Wakayashima Masaki - 若八洲 正己 (born December 29, 1960 - July 9, 2016) was an American professional sumo wrestler from Waianae, Oahu, Hawaii. He made his debut in July 1976 and wrestled for Futagoyama stable. His highest rank was sandanme 32 and he retired in September 1978.
Early Life[]
Reid Asato began practicing sumo from an early age and was a member of the Oahu Sumo Club alongside John Collins (future Wakanonada). Asato and Collins first gained the attention of Futagoyama Oyakata (the 45th Yokozuna Wakanohana) during a trip to Japan in 1974 where the pair represented Hawaii at an amateur tournament. In March of 1976, Asato dropped out of Waianae High School to join Futagoyama stable alongside John Collins.
Career[]
Asato made his professional debut in July 1976 under the shikona "Wakayashima" (若八洲). He had a strong start and he produced three consecutive winning records (kachi-koshi). He then started to struggle in the mid-jonidan ranks. In January 1978, he produced a perfect 7-0 record and claimed the jonidan yusho. As a result, he was promoted to a career-best sandanme 32 in March 1978.
Retirement from Sumo[]
Reid Asato appears on the cover of PepsiCo's 1990 annual report
Beset by knee injuries, Wakayashima retired from sumo after the September 1978 tournament. After retiring from sumo, Asato returned to Hawaii before moving to the Los Angeles to become an actor. In the 1980s Reid Asato also participated in Amateur sumo tournaments in Hawaii.
After retirement, Asato became an actor. His first acting role was in 1986 where he portrayed a sumo wrestler in the comedy TV series, Night Court. He later portrayed Muto, a yakuza member, in the 1991 movie, Showdown in Little Tokyo. His most notable film appearance was when he acted as the Cyclops in the 1997 TV-mini series, the Odyssey. Other notable film/tv appearances include New York Undercover (TV series) and 2001: A Space Travesty.
In addition to acting in movies, Asato also appeared in commercials and advertisements for Pepsi, Isuzu, Volkswagen, Chevrolet, Miller Beer and other major companies.
Death[]
Reid Asato sadly passed away on July 9, 2016, in Brooklyn, New York, at the age of 55. He was a resident of Brooklyn, New York, at the time of his death. His body was cremated.
Record[]
Division Results[]
- Total: 42-42-7/84 (14 basho)
- Sandanme: 4-17/21 (3 basho)
- Jonidan: 33-23-7/56 (9 basho)
- Jonokuchi: 5-2/7 (1 basho)
Championships[]
- 1 Jonidan Championship
Shikona History[]
- Wakayashima Masaki (1976.07 - 1978.09)
Gallery[]
See Also[]
Sources[]
- Wakayashima Masaki Rikishi Information
- Honolulu Advertiser Article: Hawaii adds two, 1976... by Ferd Davis
- Reid Asato IMDB Profile
- Reid Asato Obituary