Kyokutenho Masaru

Kyokutenho Masaru - 旭天鵬 勝 (born September 13, 1974) is a former Mongolian professional sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar. He made his debut in March 1992 and last wrestled for Tomozuna stable. He reached the makuuchi division in January 1998 and has seven special prizes, two kinboshi and one top division championship. His highest rank was sekiwake and he retired in July 2015.

## **Early Life**

Originally, Tsevegnyam had little experience with sumo or judo and he concentrated more on basketball during in junior high school. In 1991, he came to Japan alongside the future Kyokushuzan, Kyokutenzan, and three other Mongolians to join the Oshima stable. They would all be the very first sumo wrestlers from Mongolia to make their professional sumo debut.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Tsevegnyam made his professional debut in March 1992 under the shikona, or ring name, "Kyokutenho". In his jonokuchi debut, Kyokutenho posted an impressive 6-1 record and followed the result with a 4-3 record.

After six months in Japan, due to cultural difference, language problems, and the extremely harsh training methods used in sumo, Kyokutenho, Kyokushuzan and three others ran away and sought refuge in the Mongolian embassy, but he was persuaded by Kyokutenzan to return to his stable. After returning to his stable, Kyokutenho continued on his strong run and produced 6 consecutive kachi-koshi, or winning records, and earned promotion to the makushita division in March 1994.

    Upon Kyokutenho's makushita debut, He started to produce a variety of results and stayed mainly in the mid-level of makushita for around a year. After four consecutive 4-3 records, Kyokutenho was promoted to makushita 9 for the January 1996 tournament. In this tournament, Kyokutenho won all seven matches but lost the playoff to Kumagaya. However, this result still secured a promotion to the salaried juryo division for the March 1996 tournament.

### **Juryo Career**

Kyokutenho was the second Mongolian (behind stablemate Kyokushuzan) to earn sekitori-level status. In his juryo debut he produced a decent 9-6 record, however after three tournaments, Kyokutenho was regulated back to the unsalaried makushita division for the November 1996 tournament.

After one tournament in makushita, Kyokutenho was promoted back to juryo and he slowly climbed his way through the ranks of juryo. After 5 consecutive winning records in juryo, Kyokutenho earned promotion to the makuuchi division for the January 1998 tournament.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Kyokutenho did not establish himself in the division until May 1999. He won his first sansho or special prize in January 2000. He first achieved a san'yaku rank in January 2002 when he was promoted to komusubi. He has earned two kinboshi or gold stars for yokozuna upsets at maegashira rank, defeating Takanohana in the latter's comeback tournament in September 2002 and fellow Mongolian Asashoryu in his first tournament as a yokozuna in March 2003. He also defeated Asashoryu and Musashimaru whilst ranked in san'yaku. He made his sekiwake debut in July 2003 but did not achieve a kachi-koshi or winning score in his three attempts at the rank.

    On 28 April 2007 he caused a car accident in Tokyo. He was punished for defying the Japan Sumo Association's ban on wrestlers driving cars by being forced to sit out the May tournament, resulting in demotion to the juryo division. This broke a string of over 700 consecutive top division bouts dating from his re-entry into makuuchi in May 1999, the longest streak among active wrestlers.

However, he won immediate promotion back to the top division with a 12-3 record in July. On his return to the top division in September he was runner-up to yokozuna Hakuho, his first ever runner-up score in makuuchi. He was awarded his fifth Fighting Spirit prize. In March 2009 he was promoted to komusubi for the first time in 17 tournaments, and became the first former san'yaku wrestler since Mitoizumi in 1988 to drop to the juryo division and make a return to the san'yaku ranks. He made komusubi once again in July 2009.

Following the retirement of Kaio in July 2011 Kyokutenho became the longest serving member of the top division. It had been thought he would become head of oshima stable when Asahikuni reached the mandatory retirement age of sixty-five in April 2012, but Kyokutenho was still comfortably ranked in the top division at the time, and active wrestlers are not permitted to become stablemasters. Instead he continued wrestling and transferred along with his colleagues to Tomozuna stable.

