WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi has stirred conversation among fans after stating that he does not consider Charlotte Flair to be one of the greatest female wrestlers of all time.
During a recent episode of his “Rikishi Fatu Off The Top” podcast, the former WWE Superstar offered his candid thoughts while fantasy-booking a potential future match between Charlotte Flair and his daughter-in-law, Naomi, who recently won the 2025 Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase.
When asked by his co-host if Flair belongs in the “GOAT” conversation among female wrestlers, Rikishi didn’t hold back.
“No, I wouldn’t. Okay. No, I wouldn’t,” Rikishi said bluntly. “There’s so many other wrestlers before her, before her time. You know, had they been young to be able to go… they can keep up with her. It wasn’t built like her, as far as pushing her in superstar status. But there’s a few of them.”
Rikishi went on to name several legendary female talents he believes were superior in-ring workers, despite not being given the same spotlight in their respective eras.
“There’s Miss Jackie, Miss Texas. Yeah, Miss Texas. Can you imagine Miss Texas [Jacqueline Moore] was young and in this era right now? The way that she worked,” Rikishi explained. “Ivory back in the day, right? These names that I’m throwing out there were kind of never really pushed, but they were so good of workers that they were able to make other superstars.”
He also praised another former WWE star as one of the most underrated performers of her time.
“Yeah, I would love to see Jazz… Jazz would be another good contender to kind of rock with some of these new chicks that’s out.”
While Rikishi did acknowledge Charlotte’s status as a top-tier star, his comments reinforce a growing conversation in the wrestling world about how women from previous generations laid the groundwork for today’s stars — often without receiving the same level of exposure or accolades.
Charlotte Flair is a 14-time women’s champion in WWE and has been a central figure in the company’s women’s evolution over the past decade. However, Rikishi’s remarks add a fresh layer to the ongoing debate over who truly belongs on the all-time Mount Rushmore of women’s wrestling.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more wrestling news, reactions, and backstage updates.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
