Mr. Fuji: Ranking His WWE Managerial Clients From Worst To Best
7. Crush
In July 1993, WWE held a “Body Slam Challenge,” in which a host of company hopefuls were charged with the task of slamming WWE Champion Yokozuna. Mr. Fuji was managing Yoko at the time, and with the champion weighing a billed 580lbs, the contestants had an ominous task ahead of them.
Crush was installed as an early favourite, but after successfully lifting Yokozuna off his feet, his back gave-out and he was forced to stop. Nonetheless, Crush received a WWE Title shot a few weeks later, resulting in a Yokozuna victory, and multiple Banzai Drops that saw Crush written-off television until that Autumn.
Crush returned from injury and attacked Randy Savage, who’d encouraged him to enter the Body Slam Challenge in the first place. He immediately aligned himself with Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji, adopting a “Japanese sympathizer” gimmick, and facing-off with Savage at WrestleMania X.
Crush lost the match, but feuded with Lex Luger afterwards, and formed a brief tag team with Yokozuna in 1994. The duo wrestled the Headshrinkers for the WWE Tag Team Championships at King of the Ring ‘94, but were ultimately unsuccessful, and Crush’s spell as a Mr. Fuji client ended weeks later.