Rikishi has looked back on one of the most replayed moments of his entire WWE career.
Still relatively new as a stipulation at that point in time, the 7th Hell in a Cell took place at Armageddon 2000. The star-studded match saw Kurt Angle put the World Championship on the line in a 6-man match that featured Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, The Undertaker and Rikishi. Angle would go on to retain the title when all was said and done.
With carnage and bloodshed throughout the 32-minute main event, fans will always remember one spot in particular. With Rikishi and Undertaker on the top of the cell, the former Intercontinental Champion was thrown off the structure by The Deadman and sent crashing into a flatbed truck filled with straw.
Speaking with Metro about the match, the Hall of Famer stated he chose to take the spot and that is still being talked about nearly a quarter of a century later:
You already prepped your mind, you know, “I can only get this opportunity one time. I can either take it or back out”, and I chose to take it. And, you know, years later, I’m still getting residuals over 25 years from that bump.’
Discussing how the spot was planned ahead of time, Rikishi noted that during rehearsals the truck that he was going to land on had no sides. However, during the actual match, the truck had sides to it, meaning there was little room for error:
‘This flatbed had no railings on the side during the walkthrough. But during the show, when this flatbed came out, there was railings. So now, my whole nervous system just went berserk. ‘Because if I didn’t hit that target my whole body go right through that aluminum rail. I mean, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you.’
“Tell My Family I Love Them”: Rikishi To The Undertaker
Going on to recall the spot that still lives on today, the former Tag Team Champion revealed what he said to The Undertaker before the fall and his immediate reaction:
‘There was no way I was gonna back out of it,’ he insisted, as he got goosebumps remembering the exact moment. ‘As soon as he gave me the chokeslam, he says, “You ready?” I said, “Tell my family I love them.”‘ I didn’t know if I was still alive,’ he revealed. ‘Trying to move my move, I was just still – all I could hear was “Holy s**t”. I said, “Okay. My ears work”. But I was just waiting for my body.’
Looking back on the spot, the WWE Hall of Famer remains thankful that everything worked out ok but admitted that it is still something that makes him shudder to this day:
‘It worked out good. As well as, like a reaction, I get the chills when I tell that story,’ he smiled. ‘It’s just something that I don’t talk about too much.’
A part of the legendary Anoa’i Family, Rikishi recently revealed his pick for the next candidate to be a part of The Bloodline.