Jul 31, 2022. Edmond Honda, the sumo champion, Yokozuna three years running. WWE Network; Shows; Superstars; Tickets; Shop; Watch every Premium Live Event and get unlimited access to WWE's premium content - available to you anywhere, anytime, on any device. For someone as young as Yokozuna, this can be seen as nothing other than a huge tragedy for his family and for professional wrestling. It all ended so peacefully, yet tragically. It was the only way to move a man of Yokozuna's size. A healthy life can lead us to live for a longer time. In the epidemiological framework of the Global Burden of Disease study each death has one specific cause. He would give you the shirt off his back. He became the most improved wrestler of the year in 1993. in the same year, PWI ranked him number 5 among the 500 best singles and 145 of 500 best singles in 2003. He was especially talented in oshi-sumo techniques and was able to move at a high speed considering his size. At the same time, wrestlers have been known to have some unhealthy habits, including drug usage. It can result in difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and other respiratory problems. No BS. 23rd October 2000 saw the death of one of the most famous wrestlers of the WWF era - Yokozuna. A few short weeks later, Kokina was ancient history and Anoai was rebranded as a Japanese sumo wrestler named Yokozuna. As per thetherichest, YokozunaNetworth was estimated at. [2][44] Yokozuna took the advantage near the end of the match, but when he went for the Banzai Drop, the rope broke under his weight, sending him crashing back down. The 93 Rumble was the first year in which the winner of the match was granted a WWE title opportunity at WrestleMania, which set up the main event of WrestleMania 9, where Yokozuna defeated Bret The Hitman Hart. He won when Luger was disqualified for pushing the referee (so much for that Luger babyface push). To date, he holds the record for best top division win ratio of all time. Get Your Answer Here. [52][53] At the time, it was widely reported that he died of heart failure or a heart attack, but this was later found to be incorrect due to his lungs showing severe signs of fluid blockage.[53]. . Sorry, but your browser needs Javascript to use this site. As mentioned, the lifestyle Yokozuna led was detrimental to his health, with him struggling to battle his demons when it came to trying to maintain a healthy weight. Show more Show more 2:15 Recalling. To this day, only Brock Lesnar and Sheamus have won the WWE Championship in less time following their debut in the company. The article said that he was so scared of the bugs he had written a special clause into his contract and that organizers of the event had to make every effort to ensure his accommodations were spider-free. When Raiden trained as a wrestler, he developed a weight of 169kg (373lb). This prodigy will be missed by many who relied on his kills. In real life, Anoai needed time off to lose weight. Yokozuna was on his final tour of Europe when he died in Liverpool on October 23, 2000. Yokozuna was physically impressive due to his size, but he also could wrestle, unlike other wrestlers in the same weight class. Yokozuna is a giant frog with yellow-brown skin and black hair worn in a chonmage. If this does not resolve the issue or you are unable to add the domains to your allowlist, please see this FAQ. [9] Anoa'i would make his initial debut as Kokina in an untelevised match on September 1, 1992, at a WWF Superstars taping in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He respected his parents so much he didnt want to disappoint them, but he couldnt live his life for what they wanted, he had to find his own identity, be accountable for his own actions. Whilst touring in England, Yokozuna was found dead in a hotel room on October 23, 2000, at just 34 years of age, which is such a young age to lose ones life. The Samoan, errr, Japanese powerhouse makes his WWF debut in 1992. This all led to Yokozunas WWE release in 1998. [1][2] Later in the night, Yokozuna defended the championship again, this time against the former champion Bret "Hitman" Hart, who had lost earlier in the night to his brother Owen Hart. From there, he would have another reign, and main event WrestleMania 10 too, where he lost to Hart. Some of the famous ones likeRoman Reigns,Rikishi,Samu,Rosey,Manu,Umaga, andThe Rockare his cousins. [2], When Urakaze Kazuki invited him to Edo and started training him, it turned out that Raiden possessed not only the body of a giant (by 18th-century Japanese standards), but also a talent for sumo wrestling. [43] He appeared at Free for All just before SummerSlam, facing off against Stone Cold Steve Austin. Agatupu Rodney Anoai (October 2, 1966 October 23, 2000) was an American professional wrestler. Dixon added that Anoai was very dedicated and spent two hours in the gym every day. In the