic Commission. Moreover, Show finally made his way down to the ring and he pummeled Undertaker. In the rematch, Vader defeated Yokozuna. What he lacked in mobility, he made up for with overwhelming size and strength, tossing his opponents around the ring and wearing them down with his sheer girth. [28] At King of the Ring 1994, Yokozuna and Crush failed to win the WWF Tag Team Championship from The Headshrinkers (Samu and Fatu). The casket match has become The Undertaker's signature match. There were huge stakes on the line for the winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble match as it was the first Rumble to award a Rumble winner, a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania. On top of that, though the WWF billed him from Polynesia, he dressed in sumo garb, waved the Japanese flag and came to the ring with Mr. Fuji, clearly casting him as a representative of Japan and appealing to the WWF fanships jingoistic impulses. Commentator Bobby Heenan claimed Luger's move was a hiptoss, not a bodyslam, as Yokozuna was running at Luger, but the slam was ruled legitimate. Yokozuna Profile & Match Listing Facts & Stats PWI Ratings Opponents & Partners Win/Loss Record Star Ratings Win Types Relations PPV Introduction Below you can see all known star ratings for wrestling matches featuring in Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter. There was a magnificent spot, where Undertaker executed a jumping Tombstone on Michaels into the casket. [13] On the May 10, 1993, edition of Monday Night Raw, Yokozuna served as one of the lumberjacks in a match between Duggan and Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship. After several run-ins, Yokozuna left Cornette and began a short stint as a fan favorite. It also changed the course of history in Michaels' wrestling career as his back caught the back edge of the casket which led him to miss four years of action after WrestleMania 14. Pro Wrestling Illustrated, PWI 500 first edition, p.44. Theres a time-honored tradition of a new monster crushing an old monster on his way up the card. Hart got the pinfall victory, finally taking the title away from the long-running champion who reigned for 280 days. Your email address will not be published. Yokozuna had a refusal to stay down, and he powered out of Hogan's leg drop which rarely happens. He applied the Mandible Claw and Vader picked up the win, all thanks to Mankind. These are the matches that exemplify the greatness of the United States Championship. The match itself may have left fans wanting more, but the overall spectacle is impressive, technically astounding, and emotionally resonant seriously, I was devastated as a kid watching Mr. Fujis army destroy one of my favourite wrestlers. During the event, a severe thunderstorm in the area caused the pay-per-view broadcast feed to blackout. Best of The Bellas Best of Rob Van Dam Undertaker sported his Phantom of the Opera-like mask, and he was determined to put King Mabel away. The Best of Hell in a Cell The Game's World Heavyweight Championship was not on the line, and Triple H clocked Kane in the head with a ring bell. Mickie James Randy Orton and The Undertaker's feud dominated SmackDown in 2005. [39], Yokozuna returned at In Your House 8: Beware of Dog to wrestle Vader. One week before his WWE Championship showdown with Sycho Sid at WrestleMania 13, The Undertaker and Vader collided in a casket match. Best of Mankind document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hold the Drama! [2][44] Yokozuna took the advantage near the end of the match, but when he went for the Banzai Drop, the rope broke under his weight, sending him crashing back down. The Undertaker was originally scheduled to face Chris Jericho in a blockbuster casket match, but Rusev replaced Y2J. Yokozuna is the kind of talent who is simultaneously legendary and too often forgotten. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. WWE Champion Yokozuna spearheaded Ludvig Borga, Crush, and Quebecers Jacques as the Foreign Fanatics in their traditional Survivor Series elimination match at Survivor Series 1993. Best of Ronda Rousey [2] In May 1994, on a Monday Night Raw episode, Yokozuna was challenged by Earthquake to an actual sumo match. Best of SummerSlam of the 2010s The Best of Survivor Series Hogan seemed to have the match won, but a photographer, planted at ringside among a legitimate Japanese wrestling press group, shot a blast of fire into Hogan's face. 10 Greatest Matches From the 2010s He spoke English to the fans, had Mr. Fuji wave an American flag during his matches, and challenged Vader to numerous matches. The Best of Yokozuna [2][36] The next day, due to protests from the team and the legal help of Clarence Mason, President Gorilla Monsoon reluctantly returned the belts to Yokozuna and Hart, since Hart was not an official part of the match. 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