Taylor Wily

One of the few Americans to achieve success in the field of Japanese sumo wrestling, larger-than-life Taylor Wily also made history as the first ever UFC fighter before moving into acting with roles in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (2008) and "Hawaii Five-0" (CBS, 2010-). Born Teila Tuli in Honolulu, HI in 1969, Wily began his sumo career in 1987 when he was invited to join former sekiwake Takamiyama's Azumazeki stable. Competing under the name Takamishu, Wily won his first 14 official bouts and later became the first foreign-born wrestler to win the championship in the third highest makushita division. Wiley then served as mentor to fellow Hawaiian and future yokozuna Akebono, and reached his highest ever rank of makushita 2 before quitting the sport in 1989. Four years later, Wily competed in the first-ever UFC 1 bout, but after losing to the much lighter Gerard Gordeau in what was described as one of the top five David and Goliath match-ups in mixed martial arts history, he never fought again. Following a brief cameo as a bartender in short-lived soap opera "North Shore" (Fox, 2004-05), Wily returned to the spotlight when he played Kemo, the hotel worker who befriends Jason Segel's lead character in the romantic comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (2008). Wily then landed his first recurring role when he was cast as Kamekona, the entrepreneurial local informant in the hit reboot of crime procedural "Hawaii Five-0" (CBS, 2010-). In 2012, he was seen handing out clues to contestants in the 20th edition of reality competition "The Amazing Race" (CBS, 2001-). Taylor Wily died on June 20, 2024 at the age of 56.