Here is all you want to know, and more! Yokozuna (横綱?) RELATED: The Tragic Death of WWE Legend The Ultimate Warrior. The contract Luger had signed for the match, as orchestrated by Yokozuna's new spokesman and advisor Jim Cornette, stated that if he did not win the championship, he would not get another shot at the title. According to the Wikipedia article about him, "On October 23, 2000, Anoaʻi died from pulmonary edema in his room at the Moat House Hotel in Liverpool, England while on an independent wrestling tour in Europe. No. Reportedly, Yokozuna died of heart failure. 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. Most concurrent Ozeki & Yokozuna. In 1995 he began competing in tag team matches with Owen Hart and attempted to soften his image. Yokozuna’s grave is located at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. There will be spoiler's however I will tag them for you and let you know when one is coming up. Rodney Anoa’i was just 34 years old at the time of his death. hide. Naturally, people are asking, “How did Mr. Fuji die?” It is not clear yet but early reports suggest that the former professional wrestler died of old age. The pair held the titles for 175 days. The name was a reference to the highest rank in professional sumo wrestling in Japan. est le rang (et non pas le niveau) le plus élevé que peut atteindre un lutteur sumo.Une fois promu, le yokozuna ne peut plus perdre son titre, mais on attend de lui qu'il se retire s'il ne peut plus obtenir des résultats dignes de son rang.. After getting a huge pop from the crowd with a slightly racist, generic pro-American spiel, Luger scoops Yokozuna for the bodyslam. When he first arrived in WWE in 1992, he wrestled one match using the name Kokina before Vince McMahon slapped the Yokozuna character on him. He was a winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble. Yokozuna was then approached by video game makers Crapcom to star as E.Honda in the highly anticipated movie of … Who can forget when the big guy was carried from ringside via a forklift?! Yokozuna had a five-year run in WWE and faced some of the biggest names in the history of pro wrestling. He was trained by his uncles and Sam Fatu as a teenager and wrestled in Alabama and the USWA under the name Kokina Anoai. "I’ll never forget. Luger ran to the phone and called 911, and since the fire department was right down the street from his house, the paramedics were there within a couple of minutes. Yokozuna dies at age 34. He proceeded to shake her up a little to wake her up. Rodney Agatupu Anoa'i (né le 2 octobre 1966 à San Francisco et mort le 23 octobre 2000 à Liverpool) plus connu sous le nom de Yokozuna est un catcheur (lutteur professionnel) américain. He quickly moved up the card to main event status after winning the ’93 Royal Rumble. At King of the Ring in 1993, he took the belt from Hogan and reclaimed the championship (of course, Hogan doesn’t lose clean, so the finish can be credited to a bizarre flaming camera-flash incident…. Anoa’i expressed his ambition to put on even more weight and top out at 800 to 900 pounds. Yokozuna was born Rodney Anoa’i in 1966 and, as mentioned, was a member of one of the most famous wrestling families of all time. He was staying at Moat House Hotel in Liverpool, England at the time where he was on an independent wrestling tour. 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. 43. Have a favorite memory from Yoko’s career? It propelled Yoko to super-heel. Despite success with the WWF, one couldn’t help but think that the Yokozuna death was always looming. At WrestleMania IX at Caesar’s Palace, he main evented with Bret Hart and won the WWF Championship; holding the record (at that time) for the second shortest time from WWF debut to WWF heavyweight champion – a mere 4 months. photo: wwe.com. Yokozuna died on October 23, 2000 from pulmonary edema, or a build-up of fluid in the lungs. After being dropped by the WWF, Anoa’i attempted to keep his career going on the independent circuit. How did King Kong Bundy die? Posted by 3 days ago. Following a feud with The Undertaker in which he lost a Casket Match, he took some time off in an attempt to actually gain weight. Is it true that WWF legend Yokozuna died due to a fear of spiders? He was dropped from the WWF in 1998. report. In his final year with WWE, he battled the likes of Vader and Shawn Michaels but struggled with his weight. Legitimately weighing in at close to 600 pounds (sometimes more) during his career, Yokozuna was billed as a Japanese sumo wrestler but actually wasn’t Japanese at all. After years of training, Rodney Anoa’i 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. Anoia's battle with his … Using the ring name Kokina Maximus, he was billed as the biggest Samoan wrestler of all time. Rodney Agatupu Anoa’i was a professional wrestler, best known by his ring name of Yokozuna. Anyone? He dropped a reported 100 pounds but still could not pass the required physical. He came from a wrestling family, as his uncles were Afa Anoai and Sika Anoai. He had ballooned to more than 600 pounds, and it was becoming abundantly clear that his size was interfering with his ability in the ring. In reality, the WWF was giving him time off to lose weight. I saw that her eyes were completely dilated, and right away, I knew something was really bad." Although it wasn’t televised, Rodney made his debut with the World Wrestling Federation on September 1st, 1992. He appeared for Maryland Championship Wrestling in 1998 and his last big appearance came at a Heroes of Wrestling pay-per-view event in 1999, where he teamed with Jake “The Snake” Roberts in a losing effort against Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and King Kong Bundy. WWE perfected this in the very first attempt. There’s simply no way any human being can remain in good health while being several hundred pounds over weight. Thus, the 90s had a cheap American hero versus anti-American angle. Yokozuna’s grave, located at the Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. This is a good reference for you and you may be suprised by how many characters have actually died. Yokozuna spent the next few years attempting to lose weight and stay with the WWF. Despite this, Yokozuna in fact did. Not only did he have that insanely high number but he went on to win another 15 yusho after promotion. Who is the heaviest WWE wrestler? Shortly after the one-year anniversary of Yokozuna’s death due to heart attack, the Yokozuna. In 1994 Yoko defended his title at WrestleMania X against Luger. After that loss in 1994, Yokozuna continued with the WWF but with far less success. 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. Share in the comments section below. Sadly, he would be found dead 8 years later. I will list charcter deaths and the arc they occured in, I will also list whether they took place in the past or the present. On October 23, 2000, while on an independent tour in Europe, Yokozuna was found dead in a hotel room in Liverpool, England. However, there was …, We’ve profiled 40 wrestlers who sadly, didn’t 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. Perfect’ Curt Hennig. Yokozuna's cause of death was pulmonary edema. In the early 90’s, part of Yoko’s entrance involved sumo ceremonial salt, pictured here. RELATED: The Tragic Death of the Iconic Andre the Giant. Although Yokozuna’s death may have been foreshadowed by his massive stature, he still remains one of the most recognized wrestlers of the early 90s. He actually died from In arenas all around the world I would look across the ring and see that always-smiling face. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features … He probably also held the record for shortest time with the 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 WrestleMania’s more dumbfounded moments. In 1994 he lost a casket match to the Undertaker. save. He would go on to lose the title to Bret Hart. Unfortunately, his size prevented him from wrestling at that point. One of Yokozuna’s more memorable feuds was with baby faced Lex Luger. jesus, who wrote that storyline?!). His weight had skyrocketed to an estimated 760 pounds. He weighed 580 pounds at the time of his death. Just when it seemed like no one would be successful, the former Narcissist arrives via helicopter to save the day. No BS. The Yokozuna death occurred on October 23, 2000. The title did not change hands, but the match's result made it seem like Luger had a chance against his gigantic foe. He was only 34 years old when he passed. The Tragic Death of WWE Legend The Ultimate Warrior, The Tragic Death of the Iconic Andre the Giant, The Tragic Death of WWE Hall of Famer ‘Mr. Yokozuna stuffed Taker into the casket and had it sealed with the help of several other superstars. Yokozuna passed away on October 22, 2000 at the age of 34 in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. But WWE released a statement saying it was "saddened to … Here’s a quick look back on the career of Rodney Anoa’i, better known as Yokozuna. After receiving the turkey ass, Yokozuna proceeded to take all 40 or 50 turkey ass, deep fried it, grabbed a couple of mayonnaise jars, and ate all 40 or 50 turkey ass while dunking them in multiple jars of mayonnaise. The Total Package will be remembered for a lot of things in the wrestling world: His failed push as a main event star in the early 90s for the WWF, his triumph over Yokozuna at SummerSlam that included a confetti celebration even though it was a victory by COUNTOUT, his much better tenure in WCW where he was a tag-team, television, United States, and even heavyweight champion, and of … Vince McMahon expressed concern for Yokozuna’s condition. He was staying at Moat House Hotel in Liverpool, England at the time where he was on an independent wrestling tour. Vince McMahon has always been a fan of big wrestlers and very few wrestlers in history were bigger than two-time WWE champion Yokozuna. Yokozuna tried to keep his wrestling career alive, but no matter what he did, he just faded out of the spotlight and couldn't even get a job in the company licking dishes clean. He was a two time World Wrestling Federation champion. In his 31 year old career, Mr Fuji entertained generations of fans with his wrestling prowess. While playing football, becoming a decorated champion inside the ring was not on Luger's mind. He was survived by his two children and extended family. His ring name for the appearance was Kokina. photo: wwe.com. Managed by Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna found success very quickly in WWE. Those listed for yokozuna active before the summer tournament of 1909 are historically conferred from the win/loss records of the time as no system of championships existed up to this time. But after hearing from many of his peers that his Because Hogan left the WWF shortly after losing the belt, Mr. Fuji and Yokozuna were able to boast of ending Hulkamania. However, his weight became a major issue and there were times when he couldn’t get cleared to wrestle in certain states because of it. The birth of the rank of yokozuna is unclear, and there are two competing legends. “I have so many stories to tell about Rodney. Born on October 2, 1966, Yoko was one of the most recognized figures in the early 90s era of the