Managed by Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna found success very quickly in WWE. The exact reason for this remains a mystery in the history of the sport. When Cornette tried to interfere to break a pinfall, Piper decked him. After his death, he was buried in Akasaka in Edo. He is said to have possessed great physical strength even in childhood. [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. Since his death, Raiden has appeared not only as subject of a number of statues, but also on postage stamps, beer labels, and manga. 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. Stay connected on our page for lot more updates. It was during this feud that Yokozuna teamed up with Ahmed Johnson and Jake Roberts in a six-man tag-team match at WrestleMania XII, facing off with Vader, Owen Hart and British Bulldog. [2][37] Their second reign was shorter, as the Smoking Gunns defeated them that night for the belts. The excess weight put a lot of stress on his heart and may have contributed to his death from pulmonary edema. Usage notes [ edit] Technically, yokozuna is an honorary title, rather than a rank. . However, there was , Weve profiled 40 wrestlers who sadly, didnt make it to see age 40, including many enhancement talent names of the , Heart Attack / Heart Failure / Heart Disease, Comprehensive Deceased Wrestlers List (text-only), Comprehensive Deceased Managers List (text-only), 8 Things You May Not Have Known About Rick Rude. RELATED: The Tragic Death Of WWE Legend Bam Bam Bigelow, Explained. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); No spam. Rodney Agatupu "Yokozuna" Anoai. How did he die? Yokozuna was born in San Francisco on October 2, 1966. Perfect was the special guest referee for the Luger/Yokozuna bout. Upon leaving WWE, Yokozuna hit the independent scene. In his final year with WWE, he battled the likes of Vader and Shawn Michaels but struggled with his weight. On the way to Kuri Castle, Dogstorm, Cat Viper, Ashura Doji, and Denjiro get left behind. The number of top division championships won by each yokozuna is also listed. 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. [28] At King of the Ring 1994, Yokozuna and Crush failed to win the WWF Tag Team Championship from The Headshrinkers (Samu and Fatu). To date, he holds the record for best top division win ratio of all time. Yokozuna was able to make it big after joining the WWF. Raiden Tameemon (), born Seki Tarkichi (January 1767 11 February, 1825), was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Tmi, Nagano Prefecture. Luger seemed to have the match well in hand and had knocked out Yokozuna with a running forearm smash in the middle of the ring. Andrew Kelly is a writer from The Wirral, England. Rodney Anoa'i was just 34 years old at the time of his death. When Raiden was still an active wrestler, his home village's residents built monuments honoring his parents. Yokozuna knocked Duggan to the floor and nailed him with a leg drop, then rolled his unconscious body back into the ring as payback for the earlier attack. [2], The next night on Raw, Yokozuna faced then WWF Champion Shawn Michaels for the title, teasing turning heel again. Some people will also be remembered after their death; in that list, Yokozuna is also the one we remember till our lifetime. He was a two time World Wrestling Federation champion. A lean, muscular Hokkaido native, who was nicknamed Wolf, Chiyonofuji was promoted to sumos highest rank of yokozuna after the Nagoya tournament of 1981, when he won his second championship in his third tourney as ozeki, the sports second-highest rank. Because Hogan left the WWF shortly after losing the belt, Mr. Fuji and Yokozuna were able to boast of ending Hulkamania. He was a winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble. outside, where Yokozuna seemed to be completely over-matched. He was a two-time world champion. At the same time, wrestlers have been known to have some unhealthy habits, including drug usage. Anoai's career in professional wrestling began as he grew up in a family full of wrestlers, the Anoai family. The London Evening Standard reported that it took six men to remove Anoais body from the Moat House Hotel where he was staying at the time of his death. Reportedly, he was seeing a dietitian regularly to try and improve his eating habits, but he had a hard time giving up his unhealthy eating habits, which regularly included eating three dozen eggs, a pound of bacon and multiple stacks of pancakes in one sitting. Kokina was set up to appear with Fatu and Samoan Savage, known as the Samoans (soon after, The Headshrinkers). It was the only way to move a man of Yokozuna's size. