Claim: Yoshiazuma Hiroshi competed from 1996 to 2021.
Evidence: Yoshiazuma Hiroshi (Japanese: 芳東 洋, born 26 May 1977 as Hiroshi Ishihara (石原 洋)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kashima, Kumamoto. He made his professional debut in January 1996 and reached the top division in September 2011. The fifteen years it took him to reach the top division is the third-slowest progress ever, in the history of professional sumo wrestling. Upon joining professional sumo in March 1996, he took the ring name of Yoshiazuma, taking the first character from a benefactor's name and the second character following the convention of taking the character of azuma from the current and previous stable owners, former Tochiazuma II, and Tochiazuma I. He has not missed a bout since his debut and has the longest streak of consecutive career bouts amongst active wrestlers. January, 1996 Yoshiazuma Hiroshi 1996 East Jonidan #3
3–4 Yoshiazuma
芳東 i3Jonidan 3 East 1996-1 Tamanoi (1977-05-26) May 26, 1977 (age 43) Japan Kumamoto best rank maegashira 12, third-slowest rise ever to makuuchi