Yago

Where are they now? Kitaharima & Yago

hochiyama Yago ,

When I first started watching sumo, I was fascinated by the Sumo broadcasters giving updates on ex-makuuchi wrestlers fighting in the lower divisions. Of course, I did not know who those wrestlers were, but obviously they had fans who wanted to know how they were doing now that they were no longer on live TV in the top divisions.  As I followed sumo, some of my favorites dropped out of the salaried ranks and I had trouble getting updates on their records.  Sumo content is much more available now, but it can sometimes still be difficult to get news on your former favorites.  So, here is a bit of an update on a few ex-top division wrestlers:

Kitaharima

He was in the top division for one tournament back in Nagoya 2016.  A lighter-weight wrestler, he had previously spent six years in the lowest divisions before settling into Makushita. Another four years in makushita saw him first promoted to jūryō in Hatsu 2012. He bounced between jūryō and makushita until Aki 2014 and then settled into the second division.  After his top division debut, he sank right back to makushita after two losing records in jūryō and then bounced between divisions for most of 2017. He fell back to makushita for what seemed like a final time after Aki 2017.  However, he made an excellent comeback in early 2020 and got his silk mawashi back for the Aki 2020 tournament.  He finished 5-10 and dropped back to makushita. 

He fell to the lower third of makushita in 2022 for the first time since 2009 but came back with back-to-back kashikoshi, including a 6-1 performance in Nagoya 2022 to move back into the top 15 ranks.  He fell to Sandanme in Aki 2023, his first appearance in that division since Hatsu 2008.  He managed to go 7-0 from Sandanme 2 West, beating former University club member Naya (one of Ōhō’s brothers), and ex-high schoolers Nobehara, Awanokuni, and prospects Satorufuji and Gōnoumi!  The sandanme championship was his first ever division title in his 21+ years of dōhyō experience. From this rank, he will be back in Makushita’s top 15, with a chance for a late career (he is currently 37 years old) resurgence.  Current career record 549-541-7 (with the seven absences due to a missed makushita tournament: heya COVID suspension), so he is an ironman as well.  He has a 6-9 career record in the top division and a 169-206 record in jūryō! 

Some facts:  His younger brother also joined Yamahibiki-beya, fighting as Tatsunoumi. Tatsunoumi made it as high as Sandanme 78, before retiring after September 2022.

Kitaharima is known for his intense training – he apparently has no hobbies, does not drink, etc.  He misses his former shishō, Kitanoumi, who often inspired him by getting angry at him for his performance.

Yago

Yago, who fights under his own name, entered Oguruma-beya as an ex-university champion. He earned the special dispensation to enter as Makushita-15 Tsukedashi.  He went 5-2 in his initial tournament, followed by a 7-0 yūshō at Makushita 11, earning him a promotion to Jūryō after only two tournaments (like Ōnosato).  However, he was unsuccessful in his first stint as a sekitori, going 7-8 in back-to-back tournaments and finding himself back in makushita.  He got an immediate repromotion to Jūryō and despite another makekoshi in his comeback bashō, rolled off four straight kachi-koshi and made his top division debut in Hatsu 2019.  He spent four tournaments in the top division, with a career high rank of Maegashira 10. 

After three straight makekoshi, he was back in Jūryō, where he had a rough end to 2019 and start to 2020 – going 4-11 in three straight tournaments and dropping back to Makushita.  It is likely that his chronic knee problems got the best of him around this time. As he took advantage of the cancelled Natsu 2020 tournament to get surgery He spent three bashō there before obtaining his third promotion back to Jūryō for two bashō before dropping down again. He returned to Jūryō one tournament later and settled into the second division. In Hatsu 2022, ranked as Jūryō 14 he had a break-out tournament – 11-4 and a losing effort in a playoff for the Jūryō championship. However, after two 4-11 records, he dropped back to Makushita in Aki 2022 and has been there since.  In fact, for the Aki 2023 bashō he was at his LOWEST career rank of Makushita 19.  He had a 5-2 performance last time, meaning he will be back in the top 15 ranks and could get a return to the salaried ranks if he wins his second makushita yūshō.

Facts:  He is now part of Oshiogawa-beya, following Takekaze there after the Oguruma Oyakata reached 65 and closed his stable. His connection to Takekaze is via Chūō University. He studied Law there, and was in the Amateur Yokozuna after winning the All Japan Sumo Tournament – which is what got him the Makushita 15 ranking.

