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Rodney Anoai (October 2, 1966 – October 22, 2000) was an American professional wrestler, most commonly known as Yokozuna. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
October 2 is the 275th day (276th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 90 days remaining. ...
1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...
Flag Seal Nickname: The City by the Bay; The City That Knows How; Golden Mountain (historic Chinese name) Location Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California Government City-County San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom Geographical characteristics Area - City 600. ...
October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ...
This article is about the year 2000. ...
This article is about the city in England. ...
Afa Anoai was a professional wrestler/manager. ...
Sika battles Rocky Johnson Sika Anoai was a professional wrestler and is the brother of wrestler Afa Anoai. ...
1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
October 2 is the 275th day (276th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 90 days remaining. ...
1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...
October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ...
This article is about the year 2000. ...
Professional wrestling is generally any form of wrestling in which the wrestlers receive payment for participating. ...
The term Yokozuna refers to the highest rank in professional sumo wrestling in Japan. Although the "Yokozuna" character was portrayed as Japanese, Anoai was of Samoan origin and had never competed as an actual sumotori. Yokozuna Asashoryu (center) performing the ring-entering ceremony while flanked by a sword bearer on the left and dew sweeper on the right. ...
Sumo (相撲 SumÅ), is a competition contact sport where two wrestlers or rikishi face off in a circular area. ...
Family
Anoai was a member of the famous Anoa'i family and was thus related to many other wrestlers. The Rock, Rikishi, Rosey, and Umaga are among his cousins, and Afa and Sika are his uncles. Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California), better known by his stage name The Rock, is an United States actor and currently inactive professional wrestler. ...
Solofa Fatu, Jr. ...
Matt Anoai (born April 7, 1970 in Samoa) better known by his ring name of Rosey, is a professional wrestler who was mostly known for performing for World Wrestling Entertainment. ...
Eddie Fatu (born March 28, 1973 is a Samoan professional wrestler currently performing for World Wrestling Entertainments (WWEs) RAW brand under the ring name Umaga (Tagalog word for morning). When Fatu had his first stint in WWE he wrestled under the name Jamal. ...
Afa Anoai was a professional wrestler/manager. ...
Sika battles Rocky Johnson Sika Anoai was a professional wrestler and is the brother of wrestler Afa Anoai. ...
Career Anoai's career in professional wrestling began as he grew up, in a family full of wrestlers. His uncles were the Wild Samoans Afa and Sika, who trained him at an early age in the family business. Anoai took on the name of the Great Kokina while wrestling overseas in Japan. He also spent some time in Mexico learning the craft and gaining the experience necessary to be a star in the sport. His first major exposure in the United States came in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) as Kokina Maximus. Wrestling as a Samoan superstar, he was managed by Sheik Adnan El Kassey. At the time, he weighed less than 400 pounds, making him a lean wrestling machine, at least relative to his weight later in life. Unfortunately, Kokina Maximus was never a great success in the AWA; when it closed, he once again left America to wrestle overseas. Afa Anoai was a professional wrestler/manager. ...
Sika battles Rocky Johnson Sika Anoai was a professional wrestler and is the brother of wrestler Afa Anoai. ...
The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was a professional wrestling organization, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ...
In professional wrestling, a manager is a non-wrestler character who is paired with a wrestler. ...
Adnan Al-Kaissy is a former professional wrestler and a manager best known as Billy White Wolf or General Adnan. ...
World Wrestling Federation In 1992, Anoai was contacted by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and was offered a new gimmick: Yokozuna. Managed by the legendary Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna was announced as a sumo wrestler from Japan. He wore extra padding in his trunks at first, to play up his bulk, as he worked to gain the weight required for the role. His first pay-per-view victory came at Survivor Series, when he squashed the much-smaller Virgil. Soon, Yokozuna's career took off, as he headed into the Royal Rumble in 1993 billed as a potential favorite. He eliminated "Macho Man" Randy Savage to win the Rumble, announcing his movement towards main event status. This article is about Vincent Kennedy McMahon, current chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment and majority owner of the company. ...
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ...
