Taylor Wily: MMA fighter, sumo wrestler and actor passes away

WEB DESK: Taylor Wily has passed away at the age of 56. His manager confirmed that Wily died of “natural causes.”

Outpourings of sadness and shock flooded in from fans and fellow actors alike, expressing surprise and grief at the actor’s sudden passing.

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Taylor Wily, standing at 6 ft 2 in tall and weighing over 200 kilograms, lived a fulfilling life marked by a diverse career journey that started with his entry into sumo wrestling. He was recruited by fellow Hawaiian and former “sekiwake”-ranked Takamiyama Daigorō.

Taylor Wily joined the Azumazeki stable in March 1987 and adopted the “shikona” Takamishū. He quickly rose through the ranks, securing two consecutive tournament championships in his debut year alone. Wily’s achievements included becoming the first foreign-born wrestler to win the makushita (third highest) division championship in 1988.

Despite reaching a second makushita in 1989, knee problems forced the native Hawaiian to retire from the traditional Japanese wrestling in July of the same year.

After leaving sumo, Wily transitioned to professional wrestling before ultimately ending up in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). His MMA debut came at Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 1 in November 1993, where he competed as Teila Tuli.

Wily faced expert Gerard Gordeau, but his aggressive charge was met with a match-deciding head kick from Gordeau. The match marked the first televised fight in UFC history and remains one of the top five match-ups in MMA history.

Putting world of psychical fighting behind, Taylor Wily then ventured into acting. He gained recognition for his role as a friendly hotel worker in the hit movie “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.”

The Hawaiian’s acting career further blossomed with a recurring role on the television series “Hawaii Five-0” as Kamekona Tupuola.

Wily’s television appearances extended to reality TV, where he made a notable cameo on the 20th edition of “The Amazing Race”. He appeared as a sumo wrestler in “Battle of the Titans,” and one an episode of “One West Waikiki”.

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Taylor Wily left an indelible mark across the realms of sports and entertainment, from the prestigious rings of sumo wrestling to the bloody octagon of MMA and the screens of Hollywood.