Solofa Fatu Jr., better known as WWE legend Rikishi, is a Samoan-American wrestling icon from the Anoa’i family dynasty. He’s famous for his high-energy style, the Stink Face move, and passing the torch to his superstar sons like Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, and Solo Sikoa.
Solofa Fatu Jr.’s Biography
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Solofa Fatu Jr. |
| Ring Name/Nickname | Rikishi, Fatu |
| Date of Birth | October 11, 1965 |
| Age | 60 years |
| Birthplace | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Religion | N/A |
| Nationality | American (Samoan-American) |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Weight | 425 lb (193 kg) |
| WWE Debut | 1992 |
| Trained By | Afa Anoa’i and Sika Anoa’i |
| Net Worth | $2-4 million |
| Contract | WWE Legends deal (ongoing) |
| Salary | N/A |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Talisua Fuavai |
| Children | 8 (7 sons, 1 daughter; incl. Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa) |
| Instagram Profile | @rikishi |
Rikishi stays active on social media sharing family moments and wrestling nostalgia. His large family keeps the Anoa’i legacy strong in WWE today. He lives a low-key life focused on training the next generation.
Early Career
Solofa Fatu Jr. kicked off wrestling in 1985 in Montreal’s Lutte Internationale as Prince Alofa, a high-flying babyface teaming with top stars. He hit New York City’s International Championship Wrestling that year too.
Soon, he linked with cousin Samu as the Samoan Swat Team, dominating in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, World Wrestling Council, WCWA Texas, and UWA.
Professional Wrestling Career
Fatu hit WWE in 1992 as Fatu with the Headshrinkers, snagging WWF Tag Team gold in 1994 over the Quebecers. He went solo post-injury, hitting indies before returning in 1999 as Rikishi—dancing fan favorite with the Stink Face and Banzai Drop.
He nabbed Intercontinental Championship for 14 days in 2000, two WWF World Tag Team titles with Rico, and WWE Tag Team gold with Scotty 2 Hotty in 2004. Hall of Fame inductee in 2015, he now runs a wrestling school and does legends appearances.
Wife
Rikishi has been married to Talisua Fuavai since July 20, 1985. The couple has eight kids together, including WWE stars Jimmy Uso (Jonathan), Jey Uso (Joshua), and Solo Sikoa (Joseph Fatu).
Solofa Fatu Jr.’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Rikishi’s net worth sits at $2-4 million in estimates. This comes from his prime WWE years, title runs, merch sales, and post-retirement gigs like his wrestling academy KnokX Pro Entertainment. Family ties boost it through sons’ success, but he built most himself via smart career moves.
Contract
Rikishi holds a WWE Legends contract as of recent talks. These deals let retired stars like him do select appearances, signings, and media without full-time commitments. No exact length or guarantees public, but it keeps him tied to WWE for events and perks.
Salary
Specific salary figures for Rikishi aren’t public, typical for legends deals. In his peak, he earned solid midcard to upper pay from base, PPV bonuses, and house show cuts—think hundreds of thousands yearly in Attitude Era.
Now, legends contracts pay per appearance plus minimal base, estimated low six figures annually from bookings, autograph sessions, and occasional TV spots. WWE keeps these quiet to avoid benchmarks.
Career Earnings
| Period | Estimated Earnings Sources | Approx. Amount (USD) |
| 1992-2004 (WWE Peak) | Base salary, tags, IC title, PPVs | $1-2 million |
| 2004-2015 (Indies/Hall) | School, indies, Hall royalties | $500K-1 million |
| 2015-2026 (Legends) | Appearances, merch, family merch cut | $500K+ annually |
| Total Career | All + endorsements | $2-4 million net |
Endorsements
Rikishi did a WWF WrestleMania 2000 contest TV spot back in the day. Today, he leans on wrestling school promotions and family brand tie-ins via sons’ WWE merch. No big current sponsors public, but legends like him snag indie event deals and Samoan community nods. His Instagram pushes bookings, hinting at personal appearance fees as main side income.
Achievements
| Achievements | Details (Reign Length) |
| WWF World Tag Team Championship (2x) | With Headshrinkers (124 days, 1994); Rico (16 days, 2002) |
| WWE Tag Team Championship | With Scotty 2 Hotty (77 days, 2004) |
| WWF Intercontinental Championship | 14 days (2000) |
| WCWA World Tag Team (3x) | With Samu as Samoan Swat Team |
| WWE Hall of Fame | 2015 |
| Other: PPW Heavyweight, UWA Trios | Various pre-WWE |
Notable Opponents
| Notable Opponents | Key Feuds/Matches |
| Quebecers | Lost tags 1994 |
| Triple H, Stone Cold | Attitude Era angles |
| Too Cool (Scotty, Grandmaster) | Tag partner turned rival |
| Headshrinkers era foes (Balls Mahoney) | Early brutal matches |
FAQs
1. Who is WWE Superstar Solofa Fatu Jr.?
Solofa Fatu Jr. is an American professional wrestler best known under the ring name Rikishi, who wrestled prominently in WWE in the 1990s and 2000s as a mid‑card and tag‑team star.
2. What is Solofa Fatu Jr.’s real name and birth date?
His real name is Solofa Fatu Jr., and he was born on October 11, 1965, in San Francisco, California.
3. Which ring names has Solofa Fatu Jr. used in WWE?
In WWE, he competed under the names Fatu and later Rikishi, and also briefly as Rikishi Phatu when teaming with his cousin Samu.
4. What is Solofa Fatu Jr.’s wrestling background and family?
He is a member of the Anoa’i–Fatu Samoan wrestling dynasty, trained by his uncles Afa and Sika of the Wild Samoans, and is part of one of the most famous families in professional wrestling.
5. What major WWE accomplishments did Solofa Fatu Jr. achieve?
He held the WWF Intercontinental Championship once, won the WWF/WWE World Tag Team Championship twice with various partners, and captured the WWE Tag Team Championship once, mainly in the 1990s and early 2000s.
6. What is Solofa Fatu Jr.’s most famous wrestling finisher?
His signature move is the Stink Face, where he sits on an opponent’s face, and his primary finishing maneuver is the 47‑Muscle Busting Samoan Drop, often called the Samoan Drop when he used the Fatu persona.
7. How is Solofa Fatu Jr. connected to The Usos and Solo Sikoa?
He is the father of WWE Superstars Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso, and their cousin Solo Sikoa is the son of his brother Joseph Fatu, making all three part of the next generation of the same wrestling family.
8. When did Solofa Fatu Jr. debut and retire from in‑ring competition?
He made his professional wrestling debut in 1985, first under the name Prince Alofa, and largely stepped away from regular in‑ring competition by the mid‑2000s while staying involved in WWE through appearances and family ties.
9. What other wrestling promotions did Solofa Fatu Jr. work for outside WWE?
Besides WWE, he competed in New Japan Pro‑Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), among other regional and international promotions.
10. Is Solofa Fatu Jr. in the WWE Hall of Fame?
He is recognized as a WWE Hall of Famer and is celebrated for his contributions to WWE’s tag‑team and mid‑card division, as well as for helping popularize Samoan wrestling styles in the company.