Yokozuna's Best, Worst and Most Outrageous Moments in WWE Career

When fans look back at the early to mid-1990s, few Superstars towered over the New Generation of WWE the way the massive Yokozuna did.

The two-time WWE champion dominated the main event scene, combatting the likes of Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger and The Undertaker to considerable success while establishing himself as the lead villain of the era.

What he lacked in mobility, he made up for with overwhelming size and strength, tossing his opponents around the ring and wearing them down with his sheer girth.

By the time his career in WWE was over in 1996, he had been at the top of the industry, traveled the world as the top dog in Vince McMahon's company and established himself as a locker-room leader.

In 2012, his accomplishments were immortalized, as he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Now relive the best, worst and most outrageous moments in the iconic career of one of wrestling's most remarkable big men.

Best: Wins the Royal Rumble Match (Royal Rumble 1993)

Few Superstars have made as quick an impact on WWE as Yokozuna did in his first six months with the promotion. A monster heel, he embarked on a series of squash victories, including a memorable one against Virgil at the 1992 Survivor Series, before arriving at the 1993 Royal Rumble match as a heavy favorite to win the popular gimmick match.

And he did.

Overcoming Superstars such as the massive Earthquake and the all-time-great "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Yokozuna became the first heel to win the match since it became a pay-per-view attraction.

The win was the culmination of a considerable push that began in a day and age when WWE was desperately seeking a main event heel it could program against the likes of Savage, Bret Hart, Tatanka, Crush and The Undertaker.

The mammoth competitor cashed his ticket to WrestleMania IX, and even though it was a monumental occurrence, what played out in Las Vegas' Caesars Palace put him on the wrong side of history.

Worst: Loses WWE Championship in Record Time (WrestleMania IX)

Yokozuna defeated Bret Hart to win the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania IX, capitalizing on Mr. Fuji throwing salt in the eyes of The Hitman to score the pinfall victory.

His title reign would be short-lived, though, in what still ranks as one of his worst moments.

Just moments after his status as the top villain in WWE was established, Yokozuna watched as Mr. Fuji arrogantly issued a challenge to Hulk Hogan for a title match. The Hulkster, who had come to ringside to check on Hart, hit the ring, ducked another salt-fueled attack and delivered his big leg drop to capture the championship.

What should have been Yokozuna's night was instead a creative misstep designed at putting the spotlight on Hogan one last time at the event he helped create.

Even today, some 24 years later, the decision ranks as one of the worst in WWE history for all the bad it did to Hart, Yokozuna and the company's attempt to push forward with its New Generation initiative.

Best: Destroys Hulk Hogan (King of the Ring 1993)

Two months after being humiliated via one of the shortest WWE Championship reigns in company history, Yokozuna found himself toe-to-toe against Hulk Hogan at the King of the Ring pay-per-view.

In the night's marquee match, Yoko overcame a spirited onslaught by The Hulkster and benefited from a fireball attack by a Japanese photographer to regain his title.

The victory, which came about as a result of the heavyweight's insulting leg drop to the man who made the move famous, finally confirmed the company was serious about pushing Yokozuna as the centerpiece of the main event scene rather than the nondescript villain of the week.

His victory undid the wrongs of WrestleMania IX and set him up for a reign of dominance that would encapsulate WWE and have every major babyface in the company gunning for him.

Most Outrageous: Casket Match for the WWE Championship (Royal Rumble 1994)

The 1994 Royal Rumble featured a Casket match for the WWE Championship between Yokozuna and The Undertaker.

The contest, the most ludicrous and outrageously booked in WWE history, saw Yokozuna benefit from the assistance of 10 other Superstars to defeat The Deadman, shoving him into a casket as the spirit of the enigmatic competitor poured from an urn and into the Rhode Island night. 

Before he could celebrate, Yokozuna watched from the floor in awe as Undertaker appeared on the video screen and then rose from the dead and into the sky, not to be seen for eight months.

When Undertaker returned, he would avenge his defeat, beating Yokozuna in another Casket match and ending their feud once and for all.

Worst: Crashing and Burning (SummerSlam 1996)

In 1996, Yokozuna was on his final legs as a WWE performer.

A significant weight issue had doomed his on-screen presence and relegated him to inconsistent programs. At SummerSlam that year, he battled "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in a Free for All match. Unable to make the most important pay-per-view main cards, it was a fall from grace from a Superstar so integral to the goings-on in WWE.

On that night, his weight became the centerpiece of his match.

With Austin prone, the perfect victim for the Banzai Drop, Yokozuna climbed the ropes—then broke them, with his weight too much for them to hold. He fell backward, smacked his head and was pinned by the Texas Rattlesnake.

It was a humbling defeat and a loud, clear message from management about his health and weight.

The contest would be Yokozuna's last significant match on television.

Best: Hall of Fame Inductee

In 2012, the two-time WWE champion was enshrined in the Hall of Fame, taking his place among wrestling's all-time greats.

A member of the storied Anoa'i family, his relatives and loved ones were on hand for the ceremony, including The Usos, who inducted their uncle.

Yokozuna's career was celebrated, with his accomplishments in WWE detailed and his legacy cemented.

It was an emotional night but one that ensured the story of the super heavyweight would live on in the annals of WWE.