Rikishi Addresses Longtime WWE Faction Rumor Involving Umaga and Rosie

For years, fans have speculated about a scrapped WWE faction from the early 2000s that allegedly would’ve featured Rikishi, Umaga, and Rosie. But on a new episode of Off The Top Podcast, Rikishi finally cleared the air—and it turns out the story was never quite true.

During a fan Q&A segment, a question came in from Polynesian_Pro_Wrestlers on Instagram, asking Rikishi about rumors of a faction that would’ve united him with his late cousin Umaga (Jamal) and Rosie (Matt Anoa’i) as a heel trio. The fan cited rumors that this group was intended to launch during Rikishi’s heel turn before the concept was quietly shelved. But Rikishi didn’t hesitate to set the record straight:

“Well, first of all, it was a rumor. You got the wrong guy in there. Umaga was never a part of that.”

He explained that the actual pitch involved a different pairing—one that had nothing to do with Umaga at all. The group never came together as planned, despite early discussions:

“This was the time during Make a Difference. And it was Samu and Mattie Smalls. They came out looking like Booyah Tribe—with braids and brims. I was the babyface, they were heels, and we were supposed to form the faction.”

“That thing never fell through… So to answer your question, it was not me, Umaga, and Rosie. It was me, Samu, and Rosie.”

This clears up a long-standing piece of WWE trivia and gives fans a rare glimpse into what could have been. While the idea of Rikishi and Umaga running wild together will have to stay in fantasy booking, it’s clear the original vision was something entirely different—and perhaps even more rooted in real-life family dynamics Rikishi kept it real, and now the record is officially corrected.

Are you surprised Umaga was never part of the rumored faction? Would you have liked to see Rikishi, Samu, and Rosie team up on WWE TV? Drop your thoughts and dream faction ideas in the comments below.

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