Yago was born big, and by the time he finished elementary school he was 180 cm and 120kg.  He injured both knees for the first time in Junior High, which limited his training at Saitama Sakae High School as he needed to rehabilitate. Yago’s favorite singer is B’z, his favorite food is chanko-nabe and Genghis Khan-nabe, and his hobby is watching baseball.

Juryo Promotions Announced

Andy Abi (阿炎), Juryo (十両), Yago , , , , ,

The Japanese Sumo Association has announced that four Makushita wrestlers are being promoted to Juryo for July’s tournament. Kotokuzan from Arashio-beya (apparently NOT from Sadogatake-beya) will make his Juryo debut. Yago, Kaisho, and Abi return to the salaried ranks.

The headline here is that Abi, and his shiko?, will return to Sekitori status after serving a suspension for breaking Covid protocols with Fukushima (then Gokushindo). He has stormed back in the most rapid fashion, scoring 14 straight regulation victories, including a victory over Kaisho. While Abi was away, Ichiyamamoto returned and has established himself as a solid Juryo rikishi with a very successful Natsu. I am eager to see if the two of them go toe-to-toe at some point.

Abi’s redemption comes at an awkward time as current Ozeki Asanoyama is facing down a similar scandal, though the facts in his case are still being investigated and thus a punishment has yet to be determined.

Yago will be eager to finally find a permanent foothold in the division. He is talented but has struggled with injuries, seemingly yo-yoing between Juryo and Makushita. Kaisho reached Juryo briefly in 2019 for two tournaments before falling back into Makushita. For Kotokuzan, his promotion has been a long struggle. He has been in Makushita since the end of 2016, back when Terunofuji was an Ozeki the first time ’round. It will be interesting to see if he’s got a spark in his sumo that can keep him around for a while.

97th National University Sumo Championship

Andy Asanoyama (朝乃山), Chiyotairyū (千代大龍), Daishomaru, Endo (遠藤), Hokutōfuji (北勝富士), Ichinojo (逸ノ城), Japanese Culture, Mitakeumi(御嶽海), Sumo Topics, Yago, Yokozuna (横綱) , ,

While sumo fans wait on pins and needles for Grand Sumo action to begin next weekend in Fukuoka, Japan’s National University Sumo Championship took place in Osaka. Successful wrestlers at this stage often become successful wrestlers on the professional level with the Champions granted privileged entry into Makushita, makushita tsukedashi, upon turning pro. Current wrestlers taking this path from Uni-Yokozuna to Jr. Sekitori include Endo, Ichinojo, and Aki-basho yusho winner, Mitakeumi. (I’m making up the Junior Sekitori term because they’re not immediately Sekitori but just outside.)

The big story coming out of Osaka is that the yusho winner was a first year (freshman) student-athlete, Yasuteru Nakamura from Nippon Sports Science University. He defeated Koshiro Tanioka, with a dominating yorikiri. Last year’s champion, Yota Kanno was knocked out in the first round. Any relation to Yoko Kanno is unconfirmed, but the need to knock a little harder is undeniable. Regardless, keep an eye out for these talented young men to be highly sought-after recruits and to appear on a banzuke in the near future.

According to the Mainichi Shimbun, this was the first time in 29 years that a freshman won a Championship. The last time there was a freshman University Yokozuna was Luis Ikemori for Takeshoku University in 1990. Ryuko, also known as Ryudo when he reached his peak rank in Juryo, was also notable for being the first foreign-born wrestler, from Brazil, to be granted the makushita tsukedashi privilege.

In team competition, Nihon University won the title for the first time in four years from Mitakeumi’s alma mater, Toyo University. Jokoryu and Mitoryu are products of the Nihon University program. Nakamura’s Nippon Sports Science University finished tied for third, and they count Hokutofuji among their graduates. These three universities have had historically strong sumo programs, with one of these three teams winning the title in each of the last nine years.

After the Kyushu basho, eyes will turn back to Kokugikan in Tokyo for the 68th National Amateur Sumo Championship, a title won by Yago and the fore mentioned Mitakeumi, Mitoryu and Endo, as well as Daishomaru, Yoshikaze, and Takamisakari. The year Endo won, Shodai picked up the jun-yusho and Mitakeumi and Hokutofuji were semi-finalists.

