Record 139-93-16 Retired November, 1988 Role Sumo Wrestler Height 1.88 m Martial art Sumo | Debut September, 1984 Name Nankairyu Taro Makuuchi rank Maegashira Weight 126 kg | |
Highest rank Maegashira 2 (May, 1988) Similar People Kotofuji Takaya, Takamisugi Takakatsu, Kotogaume Tsuyoshi, Tochitsukasa Tetsuo, Tochinowaka Kiyotaka | ||
Nankairyū Tarō (born 22 February 1965 as Kiriful Saba) is a former sumo wrestler from Samoa. His highest rank was maegashira 2.
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Career
Born in Apia, Western Samoa, he joined Takasago stable in 1984. He was given the fighting name of Nankairyū, or "South Seas dragon." In November 1987 he became the third non Asian sumo wrestler, after Takamiyama and Konishiki, to reach the top makuuchi division. In May 1988 he reached his highest rank of maegashira 2 and upset ozeki Hokuten'yū. He also looked to have defeated yokozuna Ōnokuni but a rematch was called, which he lost.
Nankairyū was a heavy drinker, and received adverse publicity after he got into a confrontation with a hotel clerk while drunk in July 1987. His problem was made worse by the fact that he spoke neither English nor Japanese well and consequently had difficulty making himself understood to the Japanese media. During the tournament of September 1988 he had a heated argument with his stable boss, former yokozuna Asashio Tarō III and fled the stable, never to return. His stablemaster died of a stroke just a few weeks later.
After sumo
Nankairyū became a professional wrestler for New Japan in 1990.