10 Exact Moments WWE Killed Careers

2. Rikishi “Did It For The Rock”

Steve Austin Lance Storm Boring
WWE.com

Ask wrestling fans to name 10 things they liked about the then-WWF in 2000 and Rikishi/Too Cool will probably be one of them. The super-over undercard act turned big Kish into one of the most beloved babyfaces on the entire roster, and he was still riding high by October.

So, of course, the creative team slowed his roll.

On 9 October, GM Mick Foley blamed Rikish for running over Steve Austin at the 1999 Survivor Series. Fessing up, the thong-wearing comedy character mumbled something about race and said he "did it for The Rock". That unnecessary shoehorning in of racism wasn't even the biggest problem.

Rikishi's change from comedic babyface to homicidal maniac heel was ruined when Triple H was outed as the real mastermind behind behind Austin's near-death experience instead. That revelation left Kish rudderless for the remaining few years of his run, and proved that no-one behind the scenes had really thought this one through before putting it on Raw.

Yuck.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.