Ishinriki Koji

Ishinriki Koji - 維新力 浩司 (born Janaury 24, 1961) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Suginami, Tokyo. He made his debut in March 1976 and last wrestled for Onaruto stable. He reached the juryo division in May 1987. His highest rank was juryo 1 and he retired in July 1990.

## **Early Life**

Despite his family having a background in professional wrestling he took part in many regional sumo competitions in elementary and junior high school. He entered professional sumo in March 1976, joining Onaruto stable.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He made his professional debut in March 1976 and initially wrestled under the shikona "Wakakoketsu" (若高鉄). He was promoted to sandanme in March 1978 and makushita in May 1980. He had a muscular build quite unlike other sumo wrestlers, but due to his weight disadvantage he rose up the banzuke at a rather slow pace. After 11 years in the unsalaried ranks, he was promoted to juryo in May 1987.

### **Juryo Career**

He made his juryo debut in May 1987 and was ranked there for 20 consecutive tournaments, with a 141-159 win/loss record. In March 1990 he defeated two future yokozuna, Akebono and Wakahanada, and he also looked to have defeated a third, Takahanada, but he was disqualified for a foul. He twice took part in playoffs for the juryo championship in May and September 1989, but lost both times. He is the only wrestler to twice have the best record in juryo but never earn promotion to the top makuuchi division. His highest rank of juryo 1 west was achieved in November 1989. He retired in July 1990 after a 2–13 record left him facing certain demotion to the unsalaried makushita division. His overall record was 390 wins against 372 losses over 87 tournaments, with no matches missed.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

With 20 tournaments as a sekitori Ishinriki met the minimum requirement of inheriting an elder name in the Japan Sumo Association, and his stablemaster was prepared to let him inherit Onaruto stable, but Ishiniriki decided against it, believing he could make more money in professional wrestling.

### **Professional Wrestling Career**

Although his elder brother was active in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Ishinriki instead joined SWS, making his debut in January 1991 in a match against Jeff Jarrett in Dallas, Texas. After SWS folded he was a member of its successors NOW and WAR, but then retired due to kidney problems. He married a fellow professional wrestler from WAR, Hozumi Shige and opened a chankonabe and karaoke restaurant in Kichijoji in 1994. While still running the restaurant he returned to wrestling in 2006, participating in IWA Japan and freelance promotions. He frequently appears as a guest on talk shows to discuss sumo. He appeared on the TV Asahi program "Live TV until the morning" (朝まで生テレビ!) to discuss the Tokitsukaze stable hazing scandal in 2007, and in 2011 when many top wrestlers were dismissed in a match-fixing scandal he denied that sumo had a problem with gambling and yazuka ties, despite his stablemaster Onaruto making similar claims in a book published shortly after his death in 1996.

In August 2015 he said he would likely retire from wrestling the following year, which would mark the 40th anniversary of his sumo career. However, in August 2016 he was promoting a mixed tag team match also involving Funaki to be held on 6 November at the Shinjuku Face.

## **Fighting Style**

Ishinriki specialized in throwing techniques, with his three most common winning kimarite being shitatenage (underarm throw), uwatenage (overarm throw) and uwatedashinage (pulling overarm throw). He was also fond of employing tsuppari, a series of rapid thrusts to the chest.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 390-372/762 (87 basho)
* **Juryo:** 141-159/300 (20 basho)
* **Makushita:** 146-127/273 (39 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 57-48/105 (15 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 42-35/77 (11 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 4-3/7 (1 basho)

## **Shikona History**

* Wakakotetsu Koji (1976.03 - 1984.05)
* Ishinriki Koji (1984.07 - 1990.07)

## **Gallery**

Ishinriki warms up for his upcoming match (c. 1989)Ishinriki during the Juryo dohyo-iri (c. 1990)Ishinriki's retirement ceremony (c. 1990)Ishinriki after retirement as a professional wrestler (c. 2016)Ishinriki's tegata
## **Sources**

* Ishinriki Koji Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Ishinriki Koji Rikishi Information