Prior to becoming one of WWE’s biggest stars of the 90s, Yokozuna, real name Agatupu Rodney Anoaʻi, debuted as The Great Kokina, seemingly set to be one of the Headshrinkers. However, he would only wrestle one match under this gimmick, with it being a dark match versus enhancement talent Ron Neal, few people have ever seen it. Still, while the match remains unreleased, WWE has shared via their new YouTube channel a never-before-seen interview where his uncle Afa introduces him to fans during an interview segment.
Anoaʻi broke into the business in 1985 and worked under the names “Giant Kokina,” “Great Kokina,” “Kokina The Samoan,” and simply “Kokina,” with New Japan and the AWA being two of the most notable promotions he competed for. However, his career would reach new heights after signing with WWE in 1992 and being given the gimmick of a sumo wrestler named Yokozuna.
From there, he would be given a huge push, and after winning the 1993 Royal Rumble match, he would defeat Bret Hart for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 9, but he dropped it minutes later to Hulk Hogan. Still, for the next few years, he was treated as a major star, although after his weight spiraled out of control, he was released in May 1998, going on to die two years later, aged just 34, from pulmonary congestion.
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