Akebono’s Final Yūshō
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Rest in peace Chadwick Haheo Rowan AKA Akebono Tarō 1969-2024
In sumo, it is almost unheard of that a rikishi bow out at the top of their game. For most, the years leading up to retirement are marked by a slow and arduous waning of strength and spirit, until no other option remains. In the case of sumo’s first foreign-born Yokozuna, however, the final year of his career marked a remarkable return-to-form.
Akebono had bulldozed his way to sumo’s top rank some seven years prior, equipped with an anomalous brand of oshizumo made possible by his unprecedented stature. Standing 6’8” tall and weighing around 500lbs, the young Akebono would regularly claim victory with no more than a couple extensions of his long arms, backed by the power of his tremendous bulk.
Unfortunately, this extreme size would contribute to a variety of injuries over the years that saw the Yokozuna’s power rise and fall intermittently. During the final two years of the 1990s, Akebono was unable to claim a single top-division championship, and was forced to sit out on five separate occasions. By the start of the new millennium, however, the Yokozuna came roaring back with what one could fairly argue was the strongest sumo of his career. After adapting a more balanced grappling style during the middle part of the last decade, Akebono returned to his roots, exploding out of the tachiai with arms outstretched, once again sending his foes flying out of the ring. In the November tournament of 2000, following a surprise defeat to a quick-thinking Wakanosato on day 3, Akebono proceeded to demolish all of the sport’s top-rankers in a completely one-sided display of dominance, finishing with a 14-1 record and taking home the Emperor’s Cup for the 11th and final time. In his final five tournaments as a Yokozuna, Akebono claimed three jun-yūshō and two yūshō, scoring no less than 12 wins in any of those contests. After sitting out the first basho of the new year, he would announce his retirement.
Пікірлер: 189
Timestamps 0:22 Akebono vs Hayateumi 0:44 Akebono vs Akinoshima 1:08 Akebono vs Wakanosato 1:40 Akebono vs Takanonami 1:55 Akebono vs Higonoumi 2:21 Akebono vs Wakanoyama 2:35 Akebono vs Tochinohana 3:00 Akebono vs Musoyama 3:17 Akebono vs Chiyotenzan 3:40 Akebono vs Miyabiyama 4:12 Akebono vs Chiyotaikai 4:39 Akebono vs Dejima 4:55 Akebono vs Kaio 5:17 Akebono vs Takanohana 5:40 Akebono vs Musashimaru
@detimuliawati339
Жыл бұрын
l maan
Seeing people come back to this after Akebono’s passing is truly heartwarming. Rest in peace Akebono ❤
RIP to the Sumo Legend
I watched sumo as a kid and Akebono was definitely one of the rikishi that I really admired. RIP Akebono. Thank you for all the work you put into the sumo world. 🙏
RIP AKEBONO., THANK U FOR REPRESENTING HAWAII IN SUMO 🤙🏽
RIP Akebono Tarō (May 8, 1969 - April 11, 2024), aged 54 You will be remembered as a legend
I remember the good old times with Eurosport. Offering Sumo and F1... How times have changed
RIP. Akebono will forever remain the legend of sumo.
Those face sketches are great! Wish they still did this
@John-zj9ur
Жыл бұрын
Do you know anything about who made them or when they stopped?
@TonyPstunts
Жыл бұрын
RIGHT?! I loved this!
@Path.82
10 ай бұрын
Yes,
He truly was a GIANT grand champion. One of the best this sport has seen in many years.
@JonDaGuy
2 ай бұрын
i always believed Ichinojo could develop into a similar rikishi. very sad he has retired.
RIP Akebono 🤙🏽🙏🏽
Akebono really was a freak of nature in his Sumo days, the difference in how he could move back then and when he retired and fought in K-1/MMA is like night and day.
I watched this era of sumo back in the 90's as a child with my father. Still love sumo. These huge guys would still dominate today lot of amazing wrestlers at this time.
@JonDaGuy
Жыл бұрын
I agree 100%.
Rest in Peace Akebono 😔
RIP Akebono.
RIP, AKEBONO TARO
rip akebono❤️
So many 90s memories on Eurosport! RIP Legend!!! ❤🌸
I wish I was into sumo in this time! Akebono was quite the yokozuna.
@mikesands4681
2 жыл бұрын
1994-2000 was a great age of sumo
@roberthale8407
Жыл бұрын
@@mikesands4681 Yes it was indeed. I met Akebono at the New Sanno after he retired and he is HUGE, I'm 6'4" and 28 and he made me feel small. Great person. Great smile.