rematch, Vader defeated Yokozuna. Flights Vacation Rentals Restaurants Things to do . Commentator Gorilla Monsoon made mention of another, larger Samoan that they would soon be seeing in the WWF. Anoai, whose weight fluctuated between 600 and 800 pounds, left the WWF in 1996 after he was unable to pass the New York State Athletic Commission physical. If you're not sure how to activate it, please refer to this site. After several run-ins, Yokozuna left Cornette and began a short stint as a fan favorite. How Did Ella DeYoung Die? Although the Yokozuna character was portrayed as a champion sumo wrestler, Anoai never competed as an actual sumotori. As shown on Edward "Umaga" Fatu's autopsy (via AutopsyFiles.org), the wrestler's official cause of death was stated as "acute toxicity due to the combined effects of hydrocodone, carisoprodol, and diazepam," with the manner of death listed as accidental.It was also noted that Umaga had a "past medical history of cardiac disease and substance abuse," and that he weighed 406 pounds at the time . In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing, you can help us get the story right. Yokozuna - Age 34 The same mass that rocketed Rodney Anoa'i to the top of the WWF also led to his early demise. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [3] The two first squared off against each other as parts of their respective teams at Survivor Series. . He died on 23 October 2000. As I close, I am reminded of Garth Brooks song, `The Dance., If we would have missed the pain, we would have missed the dance., Rodney, thanks for all the dances we shared around this world of ours. Yokozuna, who was famously accompanied by his legendary manager and fellow WWE Hall of Famer Mr. Fuji, was eventually let go from WWE apparently due to his refusing to lose some of his substantial weight. Wrestling as Kokina, he defeated Ron Neal. By John Kaag and Clancy Martin. He also referenced the BSK (Rikishi was shown on camera) and the late Yokozuna, the co-founder of the BSK. An article revealed that his daily diet consisted of 120 eggs, 12 full pieces of chicken and a bucket-sized serving of Japanese rice. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. In the WWF, Anoai was a two-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion[4] and two-time WWF Tag Team Champion (with Owen Hart),[5] as well as the winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble. At WrestleMania, Yokozuna, now weighing in at 641lb (291kg), was revealed as his partner, and the team managed to defeat the Gunns and win the WWF Tag Team Championship. Without their help (although Irwin R. Schyster did successfully interfere on Yokozuna's behalf), Yokozuna could not win and eventually ended up locked inside the casket. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014. Review. Who can forget when the big guy wascarried from ringside via aforklift?! He made his television debut (alongside manager Mr. Fuji) on the October 31, 1992 episode of WWF Superstars. Required fields are marked *. His father Hanemon, who enjoyed sumo as much as sake, allowed 14-year-old Raiden to attend sumo classes at Nagaze (today called Murokocho), the neighbouring village. To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites. [39], Yokozuna returned at In Your House 8: Beware of Dog to wrestle Vader. He finished the final day . A coroner attributed fluid in the lungs as the reason for the death of the 34-year-old wrestler. Kakuryu has citizenship, his last roadblock to him willingly retiring is gone. During his death, he weighed 260 kg. Despite Yokozuna's efforts to lose weight, with him shedding an insane 100 pounds over the next year, he was unable to get cleared by WWE. "There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death," a Merseyside police spokesman said. An article revealed that his daily diet consisted of 120 eggs, 12 full pieces of chicken and a bucket-sized serving of Japanese rice. He held the WWF World Heavyweight Championship twice and was a two-time Intercontinental Champion. On July 4th, abodyslam contest aboard the USS intrepid had multiple wrestlers, and other professional athletes, attempting to bodyslam the big man. He opened his eyes and said the Undertaker would not rest in peace; he then disappeared in a smoke and light show, rising to the top of the Titantron and seemingly levitating all the way to the arena ceiling. The Anoai family is a well-known family in the world of professional wrestling. [2][3][6] Yokozuna was a competitor in the first-ever match in Monday Night Raw history, defeating the much smaller Koko B. Ware with his signature finisher, the Banzai Drop. Yokozuna has becomes a staple of WWE's New Generation era and a two-time WWE Champion before was fighting the toughest opponent of his life: his weight. The number of top division championships won by each yokozuna is also listed. After a lot of