He liked a "migi-yotsu", or left hand outside, right hand inside grip, and was fond of using his left hand to employ "uwatenage", or overarm throw. After winning his eleventh top division title in November 2000, he suffered another injury and, after sitting out the tournament in January 2001, he decided to retire rather than face a daunting struggle back to fighting fitness. After his retirement, he became a member (or elder) of the Japan Sumo Association as a coach, or "oyakata", and worked with his former mentor in the Azumazeki stable. He helped train the Mongolian wrestler Asashōryū who also became a "yokozuna", and Akebono instructed him on how to perform the "dohyō-iri", or "yokozuna" ring-entering ceremony. While an "oyakata", Akebono also appeared in TV commercials and opened a restaurant called ZUNA. In June 2013 he returned to Azumazeki stable for the first time since leaving the Sumo Association to oversee some training sessions as an assistant instructor. Akebono left the Sumo Association in November 2003 to join K-1. The decision was influenced by financial problems due to the failure of his restaurant, among other financial difficulties. His "koenkai," or supporters network, had dissolved after his marriage in 1998, depriving him of a valuable source of income. In addition, he earned far less as an "oyakata" than he had as a "yokozuna". K-1 offered him a chance to clear his debts by fighting for them. At the time of his debut, Akebono was involved in a highly publicized matchup at K-1 Premium 2003 against popular superheavyweight fighter Bob Sapp. The combined popularity of Sapp and Akebono attracted a crowd of 45,000 to the Nagoya Dome and granted the event a 43% viewership, making it the first time a combat sports event outdrew the NHK music festival "Kōhaku Uta Gassen", Japan's traditionally biggest New Year show. The classical matchup of an American foreigner like Sapp against a Japanese national like Taro, a cultural contraposition, also gained comparisons with Japanese professional wrestling legend Rikidōzan in his bouts against The Sharpe Brothers. The match itself, however, was short and intense. Outweighing Sapp by over 150 pounds, Akebono pushed him towards the ring corners with energetic, fast punches, but his stamina fell minutes into the round.