In professional wrestling, a gimmick is slang that refers to a wrestlers on-screen personality. ...
Harry Fujiwara aka Mr. ...
Official Survivor Series logo. ...
Mike Jones as Virgil. ...
Official Royal Rumble logo. ...
Macho Man Randy Savage on The Weird Al Show. ...
Image:Www.derok.net/derek3/images/classics/wwf yokozuna.jpg At WrestleMania IX, Yokozuna faced off against Bret "The Hitman" Hart, for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. Hart seemed to have the match won as he had Yokozuna in the Sharpshooter, and Yokozuna was about to submit until Mr. Fuji threw salt into the champion's face. Blinded, Hart was then taken out by Yokozuna, who shockingly won the WWF Championship. As he and Mr. Fuji celebrated, Hulk Hogan came out from the back to protest the decision. Mr. Fuji then arrogantly challenged the Hulkster, and Hogan accepted, quickly defeating Yokozuna in less than a minute to take the belt away. This gave Yokozuna one of the shortest title reigns in WWF history. The World Wrestling Entertainment Championship or WWE Championship or WWE Heavyweight Championship, formerly known as the WWF Championship and WWWF Championship as the company name changed, is the top prize in the WWE, though exclusive to its Smackdown! brand since August 26, 2002 while the World Heavyweight Championship is exclusive...
WrestleMania IX was the ninth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event from the World Wrestling Federation. ...
Bret Sergeant Hart (born July 2, 1957 in Calgary, Alberta) is a Canadian former professional wrestler, and part of the famous Hart wrestling family. ...
John Cenas customized version of the WWE Championship, April 2005-present. ...
Professional wrestling holds include a number of set moves and pins used by competitors to immobilize their opponents. ...
Hulk Hogan (born Terrence Gene Bollea on August 11, 1953 in Augusta, Georgia), is a legendary American professional wrestler and actor. ...
Yokozuna and Hogan continued to feud for the next few months, leading up to the first King of the Ring PPV . Once again, Hogan seemed to be in control, but the champion underestimated the deceitful tactics of Mr. Fuji. A Japanese photographer planted at ringside by the group aimed at the Hulkster and pressed the button, shooting a blast of fire into his face. This allowed Yokozuna to take Hogan out and reclaim the championship. Soon after, Hogan left the WWF to pursue other interests, which led Yokozuna and Fuji to claim that he had ended Hulkamania. To celebrate, he held a "Bodyslam Competition" aboard the USS Intrepid on Independence Day. Many wrestlers and athletes alike tried to slam Yokozuna, with no success. Just as Yokozuna thought that there would be none to challenge him, Lex Luger stepped forward, picked him up, and slammed him on the deck, showing great strength. This made Luger the next major challenger to Yokozuna's title reign. A professional wrestling feud is a staged disagreement between two wrestlers or factions of wrestlers over a purported slight or insult. ...
King of the Ring logo (1999-present). ...
See USS Intrepid for other ships of this name. ...
An Independence Day is an annual celebration commemorating the anniversary of a nations assumption of independent statehood, usually after ceasing to be a colony or part of another state. ...
Lawrence Wendell (Larry) Pfohl, better known by his ring name, Lex Luger, is an American professional wrestler and former professional American football player. ...
At SummerSlam 1993, Yokozuna and the newly-reborn patriot Luger fought it out for the WWF Championship. Luger took control late in the match, scoring on Yokozuna with a bodyslam and flying forearm. Luger had metal plates put into his arm, making it a formidable weapon as Yokozuna was knocked out of the ring, unconscious, and lost via countout. The title did not change hands, but the match's result made it seem like Luger had a chance against his gigantic foe. The contract Luger had signed for the match, as orchestrated by Yokozuna's new self-appointed business advisor Jim Cornette, stated that if he did not win the championship, he would not get another shot at the title. Yokozuna and Luger continued to feud till Survivor Series, where each chose a team of allies for an elimination match. Official SummerSlam logo. ...
Jim Cornette James Cornette, better known by his stage name James E. Cornette, which is often shortened to Jim Cornette (born September 17, 1961 in Louisville, Kentucky) is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. ...
