10 Worst WWE Moments Of 2000
2. Rikishi “Did It For The Rock”
Race issues and wrestling rarely (if ever) mix well, but that doesn't stop promotions from trying to use serious societal issues to sell insensitive characters or storylines on television. In 2000, Mick Foley outed Rikishi as the one who'd mowed down Steve Austin back at Survivor Series 1999. Later, the mastermind was revealed as Triple H, but big Kish was the one behind the wheel.
That was a shocking enough revelation, but the WWF didn't stop there. Seeking more nuance, they clumsily crammed race into the situation by having Rikishi claim that he "did it for The Rock" because guys like Austin had been viewed as a "great white hope" for the company since it went national then global in the 1980s. Yikes, that was an avoidable plot point, and it just made people watching feel awkward.
Things worsened once Rikishi bedded into his heel run. He changed his theme from Too Cool's music to 'Bad Man', but kept wearing his trademark thong during matches. That muddied the waters, because Kish still looked like the same comedy character he'd been all year. Someone badly needed to re-draft his 9 October promo too.
A subsequent mini-feud with Rock failed to elevate Rikishi to credible main-eventer status, then his No Mercy mauling at the hands of a returning Austin felt subpar too. Arguably the only moment of any worth people remember from his heel run is that sawdust bump during a 6-man Hell In A Cell match at Armageddon, which really says it all.
He "did it for The Rock". He needn't have bothered.