Akebono Tarō

Akebono Tarō (born Chad Rowan, May 8, 1969) is a Hawaiian professional wrestler and former Sumo wrestler. Akebono is most well known to American fans for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2005, where he faced The Big Show in a Sumo match at WrestleMania 21.
== Career ==
==In wrestling==
*Finishing moves
**Banzai Drop (Corner slingshot seated senton) – 2006–2007; adopted from Rodney Anoa'i
**M64 (Falling hip toss to an oncoming opponent)
**Muso (Waist-lift side slam) – 2012–present; adopted from Takeshi Rikio
**Yokozuna Drop / Japanese Drop (Samoan drop, sometimes from the second rope)
**Yokozuna Impact (Jumping piledriver) – 2013–present
**Yokozuna Press
*Signature moves
**Asian mist – adopted from The Great Muta
**Baseball slide
**Bearhug
**Body avalanche
**Bono Bomber (Spinning side slam) – 2007; parodied from Milano Collection A.T.
**Chokeslam
**Flashing Elbow (Running twisting elbow drop) – adopted from The Great Muta
**Hip toss
**Lariat
**Leg drop
**Makai Otoshi (Delayed brainbuster)
**Running elbow drop
**Shoulder block
*With Taiyo Kea
**Double team finishing moves
***Volcano Splash (Akebono performs a diving splash with Kea on his back)
*With Takeshi Rikio
**Double team finishing moves
***Rikibono Splash 63 (Akebono performs a diving splash with Rikio on his back)
*With Shinjiro Otani
**Double team finishing moves
***Dai Funka (Missile dropkick by Otani followed by a Yokozuna Press by Akebono)
***Dai Kazan Press (Akebono performs a diving splash with Otani on his back)
*Entrance themes
**"Time to Fight"
*Teams and stables
**Partisan Forces
**SMOP
**ZERO64
== Championships and accomplishments ==
*All Japan Pro Wrestling
**AJPW Triple Crown Championship (2 times)
**AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (2 times) with Ryota Hama (2)
**AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (2 times) with Taiyo Kea (1) and Yutaka Yoshie (1)
**Champion Carnival (2015)
**2 January Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal (2010)
*Dragon Gate
**Open The Triangle Gate Championship (1 time) with Masaaki Mochizuki and Don Fujii (1)
*Dramatic Dream Team
**DDT KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Sanshiro Takagi and Toru Owashi (1)
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
**Ranked No. 115 of the top 500 wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2006
*Pro Wrestling Zero1
**NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (3 times) with Shinjiro Otani (1), Daisuke Sekimoto (1), and Shogun Okamoto (1)
**NWA World Premium Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
**Zero1 World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
**Furinkazan (2009) with Shinjiro Otani
*Tokyo Sports
**Best Tag Team Award (2005) with Keiji Mutoh
**Best Tag Team Award (2009) with Ryota Hama
**Newcomer of the Year Award (2005)
==External links==
* Profile
Category:Hawaiian wrestlers
Category:1969 births
Category:2005 debuts
Category:All Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Big Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Dragon Gate alumni
Category:Dragon Gate USA alumni
Category:Dramatic Dream Team alumni
Category:FREEDOMS alumni
Category:HUSTLE alumni
Category:Kyushu Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Michinoku Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:New Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Osaka Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Pro Wrestling NOAH alumni
Category:Pro Wrestling ZERO1 alumni
Category:Real Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Tenryu Project alumni
Category:Toryumon Mexico alumni
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment alumni
Category:Wrestling New Classic alumni
Category:Living people
Category:Asistencia Asesoría y Administración alumni
Category:Cho Sento Puroresu FMW alumni
Category:Oudou alumni
Category:Tokyo Gurentai alumni
Category:WRESTLE-1 alumni
Category:Male wrestlers
Category:Former sumo wrestlers
Category:Actors
Category:All Asia Tag Team Champions
Category:AJPW Triple Crown Champions
pt:Akebono Tarō