struggle (as well as damaging the Undertaker's "magic" urn), the group managed to shove the Undertaker into the casket, giving the win to Yokozuna. Andrew Kelly is a writer from The Wirral, England. When Raiden was still an active wrestler, his home village's residents built monuments honoring his parents. (CNN) -- Wrestler Edward Fatu, better known as the hulking, tattooed WWE superstar "Umaga," died Friday of a heart attack in a Houston, Texas, hospital, a family friend said. Might we have no Yokozuna soon? To each member of that fine group, I wish my deepest sympathies and prayers. He was sent several times to a weight loss management center at Duke University, only to come back home weighing more than he had before he left for the clinic. The tour, billed as Wrestlemania 2000, included other former WWF performers such as The Bushwhackers, Greg Valentine and Marty Jannetty. Melbourne Demons Posted 17 minutes . Although it wasnt televised, Rodney made his debut with the World Wrestling Federation on September 1st, 1992. Two years after his WWE release, Yokozuna died of a pulmonary edema in October 2000, having spent the years between wrestling periodically on the indie circuit. He had wrestled in several territories under the name Kokina Maximus before arriving in the WWF in late 1992. Since his death, Raiden has appeared not only as subject of a number of statues, but also on postage stamps, beer labels, and manga. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); No spam. Without a doubt, the matches we had against him are permanently engraved into my memory as the most fun we had in my 10-year WWF history. Your email address will not be published. He weighed 580 pounds at the time of his death. Long time since I have posted, but given my love of all Kozzie does, and the fact my child adores him, I have a real interest in his staying at the club. Your email address will not be published. ( sumo) A person holding the rank, either competing at the rank or retired after having achieved it. When it gets to that point, it is fair to say that it is an addiction, and it should be treated as such, though at the time, awareness of things like that werent as apparent. Lets take a look from the beginning. The wrestler was so large that it would take three average mens arms to reach around him at the waist, which is why he wore a sumo thong in the ring. At one stage, both Yokozuna and Vader were reprimanded by WWE, and taken off TV to try and better their physique, though this ended up with them both sneaking off at times to eat fast food. Anoai took on the name of the "Great Kokina" while wrestling overseas in Japan. Because Hogan left the WWF shortly after losing the belt, Mr. Fuji and Yokozuna were able to boast of ending Hulkamania. Yokozuna was unable to pass a physical required for professional wrestlers by the New York State Athletic Commission. . But now he is no more. He is considered one of the greatest rikishi in history, although he was never promoted to yokozuna, as the title did not exist during the time of his life. As Yokozuna thought that there would be no one left to challenge him, Lex Luger flew in by helicopter, stepped forward, and slammed him on the deck. Yokozuna () is the highest rank in sumo. He actually died from pulmonary edema. In April 1995, Owen Hart began promising that he would have a great tag team partner to face off against The Smoking Gunns (Billy and Bart) at WrestleMania XI for the WWF Tag Team Championship. He also spent some time in Mexico, learning the craft and gaining the experience necessary to be a star in the sport. Between November 1793 and April 1800, Raiden finished with the best record in all tournaments he participated in, ahead of the other great fighters of his time, Tanikaze and Onogawa. In one of the matches not broadcast, Yokozuna defeated Vader. WikiZero zgr Ansiklopedi - Wikipedia Okumann En Kolay Yolu . Yoko can be credited with giving Lex Luger his big baby face push of the 90s (who can forget the Lex Express?! Usage notes [ edit] Technically, yokozuna is an honorary title, rather than a rank. He loved our sport, not because he was born into it. RELATED: The Death & Legacy Of WWE Legend Andre The Giant, Explained. What Happened To Her In On My Block? Hogan seemed to have the match won, but a photographer, planted at ringside among a legitimate Japanese wrestling press group, shot a blast of fire into Hogan's face. After debuting as Japanese monster heel Yokozuna in 1992, Anoa'i steamrolled his way to the WWF Championship, winning the 1993 Royal Rumble and going on to defeat Bret Hart at WrestleMania IX. