Kamikiiwa Ryuta - 神生岩 竜太 (born November 10, 1971) is a former American professional sumo wrestler from Hau‘ula, Hawaii. He made his debut in July 1990 and wrestled for Azumazeki stable. His highest rank was sandanme 22 and he retired in November 1991.
Early Life[]
Wayne Vierra Jr. was born on November 10, 1971, to Wayne and Rebecca Vierra, and is of native Hawaiian descent. He attended Kahuku High & Intermediate School where he played for the school's football team. He also participated in judo and amateur sumo tournaments during his time in high school. After graduating from high school, Vierra played at Arizona Western College before leaving to join fellow Hawaiian Takamiyama's Azumazeki stable.
Career[]
He made his debut in July 1990 and was given the shikona "Kamikiiwa" (神生岩). He took the jonokuchi yusho in his first tournament with a perfect 7-0 record and produced the same result in the following tournament, but lost in a playoff to former juryo wrestler Kotobeppu. In the next tournament he produced a 5-2 record and was promoted to a career-high sandanme 22 in March 1991.
Retirement from Sumo[]
Wayne Vierra throws his opponent in an amateur sumo tournament (c. 2006)
Kamikiiwa's career was abruptly ended by a ruptured pancreas that required emergency surgery. He retirement was announced after the November 1991 tournament.
Upon his retirement, he returned to Hawaii and endured an understandable bout of depression before eventually rejoining sumo on the amateur circuit. He won both the heavyweight and Open categories at the North American Amateur Sumo Championship in Los Angeles in 1999. He also participated in the World Sumo Championships in 1999 in Aomori, Japan, where he achieved third place in the team competition.
As of 2019, he works as a pastor in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Personal Life[]
- Wayne Vierra starred in the critically acclaimed documentary Sumo East and West, where it documented him dominating the amateur circuit of sumo and his stablemate and close friend, Akebono, dominating professional sumo. According to the documentary, he married his high school sweetheart, Maxine Vierra in 1993. He inspired his wife to try out amateur sumo where she found a lot of success in the amateur scene as well.
Record[]
Division Results[]
- Total: 23-11-22/33 (9 basho)
- Sandanme: 9-11-8/19 (4 basho)
- Jonidan: 7-0-14/7 (3 basho)
- Makushita: 7-0/7 (1 basho)
Championships[]
- 1 Jonokuchi Championship (September 1990)
Shikona History[]
- Kamikiiwa Ryuta (1990.07 - 1991.11)
Gallery[]
See Also[]
Sources[]
- Kamikiiwa Ryuta Rikishi Information
- Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Vierra passes sumo physical
- Honolulu Advertiser, Vierra hopes for triumphant sumo return
- The Honolulu Advertiser Article on Kamikiiwa