Nagoya Day 15 Highlights

Bruce H Abi (阿炎), Aoiyama, Asanoyama (朝乃山), Chiyomaru, Chiyotairyū (千代大龍), Daieisho (大栄翔), Daishoho, Endo (遠藤), Enho, Hakuho (白鵬), Hokutōfuji (北勝富士), Ichinojo (逸ノ城), Kakuryu (鶴竜), Kotoeko, Kotoshogiku (琴奨菊), Kotoyuki, Meisei, Mitakeumi(御嶽海), Myogiryu (妙義龍), Nagoya Basho 2019, Nishikigi, Okinoumi (隠岐の海), Ryuden (竜電), Sadanoumi (佐田の海), Shimanoumi, Shohozan, Shōdai (正代直也), Takagenji, Takarafuji (宝富士), Tamawashi (玉鷲), Terutsuyoshi, Tochiozan (栃煌山), Tomokaze, Toyonoshima, Yago, Ōnoshō (阿武咲) , ,

It just would not be a yusho if Tachiai did not run a picture of the macaron of victory!

And thus we have reached the end of the Nagoya Basho. I do love the fact that Kakuryu took the yusho in direct competition with Hakuho. Was Hakuho hurt? You bet! I have nothing but respect for the greatest Yokozuna of our time competing through the pain, and making a solid showing of it. But Kakuryu was on his sumo this time, dropping only a single match against upstart Tomokaze.

Thus continues the evolution out of the Hakuho era, an era that really began when none other than Kotoshogiku took the yusho in January 2016, marking the first time in 10 years since a Japanese-born man won the Emperor’s cup. Since then, we have seen a steady increase in “Other than Hakuho” yusho, as “The Boss” fades a bit each tournament. This is nature at work, and it’s worth asking, how much longer will Hakuho be able to continue working through what is probably increasing damage to his arms? We know that he needs to stay active for a bit longer. He is working to secure Japanese citizenship to become a member of the NSK, and he would dearly love to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which are just about a year way.

I would expect Hakuho to take at least half of the coming tournaments off, and work to preserve what function remains as much as possible. Without the headwinds of Hakuho’s career peak dominance as a cap, the new upper ranks are starting to form, just as they should. The next two to three years will be transitional, and we will see a lot of new heroes rise. If change makes you anxious, this is a poor time to be a sumo fan. If you love the drama of competition, and the path to glory, this is a golden age for sumo.

The statement above raises the question—what is sumo headed towards? I think parts of that were on display today.

Highlight Matches

Nishikigi defeats Chiyomaru – Chiyomaru battled his way back to the top division out of the Juryo swamp, only to be pummeled into double-digit losses. For fans of “His Roundness”, it’s a disappointment. Former upper Maegashira Cinderella, Nishikigi, fared little better at 6-9 for Nagoya.

Enho defeats Daishoho – Enho matches seem to have a requirement for at least one matta. Is it because he moves at near relativistic speeds at the tachiai? The gyoji struggle to measure his hand placement due to the momentary inflection of space-time near Enho as he launches. Enho gets a front grip and drops Daishoho to his knees. Enho, if he can stay healthy, is going to be a fun addition to the top division.

Tochiozan defeats Shohozan – Tochiozan is also clearly fading out, and ends Nagoya 5-10, but managed to take his final match to possibly save his slot in the top division. Tochiozan got the better of the tachiai, and kept focusing his thrusting attack at center-mass. Good sumo fundamentals here, was it enough?

Okinoumi defeats Kagayaki – First Darwin match of the day favors experience over youth. Kagayaki got a double inside grip, but could not use it to finish Okinoumi. I think this is indicative of some injury with Kagayaki that we don’t know about, as his ability to generate forward pressure is not what it has been. Okinoumi switches his grip (make-kai), gets his right hand outside, and finishes the match for a kachi-koshi.

Terutsuyoshi defeats Tomokaze – This was fun because it was a bit of a playoff, with both at 11-3, both winning special prizes, and both in competition for the yusho well into the second week. Anyone else notice that Tomokaze’s pre-tachiai stance is a replica of Yoshikaze’s? That gave me a smile when I noticed it. Tomokaze attempted a pull-down early, and that was a fatal mistake.

Kotoyuki defeats Myogiryu – I continue to ask – which alien species abducted this Kotoyuki in 2016 and gave us the clown version for 3 years? Well, the good version is back, and wow! An 11-4 finish punctuated by a tsukidashi over his much higher ranked opponent, Myogiryu.

