http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGFAwORSDlE Yokozuna may have portrayed a sumo grand champion, but he had Samoan roots. The way he moved for someone his size made him an instant hit with fans. With Mr. Fuji by his side to further his Japanese persona, Yoko was pushed straight to the top. It started with his dominating victory against Virgil at the 1992 Survivor Series and then when he won the 1993 Royal Rumble by taking out the "Macho Man" Randy Savage. He headlined WrestleMania IX, ending the first WWE title run of Bret Hart. The monstrous athlete's reign didn't last long, as Hulk Hogan challenged and won the gold the same night. Yokozuna would end up getting the WWE championship back against the Hulkster at the King of the Ring and held it until WrestleMania X. Yoko will also be remembered for his feud with The Undertaker. The two competed in tag team encounters, casket matches and everything in between. It was one of the rare times someone was able to get the better of "The Phenom". Owen Hart took on Yokozuna as a partner and were successful in attaining the tag team titles at WrestleMania XI. At this time Yoko was bigger than ever in size, which ended up not being a detriment. He never really found his way back up the WWE mountain again. He died in 2000, but was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for his contributions in 2012.
I've covered pro wrestling for more than 10 years interviewing the top names in the industry. I currently contribute to the Miami Herald's pro wrestling section online, the Layfield Report and a variety of other outlets.