In May 2012, in his first tournament for his new stable, he won his first Emperor's Cup by beating Tochiozan in a playoff after both finished with 12-3 records. In this tournament, Kyokutenho had been in professional sumo just over twenty years, and at 37 years and 8 months was the oldest wrestler ever to take a top division championship in modern sumo history. He was also the first maegashira ranked wrestler to win a tournament since Kotomitsuki in 2001. Also, as Kyokutenho had acquired Japanese citizenship, he was technically the first Japanese to win the championship since Tochiazuma in January 2006, although he will still be regarded as a 'foreign' champion in the Sumo Association's record book. His yusho was the 50th won by a Mongolian born wrestler.

Despite his tournament victory Kyokutenho did not return to the san'yaku ranks for the July tournament, instead being ranked at maegashira 1. He is the first maegashira to win the yusho and not achieve san'yaku promotion since Sadanoyama in 1961. Kyokutenho scored only 2–13 in this tournament, losing his first 13 bouts – the worst performance by a defending yusho champion since Takatoriki also scored 2–13 in May 2000. In September 2014 he became the first 40-year-old to be ranked in makuuchi since the six tournament a year system began in 1958, and he also drew level with Terao on 1795 career appearances, behind only Oshio's 1891. In November he won ten bouts and was awarded his seventh and final special prize, all for Fighting Spirit. In the May 2015 tournament he surpassed Kaio's record with his 1445th appearance in the top division.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Kyokutenho left the ring in tears after losing his twelfth bout of the July 2015 tournament, a result which meant his demotion to the second division was certain. He announced his retirement the following day, stating "I have run out of strength and don’t have the spirit anymore." Hakuho gave him a ride in the yokozuna's victory parade after winning the tournament.

He became Oshima-oyakata, and began a coaching role at Tomozuna stable. His danpatsu-shiki, or official retirement ceremony, was held in the Ryogoku Kokugikan on 29 May 2016. It was announced in March 2017 that he would take over the running of Tomozuna stable after the May tournament, as the head coach (ex-sekiwake Kaiki) was about to reach the mandatory retirement age. Kyokutenho said, "Since I belonged to two different stables, I hope to adopt good practices from both." The two coaches swapped elder names, with the former head of the stable staying as a consultant for a period of five years, under the oshima name, and Kyokutenho being known henceforth as Tomozuna Oyakata. The official handover took place on June 11, 2017 at a hotel in Tokyo with around 800 guests. In February 2022 they swapped back, and Tomozuna stable was renamed Oshima stable.

## **Controversy**

### **Car-Accident**

On 28 April 2007 he caused a car accident in Tokyo. He was punished for defying the Japan Sumo Association's ban on wrestlers driving cars by being forced to sit out the May tournament, resulting in demotion to the juryo division. This broke a string of over 700 consecutive top division bouts dating from his re-entry into makuuchi in May 1999, the longest streak among active wrestlers.

## **Personal Life**

Before Kyokutenho came to Japan he had little knowledge about Japan and still thought that the samurais still existed and that the Japanese wielded swords. When he came to Japan he was fascinated with the futuristic-look of Japan and was particularly interested in vending machines as they did not have that in Mongolia.

After six months in Japan, due to cultural difference, language problems, and the extremely harsh training methods used in sumo, Kyokutenho, Kyokushuzan and three others ran away and sought refuge in the Mongolian embassy, but he was persuaded by Kyokutenzan to return to his stable.

Kyokutenho's hobbies include watching movies and playing golf. He was introduced to golf by his stablemaster in 1996. Kyokutenho's favorite food is Jingisukan (literally translates to Genghis Khan) which is a Japanese grilled mutton dish prepared on a convex metal skillet or other grill.

Kyokutenho served as the dew sweeper or tsuyuharai in yokozuna Hakuho's dohyo-iri. He also occasionally served as Hakuho's flag-bearer in the championship parade.

