WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi recently spoke with deep pride about his nephew Jacob Fatu’s journey to WWE and how fans have already embraced him as a potential main-event star.
Speaking on his Off The Top podcast, Rikishi highlighted the emotional connection fans have with Fatu’s story:
“Fans, they follow people’s careers. When you’re out there, they already have an attachment to Jacob. I was like, you know how proud they are of this kid.”
Rikishi touched on Fatu’s powerful personal narrative, which has resonated with many:
“You hear his stories… he had a bad hand dealt to him. Did some time, came back out, jumped into wrestling, had a family, and just kept running. It was only a matter of time.”
The WWE legend believes Fatu’s background and authenticity have created a strong bond with the WWE Universe.
“The story alone, I feel a lot of people can relate to that… fans love a positive story. They feel like they’re on this ride with him, like they’re witnessing the making of an icon.”
Rikishi also pointed to Fatu’s early success with merchandise as another sign of his growing popularity, despite portraying a heel on-screen.
“He’s the heel and he’s got merchandise—yeah, right—the hottest selling merchandise. WWE wouldn’t make your merch if you weren’t generating revenue and becoming a fan favorite.”
Closing out the conversation, Rikishi didn’t mince words when speaking about his nephew’s potential:
“You stick Jacob with the right guys, the right names, and the right angle? Yeah, you’re looking at a future Hall of Famer.”
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more on Jacob Fatu’s continued rise in WWE.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
