Akebono, who gained some notoriety in the US during the late 1990’s as the first foreign born Yokuzuna in Japanese sumo (he’s a native of Hawaii) has announced that he’s done with MMA and will concentrate on pro wrestling. Here’s what it said in Japanese with the translation to follow:

曙（３９）�１９日�事実上�格闘家“撤退�を宣言��。今後�８月９日�Ｋ�１世界ＧＰイン・�ワイ（米国予�）を手始��プロモーター業務を手掛���ッスルや全日本��プロレス�専念�る。

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Basically, the first paragraph says that Akebono is withdrawing from an August 9th K-1 event and will concentrate on pro wrestling. He’s currently involved with Nobohiko Takada’s HUSTLE promotion where he’s billed as the offspring of The Great Muta and popular Japanese model Yinling (who’s also wrestled for HUSTLE).

The second paragraph has the great observation that ‘K-1 and MMA is too hard. I want to concentrate on professional wrestling’. Surely it doesn’t have anything to do with his 1-12 record in kickboxing and MMA.

Probably a good move for Akebono, who was born Chad Rowan but legally changed his name to Akebono TarÅ? when he became a Japanese citizen. He’s still a huge star in the country but at age 39 just doesn’t have any business in anything other than a ‘worked’ fight.

Akebono to concentrate on pro wrestling @ Sankei Sports (in Japanese)