The feud took a painful turn a couple weeks later (April 8), when Vader jumped on Yokozuna's leg, (kayfabe) breaking it. 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 two met in another casket match at the Survivor Series, this time with actor/karate expert Chuck Norris as the special enforcer to keep the other heel wrestlers away from ringside. In 1992, Anoai was contacted by Vince McMahon of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and offered a roster spot along with The Samoans (Fatu and Samoan Savage). The bartender recommended a ginger-pomegranate martini, which pairs very well with sushi. [13] On the May 10, 1993, edition of Monday Night Raw, Yokozuna served as one of the lumberjacks in a match between Duggan and Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship. RELATED: The Tragic Death Of Hana Kimura And How It Impacted The Wrestling Industry, Explained. He was a two-time world champion. He was only 34 years old and had a promising future in the wrestling world. However, following the match with Hart, Yokozuna had an impromptu title match with Hulk Hogan, who ended his reign after just over two minutes. The wrestler died from pulmonary edema, fluid accumulation in the lungs. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Yokozuna was on his final tour of Europe when he died in Liverpool on October 23, 2000. [1][2][22] Eventually, Yokozuna was forced to accept a Casket match with the Undertaker. [2][22], Yokozuna's next challenger was The Undertaker. Although the Yokozuna character was portrayed as a champion sumo wrestler, Anoai never competed as an actual sumotori. One of the best reasons to watch documentaries about wrestling is so that you can gain knowledge . His cousins, whether by blood or by marriage, include Rikishi, Umaga/Jamal, Rosey of 3-Minute Warning, Samu, Manu, Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Dwayne The Rock Johnson. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The pounding of hitting the mat can lead to injuries, bumps, and bruises. 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. When Raiden was still an active wrestler, his home village's residents built monuments honoring his parents. His weight at the time was 580 pounds. He passed away in 2000 as a result of a pulmonary edema. He was the third-fastest newcomer (after Brock Lesnar and Sheamus) to win the WWF/E Championship after his debut. He was given the character by Vince McMahon shortly after his arrival and had a great deal of success with it. Just when it seemed like no one would be successful, the former Narcissist arrives via helicopter to save the day. Vince McMahon expressed concernfor Yokozunas condition. In reality, the man born Rodney Anoai was a part of one of the biggest and best professional wrestling families in history, the Samoan dynasty that includes numerous WWE Hall of Famers with many more to come down the line. 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. Stay connected on our page for lot more updates. As per thetherichest, YokozunaNetworth was estimated at. As great as professional wrestling can be, it is an industry which has seen some truly tragic moments. 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. Jul 31, 2022. 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. GLOW: The Story of The Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling . Upon leaving WWE, Yokozuna hit the independent scene. The character of Kokina appeared in a single (untelevised) match on September 1, 1992, hence the gimmickwas quickly scrapped. Anoai rose to fame when he defeated Bret Hart for the WWF title on April 3, 1993, but lost it to Hulk Hogan immediately afterward. It all needs hard work and positive thinking. The contract Luger had signed for the match, as orchestrated by Yokozuna's new spokesman and advisor James E. Cornette, stated that if he did not win the championship, he would not get another shot at the title. [2] Wrestling as a Samoan superstar, he was managed by Sheik Adnan El Kassey. "There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death," a Merseyside police spokesman said. I love the drinks here. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Luger had metal plates put into his arm following an injury from a motorcycle accident, making it a formidable weapon (it was stipulated that Luger had to wear a protective pad over it, but it was torn off in the course of the match) and Yokozuna was knocked out of the ring, unconscious, and lost via count-out. In real life, Anoai needed time off to lose weight. Its kind of hard to replace a partner like him.. What Happened To This Athlete? Share in the comments section below. Required fields are marked *. The cause of death was later revealed to be pulmonary edema. Not only did The Deadman have a colorful on-screen career, but his backstage stories are as impressive as his . 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. The 35-year-old is one of WWE's biggest stars and is a three-time WWE and two-time Universal Champion. He was 61. Valentine, who had been traveling with Anoai since Oct. 1, said he was devastated and still in shock. He said the tour would continue with him wrestling single matches as `Yoko would have wanted it that way The show will go on in his memory and must go on every night (Brian) Dixon will do the 10-bell salute for him and dedicate every night to Yoko. photo: wwe.com. The Undertaker has had one of the greatest WWE careers in history. 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. How Did Flint Lockwoods Mom Die? He feuded with Vader in 1996 and on the April 8thepisode of Raw, Vader kayfabe broke Yokozunas leg. [14], At WrestleMania IX, Yokozuna wrestled against Bret Hart for the WWF Championship. From there, he would have another reign, and main event WrestleMania 10 too, where he lost to Hart. On an August 17, 1992, episode of Prime Time Wrestling the Samoans (soon to be the Headshrinkers) made their debut. 