Rikishi Slams Nia Jax for Weak Chair Shots at Survivor Series

Rikishi isn’t pulling any punches—or holding back his words—when it comes to Nia Jax’s chair shots at Survivor Series. On his Off The Top Rope podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer laid into the former RAW Women’s Champion, calling her swings “lackluster” and leaving fans buzzing about the critique.

“As a wrestler, I’ll tell you what. As a Samoan, you gotta swing that damn thing,” Rikishi said, questioning whether Jax was ever properly trained on how to deliver a convincing chair shot during her WWE developmental days.

“It almost looked like a love tap,” he added. “I don’t feel like she wanted to swing the chair, but she didn’t want to hurt somebody.” While he admitted slow-motion replays might have made the moment look worse, Rikishi doubled down on his belief that Jax’s technique fell short.

Rikishi even had some advice for Jax: “Nia, if you’re listening, next time you grab that chair, it’s okay. Swing that damn thing like Babe Ruth. I want you to knock it out of the park. And if anybody complains, well, this is the game we’re in. If you can’t take a chair shot, you’re in the wrong business.”

Despite his sharp critique, Rikishi showed a more understanding side, acknowledging that emotions may have played a role in Jax’s performance. “Who knows the emotion? Is this a friend? What I’m saying is, you gotta put that out from your head when you’re performing.”

Balancing his tough love with a nod to in-ring safety, Rikishi added, “If I hit you with a chair, I’m gonna hit you with it, but it doesn’t mean I’m mad at you. We’ve got to protect what we’ve got.”

To top it off, Rikishi threw in a lighthearted challenge: “You come to KnokX Pro. Let me show you how to swing that chair the right way. Keep practicing.”

Love her or hate her, Nia Jax knows how to get the wrestling world talking—but what’s your take on Rikishi’s comments? Should wrestlers focus more on safety or realism in moments like these? Sound off in the comments below!

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