@whisperthebull6707
Жыл бұрын
I lived in Japan from 94-96. It was a great time for Sumo. Akebono, Takanohana, Mushashimaru.
I love, love, LOVE the fact they took the time to create little caricatures for their wrestler intro as opposed to just a name. Really humanized the experience and great attention to detail.
Akebono was at the top of his game when I was living in Japan. Rest well warrior.
RIP Akebono. One of the most successful sumo wrestlers.
Legend to the sport. And the first Yokozuna that introduced me to sumo (besides E.Honda). He was like the final boss of sumo back then. The kingpin. Rest in peace big man.
It's so nostalgic to see the Eurosport logo up there in the corner and hear this guys voice.
@rupertkennedy7964
2 жыл бұрын
MINKEY BOODLE!
RIP Sumo King 横綱曙
Rip 😭 Akebono Tarō (1969-2024)
Met him two times, once in Tokyo New Sanno Hotel, working out at the gym there and once here in Okinawa, Nice guy with really big hands, American name is Chad Rowan.
@shinankoku2
Ай бұрын
Truly a Chad!
RIP legend, I first know about him in MMA fight, true warrior
RIP Akebono
What a tournament - he was so dominant. He became a Komusubi when I lived in Japan from 1989-91, as I recall. The Wolf was in his twilight years as Yokozuna. Always enjoyed his battles, and his sheer mass.
Chad is one hell of a guy and one of the most awesome Yokozuna to have ever graced the world stage.
RIP Legend!
Rest in peace
What a crazy era, Sanyaku fighting each other in the first week! Would've loved to gone to Sumo matches when Akebono and Musashimaru were active!
@davidsachs4883
2 жыл бұрын
More recently there was a time with six Ozeki. Combined with Hakuho, two S and two K made for 11 titled wrestlers. That would make 10 out 15 opponents titled. They had to start with the top competition in the first week.
@B3Band
Жыл бұрын
Well there were three yokozuna and like 37 ozeki so they had no choice lol
Akebono😢😢😢😢
Heard a sumo podcaster describe Akebono as the greatest Oshi sumo practitioner of all time and watching this I agree. In spite of his size he was so lightning fast on getting inside with those thrusts and followed lateral charges with scary accuracy. What a legend. Rest in peace.
Akebono had height and weight going for him. Just a mountain of a man. But EXTREMELY explosive and agile for his immense size. By far one of THE BEST sumo wrestlers of all time in my humble opinion.
I remember when ESPN would show sumo competitions in the late 90s dance early 2000s, and I really enjoyed it. I was a Kaio fan and always upset he never got to Yokozuna. I saw something written once where somebody called him one of the greatest Ozeki to never make Yokozuna.
大相撲では、白鵬さんと同様に応援していました。引退されてから、ボブサップさんとの試合、ハッスルでのグレート'ボノ大仁田さんとの電流マッチなど多彩にご活躍をされて凄いなと思っておりました。非常に残念です。ご冥福をお祈りします。
(Did Akebono tried a Henka on Takanohana? It looks as if he sidestepped in the taichiai and tried to push Taka out.) But in all honesty and seriousness, Akebono was kind of my hero. He was Yokozuna when I got interested in sumo and I was totally impressed by this giant. Maybe he wasn't a really technical wrestler, but his raw power was very impressive. And in the end it doesn't matter what technique he used, the other wrestlers were powerless against him. Sa sad that he passed away at such a youg age and had so many medical issues in his last years. He couldn't remember his sumo career, and that's really tragic. It was a huge part of his life and as all top sports go, you sacrifice a lot to get at the top, and it's something you have to cherish for the rest of your life and then it's sad that you have no memory of it. A huge loss for the sumo family.
Akebono had the best tsuppari in the recent history of sumo.
@JonDaGuy
2 ай бұрын
truly a one of a kind rikishi
RIP Chad Rowan.
I'm not really a fan of pusher thrusters but I like how Akebono did it. He had that long reach/gait and used it to his advantage. Those arms would reach his opponent before they could get to him at the tachiai and then he would just drive forward with those long powerful legs and it was a wrap. Such a simple technique but it was extremely effective. I think if Abi gained some serious bulk and strength, he could very well be close to matching Akebono.
@swoz_
2 жыл бұрын
Akebono had all that reach, but also he was 6'8'' and over 500lb. So he enormous, very strong and hard to move.
@JonDaGuy
2 жыл бұрын
I think Ichinojo could be an excellent thruster I’m sure it would be easier on his back than his current strategy as well
@swoz_
2 жыл бұрын
@@JonDaGuy Ive thought a lot about that too. It seems like it would benefit him a lot.
