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On a recent episode of “Grilling JR,” Conrad Thompson and AEW commentator Jim Ross did a deep dive into the career and tragic end of former WWE star Umaga.
Ross recalled that Umaga, real name Edward Smith Fatu, was a sweet and gentle guy who just couldn’t kick his bad habits.
A member of the famed Anoaʻi wrestling family – his mom was the sister of The Wild Samoans, and his older brother is Rikishi – Umaga passed away in 2009 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Houston.
Toxicology reports revealed that Fatu had drugs, hydrocodone, carisoprodol, and diazepam in his system, and medical examiners found that the 36-year-old also had heart and liver disease.
Ross and Thompson discussed the impact Umaga made in his short time with the WWE and recalled the bigger moments of his career. One of those moments involved a visiting celebrity and Umaga not taking too kindly to the guest laughing at his expense.
During the podcast, Thompson asks Jim Ross about Umaga’s interaction with the guys from Jackass, specifically Chris Pontius and Steve-O.
The story was retold to Thompson by Umaga’s former on-screen manager, Armando Alejandro Estrada while conducting research for the Umaga episode.
Here’s how the scene went down on an episode of Smackdown.
Thompson relays the story from Armando’s side.
“When we did TV in Los Angeles, Steve-0 and Chris Pontius were there from Jackass in the fall of ’06.
Steve-O got his ass beat, shoot-style, on Raw because he wasn’t supposed to laugh to the extent he did.
So when he didn’t adhere for the repeated request for him to ‘stay down and sell,’ Umaga beat the m—ther f—ker’s ass, including legitimately stomping on his head and knocking him out.
And when we got to the back, we went to thank those guys for working with us, and Steve-O said ‘when are we up, guys?’
He was so f—ked up, he had already forgotten that we had done the deal.”
Thompson asks JR what he remembers about the incident between the TV star and legit badass Umaga.
“All I can say,” Ross commented, “is that the term jackass never fit anyone or any group better than those dudes.”
“I’ll say this,” Ross added, “the guy had balls.”
Steve-0 and Chris Pontius recently rewatched and addressed the incident on an episode of his YouTube series. The Jackass star explains that there was a miscommunication between the WWE star and himself.
“I was supposed to laugh at you,” Steve-0 tells Pontius, “but I wasn’t supposed to laugh later.”
Steve-0 doesn’t remember leaving the ring or what happened when they got to the back.
“We got to the back, and Vince McMahon is standing there, and he’s like ‘YES!’ and he’s so stoked,” recalls Pontius.
“It might have been the greatest match ever performed,” laughs Steve-O.
[via Grilling JR]
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