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Anoai also held the WWF tag-team belts with the late Owen Hart. His ring name for the appearance was Kokina. He rose to the top of the card in a remarkably quick rise, similar to only those such as Diesel and Brock Lesnar. He would give you the shirt off his back. Stay connected on our page for lot more updates. Kitanoumi was promoted to yokozuna at age 21, becoming the youngest ever t o achieve sumo's top rank, and he remained a yokozuna for a record 63 tournaments. However, after a lengthy match, Mr. Fuji called out the troops, bringing a dozen heel wrestlers out to aid Yokozuna in attacking the Undertaker. He returned in April 1995 weighing more than 640 pounds and won the WWE tag titles with Owen Hart. Show more Show more 2:15 Recalling. Sorry, but your browser needs Javascript to use this site. I didn't even know Yokozuna had a Japanese run let alone killed some guys, I thought he was actually Samoan. [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. Although the Yokozuna character was portrayed as a champion sumo wrestler, Anoai never competed as an actual sumotori. On November 29, 2001, World Xtreme Wrestling held the Yokozuna Memorial Show in Allentown, Pennsylvania in order to celebrate the former WWF World Heavyweight Champion. Hart had the match won with Yokozuna about to submit to the Sharpshooter, when Mr. Fuji threw salt into the champion's face. Lets take a look from the beginning. After a long and courageous battle with 'brain tumour,' on 10 December 1996, she took her last breath and died at her parent's house in New York. The match occurred at Royal Rumble, where all the odds looked to be in the Undertaker's favor. 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. January 6. Is the accused innocent or guilty? . Yokozuna might also undergone a lot of struggles in his career. 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. He passed away in 2000 as a result of a pulmonary edema. When Luger got angry and pushed Mr. [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. The feud took a painful turn a couple weeks later (April 8), when Vader jumped on Yokozuna's leg, (kayfabe) breaking it. Yokozuna spent the next few years attempting to lose weight and stay with the WWF. Young Raiden was 1.97 metres (6ft 5.6in) tall, which was three head lengths taller than most of his contemporaries. Yokozuna Birth name Agatupu Rodney Anoai Born October 2, 1966, San Francisco, California Died October 23, 2000 (aged 34) Liverpool, England Cause of death Pulmonary edema Professional wrestling stats Known as Yokozuna, Kokina Maximus, Great Kokina, Wild Samoan Kokina Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) Weight 589 lb (267 kg) Trained by Afa Anoa'i Above everything, he loved his family. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. That was also the reason Angle didn't work for ECW and signed with WWE instead. His real name was Agatupu Rodney Anoai, and Yokozuna was his ring name. Yokozuna dies at age 34. He was born in 2 October 1966; he was a successful person who gained more fame in his career. [2][22], Yokozuna's next challenger was The Undertaker. In 1998, he wrestled for Maryland Championship Wrestling. 2. He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012. One of Yokozunas more memorable feuds was with baby faced Lex Luger. 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. The Sad Death Of WWE Hall Of Famer Yokozuna, Explained, Yokozuna Battled Problems With His Weight, Yokozuna is a member of the legendary Anoai family, The Tragic Death Of WWE Legend Bam Bam Bigelow, Explained, He went on an undefeated streak which saw him win the Royal Rumble, The Tragic Death Of Hana Kimura And How It Impacted The Wrestling Industry, Explained, The Death & Legacy Of WWE Legend Andre The Giant, Explained, holding the belt twice by beating Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan. The pair held the titles for 175 days. It all ended so peacefully, yet tragically. 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. Former yokozuna and 31-time champion Chiyonofuji died Sunday in Tokyo due to pancreatic cancer, a sumo source said. [2] Wrestling as a Samoan superstar, he was managed by Sheik Adnan El Kassey. [2] He actually died from pulmonary edema. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Hart got the pinfall victory, finally taking the title away from the long-running champion who reigned for 280 days. The surviving members of the group Il Divo Urs Buhler , Sebastien Izambard and David Miller announced on Dec. 19 that Marn died at the age of 53. It all needs hard work and positive thinking. After years of training, Rodney Anoai began his pro wrestling career in 1984 and spent time in Japan and Mexico before coming to the U.S. to work in the AWA. 