"Tell my family I love them" - Rikishi reveals his fears heading into his Hell in a Cell fall
WWE legend Rikishi recently opened up about how he was afraid that his legendary fall in the Hell in a Cell Match at Armageddon 2000 would go wrong.
A former WWE Tag Team Champion, Rikishi is one of the most recognizable faces in WWE history. He starred as a member of Too Cool, and he was known for dishing out nasty Stinkfaces to his opponents.
On the latest episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, the WWE Hall of Famer discussed his concerns over what became one of the most memorable moments in WWE history. Rikishi also revealed the eye-opening words he said to The Undertaker right before he was thrown off the structure.
"All I can say is when you love something, when you’re prepped up for anything the industry throws at you, and the smarts. I knew I wasn’t the person who was going over in that match, but I also knew, what can I do to be able to steal that away and have people years down the line talk about it? No doubt, it was very nerve-wracking. I’ve watched Mick Foley come off the top of the Hell in a Cell. God bless him man, he’s put his body (through) so much for this industry.
" I always say, in thirty seconds, an accident can happen, and he could have died in any one of those big bumps that he’d taken. So, it was my time… But I never knew that, when my time would come, it would be taking a bump backwards onto a steel flatbed. There’s no rewind from that, Chris. Meaning that, when he grabbed me, my last words to him were “Tell my family I love them.” You know what I mean?"
Many fans, even those who weren't watching WWE in 2000, know about this unforgettable spot. The company often uses it in video packages that showcase Hell in a Cell Matches. Likewise, Mick Foley is synonymous with the steel structure, so it's not surprising that Rikishi was inspired by the Hardcore Legend.
Rikishi on the legacy of his Hell in a Cell fall
While Rikishi's fall from the cell was incredibly dangerous, the former WWE Intercontinental Champion says he is "grateful" that his risk is still remembered today. It helped cement Rikishi's status as a WWE icon, and the the spot proved that he was more than a comedy wrestler.
"I could hear the crowd exploding, it’s that moment. 'Rikishi, you can’t turn back now. This is what you signed up for. This is what you trained for. This is what the people paid their hard-earned money to come watch you guys do what you do best. These are the chances that you take, as a pro wrestler, when the time comes.' I’m thankful, I’m happy, I’m grateful that I was safe and that they continue to play my high spot in Hell in a Cell for years to come."
Rikishi was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015, and his legacy lives on in WWE to this day. His sons, Jimmy and Jey Uso, have been quite successful throughout their WWE careers, as they have won the tag team championships six times together.