cPOP Universe - Yoko Doc

A bigger than life documentary for a legendary giant.

The WWE Network's newest documentary series, WWE Icons, premiered immediately following the Royal Rumble last week. This series takes a deeper look into the lives of some of the superstars who cemented their legacy with the company.

There's nothing more I love in wrestling then the spectacle of it all. Personally nothing exemplifies that word so completely then the absolute giants that have entered the ring. Bigger then life monsters who continually put the babyface in a position of the ultimate underdog. David vs. Goliath is a hell of story telling element that you can find in any story based artform and for good reason.

Arguably no one else in the history of wrestling had more success in this type of storytelling then Rodney Anoa'i. If the seer size of this monster didn't impress you then the agility that he brought with it would make anyone turn their head in disbelief. The intensity of his character portrayal was burned into my head as a child. Seeing that he was first up on the list for the WWE Icons series had me sticking around after a 3 hour Royal Rumble to get a deeper look into the life of Yokozuna.

I strangely never seem to get tired of the onslaught of documentaries on the WWE network. They rarely leave me disappointed in my time investment. WWE Icons is no different. The technical work such as camera shots, sounds, and lighting are all well done as per usual. But at the heart of this, they do a terrific job in telling Rodney's story. The company was built on story telling, so it shouldn't be a surprise that these documentaries flow together in a satisfying way.

Throughout the documentary, you get to see some of the biggest moments of Yokozuna's career, but you also get to see his life on a more personal level. There's plenty of behind the scenes footage of Yokozuna behind the scenes just being Rodney. These shots do a wonderful job in showing you the man behind the character. A man often described by his peers as one of the more respectful and pleasant individuals they have ever shared a locker room with, Yokozuna was such an out of the box character. It was surreal to see that he was human like the rest of us.

It was touching to see many other legends come on screen and talk about their experiences with Rodney. The Undertaker, Bret Hart, Vince Mcmahon, and others tell stories that alone are worth your time in checking this out. I loved listening to them discuss some of the huge moments involving Yokozuna and the process they worked out to get them to what we all got to see on stage. You really get the sense of how loved he was by the emotion they show as they reminisce on the days of the past.

The Samoan family and the legacy they have is something every wrestling fan should get to experience one day. They are without a doubt a symbol of love, family, and respect that has shined bright even in the darkest days of wrestling. WWE Icons brings them to this documentary to give us a more personal insight into this man. We get to hear stories from Samu, Rikishi, Afa, etc. These stories tug at your heartstrings and make you appreciate how much this family values each other and the things they do to help one another when times are tough.

If you are a wrestling fan then there is no doubt in my mind that this is a must watch for you. Even if the sheer amount of WWE documentaries have you burnt out I think there's enough here for you to really sit down and have an enjoyable ride through the life of Yokozuna.

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