Akebono: Profile, Career, Face/Heel Turns, Titles Won, Gimmick Evolution and Stats

On this page, you find the full wrestling profile of Akebono, with his Career History, real name, age, height and weight, the Promotions he worked for, all the Face/Heel turns, the Championship Titles he won, his Finishers, Theme Songs, Tag Teams and Stables, his appearance changes through the years, and more.

Akebono Tarō (曙太郎) (born Chadwick Haheo Rowan) was born in Waimanalō, Hawaii on May 8, 1969, and he is currently 54 years old.

In sumo wrestling, Akebono was the first non Japanese-born sumo wrestler to achieve the highest rank of yokozuna.

Profile Info

Gender Male

Real Name Akebono Tarō (曙太郎) (born Chadwick Haheo Rowan)

Ring Names

Bono-kun ( February 19, 2008 - July 26, 2009)
Bono-chan ( April 13, 2008 - January 28, 2009)
Akebono ( March 1, 1988 - August 22, 2017)

Born May 8, 1969 (age 54)

Nationality

Japan

United States

Birth Place Waimanalō, Hawaii

Billed From

Waimanalō, Hawaii ( August 4, 2005 - April 11, 2017)
Japan ( March 31, 2005 - August 3, 2005)

Height 6 ft 8 in (203 cm)

Weight

441 lbs (200 kg) ( March 31, 2005 - April 11, 2017)
514 lbs (233 kg) ( January 1, 1993 - January 31, 2001)

Notes In sumo wrestling, Akebono was the first non Japanese-born sumo wrestler to achieve the highest rank of yokozuna.

Career History

Roles

Promoter ( January 1, 2016 - August 22, 2017)
Wrestler ( March 31, 2005 - April 11, 2017)
MMA Fighter ( December 31, 2004 - December 31, 2006)

Companies / Promotions

Promotion	from	to
Promotion INDY	July 17, 2015	August 22, 2017
Promotion ZERO1	July 25, 2009	April 10, 2017
Promotion WRESTLE 1	January 10, 2016	March 20, 2017
Promotion AJPW	August 30, 2009	December 15, 2015
Promotion DG USA	October 29, 2010	October 30, 2010
Promotion DRAGON GATE	September 21, 2008	October 14, 2009
Promotion MICHINOKU	November 9, 2007	November 9, 2007
Promotion NJPWBrand Heavyweight	February 5, 2006	November 11, 2007
Promotion AJPW	August 4, 2005	January 8, 2006
Promotion WWE	March 31, 2005	July 2, 2005

Face / Heel Turns

Alignment	from	to
Tweener	July 27, 2009	Present
Face	March 21, 2008	July 26, 2009
Heel	September 22, 2007	March 20, 2008
Tweener	March 31, 2005	September 21, 2097

Images

Jul 2015

Aug 2009

Aug 2005

Mar 2005

Dec 2003

Jan 1993

Jul 1987

Finishers

M64 - Falling Hip Toss to an oncoming opponent ( March 31, 2005 - April 11, 2017)
Muso - Waist-lift Side Slam ( January 1, 2012 - April 11, 2017)
Yokozuna Drop / Japanese Drop - Samoan Drop, sometimes from the second rope ( March 31, 2005 - April 11, 2017)
Yokozuna Impact - Jumping piledriver ( March 31, 2005 - April 11, 2017)
Asian Mist ( March 31, 2005 - April 11, 2017)
Makai Otoshi - Delayed Brainbuster ( March 31, 2005 - April 11, 2017)
Volcano splash - with Taiyō Kea - Diving Splash by Akebono with Kea on his back ( May 16, 2010 - June 16, 2011)
Banzai Drop ( January 1, 2006 - December 31, 2007)
Bono Bomber - Spinning Side Slan ( January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2007)
Rikibino Splash 63 - with Takeshi Rikio - Diving Splash by Akebono with Rikio on his back ( January 22, 2006 - December 31, 2006)
Dai Funka - with Shinjiro Ohtani - Missile Dropkick by Otani followed by a Yokozuna Press by Akebono ( August 29, 2009 - October 19, 2010)
Dai Kazan Press - with Shinjiro Ohtani - Diving Splash by Akebono with Ohtani on his back ( August 29, 2009 - October 19, 2010)

Theme Songs

Theme Song "Time to Fight" by Kurt Kipapa - Single ( August 2, 2005 - April 11, 2017)
Theme Song "Makuuchi" by Jim Johnston - Single ( March 31, 2005 - July 2, 2005)

Titles & Accomplishments

Titles Won

All Japan Pro Wrestling

2 All Asia Tag Team Championship (with Ryota Hama)
2 Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
2 World Tag Team Championship (1 with Taiyō Kea, 1 with Yutaka Yoshie)

Dragon Gate

1 Dragon Gate Open the Triangle Gate Championship (with Masaaki Mochizuki & Don Fujii)

DDT Pro-Wrestling

1 KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship (with Sanshiro Takagi & Toru Owashi)

Pro Wrestling Zero1

3 NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (1 with Shinjiro Ohtani, 1 with Daisuke Sekimoto, 1 with Shogun Okamoto)
1 NWA Pan-Pacific Premium Heavyweight Championship
1 World Heavyweight Championship

Other Accomplishments

AJPW Champion Carnival Winner (2015)
AJPW January 2 Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (2010, 2015)
AJPW Ōdō Tournament Winner (2013)
Zero1 Furinkazan Winner (2009 - with Shinjiro Ohtani)
Black Belt Competitor of the Year (1993)
Tokyo Sports Best Tag Team Award (2005 - with Keiji Mutoh; 2009 - with Ryota Hama)
Tokyo Sports Newcomer Award (2005)

Relations

Tag Teams & Stables

ZERO64 - Takuya Sugawara, Daisuke Sekimoto, Mineo Fujita, Takafumi Ito ( May 27, 2012 - October 14, 2013)
SMOP - Ryota Hama ( March 14, 2009 - June 30, 2013)
Partisan Forces - Minoru Suzuki, Taiyō Kea / Maunakea Mossman, Masakatsu Funaki ( May 16, 2010 - June 16, 2011)
KAZAN - Shinjiro Ohtani ( August 29, 2009 - December 19, 2010)