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. On July 4th, abodyslam contest aboard the USS intrepid had multiple wrestlers, and other professional athletes, attempting to bodyslam the big man. Today, I tell Rodney `aloha for just a little while. He dropped a reported 100 pounds but still could not pass the required physical. But this cannot apply to all because of their career and busy schedules. The condition strained his heart. Commentator Bobby Heenan claimed Luger's move was a hiptoss, not a bodyslam, as Yokozuna was running at Luger, but the slam was ruled legitimate. Optical Illusion: Can You Find the Different Instagram Logo From the Others in this Image? He weighed in at over five hundred pounds. He was 61. The Yokozuna death occurred on October 23, 2000. Death Riding Fremantle 2023 - Feathered Cap Edition. WikiZero zgr Ansiklopedi - Wikipedia Okumann En Kolay Yolu . Shortly after he was offered a new gimmick: Yokozuna. He probably also held the record for shortest time withthe belt, as Yoko quickly (and bafflingly) lost the belt thanks to an impromptu Hulk Hogan appearance at the end of the main event it remains one of WrestleManias more dumbfoundedmoments. Yes, Yokozuna belonged to the Anoai family. Some of the famous ones likeRoman Reigns,Rikishi,Samu,Rosey,Manu,Umaga, andThe Rockare his cousins. [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]. Yokozuna: Bio. The cause of death was not immediately known, but foul play is not suspected, police said. The wrestling world is mourning the loss of Rodney Anoai, better known as two-time WWF world champion Yokozuna, who was found dead in a Liverpool, England, hotel last Monday. He would go on tolosethe title to Bret Hart. Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. Yokozuna Was Released From WWE Due To His Weight. Perfect, he was disqualified, thus making Yokozuna the first villainous champion to successfully defend the WWF Championship at a WrestleMania. 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. Following a few years on the independent scene, Rodney Anoai tragically passed away at the young age of 34. The Anoai family is a well-known family in the world of professional wrestling. This allowed Yokozuna to take Hogan out with a leg drop and regain the WWF Championship, after which Yokozuna proceeded to hit Hogan with the Banzai Drop in the corner. On October 23, 2000, while on an independent tour in Europe, Yokozuna was found dead in a hotel room in Liverpool, England. Dec. 26, 2016. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Required fields are marked *. Yokozuna (left) and Mr. Fuji on the first episode of Monday Night Raw Managed by Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna debuted on the October 31, 1992 edition of Superstars with his then new gimmick of a stereotypical sumo wrestler, who competed under the Japanese flag; though the WWF tactfully acknowledged his Samoan roots. He also had matching long arms and large hands; a handprint at the Shofukuji temple near Okayama, which is said to be of Raiden's hand, measures 24cm (9.4in) from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger. On October 23, 2000, while on an independent tour in Europe, Yokozuna was found dead in a hotel room in Liverpool, England. William Moody, better known as the WWFs Paul Bearer, wrote the following about his former friend and colleague: In the Hawaiian language, most people recognize the word `aloha as hello; however, it has two meanings, it also means goodbye. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. He truly loved entertaining the fans, and in his own special way he did it better than anybody. A healthy life can lead us to live for a longer time. Jul 31, 2022. According to the Wikipedia article about him, "On October 23, 2000, Anoai died from pulmonary edema in his room at the Moat House Hotel in Liverpool, England while on an independent wrestling tour in Europe. Smooth, Matt E. Smalls and Tonga Kid. After Tanikaze's death, Raiden was promoted to zeki in March 1795, a rank he retained for nearly 17 years. When Jinmaku Kygor erected the yokozuna memorial monument at Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in 1900, he included Raiden's name as a "peerless rikishi",[7] in spite of his never having been officially promoted. 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. He was only 34 years old when he passed. 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