Taro Akebono, the first foreign-born yokozuna and later a mixed martial artist and pro wrestler, died of heart failure in early April at a hospital near Tokyo, according to a source close to him.

Akebono was raised in Hawaii and became the first foreign-born sumo star to reach the level of "yokozuna," or grand champion Charlotte Phillipp is a Weekend Writer-Reporter at PEOPLE. She has been ...

Taro Akebono, the first non-Japanese yokozuna grand champion sumo wrestler, has died Taro Akebono, the first foreign sumo wrestler, died at the age of 54. Born Chad Rowan in Hawaii, he shattered ...

Imagine stepping into the MMA ring with a former sumo wrestling legend who towers over you by a good foot and weighs nearly ...

Akebono became the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to ever reach the grand champion status of Yokozuna, the highest rank in sumo. The world is mourning the loss of Akebono Taro, one of Hawaii’s ...