"This stuff is fake" - WWE Hall of Famer's furious reaction after Rikishi disrespected wrestling
WWE legend Rikishi recently recalled how his uncle Sika hit him in the face after he disrespected the wrestling business by calling it “fake.”
Although the outcome of wrestling matches are pre-determined, the physicality and risk of injury is real. As a result, many fans and in-ring performers strongly dislike the word “fake” being associated with professional wrestling.
Speaking on Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw, Rikishi said he once used the dreaded F-word during a training session. Sika, one-half of the legendary Wild Samoans tag team, taught his nephew a lesson in respect by busting his mouth open.
“I made one false statement to my uncle Sika, like, ‘This stuff is fake.’ He goes, ‘Stop what you’re doing, what did you say?’ I said, ‘No, I didn’t say nothing, I didn’t say nothing.’ He says, ‘Come here, get in the ring.’ I go to get in the ring, here it goes. As we go to lock up, his right elbow slid right into my mouth right here, busted my whole teeth out. You would think somebody had taken a blade and cut my jaw, gushing out blood,” Rikishi said.
Rikishi and Sika belong to the Anoa’i wrestling family. Rikishi’s sons, The Usos, currently perform on WWE SmackDown alongside Sika’s son, Roman Reigns.
Sika told Rikishi to never disrespect wrestling
Congratulations @TheREALRIKISHI on your 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Induction!
#WWEHOF #SamoanDynasty http://t.co/shlZUEVvFG
Rikishi began his wrestling career in 1985 and went on to join WWE in 1992. He performed as various characters in WWE, including Fatu and The Sultan, before becoming known as Rikishi in 1999.
Elaborating on his incident with Sika, Rikishi said his uncle warned him never to speak negatively about the wrestling business again.
“Now, when that happened, he looked at me and really grabbed me and had me open my eyes and look at him, and he told me, ‘If you’re gonna come into this business, don’t you ever, ever disrespect my bread and butter,’ and threw me down like a freaking rag doll,” Rikishi stated.
Rikishi, who now runs a wrestling school in California, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015. Sika received his WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2007 alongside his brother Afa.
Please credit Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.