This match led to a feud between Yokozuna and The Undertaker, where the sumo champion seemed to be completely overmatched. He eventually was forced to accept a Casket Match with The Undertaker at the 1994 Royal Rumble, where all the odds looked to be in the Undertaker's favor. However, after a lengthy match, Mr. Fuji called out the troops, bringing a dozen heel wrestlers out to aid Yokozuna in attacking the Undertaker. 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. As they celebrated afterwards, however, a mysterious figure appeared on the Titantron, looking like the Undertaker inside the casket. He opened his eyes and said the Undertaker would not rest in peace, then disappeared in a fireworks show, rising to the top of the Titantron and vanishing. This storyline was used to allow the Undertaker to rest for several months to recover from lingering real-life injuries. Mark William Calaway (also spelled incorrectly as either Callaway or Calloway) is an American professional wrestler. ...
Casket Match is a type of match in professional wrestling closely linked to the gimmick of The Undertaker. ...
The Jumbotron, manufactured by the Sony Corporation, is recognized as one of the largest vacuum fluorescent displays ever manufactured. ...
In professional wrestling, an angle is a fictional storyline (the wrestler Kurt Angles name is a coincidence). ...
In the actual Royal Rumble Battle Royal match, the last two competitors, Lex Luger and Bret Hart, fought and eliminated each other simultaneously. 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. By virtue of winning a coin toss, Luger chose to wrestle Yokozuna first at the event. The winner of that match would go on to face Bret Hart later in the evening. Official Royal Rumble logo. ...
Battle royal, plural battles royal, traditionally refers to a fight involving three or more combatants which is fought until only one fighter remains standing. ...
WrestleMania X was the tenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event from the World Wrestling Federation. ...
To obviate the risk of outside interference, both title matches were scheduled to have special guest referees. Mr. Perfect was the special guest referee for the Luger/Yokozuna bout. Luger seemed to have the match well in hand and had knocked out Yokozuna with the bionic forearm in the middle of the ring. However, Mr. Perfect refused to make the three-count when Luger went for the pin. When Luger got angry and confronted him, Mr. Perfect disqualified Luger. Curt Hennig (March 28, 1958 – February 10, 2003), also known by his ring name Mr. ...
Later in the night, Yokozuna defended the championship again, this time against the former champion Bret "The Hitman" Hart. For this match,Roddy Piper was the special referee. When Cornette tried to interfere to break a pinfall, Piper decked him. At the end of the match, Yokozuna seemed ready to hit his finishing maneuver, the Banzai Drop, when he lost his balance and took a fall from the ropes. Hart got the pinfall victory, finally taking the title away from the long-running champion. Roderick George Toombs (born on April 17, 1954 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), best known by his ring name of Rowdy Roddy Piper, is a Canadian professional wrestler of Scottish descent. ...
Later WWF Career Yokozuna's main-event status soon began to fade away, as he never again fully challenged for the World Title. He began tagging briefly with Crush, another Mr. Fuji star, but they were unable to take the Tag Team Titles away from The Headshrinkers. In May 1994, in a Monday Night Raw episode, Yokozuna was challenged by Earthquake to an actual sumo match. On May 16, 1994, Earthquake beat Yokozuna in a (worked) sumo match that was not repeated until recently, between The Big Show and an actual yokozuna, Akebono. Brian Adams (born April 14, 1964 in Kona, Hawaii) is a former actor and professional wrestler who performed for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). ...
The Headshrinkers Samu (left) & Fatu The Headshrinkers (aka The Samoan Swat Team or SST in WCW & WCCW) were the professional wrestling tag team of Fatu & Samu in the WWE (then WWF). ...
WWE RAW is the Monday night professional wrestling show for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). ...
John Tenta (June 22, 1963 – June 7, 2006) was a Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake. ...
May 16 is the 136th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (137th in leap years). ...
1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated like the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal. // Events January Bill Clinton January 1 : North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect. ...
Paul Wight, Jr. ...
Yokozuna Asashoryu (center) performing the ring-entering ceremony while flanked by a sword bearer on the left and dew sweeper on the right. ...
