Teila Tuli
| Takamishu | |
|---|---|
| 高見州 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born |
Taylor Wily June 14, 1969 Hawaii, U.S. |
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 210 kg (460 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Azumazeki |
| Record | 57-27-14 |
| Debut | March, 1987 |
| Highest rank | Makushita 2 (March, 1989) |
| Retired | July, 1989 |
| Championships |
1 (Makushita) 1 (Jonidan) 1 (Jonokuchi) |
| * Up to date as of July 2007. | |
Teila Tuli, also known as Taylor Wily (born 14 June 1969) is an American actor and a former sumo wrestler and mixed martial artist.[1] He is from Laie, Hawaii and is of Samoan descent. He is commonly known for his recurring role as Kamekona on Hawaii Five-0.
Sumo career
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.[2] In March 1989 Takamishu reached his highest ever rank of makushita 2, and even fought two bouts with elite jūryō ranked wrestlers (one of whom, Tōryū, was a former sekiwake). Takamishu was never to reach sekitori status himself. He did not compete in the following tournament, and retired from sumo in July 1989.
Sumo career record
| Year in sumo | January Hatsu basho, Tokyo |
March Haru basho, Osaka |
May Natsu basho, Tokyo |
July Nagoya basho, Nagoya |
September Aki basho, Tokyo |
November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | x | (Maezumo) | East Jonokuchi #7
7–0 Champion |
East Jonidan #48
7–0–P Champion |
East Sandanme #49
4–3 |
West Sandanme #31
5–2 |
| 1988 | East Sandanme #10
4–3 |
East Makushita #55
7–0 Champion |
East Makushita #10
2–5 |
West Makushita #23
4–3 |
East Makushita #16
5–2 |
West Makushita #8
5–2 |
| 1989 | West Makushita #4
4–3 |
East Makushita #2
3–4 |
East Makushita #6
0–0–7 |
East Makushita #46
Retired 0–0–7 |
x | x |
| Record given as win-loss-absent Top Division Champion Retired Lower Divisions Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi(s); P=Playoff(s) | ||||||
Ultimate Fighting Championship
After leaving sumo, he competed in the first bout of the UFC 1 in November 1993, held in Denver, Colorado.[4] It was shown on pay-per-view. Despite heavily outweighing his opponent, he lost to Gerard Gordeau, the match being stopped after Tuli was kicked in the face causing the loss of a tooth.[5] This was Tuli's only MMA fight.[4] The match has been described as one of the top five David and Goliath match-ups in MMA history.[5]
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 1 match | 0 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 0 | 1 |
| By submission | 0 | 0 |
| By decision | 0 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 0-1 | Gerard Gordeau | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC 1 | November 12, 1993 | 1 | 0:26 | Denver, Colorado, United States | First Fight in UFC History |
Acting career
Tuli, credited as Taylor Wily, had a role in the comedy film Forgetting Sarah Marshall as a hotel worker who befriended the main character Jason Segel. He also has a recurring role on the television series Hawaii Five-0. Wily made a cameo on the 20th edition of The Amazing Race, and handed out clues to racing contestants. He also appeared as an "extra" in Magnum, P.I.'s 1982 episode titled "The Eighth Part of the Village" in a street scene near a pool hall (at time 29:19).
Filmography
| Year | Film/Series | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Magnum, P.I. (TV series) "The Eighth Part of the Village" | Extra | At 29:19 |
| 2004 | North Shore | Bartender | Ties That Bind |
| 2008 | Forgetting Sarah Marshall | Kemo | |
| 2010–Present | Hawaii Five-0 | Kamekona | 81 Episodes[6] |
| 2012 | The Amazing Race 20 | Cameo | 12th Leg |
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videointerview/Teila-Tuli-Still-Heartbroken-20-Years-After-UFC-1-5309
- ↑ Panek, Mark (2006). Gaijin Yokozuna. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-3043-1.
- ↑ "Takamishu Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
- 1 2 Jarsulic, Mike (2006-10-16). "DVD Review: Ultimate Fighting Championship 1". MMATorch.com. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
- 1 2 Leidecker, Tim (2008-08-01). "The Top 5 David VS Goliath Matchups". Sherdog. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
- ↑ IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1600194/
External links
- Teila Tuli on Facebook
- Teila Tuli at the Internet Movie Database
- Professional MMA record for Teila Tuli from Sherdog
- Teila Tuli on UFC.com