Surprise! Rikishi has been let go

[Dave Youell]

PWInsider.com:



WWE released former tag team champion Rikishi yesterday. Rikishi had been out of action with an ankle injury and there were those in the company that felt he wasn’t exactly hurrying to return as quickly as he could have due to the fact that he had a high downside guarantee and thus made just as much money not working as he would have working. There was also a recent incident where he appeared on an independent show, which I was told was not cleared with the office beforehand. I also know that the company had wanted him to lose some weight so that they could possibly change his gimmick, but he hadn’t done so. Talk of him being released as soon as he was cleared to wrestle, which he was about a week ago, has been going on for a while now. It has finally happened.

[Dave Youell]

Can't say I care at all really

[Mike the Metal Ed]

Hooray!

[Xero]

You think the stink face is owned by WWE, and he'll have to do like a crotch face when doing it in the indies/TNA? :shifty:

[Shawn Mega]

I'm going to miss him. I hate when fans dismiss wrestlers like they never like them. They did the same thing to Hogan last year and it pissed me off.

Let's just remember Rikishi good memories. His match with HHH on Smackdown in 2000 I think, was probably my favorite Rikishi match.

My favorite Rikishi character is The Sultan.

WWE did drop the ball with him. He could of been a good heel when they were pushing him. They should of had faith in him like they do in JBL.

Don't hate Rikishi,hate the management. Look at Val Venis,he's going in the same direction.

I hope TNA does NOT pick him up. TNA style is different and it would look weird.

[Dave Youell]

I'm going to miss him. I hate when fans dismiss wrestlers like they never like them. They did the same thing to Hogan last year and it pissed me off.

Let's just remember Rikishi good memories. His match with HHH on Smackdown in 2000 I think, was probably my favorite Rikishi match.

My favorite Rikishi character is The Sultan.

WWE did drop the ball with him. He could of been a good heel when they were pushing him. They should of had faith in him like they do in JBL.

Don't hate Rikishi,hate the management. Look at Val Venis,he's going in the same direction.

I hope TNA does NOT pick him up. TNA style is different and it would look weird.

Drop the ball...DROP THE BALL!

The guy had like 10 gimmicks and none of them worked, then he works for other companies without permission and you say WWe dropped the ball. They invested over 10 year in Rikishi and this is how he re pays them, I agree that match against Trips was very good, but it was 4 years ago, he aint done shit or wreslted a decent match in years

[Cruiserweight 3:16]

Well it's not exactly the biggest surprise for him to be released, but it's a shame because he's had some decent moments in the WWE. If he isn't working his arse off to return then his commitment should be questioned and should be answerable to management for what he does that affects the company.

If anybody though Scotty's was bad as it could get right now, it seems as if it's gonna get worse.... hope you enjoy Velocity from now on

[Dave Youell]

Well it's not exactly the biggest surprise for him to be released, but it's a shame because he's had some decent moments in the WWE. If he isn't working his arse off to return then his commitment should be questioned and should be answerable to management for what he does that affects the company.

If anybody though Scotty's was bad as it could get right now, it seems as if it's gonna get worse.... hope you enjoy Velocity from now on
What? he's on a big push he was in a 6 man the other day on Smackdown! He's still good He's still good!

He's screwed isn't he


Yes

:(

[The Mackem]

Remember when Rikishi was like one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWF?

[Shawn Mega]

He gave us many years of work and at least us fans should show him some respect. He was over 400 pounds wrestling 3-4 times a week,you know it was extra hard for him. Unlike Yoko and other overweight guys,he try to perform like everybody else.

Fans these days is so cruel.

[Dazz]

Rikishi had his chance, after saying he ran over Austin he was destined for big things, he blew it himself.

[Shawn Mega]

Rikishi had his chance, after saying he ran over Austin he was destined for big things, he blew it himself.

HOW?

[Goldbird]

They cant just let him sit on the payroll for nth right?

But heck, people like Bob Holly... I wouldnt mind paying him money NOT to make an appearance.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

In his prime he was enjoyable, IN HIS PRIME. Now I can't say I really give a damn.

[.44 Magdalene]

Na na na na. Na na na na. Hey hey hey. Goodbyyyeeee.

Everybody sing it, you know the words!

:wave:

[The One]

First Grand Masta...now Rikishi...I loved Too Cool...I remember marking like a little girl over their Tag Team Title Victory...sigh....on the flip side you deserved it from what I understand...so...um...later.