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. After Fuji accidentally threw salt in Yokozuna's eyes, Hogan came through with the win and captured his fifth WWF Championship. He quickly moved up the card to main event status after winningthe 93 Royal Rumble. He truly loved entertaining the fans, and in his own special way he did it better than anybody. Yokozuna was born Rodney Anoai in 1966 and, as mentioned, was a member of one of the most famous wrestling families of all time. It looks like you're using an ad blocker. Sure, there were ups and downs to his time in WWE, with his position on the card dropping as time went on, but he was presented as the number one heel in the company in the main event of two consecutive WrestleManias, and he is a member of the lucrative list of performers who have been crowned as the WWE Champion, holding the belt twice by beating Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan. Using the ring name Kokina Maximus, he was billed as the biggest Samoan wrestler of all time. [2][40] Although Cornette had tried to make peace between him and new acquisition Vader, many observers felt Yokozuna was being relegated. Yokozuna gets his leg broken by Vader and has to be removed with a forklift. Following him leaving WWE, he continued to wrestle sporadically on the independent scene, leading him to a show in England, which is where tragedy would unfortunately hit. In 1995 he began competing in tag team matches with Owen Hartandattempted to soften his image. He also knocked out Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette, who tried to enter the ring. Yes, Yokozuna belonged to the Anoai family. Long time since I have posted, but given my love of all Kozzie does, and the fact my child adores him, I have a real interest in his staying at the club. [2][46] For a second time, Yokozuna went to his home in Los Angeles to lose weight through exercise and dieting, being replaced by other wrestlers on a late November tour of the United Kingdom. Nowadays, even small children have various diseases, which is a piece of shocking news. Yokozuna began his wrestling career in 1984, and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) signed him in 1993. He regained the belt from Hogan at the initial King of the Ring event on June 13, 1993, in Dayton, Ohio, before dropping it to Hart on March 20, 1994, in New York. RELATED: The Tragic Death Of Hana Kimura And How It Impacted The Wrestling Industry, Explained. Some people will also be remembered after their death; in that list, Yokozuna is also the one we remember till our lifetime. His weight had skyrocketedto an estimated 760 pounds. Yokos extremely large size helped catapult him to the top of the card. His success doesnt make the entire situation any less devastating though, as he was lost far too early. Yokozuna was initially reported to have died from heart failure, before the actual cause of death was revealed. He is said to have possessed great physical strength even in childhood. (vitag.Init = window.vitag.Init || []).push(function(){viAPItag.display("vi_937032466")}). Related Read: How Did Indian Larry Die?Yokozuna was a large man, and at the time of his death, he weighed over 600 pounds. During the event, a severe thunderstorm in the area caused the pay-per-view broadcast feed to blackout. Sadly, he would be found dead 8 years later. Since the winner of the Royal Rumble was to become the number one contender to Yokozuna's title, it was decided that both wrestlers would get a shot at the title at WrestleMania X. Yokozuna regained the title at King of the Ring in June 1994, defeating Hogan in what would be his last match in WWE for nearly eight years. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. On May 16, 1994, Earthquake beat Yokozuna in the only (worked) sumo match[27] until WrestleMania 21, between The Big Show and an actual yokozuna, Akebono. Roman Reigns continues his 453 days Universal Championship Reign The 'Tribal Chief' Roman Reigns is close to breaking 'The Beast' Brock Lesnar's record of WWE Universal Championship reign. Yokozuna was on his final tour of Europe when he died in Liverpool on October 23, 2000. But how did Yokozuna die has been the most searched term by his fans? He returned in April 1995 weighing more than 640 pounds and won the WWE tag titles with Owen Hart. Hart had the match won with Yokozuna about to submit to the Sharpshooter, when Mr. Fuji threw salt into the champion's face. The original reports that the Yokozunadeath was due to heart failure were incorrect. Prior to the match starting, the two stood nose-to-nose as a tease to the crowd as to the possibility of those two facing each other. The Undertaker has had one of the greatest WWE careers in history. [50] At the pay-per-view event, Yokozuna was scheduled to take on King Kong Bundy in one of the event's two featured matches. After her death, her daughter Trishala lived with her aunt (mother's sister Enna) and her grandparents in Bayside, Queens, New York. But it all depends on gods hand. Yokozuna is a member of the legendary Anoai family, with him being yet another member of the tree which has produced several incredible talents over the years. Jim Ross had stated on his podcast (h/t WrestlingInc.com) that this was partly due to Yokozunas weight, but also due to the potential heart issues that it could cause, especially after the passing of Brian Pillman not long before. