"Yokozuna" Rodney Anoa’i and His Unusual WWF Title Reigns

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With just over five months under his belt in the WWF, 26-year-old Rodney Anoa’i, better known as Yokozuna, won his first WWF Heavyweight Championship, becoming the youngest champion in company history at the time.

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This, however, would prove to be bittersweet and short-lived, leading to a very unusual 14-month run on top in the company.

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Born into the famous Anoa’i Samoan wrestling family on October 2nd, 1966, young Rodney Anoa’i was trained by his uncles, The Wild Samoans, Afa, and Sika.

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Making his debut as "Yokozuna" in October 1992, Anoa’i portrayed a grand sumo champion, despite not being of Japanese descent.

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Yokozuna would run through opponents displaying great athleticism for a man his size.

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An impressive leg drop, superkick, and belly-to-belly suplex were all part of his arsenal that would lead to his crushing "Banzai Drop" finisher.

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