@JonDaGuy
2 жыл бұрын
@@swoz_ He's still got time to improve. I think with a change in strategy and mindset he could easily be an ozeki level performer
@duende29
2 жыл бұрын
Abi has speed on his side but this tactic also needs the inertia. Abi can force their heads up but Akebono pushed the whole man and sent them flying back.
This is amazing. Akebono was a physical gift for sumo, I wish he managed his weight better. Maybe his prime would have been extended.
@drew4564
Жыл бұрын
Nah he was right where he needed to be, he just had the toughest competition of any sumo wrestler with the hana brothers and musashimaru every tournament
I remember this I was 8 years old I was such a huge fan of akebono
RIP Akebono taro
Damn Akebono, Musashimaru and Takanohana facing each other. What a time to be a fan of sumo. It's a shame they were just a little too old when Asashoryu came round, those bouts could have been cool as fuck to watch.
increible , AKEBONO the FAST KILLER el mejor!! hawaiano puro!
thanks for the video. an amazing Yokozuna
Thanks for posting this. I first saw sumo in Japan in 2012 and have been a fan ever since. I've heard of Akebono, so seeing him in action was very cool
really wish they’d bring back those little drawings
Oh my god those little drawn faces of them!
I only learnt of his death as he was featured in Legacy 2024 2nd week of April. I've been following Akebono Taro's career since his Sumo bouts and all the way into the Rizin ring.
RIP Giant!
This man make me a sumo fan…
Thanks for putting up this video, Jon! I remember this basho well and it brings back some great memories! I began watching sumo in 1995 when the Sumo jungyo in Paris Berci was aired live on Eurosport and they subsequently started broadcasting the honbasho. Eurosport used to show highlights of each honbaso about 2 to 3 weeks after the fact, dividing each basho into 5 broadcasts that each covered 3 days. In the beginning I used to watch with Dutch audio commentary, where they had a very enthusiastic and inspiring commentator named Frans Henrichs who used to be an ice hockey and motorsports commentator before also moving on to commentating on Judo and Sumo. He really inspired me to get into watching Sumo and when he suddenly died of a heart attack aged 71 in 1999 and I could not stand his successors as Dutch language commentators on Eurospots' Sumo broadcasts I switched to the English commentary where I found the commentator you hear in this broadcast, Sid Hoare (who used to be in Judo), to be quite knowledgeable and competent. When I started watching Sumo Akebono and Takanohana were the 2 yokozuna, with Takanohana just about reaching his peak and beginning to dominate significantly over Akebono (before that Akebono was the stronger of the two). Akebono was my favorite in that great rivalry. He not only had to contend with Takanohana every basho but also with Takanohana's strong Futagoyama-beya mates Wakanohana (his elder bother who also became yokozuna and had just retired earlier in 2000, 8 months before this clip you are showing here), Takanonami (longtime Ozeki), Takatoriki (father of current makuuchi rikishi Oho) who won his only yusho in March 2000, and Akinoshima . Towards the end of his career Akebono finally regained his mojo and indeed had a great finish in 2000 before sitting out the January 2001 basho and retiring.
@blahblah2779
Жыл бұрын
Nobody gives a fuck
My top 5 Sumo Wrestler Chionofuji,Akebono, Asashoryu,Takanohana, Haku.
@JonDaGuy
10 ай бұрын
Where do you rank my main man Tochinoshin?
Just overwhelming force. Even as a giant and a superheavyweight even by sumo standards, he could really move around.
@supersabrosinho
Жыл бұрын
Crazy how someone so massive can look so weak outside of sumo
Rest in peace big man
such a legend, would love to see Hokuseiho try to develop his sumo in Akebono's style. so few wrestlers have the height to even try
@janellek21
2 ай бұрын
Well that's not going to happen now :-(
RIP
The real E Honda
At 6'8" tall and 514 lb Akebono's sheer size and physicality overwhelmed most foes.
I think Akebono at his peak might be the most dominant yokozuna of all time. He didn't just beat his opponents, he made them look like CHILDREN. I'd love to see Akebono in his prime vs Hakuho in his prime.
Akebono Taro is amazing The only true sumo giant
2秒くらいで吹っ飛ばされてている力士率 高すぎで草。強すぎる。👍
Will you upload more videos like this one? I mean the most dominant performances from former Yokozunas, that would be really fun!
Good lord, Akebono pushing ozeki and yokozuna around like children.
Such an interesting and amazing sport! Thank you for this video.
