"I created Yokozuna" - Sgt. Slaughter says he came up with the iconic WWE character (Exclusive)
Sgt. Slaughter has revealed that he came up with the Yokozuna character in WWE after Vince Mcmahon seemingly gave up on the superstar.
Yokozuna will be remembered as one of the most recognizable gimmicks in wrestling history, as the man playing the character, Agatupu Rodney Anoa'i, was involved in some memorable moments in the 1990s.
The Samoan star won two world titles and featured in a legendary rivalry with Bret Hart. Yokozuna, unfortunately, passed away in 2000 with a strong legacy in professional wrestling, for which he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Yokozuna rose to fame when WWE was dealing with stiff competition from WCW, and during an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling on WrestleBinge, Sgt. Slaughter revealed that he developed a Sumo wrestler-inspired persona in a bid to create a fresh, top talent.
"I created Yokozuna at that time. Rodney was there, and Vince said, 'I don't know what to do with this guy.' I said, 'He is a hell of a talent; I've worked with him many times.' He said, 'Yeah, but I've got ten Samoans now; I don't know what to do with him.' So I started thinking about a Sumo wrestler, and he came through with flying colors. We all stayed there. We fought that war. We won the war," revealed the veteran. [From 01:09 - 01:38]
Sgt. Slaughter spoke about Vince McMahon's reaction to WCW's growing influence and how the boss wanted his workforce to be prepared for a battle.
The former WWE Champion revealed that Vince McMahon asked some of them to contribute with the possibility of not getting paid. Slaughter, who was loyal to WWE, was more than willing to help Mr. McMahon against the Eric Bischoff-led organization:
"Vince came to us at one time and said, "Guys, we're in this deep war, and I'm not sure if you guys are going to get pay cheques for a little while.' And I said, 'It doesn't matter, Vince, let's dig that foxhole and win this war.'" [From 00:29 - 00:43]
Sgt. Slaughter on WWE finding The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin at the right time
Which wrestler was the most entertaining: Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Rock? https://t.co/ufOaIqT9e9
The Hall of Famer was proud that they overcame the WCW challenge during one of the most exciting eras in pro wrestling TV history.
Vince McMahon's WWE had the last laugh primarily because they pushed new stars to the top, who went on to become massive draws and shaped a whole generation of performers.
Sgt. Slaughter reminisced about seeing The Rock grow in the WWE locker room and how many high-ranking officials paved the way for his and Steve Austin's success.
"Everybody was leaving us, and then here comes Steve Austin, and then here comes The Rock, you know, the guy that grew up [in front of me]. He was a little boy; he grew up in the locker room. You wanted to see him do well, and you did everything you could, Pat Patterson and I and Bruce Prichard. We all got our minds together and talked to Vince about different ideas," said the veteran. [From 0:44 - 1:08]
Who did you enjoy watching more in the Attitude Era? The Texas Rattlesnake or The Brahma Bull? Sound off in the comments section below.
Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the YouTube video if you use quotes from this article.