[Baxter]

Ever since he left (and died) he's pretty been given the Benoit treatment by the WWE, it is literally like he never existed. They didn't acknowledge his death and they seem completely apposed to mentioning him at all, the best instance of this being the Usos running arse attack into the corner which is pretty much identical to the move Umaga used to do, yet on commentary it's always 'shades of Rikishi' despite being nothing at all like the stinkface. He also never gets brought up when they talk about Cena's "rivals" or when referencing past IC champions, despite him being one the best in recent years.

Might seem a bit of a random time to bring this up, but I'm just curious is all. I know he had wellness policy issues but the way they've treated him since he left (especially since his death) just seems completely dickheaded and over the top.

 

[OZZY]

The pigment in his skin.

 

[Birdbrain420]

He was a junkie.

 

[PalladiumL]

The WWE really doesn't like to mention wrestlers who had died, regardless of the cause. Especially deaths at a very young age, especially deaths after Benoit's case, and especially deaths of a person who is no longer affiliated with the company.

There's your answer.

 

[ErickRowan_Fan]

He died 6 months after being released by WWE, not good publicity. I cringe everytime WWE tries to present the Usos doing Umaga's moves as a "tribute" to Rikishi.

 

[ArabGuy]

Good question OP.

Logical answer would be since he died of an overdose mentioning him would cause people to wonder why WWE didn't drug test him which he was working for them. Bad publicity/bad association. They have a public image to keep up.

 

[dmizzle26]

Personally i just feel the Anoa'i family never really gets the respect they deserve outside of The Rock and Rikishi. Yeah Peter Maivia, The Wild Samoans, and Yokozuna is Hall of Famers which is more than The Hart Dynasty. but i gurantee you hear more about the Family Heritage of Nattie Neidhart than you do about The Usos and Roman Reigns thats just my opinion

 

[Eulonzo]

You could say the same for Test, and some others.

I just think they don't bring him up because there's no particular reason to promote/mention him. Yeah, the Usos do that butt thing in their matches but eh, what can you do. I just guess they're not fond of mentioning deceased wrestlers constantly, especially if they died young, like PalladiumL said. Of course there are several exceptions, ala Mr Perfect, Eddie Guerrero, and others.

 

[*Eternity*]

When a wrestler who is no longer on the WWE payrole and didn't really do anything note worthy dies, then the WWE will ignore them, since WWE doesn't like to affiliate with the death of past wrestlers, especially when they died from their own actions. That gives the WWE a bad look, since they will be asked, why didn't they stop it or try to help. The WWE as we speak are going through a growth period, where they are growing as a business and company. They do not want to run the risk of mentioning past stars whose death were caused by their own stupidity.

Thats the same reason why Umaga, Test and Viscera got ignored.

 

[x78]

He's just not that big a name? He was an upper-midcarder about 7 years ago, they don't really have any reason to bring him up. They talk about Rikishi and not Umaga because the Usos are Rikishi's sons.

Also, they mention Natalya's family all the time because most Hart members are bland as fuck. The Anoa'i family is badass and they don't need to constantly bring up their heritage to get over, AFAIK the family has never actually been acknowledged on-air.

 

[Chan Hung]

Ahh yes...Uuuuuuu Maga! I miss him

One hell of a big man!! Shame he died too young....he was a BEAST

 

[Flair Shot]

Drug related death.

 

[Rocky Mark]

actually, Rikishi use to do the "running stinkface" or whatever the fuck it's called, he used it briefly in 2002-2003, I remember him doing it in a storyline with Nunzio

 

[Night_Vercetti]

I thought he was dead because he suffered a heart attack due to the drug abuse or something like that...I think the WWE just want to stay away from him.So that's why he almost received a similar treatment as Benoit...just like Test.

 

[Steve-a-maniac]

WWE is already (undeservedly) blamed by the media and the court of public opinion whenever a wrestler dies young due to substance abuse issues. Why compound that problem by going out of their way to mention these departed stars on TV?