| Code | DS/UK/19658 |
| Name | Anoa'i; Rodney (Yokozuna') (2 October 1966-23 October 2000); American wrestler |
| Variations of Name | Rodney Agatupu Anoa'i |
| Alias | Great Kokina | Kokina Maximus | Wild Samoan Kokina |
| Dates | 2 October 1966-23 October 2000 |
| Gender | Male (cisgender) |
| Place of Birth/Origin | San Francisco, California, United States (born) |
| Relationships | Son of Afoa Anoa'i. Part of a family of professional wrestlers.
Newphew of Afa and Sika (The Wild Samoans)
Cousin of Roman Reigns, Rikishi, Samu, Rosey, Manu, Umaga, Dwayne The Rock Johnson, The Usos |
| Biography | Rodney Agatupu Anoa'i was an American professional wrestler best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where he wrestled under the ring name Yokozuna. The name was a reference to the highest rank in professional sumo wrestling in Japan.
Although the Yokozuna character was portrayed as a champion sumo wrestler, Anoa'i never competed as an actual sumotori. Though Yokozuna wrestled as a representative of Japan, in real life Anoa?i was Samoan American and was accordingly billed as hailing from Polynesia. However, he was managed by the Japanese character Mr. Fuji (in reality a Japanese American), who would follow Anoa'i to the ring with a wooden bucket of salt and waving a Japanese flag.
In the WWF, Anoa'i was a two-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion and two-time WWF Tag Team Champion (with Owen Hart), as well as the winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble. Anoa'i was the first wrestler of Samoan descent to hold the WWF World Heavyweight Championship as well as the first Royal Rumble winner who as a result of a direct stipulation received a WWF's world championship title shot at WrestleMania. He defeated WWE Hall of Famers Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan, in consecutive pay-per-view victories in the main event of WrestleMania IX and the 1993 King of the Ring, to win his two WWF World Heavyweight Championships, and also headlined WrestleMania X against Hart. He was the third-fastest newcomer after Brock Lesnar and Sheamus to win the WWF or WWE Championship after his debut. |