Rodney Anoai : Ask Biography

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Rodney Agatupu Anoa'i (October 2, 1966 � October 23, 2000) was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) where he wrestled under the ring name Yokozuna. The term yokozuna refers to the highest rank in professional sumo wrestling in Japan. Although the "Yokozuna" character was portrayed as a champion sumo wrestler, Anoa'i had never competed as an actual sumotori. Though Yokozuna wrestled as a representative of Japan, he was of Samoan origin and was accordingly billed as hailing from Polynesia (although he was managed by Mr. Fuji, who would follow Anoa'i to the ring with a wooden bucket of salt, and waving a Japanese flag).

In the WWF, Anoa'i was a two-time WWF Champion and two-time Tag Team Champion (with Owen Hart), as well as the winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble. Anoa'i was the first wrestler of Samoan descent to hold the WWF Championship as well as the first Royal Rumble winner to receive a world title shot at WrestleMania, as a result of a direct stipulation.

Yokozuna was one of the heaviest wrestlers of all time. When he entered wrestling he weighed just under 500 pounds and added padding on his legs to make himself look much bigger . Fueled by a continuous desire to become bigger and heavier, Yokozuna soon weighed over 600 pounds and removed the padding . His heaviest billed wrestling weight was 750 pounds, although it is believed he actually weighed somewhere close to 800 pounds and was still trying to increase his size. Yokozuna stood around 6 ft 0.5 in (1.8 m) barefooted.

Yokozuna (wrestler)

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