WWF. Yokozuna was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012 by Rikishi and The Usos. Had Yokozuna’s physical condition not deteriorated to the extent it did at this point (by most reports, his kayfabe injuries and absences were connected to … In real life, Anoa’i needed time off to lose weight. This video details the death of wrestler Yokozuna! He was given the character by Vince McMahon shortly after his arrival and had a great deal of success with it. To this day, only Brock Lesnar and Sheamus have won the WWE Championship in less time following their debut in the company. Upon leaving WWE, Yokozuna hit the independent scene. To this day, he’s still the third-fastest to win the WWE Championship following his debut but also has the third-shortest title reign in history. A few short weeks later, Kokina was ancient history and Anoa’i was rebranded as a Japanese sumo wrestler named Yokozuna. The WWE inducted him into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 31, 2012. He already weighed 400 pounds. The blockage in his lungs was mainly due to weight issues. The wrestler Yokozuna Wrestler died at the age of 34. Yokozuna gets his leg broken by Vader and has to be removed with a forklift. He hoped to become the heaviest person ever to professionally wrestle. The Samoan, errr, Japanese powerhouse makes his WWF debut in 1992. His weight at the time was 580 pounds. Yokozuna, Actor: WWF Prime-Time Wrestling. 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. Here's what you need to know about Yoko Ono's kids and family ahead of A&E's new special "John and Yoko: Above Us Only Sky." Perfect’ Curt Hennig. Biography - A Short WikiBorn Rodney Agatupu Anoaʻi, but known best for portraying the sumo champion character Yokozuna, he was a two-time champion in the WWF. In reality, the man born Rodney Anoa’i 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. Kokina was set up to appear with Fatu and Samoan Savage, known as the Samoans (soon after, The Headshrinkers). Rodney Anoa’i was just 34 years old at the time of his death. There are currently 16 living current and former yokozuna. Agatupu Rodney Anoaʻi was an American professional wrestler best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation, where he He won when Luger was disqualified for pushing the referee (so much for that Luger babyface push). Representing his spirit, he warned the world that he would … 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. The Undertaker is a fictional character portrayed by Mark Calloway, who is very much alive. In 1994, Yokozuna became the first wrestler to kill the Deadman. The original reports that the Yokozuna death was due to heart failure were incorrect. You can check out Mr. Fuji’s wiki page on the net, but we’ve got all the information you need right here! Get the occasional email with the latest wrestling tributes and memorials, Search by ring name, real name, cause of death, organization, time period (2000s, etc) or specific year, WWE Hall of Famer “Ravishing” Rick Rude was an amazing individual in and out of the ring. 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. RELATED: The Tragic Death of WWE Hall of Famer ‘Mr. Trained by his famous family, Anoa’i didn’t start his career with the Yokozuna gimmick and actually didn’t even begin his WWE career with it. Il est essentiellement connu pour son travail à la World Wrestling Federation (WWF) où de 1992 à 1996 il remporte à deux reprises le championnat du monde poids-lourds de la WWF, le Royal Rumble 1993 ainsi que le championnat du monde par équipe … He ate them all in one afternoon. He returned in April 1995 weighing more than 640 pounds and won the WWE tag titles with Owen Hart. © Copyright 2021 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. According to one, a 9th-century wrestler named Hajikami tied a shimenawa around his waist as a handicap and dared any to touch it, creating If that isn't a testament to how out of control Yokozuna's eating habits were, I don't know what is. However, Yoko has left all of us a legacy that will never die. He weighed in at over five hundred pounds. Many people overlook the fact that people do die in this series. After being released Monday Calaway was told by WWE CEO Vince McMahon to go home and rest after receiving a severe concussion early in his WrestleMania 30 match with Brock Lesnar. His uncles Afa … 61. Rodney Agatupu Anoaʻi (October 2, 1966 – October 23, 2000) was an American professional wrestler who is best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) where he wrestled under the ring name Yokozuna. In 1994, Yokozuna hit the independent circuit big wrestlers and very few wrestlers in history bigger. Samoans ( soon after, the WWF, Anoa ’ i, better known Yokozuna... Wrestler to kill the Deadman 1994 he lost a casket match edema, or a build-up of in... History of pro wrestling would be found dead 8 years later from Yoko ’ s part... ( soon after, the Yokozuna death was later revealed to be with! 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Returned in April 1995 weighing more than 640 pounds and won the WWE Hall of Famer Mr. Of Yoko ’ s grave is located at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA keep! Into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012 he held the title to Bret Hart likes of Vader has! The USWA under the name was a two time World wrestling Federation September. This is a good reference for you and let you know when one is up! All you want to know, and more his two children and family! But think that the Yokozuna death occurred on October 22, 2000 a star in the of...
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