Wakatenro Keisuke

Wakatenro Keisuke - 若天狼 啓介 (born October 18, 1977) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Nemuro, Hokkaido. He made his debut in March 1993 and wrestled for Magaki stable. He reached the juryo division in November 2001. His highest rank was juryo 2 and he retired in May 2011.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

After graduating from Nemuro Shiritsu Koyo Junior High School in Hokkaido, he joined Magaki stable in March 1993. He initially wrestled under his family name of Kamikawa before changing his shikona to "Wakatenro" (若天狼) in November 1995. He gradually rose up the ranks and was promoted to sandanme in January 1996 and in November 1997, he participated in a jonidan playoff against Chiyononada after winning all his matches, but missed out on the yusho after losing the playoff. Nonetheless, he was promoted to makushita two tournaments. He steadily climbed the ranks of makushita and after five consecutive 5-2 records he was promoted to juryo in November 2001.

### **Juryo Career**

Wakatenro could only manage seven wins in his juryo debut and replicated it in the following tournament. He was demoted from juryo after a 5-10 record in March 2002. He returned after three tournaments in makushita, but could only remain in juryo for three tournaments. He again returned in January 2004, but had to pull out on the fourth day after injuring his medial collateral ligament on his left knee. He sat out for five tournaments and fell back down to jonidan.

He returned in January 2005 at the rank of jonidan 110 and produced a perfect 7-0 record, but lost in a playoff for the yusho against Takanofuji. He returned back to makushita after two tournaments in sandanme and remained there for three years. In July 2008, he produced a 4-3 record at the rank of makushita 3 which earned him a promotion back to juryo after 28 tournaments. In his return, he produced an 8-7 record and was boosted up nine ranks to juryo 5. He would remain in juryo for the rest of his career where he produced decent, but not fabulous results. In July 2010, he produced a 9-6 record at the rank of juryo 13 and was promoted all the way to juryo 2, a career-best, for the September 2010 tournament.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Wakatenro was one of 23 wrestlers found guilty of fixing the result of bouts after an investigation by the Japan Sumo Association and he was forced to retire in April 2011. His danpatsu-shiki, or retirement ceremony, was held on July 31st, 2011, at a hotel in Tokyo.

After retirement, Wakatenro founded the company "Sumo-san Promotions" (お相撲さんプロモーションズ) which focuses on supporting former sumo wrestlers after retirement.

## **Personal Life**

* Wakatenro's hobby is weight-training.
* He is close friend with former sumo wrestler and professional wrestler Ryota Hama and he visits him on a regular basis.
* In March 1999, Wakatenro faced off against three new makushita tsukedashi entrants in his first three matches. The wrestlers were Takahama (future maegashira Hamanishiki), Kato (future komusubi Takamisakari), and Kototamiya (future ozeki Kotomitsuki). This was a rare occurrence and Wakatenro defeated all three of them.

## **Fighting Style**

Wakatenro was a tsuki/oshi specialist, who prefers pushing and thrusting at his opponents rather than fighting on the mawashi or belt. His most common winning kimarite or technique is oshidashi or a straightforward push out.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 448-406-71/851 (108 basho)
* **Juryo:** 136-170-24/304 (22 basho)
* **Makushita:** 176-139-14/315 (47 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 57-48-14/105 (17 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 73-48-19/120 (20 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 6-1/7 (1 basho)

## **Shikona History**

* Kamikawa (1993.03 - 1995.09)
* Wakatenro Keisuke (1995.11 - 2011.05)

## **Gallery**

### **JSA Profile Pictures and Tegata**

Wakatenro Keisuke - 2002 (Retrieved from the JSA)Wakatenro Keisuke - 2001 (Retrieved from the JSA)Awakener's tegata
### **Career Overview**

Wakatenro celebrates promotion to juryo (c. 2001)Wakatenro during his time as a sekitori (c. 2002)Wakatenro's first stint in juryo (c. 2002)Wakatenro and stablemate Gojoro outside Magaki stable (c. 2003)Wakatenro during the juryo dohyo-iri (c. 2009)Wakatenro battles former Ozeki Miyabiyama (c. 2010)Wakatenro after being found guilty of match-fixing (c. 2011)Wakatenro's retirement ceremony (c. 2011)Wakatenro's business dedicated to helping find former rikishi jobs
## **Sources**

* Wakatenro Keisuke Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Wakatenro Keisuke Rikishi Information