page_title: Rikishi (wrestler)
section_title: Too Cool and Intercontinental Champion (1999–2000)
hierarchical_section_title: Rikishi (wrestler) / Professional wrestling career / World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (1992–2004) / Too Cool and Intercontinental Champion (1999–2000)
caption_attribution_description: Rikishi at the WWF King of the Ring at the Fleet Center in Boston, MA in 2000 - WWE.
context_page_description: Solofa F. Fatu Jr. is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring names Rikishi and Fatu with World Wrestling Entertainment, where he is a one-time Intercontinental Champion, two-time World Tag Team Champion, and one-time WWE Tag Team Champion. He is a member of the Anoaʻi family of Samoan wrestlers. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by his sons, wrestlers Jey and Jimmy Uso, in 2015.
context_section_description: After training at Funk's, Fatu returned on the November 13, 1999 episode of WWF Metal as Rikishi Fatu, beating Julio Fantastico. "Rikishi"  is the Japanese term for a sumo wrestler, similar to his cousin's ring name "Yokozuna". "Fatu" soon became "Phatu", until he dropped the last name entirely after he started teaming with Too Cool. No mention was made of his WWF past. He had gained some weight, bleached his hair blonde, and wore a thong loincloth. Per Vince McMahon's request and Fatu's own willingness to honor sumo tradition, nothing was worn underneath the thong and his buttcheeks were exposed; this was unlike Yokozuna, who wore tights underneath his sumo thong, which both McMahon and Fatu felt were unnecessary for the Yokozuna character.
  Rikishi briefly feuded with Viscera before forming a wildly popular alliance with the duo Too Cool (Grand Master Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty). One night, during Too Cool's traditional post-match dance routine, Rikishi joined them. As the dance routines became more frequent and longer, this popularity translated to a significant push. In the 2000 Royal Rumble match, he eliminated seven opponents, and it took six wrestlers working together to eliminate him.
  Rikishi also became known for his infamous signature maneuver – the Stink Face – as his buttocks were rubbed into the faces of opposing wrestlers. When his opponent was incapacitated in the corner of the ring, Rikishi would slap his buttocks to indicate the attack, and then he would turn around and smother his buttocks into his victim's face. This humiliating maneuver became very popular with the fans.
  In May 2000, fan favorites Rikishi and Too Cool feuded with Edge, Christian and Kurt Angle, culminating in a victory at Judgment Day. After winning the Intercontinental Championship from Chris Benoit on the June 22 episode of SmackDown!, Rikishi qualified for the 2000 King of the Ring tournament. On June 25, at the PPV, he defeated Benoit in the quarterfinals and Val Venis in the semis. Both opponents hit him with a steel chair after losing, weakening his shoulder and helping Kurt Angle defeat him in the final. Stemming from Venis' attack, Rikishi faced him on July 6 and lost the title after Tazz hit him with a television camera. They rematched in a steel cage at Fully Loaded. In this match, Rikishi climbed the cage and, in an allusion to Jimmy Snuka, splashed Venis from the top. Rikishi soon lost the match after Tazz again hit him with a camera.
caption: Rikishi at King of the Ring in 2000
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