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 But this cannot apply to all because of their career and busy schedules. When Raiden was 17, the Urakaze-beya stablemaster noticed him when he came through the area while on jungy (regional tour) with his wrestlers. Optical Illusion: Can You Find the Different Instagram Logo From the Others in this Image? 6 Yokozuna, one of wrestling's biggest icons, died in a Liverpool hotel room. In 1994 Yoko defended his title at WrestleMania X against Luger. The original reports that the Yokozuna death was due to heart failure were incorrect. What Really Happened to this Footballer? However, his weight became a major issue and there were times when he couldnt get cleared to wrestle in certain states because of it. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. After his death, he was buried in Akasaka in Edo. sonicwave 231c non responsive Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. did andre the giant have kids. This prodigy will be missed by many who relied on his kills. It propelled Yoko to super-heel. Yokozuna was physically impressive due to his size, but he also could wrestle, unlike other wrestlers in the same weight class. "Legends of the Dohyo #3: The Peerless One", "Once-fearsome ozeki rank no longer sport's 'great barrier', "The First Yokozuna (Akashi Shiganosuke) and the history of sumo's ultimate rank", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Raiden_Tameemon&oldid=1142279864, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 14:49. He won when Luger was disqualified for pushing the referee (so much for that Luger babyface push). Jim Ross later commented that Yokozuna knew the release was coming and that it was also due to potential heart issues related to his weight and, following the unexpected death of Brian Pillman seven months previously due to an undiagnosed heart issue, the WWF didn't want to take the liability of letting Yokozuna perform with heart issues. The match occurred at Royal Rumble, where all the odds looked to be in the Undertaker's favor. 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. Of the 35 tournaments in which he participated (there were only two basho a year at the time), Raiden had the best record in no fewer than 28. COVID update: Yokozuna has updated their hours, takeout & delivery options. . His uncles were The Wild Samoans, Afa and Sika, who trained him from an early age in the family business. However, instead of a stretcher, a real forklift had to be brought to carry Yokozuna out on that edition of RAW. No one would have expected that he would die suddenly. [2], The next night on Raw, Yokozuna faced then WWF Champion Shawn Michaels for the title, teasing turning heel again. Raiden Tameemon (), born Seki Tarkichi (January 1767 - 11 February, 1825), was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Tmi, Nagano Prefecture.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. He would go on tolosethe title to Bret Hart. 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. Rikishi's son, Jey Uso, recalled how well his family would treat Yokozuna whenever he came around. He quickly moved up the card to main event status after winningthe 93 Royal Rumble. Anoai took on the name of the "Great Kokina" while wrestling overseas in Japan. But Exmouth is such an old building that we have had to make extra efforts to ensure it is all right. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Yokozuna married Monica Anoai and the couple gave birth to two children, Justin and Keilani. Yokozuna is a giant sumo-wrestling frog, who was a friend (as well as pet) to the legendary shipwright Tom until his execution. Likewise,Yokozuna might also undergone a lot of struggles in his career. It all ended so peacefully, yet tragically. An article revealed that his daily diet consisted of 120 eggs, 12 full pieces of chicken and a bucket-sized serving of Japanese rice. Yokozuna won WWF championships two times and the same in the WWF Tag team championship. 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. . Divisions: Makuuchi Jry Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi. I have so many stories to tell about Rodney. Raiden's championships are, however, regarded as unofficial by the Japan Sumo Association, as before the current ysh system was established in 1909, there was no prize given for individual performances in tournaments. Hogan accepted, temporarily abandoning Bret's cause and ongoing blindness, and defeated Yoko in a matter of minutes. To each member of that fine group, I wish my deepest sympathies and prayers. where characters like of Yokozuna and The Undertaker took the show to ample global ratings, a group of amateur wrestlers from . [2][40] Although Cornette had tried to make peace between him and new acquisition Vader, many observers felt Yokozuna was being relegated. The Japan Times LTD. All rights reserved. How apropos the word is here, for my dear brother Rodney Anoai, known to the wrestling world as Yokozuna. Your email address will not be published. The Yoshida family, who held the privilege of awarding the yokozuna licenses, supported the Hosokawa clan, who had a history of supporting Ishida Mitsunari. Yes, Yokozuna belonged to the Anoai family. Wwe careers in history injuries, bumps, and defeated Yoko in a matter of minutes that Yokozuna... Daily diet consisted of 120 eggs, 12 full pieces of chicken and a serving... A group of amateur wrestlers from we and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content,... Did the Deadman have a colorful on-screen career, but he also could wrestle, unlike wrestlers... Wwf championships two times and the Undertaker took the show to ample global ratings, a of... Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. did andre the giant have kids ]. Yokozunas leg lot more updates can lead to injuries, bumps, main. On tolosethe title to Bret Hart for the WWF Tag team Championship have colorful. Daily diet consisted of 120 eggs, 12 full pieces of chicken and a bucket-sized serving of rice! 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