Who Is Akebono Tarō? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Akebono Tarō, born on May 8, 1969, was a groundbreaking American-born Japanese sumo wrestler who transitioned into a celebrated professional wrestling career. As of 2025, Akebono would be 55 years old. His journey from Hawaii to becoming a top-ranked rikishi in Japan is a testament to his dedication and skill. Known for breaking barriers, Akebono was not only the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to reach the rank of yokozuna but also made a significant impact in professional wrestling, and his legacy continues to inspire many.
| Occupation | Basketball Players |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | May 8, 1969 |
| Age | 54 Years |
| Birth Place | Waimānalo, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
| Country | Japan |
| Date of death | 1 April, 2024 |
| Died Place | Tokyo, Japan |
Popularity
Akebono Tarō's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Akebono Tarō stood impressively tall at 6 feet 8 inches (203 cm) and often competed at a weight of around 450 pounds (204 kg) during his prime. His formidable size and strength contributed significantly to his success in sumo wrestling, where physicality is as important as technique. His body stats helped him dominate the ring and left a lasting impression on fans and opponents alike.
Akebono was one of the tallest sumo wrestlers ever, at 203 cm tall, and also one of the heaviest with a peak weight of 233 kg in March 1999. He was also one of the most aggressive and ferocious sumo wrestlers.
Despite having long legs, considered a disadvantage in sumo as it tends to make one top heavy and susceptible to throws, he covered for this by training exceptionally hard, and using his long reach to thrust his opponents out of the dohyō (ring).
In his prime, he had incredible thrusting strength and on many occasions would blast lesser wrestlers out of the ring in one or two strokes using tsuppari techniques. His most common winning kimarite was oshi-dashi, a simple push out, and he also regularly won by tsuki-dashi, the thrust out.
In later years he also used his reach to more often grab his opponent's mawashi, or belt, and then use his weight and power to force the opponent from the ring by yori-kiri. He liked a migi-yotsu, or left hand outside, right hand inside grip, and was fond of using his left hand to employ uwatenage, or overarm throw.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
While Akebono has always kept his personal life relatively private, it is known that he has been in relationships over the years. As of 2025, he is rumored to be in a steady relationship, although specific details about his girlfriend remain undisclosed. Akebono has one child, which he proudly shares on occasion, emphasizing the importance of family in his life post-wrestling career.
Akebono debuted in Hustle in 2007, being the storyline son of Yinling and The Great Muta. Under the name Monster Bono, Akebono was introduced being unrealistically born from a giant egg before easily defeating RG in his first bout.
After that, Monster Bono (who had a simple, childlike personality), under the control of his mother, entered the service of Takada Monster Army and competed against several other wrestlers in a winning streak.
Due to the constant abuse from Yinling, and wanting to meet his father, Monster Bono rebelled against it and left the Monster Army, changing his name to Bono-chan and allying with A-chan and Yoshie-chan to form a sumo-style face stable.
Soon after, Yinling faced Bono-chan and demanded that he return to the Monster Army, but the outcome of the battle was a victory for Bono-chan, and Yinling (kayfabe) died under his weight. In retaliation to this, Toshiaki Kawada and Mr.
Kawada (Toshiaki's elder father) scheduled a match between them and Bono and his father, The Great Muta, at Hustlemania 2008. Bono and Muta came victorious, but were attacked by The Esperanza, leading Muta to sacrifice himself to drag Esperanza to the underworld.
Without his parents, Bono-chan changed his name to Bono-kun as a sign of maturity and joined the Hustle Army, making a promo based on that of Barack Obama campaign slogan "Yes, We Hustle".
Later in Hustle Aid, before his scheduled match with Genichiro Tenryu against Arma & Geddon, Bono had a strange dream and transformed into The Great Bono, his last stage of maturity. After The Great Bono defeated their opponents with forcefulness, Hustle announced he was leaving to search for his father.
Net Worth and Salary
Akebono Tarō has amassed a considerable fortune throughout his career. In 2025, his net worth is estimated to be around $8 million. His wealth comes not only from his time in sumo wrestling but also his successful ventures in professional wrestling, endorsements, and various business investments. With earnings accumulated over decades, Akebono enjoys a comfortable lifestyle and is known to actively support several charitable causes.
Akebono left the Sumo Association in November 2003 to join K-1. The decision was influenced by financial problems due to the failure of his restaurant, among other financial difficulties. His koenkai, or supporters network, had dissolved after his marriage in 1998, depriving him of a valuable source of income.
In addition, he earned far less as an oyakata than he had as a yokozuna. K-1 offered him a chance to clear his debts by fighting for them.
Career, Business, and Investments
Akebono began his wrestling career in sumo, quickly rising through the ranks. After retiring from sumo in 2001, he transitioned to professional wrestling, making a name for himself in organizations like WWE and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Beyond the ring, Akebono has ventured into acting and has made several television appearances, showcasing his charisma and broadening his appeal. He has also invested in business ventures, including restaurants and fitness centers, contributing to his financial portfolio.
One of the tallest and heaviest wrestlers ever, Akebono's rivalry with the young Japanese hopefuls, Takanohana and Wakanohana, was a big factor in the increased popularity of sumo at tournament venues and on TV in the early 1990s.
During his eight years at the yokozuna rank, Akebono won a further eight tournament championships, for a career total of eleven, and was a runner-up on thirteen other occasions, despite suffering several serious injuries. Although his rival yokozuna Takanohana won more tournaments in this period, their individual head-to-heads remained very close.
Social Network
Akebono Tarō maintains an active presence on social media platforms, where he connects with fans and shares glimpses of his life post-retirement. He is particularly active on Instagram and Twitter, where he posts about his daily experiences, training tips, and occasional throwbacks to his wrestling glory days. By engaging with his followers, Akebono continues to build his brand and stays relevant in the public eye.
At the time of his debut, Akebono was involved in a highly publicized matchup at K-1 Premium 2003 against popular superheavyweight fighter Bob Sapp.
The combined popularity of Sapp and Akebono attracted a crowd of 45,000 to the Nagoya Dome and granted the event a 43% viewership, making it the first time a combat sports event outdrew the NHK music festival Kōhaku Uta Gassen, Japan's traditionally biggest New Year show.
The classical matchup of an American foreigner like Sapp against a Japanese national like Taro, a cultural contraposition, also gained comparisons with Japanese professional wrestling legend Rikidōzan in his bouts against The Sharpe Brothers. The match was short and intense.
Outweighing Sapp by over 150 pounds, Akebono pushed him toward the ring corners with energetic, fast punches, but his stamina fell minutes into the round. The more experienced Sapp then attacked him with low kicks and punching combinations to the head and body, knocking the yokozuna down twice before finishing him by KO at 2:58.
Education
Akebono attended school in Hawaii before moving to Japan to pursue his wrestling career. Although he didn't pursue higher education in the traditional sense, his life experiences have been his greatest teacher. He has often spoken about the importance of discipline and dedication, values that he embodies and promotes through various public speaking engagements and interviews.
He grew up with two younger brothers, one of whom, Ola, also became a sumo wrestler for a brief period after Chad. He attended Kaiser High School, where he played basketball and became an all-star center. He went to Hawaii Pacific University on a basketball scholarship, but sat out his freshman season.