Chiyotairyu defeats Toyonoshima – Second Darwin match, Chiyotairyu stayed focused, in control and on the attack. Chiyotairyu kachi-koshi, and Toyonoshima make-koshi. As a consolation, Toyonoshima carried the yusho banner for Kakuryu in the yusho parade.

Takarafuji defeats Yago – Yago remains an injured rikishi fighting the toughest men in sumo. Back to Juryo with him, and our sincere hopes that he can get his body back to good health and return.

Ichinojo defeats Kotoeko – Ichinojo was on the attack today, and when that happens, you just have to take whatever he wants to give you.

Shodai defeats Takagenji – Shodai was in the driver’s seat the entire way, as Takagenji seems to have no defense with that injured right ankle.

Aoiyama defeats Daieisho – The Man-Mountain did what he needed to, and picks up his 8th for a kachi-koshi, but further complicating the pecking order at the top of the Aki banzuke. I am sure lksumo will sort it all out for us in time.

Endo defeats Hokutofuji – Possibly the best sumo match thus far in 2019, this was an absolute burner of a fight. Hokutofuji is delivering relentless forward pressure, and lightning attacks. Against that you have Endo who is unleashing combination gambits that only partially work before Hokutofuji deflects and resumes the attack. The fight raged between Endo’s and Hokutofuji’s control, with neither man gaining a clear advantage. Unable to finesse Hokutofuji to defeat, Endo resorts to simple sumo mechanics—he drives low and pushes ahead with everything he has. Wow, what a match!

Asanoyama defeats Sadanoumi – The sumo grumps have been criticizing Asanoyama’s performance this tournament. But I would note that his first trip this far up the banzuke, while it did end in the customary make-koshi, was a 7-8 make-koshi. There is some strength and endurance here, and he’s going to be pushing hard against the injured Ozeki and Yokozuna corps for the next year. I see Asanoyama, and in time Yutakayama, as wedges that will force some of the old guard down the banzuke, and help close out the Hakuho era. Let’s go boys, I can’t wait!

Meisei defeats Ryuden – I really want Ryuden to get it together by Kyushu. This was a tough tournament for him. We did not see the same level of sumo from him that was the engine for his promotion to Komusubi. Injury? Probably so. Heal up, Shin-Ikioi, we await your return.

Abi defeats Kotoshogiku – Not a hit and shift, not a henka, but a flying henka delivered at the tachiai. I was disappointed in that I wanted to see a clash of sumo styles. We got one, but not the one that was anticipated. Some of the crowd did seem to find it a bit amusing, which is unusual for a henka.

Mitakeumi defeats Shimanoumi – Mitakeumi finished with 3-4 in the final week. If he ever wants to truly contest for an Ozeki rank, he needs to fix that. I think that knee injury from Osaka is still bothering him, and until that is resolved, and his week 2 performance improves, the best he can manage will likely be Sekiwake.

Kakuryu defeats Hakuho – This was a real Yokozuna battle. Two men at the top of the sport going head to head, throwing everything they could muster at the end of a punishing 2-week ordeal into the fight. Hakuho got the better of the tachiai, but the lack of elbows robbed him of his coveted “nage” moves, which I would have expected him to unleash as soon as that left hand had Kakuryu’s mawashi. But the roll never came, and Kakuryu kept applying the pressure, fighting for a hold, and eventually finding it. The two lock up again in the center of the dohyo, finally comfortable in their preferred grip with left hand inside / right hand outside. But look at the feet. Hakuho’s feet are close together, his ankles aligned and his toes pointed at Kakuryu. Kakuryu is standing with his left foot behind and pointing out: He’s loading a throw. Hakuho tries a couple of time to drop his hips, but Kakuryu keeps digging deeper, waiting out Hakuho. The reactive sumo style has stalemated the greatest Yokozuna of our time, and Hakuho knows it. Hakuho tries one more advance, but can’t get far. Sensing that Hakuho has reached the limit his damaged elbows can take, Kakuryu shifts to a double inside grip, lifts Hakuho, and carries him out for the win, and the Emperor’s cup. Damn fine sumo.

Thank you all for joining us for a basho that I would call “other than expected” in almost every way, but it was still a solid tournament that gave a new crop of promising rikishi a chance to shine, and a chance to bring their sumo to higher levels of performance.