@JonDaGuy
Жыл бұрын
If you are interested i highly recommended channels like Natto Sumo and Sumo Stew. Thanks gor watching
I remember these years as a kid.....such an amazing athlete
Got to meet him in 92 in Tokyo
Rip to the legend
It's the stablemaster of Futagoyama heya, former Ozeki Miyabiyama!
Did anyone assumed that, those image on right side of their name title are so accurate even though it just look like a simple drawing!
Akebono war echt ein Büffel, riesig groß und strotzend vor Kraft; genau so Musashimaru. 2 faszinierende Yokozuna!
曙が活躍した頃自分は小学生だったが、強くて怖いラスボスって感覚だったのを覚えているわ
legend
Akebono with that fearsome look! When I came to Japan, Wakanosato, Miyabiyama, Kaio, Shiyotaikai, and Asashoryu were some of the top sumo wrestlers. Akebono was already gone. Musashimaru broke his wrist and had to retire.
AkeBoner!!!
I cannot imagine the fear that would be in you while squaring up with the monster that is Akebono. Sheer terror.
Was that 4 ozeki and 2 Yokozuna he beat?? I mean both Yokozuna are Dai-Yokozuna too. Wow
@ricmndy1
2 жыл бұрын
5 Ozeki .. Musoyama, Miyabiyama, Chiyotaikai, Deijima and Kaio
@JonDaGuy
2 жыл бұрын
Amazing time for sumo
@mikesands4681
2 жыл бұрын
i remeber when Musashimaru, akebono, takanohana and wakanohana were all yokozuna. it was wild in the sanryaku level
@venox3811
2 жыл бұрын
@@mikesands4681 Golden age of Sumo
weird to see him fighting an ozeki on day 8
@ricmndy1
2 жыл бұрын
There were 5 of them at the time plus 2 other Yokozuna had to happen
Rip
5:57 that guy in in the blue lost but he is strong asf to hold that position lol
@shinankoku2
Ай бұрын
Musashimaru. He held the Yokozuna rank, too (meaning he was a total badass). I always liked the ‘forlorn warrior’ look he had on his face.
splendid
How many ozeki were there? damn
Wow Tochinohana had full momentum on Akebono and he got a full stop from Chad.
Man, to do the throws even the pre-fight Shiko is no easy feat, you really need good balance...And Sumo wrestlers have good footwork
It ' s a question of balance !
wow three Yukozonas in that basho and May 2022 only one
do you have Takanohanas Final Yusho ?
Ake was so dominant. Dwarfed all the other rikishi with few exceptions.
That Wakanosato won a round was cool asf
Who makes the strange little drawings? Are those official?
@JonDaGuy
Жыл бұрын
It was part of the Eurosport broadcast
@John-zj9ur
Жыл бұрын
@@JonDaGuy Thanks. When I first started watching, they were using these really strange mugshot-type photographs. But they don't even use those anymore. I just find that stuff really interesting.
I wonder why the coaches of their stables don't do more to control the weight of wrestlers. Akebono did not need to be that heavy. He would have been just as strong and powerful 70 pounds lighter and it might have extended his career.
@Agave310
2 жыл бұрын
Sumo wrestlers historically have not been huge guys. Only the last few decades have they been just large dudes. But seems to be going back to the strength lately. Hakuho was fit and strong, not huge. Wakatakakage is smaller too and wins.
@CRAZYHORSE19682003
2 жыл бұрын
@@Agave310 I get what you are saying but it doesn't address my point. Take Konishiki for example. He made it to Ozeki and came close to making it to Yokozuna all while being way to fat and immobile. If you look at his earlier days when we was around 400-420 pounds he was amazingly mobile and strong. If his stable master would have insisted he stay at a certain fighting weight I am sure he would have made it to Yokozuna and been very dominant.
@HkFinn83
Жыл бұрын
@@CRAZYHORSE19682003 I think it’s to do with the fact that the guys that are even genetically capable of getting to those enormous sizes are very prone to weight gain, obvs. And Akebono was Polynesian. Islanders are extremely predisposed to weight gain.
@drew4564
Жыл бұрын
He's a Samoan they are supposed to be big
da fuq makebono ( :p ) was a beast!
So why did he retire at the top of his shape?
@JonDaGuy
Жыл бұрын
Mostly injury and health related reasons. Being a 6 foot 8 nearly 500 pound monster among men is strenuous. Went out on top :)
😢😢😢😢😢😢
putin Akebono tu às fait le taffff sur great AKEBONO
Another 40kg and Am I could be a lot like this. Big long thrusts with a lot of oomph behind them.