Akebono Taro (曙太郎, born May 8, 1969 as Chad Haaheo Rowan) is a former Sumo wrestler. ...
Yokozuna then had to deal with the "rebirth" of the Undertaker, who immediately came after the foe who had taken him out of action. The two met in another casket match at the 1994 Survivor Series, this time with actor/karate expert Chuck Norris as the special referee to keep the other heel wrestlers away from ringside. Without their help (although Irwin R. Schyster (I.R.S.) did successfully interfere on Yokozuna's behalf), Yokozuna could not win and eventually ended up locked inside the casket. This was Yokozuna's last main event run in the WWF for a time, as he wrestled only briefly on the mid-card before taking some time off. Chuck Norris. ...
Lawrence Michael Rotunda, better known as Mike Rotunda, or Mike Rotundo, is an American professional wrestler. ...
In April 1995, Owen Hart began promising that he would have a great tag-team partner to face off against the Smoking Gunns at Wrestlemania XI for the WWF Tag Team Titles. At the event, Yokozuna became known as his partner, and the surprisingly diverse tag team managed to take out the Gunns and take away the gold. The two would remain a tough tag team for a few months, defending against teams like the Allied Powers (Luger & Davey Boy Smith), the Smoking Gunns, and others. Still, by this point it was obvious that Yokozuna was no longer in great shape, having gained too much weight. Hart carried the team, much like Haku carried the Colossal Connection when André the Giant was faltering. In September 1995, Yokozuna teamed up with Davey Boy Smith to take on Shawn Michaels and Diesel (the back story being that Hart was supposedly with his wife as she gave birth to one of their children) with the belts on the line. During the match, Owen Hart came to the ring, only to be pinned by Diesel. The next day, due to protests from the team, President Gorilla Monsoon reluctantly returned the belts to Yokozuna & Hart, since Hart was not an official part of the match. Unfortunately for the team, their second reign was much shorter, as the Smoking Gunns defeated them that night for the belts. This put an end to the team, with both going their separate ways. Owen James Hart (May 7, 1965 – May 23, 1999) was a Canadian professional wrestler and entertainer. ...
Wrestlemania XI, was the eleventh annual WrestleMania pay-per-view event held by World Wrestling Entertainment (then known as the World Wrestling Federation) in Hartford, Connecticut on April 2, 1995. ...
The World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship. ...
David Smith (November 27, 1962 – May 17, 2002) was a British professional wrestler from Wigan, who competed as The British Bulldog and Davey Boy Smith. ...
Uliuli Fifita was a professional wrestler for both World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation. ...
André the Giant (May 19, 1946 – January 27, 1993) was a professional wrestler and actor, born André René Roussimoff in Grenoble, France. ...
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom, (born on July 22, 1965 at Williams Air Force Base, now part of Chandler, Arizona) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Shawn Michaels. ...
Kevin Scott Nash (born July 9, 1959 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American professional wrestler and actor. ...
Robert Gino Marella. ...
Yokozuna would have little continued success in the WWF. He competed in the 1996 Royal Rumble match, managing to eliminate three wrestlers (Bob Backlund, King Mabel, and Swat Team member #2) before being tossed by Shawn Michaels, the eventual winner. Soon after, Yokozuna dropped Jim Cornette and Mr. Fuji and began a short face stint, speaking English to the fans and challenging newcomer Vader to numerous matches. The feud took a painful turn a few months later, when Vader jumped on Yokozuna's leg, supposedly breaking it. A forklift had to come down to ringside to lift Yokozuna out, showing how his weight had gotten out of control. He took some time off to slim down, then reappeared at the Free for All just before SummerSlam 1996, facing off against a relative newcomer in Stone Cold Steve Austin. Yokozuna took the advantage near the end of the match, but when he went for the Banzai Drop, the rope broke, sending him crashing back down. Austin attained the easy victory. He would appear at one more WWF pay-per-view, still going after Vader in the 1996 Survivor Series, but that match ended with all remaining wrestlers being disqualified, a very strange ending. Bob Backlund (born August 14, 1949) is a former American professional wrestler and minor politician. ...
