About
Former professional sumo wrestler most famous for becoming the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to earn the highest rank in sumo, also known as Yokozuna. He is one of the tallest and heaviest sumo wrestlers of all time and has earned 11 professional sumo championships throughout his career. He has also worked as a professional wrestler with numerous promotions including World Wrestling Entertainment, All Japan Pro Wrestling, and Hustle.
Before Fame
He was an All-Star center basketball player at Kaiser High School. After graduating, he earned a basketball scholarship and briefly attended Hawaii Pacific University. He initially planned for a career in hotel management but was introduced to sumo wrestling champion Takamiyama, who trained him for his professional debut in 1988.
Trivia
His sumo wrestling ring name, or shikona, is Akebono. It means "new dawn" in Japanese.
Family Life
He was of Hawaiian descent born to parents Randolph and Janice Rowan. He also had two younger brothers, one of whom also became a sumo wrestler. In 1998, he married Christiane Reiko Kalina, with whom he had two sons and one daughter.
Associated With
During his time with WWE in 2005, he faced up against well-known wrestlers Big Show, Carlos Colon, and Matt Morgan.
