Taylor Tuli Wily was an American actor, sumo wrestler, and mixed martial artist. After retiring from sumo wrestling, Taylor Wily transitioned to acting. He has made appearances in several films and TV shows, often playing roles that reflect his Hawaiian heritage. He is best known for his role as Kamekona Tupuola on the television series “Hawaii Five-0.”
Taylor Wily’s Early Life and Family
Taylor Wily was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on June 14, 1968. He is from Laie, Hawaii, and is of American Samoan descent. Taylor Wily married his beautiful wife Halona Wily and had two children.
Taylor Wily Net Worth
Taylor Wily had an estimated Net Worth of around $2.5 Million at the time of his death as of 2024. He has a successful career in various fields as an actor, sumo wrestler, and mixed martial artist.
| Name | Taylor Wily |
| Net Worth 2024 | $2.5 million |
| Profession | actor, sumo wrestler, and mixed martial artist |
| Gender | Male |
| Debut | March 1987 |
Taylor Wily Career
In March 1987, Wily was recruited by former sekiwake Takamiyama Daigorō, another Hawaiian, and joined the Azumazeki stable, created the previous year. He was granted Takamishū Daikichi’s shikona. He was unbeaten in his first 14 official bouts and won two consecutive yūshō or tournament championships. He weighed around 440 pounds and stood six feet two inches tall, making him one of sumo’s heaviest wrestlers.
In September 1990, Wily joined Tatsumi Fujinami’s stable, Dragon Bombers, as a trainee, alongside fellow former sumo wrestler Nankairyū Tarō. However, the stable disbanded in 1992, and he left NJPW. He continued his training, which turned into mixed martial arts, preparing him for the first Ultimate Fighting Championships.
He has chosen the billed name “Teila Tuli” for the competition. “They didn’t want me to come with such an English name,” he explained. “So I took Taylor and spelled it the way we spell it here in Polynesia, Teila, and used my middle name, Tuli, and got rid of Wily.”
In November 1993, he faced savate expert Gerard Gordeau in the UFC’s debut. This was the first UFC fight to air on television, as the preceding event had yet to be shown.
He also featured as an extra in Magnum, P.I. 1982, his first appearance. He has played minor roles in the television series North Shore and One West. In the comedy film Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Wily plays a hotel worker who befriends the main character, played by Jason Segel. He also appears in the 2017 movie Radical. He also starred as a sumo wrestler in the episode “Battle of the Titans” of One West Waikiki, another Hawaii-filmed TV drama.
Taylor Wily Cause of Death
Wily died on June 20, 2024. He died six days after his 56th birthday. Host Lina Girl Langi confirmed his death on the show Island Life Live. According to his management, he died from “natural causes”.He was married with two children. Peter M. Lenkov and Andre Jackson paid respect to him online. Angela Keen said that he would be visiting children at Shriners Children’s Hawaii Hospital.