Nelson Frazier, Jr. ...
Leon Allen White (born May 14, 1957), better known under his ring names Big Van Vader or Vader, was one of the most successful professional wrestlers of the 1990s. ...
Steven James Anderson-Williams (born December 18, 1964 in Victoria, Texas), better known by his stage name Stone Cold Steve Austin, is an actor and professional wrestler. ...
Leon Allen White (born May 14, 1957), better known under his ring names Big Van Vader or Vader, was one of the most successful professional wrestlers of the 1990s. ...
Yokozuna stayed on the WWF roster for a while afterwards, as he worked to lose the weight that he had put on. Despite dropping a reported 100 pounds (45 kg), though, he still could not lose enough to satisfy the WWF officials. He was also unable to pass a physical required for professional wrestlers by the New York State Athletic Commission. He was eventually released from the WWF in 1998, although rumors persisted for many years that he would be brought back if he lost enough weight. Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area Ranked 27th - Total 54,520 sq. ...
After his WWF career ended, he performed for various independent promotions. The last major appearance for Yokozuna was at October 1999's Heroes of Wrestling pay-per-view, where he looked massively overweight compared to his WWF days. At the event, Yokozuna tagged with a very sluggish Jake "The Snake" Roberts against the team of King Kong Bundy and Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart.-1...
Heroes of Wrestling was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event that took place on October 10, 1999 at Casino Magic in Bay St. ...
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. ...
Chris Pallies (born November 7, 1957 in Atlantic City, New Jersey) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy. ...
James Henry (Jim) Neidhart (born February 8, 1956 in Tampa, Florida, United States of America), is a professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation as Jim The Anvil Neidhart. ...
Death Anoai died of a massive heart attack while on a wrestling tour in Liverpool, England; his obesity was likely a major factor in his premature death. His last opponent was Shinjiro Ohtani. Anoai had only recently turned thirty-four years old. A myocardial infarction occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque slowly builds up in the inner lining of a coronary artery and then suddenly ruptures, totally occluding the artery and preventing blood flow downstream. ...
Liverpool waterfront by night, as seen from the Wirral. ...
Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid...
Shinjiro Ohtani & Koji Kanemoto dropkick each other ShinjirŠŌtani (大谷晋二郎, born 21 July 1972 in Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi) is a Japanese professional wrestler. ...
Wrestling details
Finishing and signature moves Rey Mysterio performing one of many aerial techniques to Dvon Dudley Aerial techniques are used in professional wrestling to show of the speed and agility of a wrestler. ...
Attacking maneuvers in professional wrestling are mainly used to wear down an opponent for a submission hold, or set up for a throw. ...
A suplex is an offensive move used in wrestling, both in competitive sport wrestling, including Olympic and collegiate wrestling, and professional wrestling. ...
Attacking maneuvers in professional wrestling are mainly used to wear down an opponent for a submission hold, or set up for a throw. ...
Managers Harry Fujiwara aka Mr. ...
Jim Cornette James Cornette, better known by his stage name James E. Cornette, which is often shortened to Jim Cornette (born September 17, 1961 in Louisville, Kentucky) is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. ...
Championships and accomplishments -
- PWI ranked him # 145 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- Rodney won the PWI Most Improved Wrestler Award in 1993.
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- 1-Time UWA Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with Fatu & Tama)
Hulk Hogan on the cover of the November 1994 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated. ...
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ...
1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...
Official Royal Rumble logo. ...
John Cenas customized version of the WWE Championship, April 2005-present. ...
The World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship. ...
Owen James Hart (May 7, 1965 – May 23, 1999) was a Canadian professional wrestler and entertainer. ...
Indy is short for independent and is sometimes spelled indie. ...
Solofa Fatu, Jr. ...
Tama is: 1089 Tama, an asteroid Tama may be a person or being: Tama Chan, turtle mascot from Ken Akamatsus anime and manga Love Hina Sam Fatu, a professional wrestler, uses this name amongst others Tama Janowitz, an American writer Tama Nui-Te-Ra, the solar deity in Polynesian...
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