WWE

Rikishi Reveals He Was Unaware of Jey Uso’s Royal Rumble Victory

WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi discusses his emotional reaction to son Jey Uso winning the 2025 Royal Rumble match and securing a WrestleMania main event spot.

Published

1 month ago

February 5, 2025

Leonardo Cunha

Rikishi has shared his perspective on Jey Uso’s victory at the 2025 Royal Rumble match, where Uso last eliminated John Cena to earn a WrestleMania 41 main event opportunity. During an appearance on his Off The Top podcast, Rikishi expressed his genuine surprise at his son’s achievement.

Honestly, I had no idea that this boy was gonna be the one to win the Royal Rumble. We’ve talked about it on the past podcasts, about the Yeet Man, about the opportunity, about the third time he came up against Gunther and so forth, when he won the Intercontinental Belt and he lost the Intercontinental Belt, such a short time.

I mean, all that. Somebody must have heard and said, ‘Hey.’ The one thing that is definitely power is the voice of the wrestling fans. The voice of the wrestling fans, the videos tell no lie, when you see Jey hit that arena, Jey’s got that arena all lit. It doesn’t matter if it’s Hong Kong, Japan, Chicago, New York City, it does not matter. It is YeetMania. So the Yeet Man’s on fire.

The Yeet Man has put in work. For us as a family that has seen personally the struggle, the hard work that the kid has went through, thank you to WWE, thank you to the WWE Universe for believing in this kid. My kids, they are not the type of kids that’s gonna quit. I always tell them, know your worth, believe in your worth, your time will come.

Just keep working hard, keep working hard. Now, hey, Jey, you the man. You the man. You made us all proud. All the family members, I’m sure the fans as well. I got goosebumps talking about this, and this happened a few days ago. I got goosebumps. I’ve never, for anything huge celebration, the last time I felt like this is when we won the tag team straps for the first time, me and Samu against The Quebecers, and when I’ve seen Yokozuna win the Royal Rumble, back in the day.

Years later, man, we’re talking 2025, we got a Fatu up there that’s gonna headline WrestleMania. So all I can say, without no alcohol in me, God did.

Reflecting on the family’s legacy in professional wrestling, Rikishi added another heartfelt statement about the significance of this moment.

This one here was (very) emotional. You see your kid…it was the type of vibe too when they both wrestled each other at WrestleMania. All I can think about is the days back home in Pensacola, all the lonely nights trying to make this thing happen for these kids and so forth, and the struggles that they’ve gone through, because of my life of a wrestler that’s trying to make it, it takes me back to thinking about my late mother.

These were her grandbabies. She always talked to them about the faith and the culture and be good kids, keep working hard, things will come your way. I can only wish that she was here so we could all celebrate together.

I guarantee you that she would be front-row seat, (for) her grandbabies at WrestleMania in Vegas. So a lot goes on, and man, it’s so much to try to unload, the joy and the happiness that the Anoa’i -Fatu clan feels. I’m just proud. I’m proud of Jey, Jimmy, Solo (Sikoa), Jacob (Fatu), Roman (Reigns), just set the pace. Rock is on a whole new…that level, conquered Hollywood and now in with the company.

So it’s a good day for the family. I’m glad that the company and the world has recognized, this wasn’t given to us. This was a family that has (given) blood, sweat, and tears for 75-plus years. 75-plus years, we’ve given our heart and our soul.

WWE

John Cena Receives Major Reward Ahead of WrestleMania 41

On Location will offer just 20 fans the chance to join John Cena for a special lunch on April 19 where he will receive a lifetime achievement award ahead of his WWE Championship match.

Published

4 hours ago

March 18, 2025

Leonardo Cunha

John Cena will receive a lifetime achievement award before challenging for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41.

PWInsider reports that On Location will offer tickets to just 20 fans to join Cena for a special lunch on April 19, hours before WrestleMania 41 Night One begins.

The exclusive event will include a meal with Cena, speeches about his career, and a presentation where he will receive a lifetime achievement award. The report describes the venue as a five-star restaurant.

Tickets for this private luncheon are priced at $25,000 each, reflecting the exclusive nature of the gathering.

Cena earned his championship opportunity by winning the Elimination Chamber match to become the #1 contender. This victory gives the 16-time world champion a chance to win a record-breaking 17th world title at the April 19-20 premium live event.

The championship pursuit comes as part of Cena’s recent character transformation. During the March 17 episode of Raw, Cena declared he was “breaking up” with the WWE fanbase, a sentiment he has continued to emphasize in subsequent appearances.

This dramatic shift follows Cena’s attack on Cody Rhodes at Elimination Chamber, where he aligned himself with The Rock.

Cena has announced that 2024 marks his retirement tour, with plans to end his in-ring career in December.

WWE

WWE Announces Major Event Scheduled for Same Day as WrestleMania 41

WWE is organizing a Roast of WrestleMania on April 20 at BleauLive Theater inside Fontainebleau Las Vegas, featuring controversial comedian Tony Hinchcliffe as part of their expanding Netflix partnership.

Published

4 hours ago

March 18, 2025

Leonardo Cunha

WWE will hold a Roast of WrestleMania following WrestleMania 41, according to Dave Meltzer’s F4WOnline Daily Update. The comedy event is scheduled for April 20 at the BleauLive Theater inside the Fontainebleau Las Vegas resort.

The roast will differ from traditional WWE productions, adopting a style more aligned with Tony Hinchcliffe’s brand of comedy. Hinchcliffe, known for his Kill Tony podcast, will feature prominently in the event.

Hinchcliffe signed a deal with Netflix earlier this year for three comedy specials. His involvement with WWE comes as part of the company’s growing relationship with Netflix, which recently became Raw’s global broadcast partner.

The comedian sparked significant controversy in 2024 after a performance at a Donald Trump rally at Madison Square Garden. During his set, Hinchcliffe made racist remarks about Puerto Rico, used stereotypes about Black people, and made derogatory comments about Latinos and Palestinians.

The joint event between WWE and Netflix raises questions about potential reactions from fans and WWE’s corporate partners, given Hinchcliffe’s controversial reputation.

Featured

Latest Updates on Steve Austin’s Status for WrestleMania 41

According to Fightful Select, WWE has not pitched any match or angle for Steve Austin at WrestleMania 41, as the WWE Hall of Famer recovers from recent knee replacement surgery.

Published

4 hours ago

March 18, 2025

Leonardo Cunha

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin will not be part of WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas on April 19-20, according to a recent report.

Fightful Select reports that WWE has not pitched any match or angle for the WWE Hall of Famer. Austin will be in Las Vegas for photo opportunities and signings at WWE World, but his December knee replacement surgery prevents him from getting physical.

Austin’s last match occurred at WrestleMania 38 Night One in 2022, where he defeated Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This marked his return to in-ring competition after a 19-year absence.

Austin has previously stated he would compete again if circumstances aligned properly. During a recent interview, Austin revealed he is still recovering from his knee replacement procedure, noting the surgery was long overdue but has improved his health and eliminated pain.

The report indicates Austin’s physical limitations from the recent surgery make any in-ring appearance impossible for the upcoming premium live event.