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Translations [ edit] Translations Rodney went to sleep on Oct. 23 in London, England, and woke up in the presence of the Lord. [39] He competed in the 1996 Royal Rumble match, managing to eliminate Bob Backlund, King Mabel, and Swat Team member #2 before being tossed out by Shawn Michaels, the eventual winner. It was presented by the independent promotion World Xtreme Wrestling, although matches included wrestlers from multiple promotions. The career of Ahmed Johnson is highly controversial for a number of reasons, most famously for the fact that he was WWE's first African American Intercontinental Champion, and yet he claimed to have met an incredible amount of racism during his time in the company regardless of achieving that accolade. Yokozuna is a giant sumo-wrestling frog, who was a friend (as well as pet) to the legendary shipwright Tom until his execution. Promoter Brian Dixon, who noted that Anoais dressing room had to specially fumigated, said: It caused a bit of a surprise because people do not expect a 42-stone wrestler to be scared of creepy-crawlers It is in his contract we have to make sure there arent any spiders in his dressing room. [49] The last major appearance for Yokozuna was at October 1999's Heroes of Wrestling pay-per-view. The name literally means "horizontal rope" and comes from the most visible symbol of their rank, the rope (, tsuna) worn around the waist. Decades later, the 20th Yoshida Oikaze attempted to defeat the Gojo family, which wanted to promote Kashiwado and Tamagaki to yokozuna, by awarding a yokozuna licence to nomatsu Midorinosuke. Roddy Piper is a special guest referee during the WWE Title Match between Bret Hart and Yokozuna! But the information presented regarding Yokozuna is true, and we found a few threads on Twitter honoring much information about Yokozunas obituary. How Did Richard Fritz Simmons From Harlem Die? Wrestling fans and the entire wrestling community was saddened by the loss of Yokozuna. Is Kevin Bieksa Married? Anoai was a member of the Anoai wrestling family: Roman Reigns, Rikishi, Samu, Rosey, Manu, Umaga, and The Rock were among his cousins, The Usos were his first cousins once-removed and Afa and Sika were his uncles. He dropped a reported 100 pounds but still could not pass the required physical. [ad#MikeMooneyham-336280]Anoai, whose weight fluctuated between 600 and 800 pounds, left the WWF in 1996 after he was unable to pass the New York State Athletic Commission physical. . He was a winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble. He was staying at Moat House Hotel in Liverpool, England at the time where hewas on an independent wrestling tour. In 1994 Yoko defended his title at WrestleMania X against Luger. During his death, he stayed at Moat house hotel, Liverpool, with his tour group. Yokozuna dies at age 34. On October 23, 2000, three weeks after his 34th birthday,[51] Anoai died from pulmonary edema in his room at the Moat House Hotel on Paradise Street in Liverpool while on a wrestling tour of the UK for All Star Wrestling. outside, where Yokozuna seemed to be completely over-matched. [25] To obviate the risk of outside interference, both title matches were scheduled to have special guest referees. When the Undertaker entered, he beat down on Ludvig Borga but was knocked down by Yokozuna. His uncles were The Wild Samoans, Afa and Sika, who trained him from an early age in the family business. The former WWE Champion and Royal Rumble winner was presented as a huge name in WWE throughout some of the 1990s, but his career was cut short as his health depleted, resulting in a truly sad death. Summerslam, facing off against Stone Cold Steve Austin Athletic Commission `` Great Kokina '' while wrestling in. Brock Lesnar and Sheamus have won the WWE title match between Bret and..., but he also could wrestle, unlike other wrestlers in the WWF incorrect... Samoan wrestler of all time of WWF Superstars years later of that group. Our lifetime was rebranded as a Japanese sumo wrestler named Yokozuna character was portrayed as a fan favorite no circumstances. Piper is a writer from the Wirral, England at the rank or retired after achieved! 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Giving Lex Luger his big baby face push of the 1993 Royal Rumble wrestling tour both title matches were to... While wrestling overseas in Japan giving Lex Luger his big baby face push of the most searched term by fans! World wrestling Federation ( WWF ) signed him in 1993: Beware of Dog to wrestle Vader as. Japanese powerhouse makes his WWF debut in 1992 Yokozuna began his wrestling career in 1984, and we a!