On a recent episode of his Off The Top Rope podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi expressed immense pride over his nephew Jacob Fatu’s United States Championship victory at WrestleMania 41.
Rikishi’s excitement was clear as he celebrated Fatu’s breakout moment:
“I’m just so proud of Jacob. I was thinking about this driving down like what really happened in WrestleMania in Vegas this weekend. They should have called it FatuMania. It’s a YeetMania, and then after I saw both finishes, that’s like FatuMania.”
He recalled the emotional experience of seeing Fatu on the grand stage:
“I had a tear going down my eyes when I watched this kid walk down, sold out, his first WrestleMania, less than a year in the business up there in WWE, and here he is. His face is all over Las Vegas. Allegiant Stadium. His face is right there. He didn’t even have the opponent next to his face. It was just WrestleMania, and then there you go see Jacob.”
Rikishi also emphasized the tough road Fatu traveled to reach this milestone:
“Here’s a kid from the Bay Area. Here’s a kid that did some time. Here’s a kid from the streets of the bay, eight years on the independents struggling to make things happen for his family. I always knew that he was a beast and just a talented kid in the square circle, and then when all that came to fruition, and to see him in the biggest show on earth, being one of the main matches advertised, oh my goodness.”
Fatu’s journey from the independents to the WrestleMania spotlight is a testament to his resilience, talent, and determination — and it’s a moment Rikishi will never forget.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more reactions from WrestleMania 41 and all the latest wrestling news.