[.44 Magdalene]

Grand Master Sexay and Scotty2Hotty > GMS and Rikishi.

Rikishi just wasn't 2 cool for teh sk00lz.

[The One]

Grand Master Sexay and Scotty2Hotty > GMS and Rikishi.

Rikishi just wasn't 2 cool for teh sk00lz.

:rofl: rep for you.

[LK]

Can't say I care that much. Had one or two decent moments but hasn't done anything in ages.

[Sephiroth]

Finally...Rikishi out of the WWE. O HAPPY DAY :p

[I-Hate-You]

HOW?
Because he did it for The Rock.

[Stickman]

Thankfully I will never see a stink face again.

[Blue Demon]

At least the stink face is gone

[HankScorpio]

Thankfully I will never see a stink face again.


Don't speak so soon, that'll be A-train's new gimmick

[tucsonspeed6]

Don't speak so soon, that'll be A-train's new gimmick
Worse yet, he'll probably rub his hairy back all over them.

[Thriller]

My only Rickshi moment was his splash off the cage on to Val Venis

[ColdwaVer]

I... I'm just utterly shocked. [/Bob Newhart]

[John la Rock]

This is a happy day :cool:

Hopefully Test and Hardcore Holly are next to go

[addy2hotty]

Shame about Rikishi. I seem to remember a match with Benoit where he beat him for the IC title and a run at the KOTR 2001 (?)when Benoit injured his leg with a chair after losing as a few highlights of what he could do (damn Benoit was great as an evil heel). I think they did the worst thing with him and make him the guy who ran over Austin, because the person who did it was obviously going to be squashed and their momentum ended.

I remember when he was the man 'who the Taker was going to make famous' in HIAC. Just didn't happen for the guy.

[DaveWadding]

No, Taker made him famous...he got thrown from the top of the cell onto a truck.

Actually that's my favorite Rikishi moment.

[addy2hotty]

No, Taker made him famous...he got thrown from the top of the cell onto a truck.

Actually that's my favorite Rikishi moment.

It didn't make him famous though, in fact, he was more famous before.

[I-Hate-You]

This is a happy day :cool:

Hopefully Test and Hardcore Holly are next to go
Unfortunatly, Test is on the sideline for a year due to neck surgery.

[Funky Fly]

They let his gimmick run on too long. And he certainly needed a change in routine. It's a shame when a wrestler gets lazy, but I can't feel bad for him, really.

Thanks for the memories, but don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

[Scarface]

Unfortunatly, Test is on the sideline for a year due to neck surgery.

Just trying to remember when I last enjoyed a Test match or a Bob Holly match. The answer is never. I at least liked Rikishi when he was good. Shame hes not good now and its no great loss. :-\

[Batsu]

Hmm, not sure what to say about this.

My favorite Rikishi moment was indeed the top of the cage splash on to Val Venis for the IC belt...that was great.

and his feud with Chris Benoit was great as well. Benoit was just plain ruthless....

[Mr. JL]

If he never had gotten injured in early 2001 then I believe he could have made a run or at least a challenge for the WWE title. He had alot of momentum and was getting some real good heel heat. Then he got injured and was out for 8 months. He was never given any serious angle to work with when he came back. He closed the doors to the vince McMahon Kiss My Ass Club and then dressed as a woman to help Stephanie. Thats pretty much all he accomplished from late 2001 to mid 2004. Way to go booking, creative and writing team.

[Mayo]

If he stayed as a heel like Yokozuna over his career instead of the last few years of bullshit dancing and stinkfaces, then maybe I would say that I cared. He was really overweight so his matches weren't too exciting, had a pretty limited moveset, and I hated seeing his fat cottage cheese ass in a huge diaper. I wish you better things Rikishi, but don't come back to the WWE.

[FourFifty]

<font color=cyan>Rikishi being let go is to wrestling news as the kitty that was found in a sewer on the real news.

[Rob]

They let his gimmick run on too long. And he certainly needed a change in routine. It's a shame when a wrestler gets lazy, but I can't feel bad for him, really.

Thanks for the memories, but don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

They told him to lose weight so they could repackage him and he didn't. They told the Blue Meanie to lose weight, he lost over 100lbs and they fired him so they had to let Rikishi go.

[The Ravishing One]

Can't say I care at all really

[The Mackem]

They shouldn't have brought his dancing gimmick back.

[Aussie Skier]

i think its a shame.
i always liked him, thought he was entertaining, and the best fat man in the business

on a side note, he's the 2nd wrestlemania 20 victor to leave the wwe