Rikishi clarified a long-standing rumor regarding a proposed faction from his WWE career during the listener question segment of his Off The Top podcast. A fan, writing in under the handle “Polynesian_pro_wrestlers,” asked Rikishi to provide the backstory on a rumored group that would have included Rikishi, his brother Umaga (Jamal), and their cousin Rosey during the early 2000s heel run.
Rikishi corrected the premise of the question, stating that the rumors regarding the personnel and the timeline were inaccurate. He revealed that Umaga was never part of the planned faction. Instead, the group was intended to feature Rikishi, Rosey (Matt Anoa’i), and Samu, Rikishi’s former tag team partner from The Headshrinkers.
“Well, first it was a rumor,” Rikishi explained. “And then you got the wrong guy in there. Umaga was never a part of that. This was the time during ‘Make a Difference’.”
The “Make a Difference” era refers to Rikishi’s run in 1995 and 1996, where he portrayed a babyface character focused on social improvement. This timeline predates Umaga’s debut as Jamal in 3-Minute Warning by several years. Rikishi provided details on the creative direction for the stable, which drew inspiration from the hip-hop group Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.
“It was Samuel [Samu] and Mattie Smalls [Rosey],” Rikishi said. “He did come out and looking like Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. with the braids and the brim.”
Rikishi outlined the proposed dynamic of the group, which would have played on the contrast between his positive character and the rougher edges of his prospective stablemates. The storyline would have involved Samu and Rosey arriving to potentially corrupt or align with the babyface Fatu.
“It was supposed to be that, or they would come through, you know, I was a babyface, they were the heel, and we would form the faction,” Rikishi explained. “But, you know, obviously, you know, that thing never fell through.”
He reiterated the correction to ensure the historical record was accurate for the fans. “So to answer your question, it was not me, Umaga, and Rosey. It was me, Samu, and Rosey,” Rikishi confirmed.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Rikishi Fatu Off The Top with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.