"Rest in Peace" - Fans offer their condolences as sumo legend and MMA fighter Akebono Taro passes away

Akebono Taro aka Chad Rowan has passed away due to heart failure.

Akebono was the first foreign-born sumo wrestler to achieve the level of yokozuna as the Hawaiian reached a level in that sport tantamount to being a multi-time grand champion. He achieved this rank for the first time in 1993, won 11 subsequent grand tournaments in 2001, and then embarked on a myriad of shoots as well as worked combative sports.

Reddit users commented en-masse offer in their condolences to the passing of a larger-than-life figure both in terms of physical physique and overall profile as a martial artist.

@wizzlestyx said:

"Dang, he was a legend in his sport who crossed over to MMA. Rest in peace."

@Ekusoy86 stated:

"RIP legend. Used to watch him as a child"

[Images Courtesy: @MolokaiGamer thread on r/MMA Reddit]

Check out the referenced Akebono Taro Reddit tribute thread below:

Akebono Taro dies at 54 byu/MolokaiGamer inMMA

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Akebono Taro and his indelible legacy

The 54-year-old Akebono Taro had standout moments in kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and also professional wrestling.

Taro fought Bob Sapp in a massive kickboxing bout on a 2003 New Year's Eve card that generated a massive boom in interest as combat sports television events in conjunction with NYE celebrations.

Per Dave Meltzer of MMA Fighting, the Akebono vs Sapp kickboxing contest, that saw the latter garner a first-round KO win, garnered a viewing audience of 54 million people out of an overall population of 127 million in Japan.

Taro had several other notable New Year's Eve contests in subsequent names but under mixed martial arts rules. The sumo standout had bouts that were ratings juggernauts multi-time UFC tournament winner Royce Gracie, popular TV personality/ combat athlete Bobby Ologun, and former WWE/Pride FC star Paulo 'Giant' Silva.

Akebono also had a memorable trilogy in K1 against the titanic presence known as Hong Man Choi. His last shoot contest was a rematch in shoot boxing against Bob Sapp over a decade after their first fight. Sapp would win again but this time via a technical decision at the Rizin New Year's Eve event in 2015.

Speaking of pro wrestling, Akebono also had several notable moments within that medium. He performed for New Japan Pro Wrestling as well as All Japan Pro Wrestling with multiple instances holding the AJPW Triple Crown championship.

Also, Taro wrestled Big Show in a sumo showcase at Wrestlemania 21. His last pro wrestling match transpired in 2017 before health issues left him unable to return to the ring.