1 00:00:10,878 --> 00:00:14,248 I named my son after him. 2 00:00:14,381 --> 00:00:20,387 This is Rodney named after his grandfather Rodney Anoa'i, 3 00:00:21,121 --> 00:00:23,524 Yokozuna. 4 00:00:23,657 --> 00:00:25,092 - 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 00:00:29,229 --> 00:00:30,664 He was already ready. 9 00:00:30,797 --> 00:00:31,832 - Unbelievable. 10 00:00:31,965 --> 00:00:33,100 Wow. 11 00:00:33,233 --> 00:00:35,102 - 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 00:01:22,115 --> 00:01:24,418 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 00:01:28,689 --> 00:01:31,892 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 00:01:36,330 --> 00:01:37,798 He got him. 32 00:01:37,931 --> 00:01:38,999 [bell rings] 33 00:01:40,334 --> 00:01:50,277 ♪ 34 00:01:53,180 --> 00:01:57,584 - Where Rod grew up in LA it was a rough neighborhood, man. 35 00:01:57,718 --> 00:01:59,353 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 00:02:36,923 --> 00:02:40,293 wasn't you know a huge thing. 48 00:02:40,427 --> 00:02:41,294 You know, everybody does it. 49 00:02:41,428 --> 00:02:42,396 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 68 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. 71 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.