Hawaii 5-0 Sumotori; DB question

[Washuyama 662]

After watching Hawaii 5-0 the other night, I was sure this guy was a former sumotori:

After a little research, he is Taylor Wily. A Hawaiian who was an active rikishi from '87 to '89. The DB has him listed as Takamishu http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=1382

No other shikona listed for him. A forum query showed nothing, which I found odd, so I cracked open my SW collection. I'm missing a few issues, but found a two-page feature of him in the March '89 issue with the shikona Takamikuni (no mention of Takamishu, but as I don't read kanji, am unsure if the shikona was misread or what.)

Interesting career, taking the Jk and Jd yusho with zensho. A couple 4-3s and a 5-2 pushed him to Ms55 where he again went zensho yusho. Rising a few basho later to Ms2E, went 3-4 then.... nothing. two 0-0-7s and intai.

Anybody familiar with the story?

FYI: He also fought in UFC 1 under the name "Teila Tuli" and lost in the quarter-finals to Gerard Gordeau.

[Gaijingai 1,664]

From Wikipedia:

In March 1987, Tuli was recruited by former sekiwake Takamiyama, another Hawaiian, and joined Azumazeki stable, which Takamiyama had founded the previous year. He was given the sumo name of Takamishu. He was unbeaten in his first 14 official bouts, winning two consecutive yūshō or tournament championships. Weighing nearly 200 kg (440 lb), he was one of the largest wrestlers in sumo. In March 1988, he was promoted to the third highest makushita division, and became the first foreign born wrestler to ever win the championship in that division. In the same month, future yokozuna Akebono, also from Hawaii, joined Azumazeki stable. As the highest ranking wrestler in the stable, Takamishu was a mentor to Akebono and gave him advice on how to adjust to life in Japan.^[1] In March 1989 Takamishu reached his highest ever rank of makushita 2, and even fought two bouts with elite jūryō ranked wrestlers. However, Takamishu was never to reach sekitori status himself. He did not compete in the following tournament, and retired from sumo in July 1989.

[krindel 688]

Interesting case... I would assume someone does not retire out of desperation after only two years in sumo and while being within reach of sekitorihood, so there must be some alternate explanation, like a career ending injury or another sort of serious problem.

I would also appreciate any information the wise sages of the forum might have on this :-)

Edited September 30, 2013 by krindel

[shumitto 419]

While the sages don't come up I would hazard a guess and say fallout with oyakata. This accounts for many untimely retirements. Examples abound.

Or nagging knee injuries...

[Orion 431]

An old issue of Sumo World might mention why he left....

Can't find anything relevant in July, September, November 1989 SW, or in my own Kansai Time Out columns covering the same period. No time to look further. His heya-mates would know. I have Takamikuni as the shikona.

Orion back to the desk job

Edited October 2, 2013 by Orion

[Jakusotsu 6,431]

He should have been mentioned in Akebono's book, no? (No time to check for myself...)

[Mark.Buckton 68]

Just asked a stable-mate from the time - problems with his knees.

[Swami 245]

An old issue of Sumo World might mention why he left....

Can't find anything relevant in July, September, November 1989 SW, or in my own Kansai Time Out columns covering the same period. No time to look further. His heya-mates would know. I have Takamikuni as the shikona.

Orion back to the desk job

That's around the time Nathan Strange from the UK made his brief entry into Azumazeki Beya.

Swami

[Mark.Buckton 68]

Nathan officially joined Azumazeki just after Tyler left sumo but they met in London in 2005/6 for a cage fighting event.