Posted in: AEW, Anime, Sports, TV, WWE | Tagged: aew, kenny omega, kofi kingston, naomi, Shanna Rocks, the new day, wwe, Zelina Vega

WWE: Naomi, Zelina Vega, Offer In-Ring DBZ Tribute to Akira Toriyama

WWE stars Naomi, Zelina Vega, Kofi Kingston & more paid tribute to Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama and his influence on pro-wrestling.

The pop culture influence of manga artist Akira Toriyama is undeniable. The bulk of his anime empire was built in his Dragon Ball franchise. During a WWE event, Naomi and Zelina Vega performed the fusion dance from Dragon Ball Z as a tribute to Toriyama, who passed on March 1st at the age of 68. The maneuver is used to fuse the participants involved into a single being to help in a fight. It's hardly the first time pro-wrestlers have danced, much less reference Toriyama's work.

Akira Toriyama's Influence in WWE, AEW, and Professional Wrestling

Claudio Castoagnoli (FKA WWE's Cesaro) and Sheamus performed their version on an episode of WWE Raw. Ettore "Big E" Ewan of WWE's The New Day posted his picture along with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods sporting Saiyan gear before one of their matches.

"So it has taken me a bit longer to post this because I've had so many emotions swirling about Akira Toriyama's passing…I've just really been thinking about my Dragon Ball fandom over the years, and it almost seems silly that something that is supposed to be a mere animated series has influenced my life in so many deep and meaningful ways," Kingston wrote on Instagram. "From pushing myself to the limit of my potential, both for my own benefit as well as my family's, to setting an example for my kids and other people to follow, I, along with millions of others, was inspired many times over by the essence of the Dragon Ball franchise."

Kingston broke down Toriyama's influence dating back to his youth. "I have always found such brilliance in the fact that Akira Toriyama created a legendary franchise that hits on totally different levels depending on the phase of life you are experiencing. Watching Dragon Ball as a child summons to the surface totally different emotions entirely than it does watching as an adult…yet each experience is equally impactful. Genius, really," he wrote. I just wanted to share my gratitude for Akira Toriyama's graciousness and willingness to continue to share his massive vision with all of us over the years, and consequently making Dragon Ball a perennial franchise that is and will forever be one of the most influential pop culture phenomenons in anime history." Others who had Dragon Ball Z-inspired ring gear and tactics include Ronda Rousey, Rhea Ripley, and AEW's Kenny Omega and Shanna Rocks.

Toriyama's Dragon Ball not only spawned several spinoffs and adaptations, but he's also contributed to several other works, including his first major work Dr. Slump, Cowa!, Kajika, and Sealand. He was also heavily involved with video games creating designs for the Dragon Quest franchise, Chrono Trigger (1995), Blue Dragon (2006), and even some of the Dragon Ball games.

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