### **Family**

In 2005, Kyokutenho obtained Japanese citizenship with the support of his stablemaster, ex ozeki Asahikuni. His legal name is now Masaru Ota (太田 勝 Ota Masaru). He is married to a Japanese woman and his first child, a girl, was born in September 2008.

Kyokutenho's brother Luvsandorj, nine years his junior, also became a sumo wrestler in 2000 under the name Fudoyama. They were the first pair of foreign brothers to join professional sumo. Fudoyama was unable to join Kyokutenho's stable due to the one foreigner per heya limit, so he joined Takashima stable instead. However, he never climbed higher than the third makushita division and retired in January 2008.

Kyokutenho is the brother-in-law of the former maegashira Shotenro (later Kasugayama Oyakata).

## **Fighting Style**

Kyokutenho was a solidly yotsu-sumo wrestler, favouring techniques which involve grabbing the opponent's mawashi or belt. He preferred a migi-yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) grip. Over half his career wins were by a simple yorikiri or force out, compared with an average of around 28 percent for all wrestlers. Kyokutenho also regularly employs uwatenage (overarm throw) and hattakikomi (slap down)

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 927-944-22/1870 (140 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 697-773-15/1470 (99 basho)
* **Juryo:** 128-112/240 (16 basho)
* **Makushita:** 49-35/84 (12 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 23-12/35 (5 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 24-11-7/34 (6 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 6-1/7 (1 basho)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Fighting Spirit Prize (7)
* **Kinboshi:** 2: (1) Takanohana, (1) Asashoryu
* **Record:** **6th** Most Career Wins (927)
* **Record:** **2nd** Most Career Bouts (1870)
* **Record:** **1st** Most Top Division Bouts (1470)
* **Record:** **2nd** Most Tournaments Ranked in the Top Division (99)
* **Record: 2nd** oldest wrestler to win makuuchi championship in modern history (37 years 8 months)
* **Oldest** wrestler to win special prize (40 years 3 months)
* **1st** 40 year old ranked in makuuchi during the six tournament a year system (system began in 1958)
* **1st** pair of foreign rikishi brothers (Kyokutenho and Fudoyama)
* Tied for **1st** Mongolian to join professional sumo

## **Gallery**

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

Kyokutenho Masaru - 2015 (Retrieved from the JSA)Kyokutenho Masaru - 2014 (Retrieved from the JSA)Kyokutenho Masaru - 2013 (Retrieved from the JSA)Kyokutenho Masaru - 2012 (Retrieved from the JSA)Kyokutenho Masaru - 2012 (Retrieved from the JSA)Kyokutenho Masaru - 1998 (Retrieved from the JSA)Kyokutenho's tegata
### **Career Overview**

Kyokutenho (left) joins sumo with his fellow Mongolians (c. 1992)Kyokutenho during his time in the unsalaried ranks (c. 1992)Kyokutenho congratulated after ensuring Juryo promotion (c. 1996)Kyokutenho after promotion to Juryo (c. 1996)Kyokutenho during the Juryo dohyo-iri (c. 1996)Kyokutenho after promotion to Makuuchi (c. 1997)Kyokutenho launches at his opponent (c. 1998)Kyokutenho prepares for his upcoming match (c. 1999)Kyokutenho battles future Ozeki Miyabiyama (c. 2000)Kyokutenho battles Ozeki Kaio (c. 2001)Kyokutenho after promotion to Komusubi (c. 2001)Kyokutenho defeats Yokozuna Takanohana (c. 2002)Kyokutenho throws and defeats Yokozuna Asashoryu (c. 2003)Kyokutenho after promotion to Sekiwake (c. 2003)Kyokutenho lifts and defeats Yokozuna Asashoryu (c. 2004)Kyokutenho defeats Ozeki Chiyotaikai (c. 2005)Kyokutenho battles future Yokozuna Harumafuji (c. 2006)Kyokutenho defeats Tamakasuga (c. 2007)Kyokutenho with one of his many sansho prizes (c. 2007)Kyokutenho defeats Takamisakari (c. 2008)Kyokutenho battles future Yokozuna Kakuryu (c. 2009)Kyokutenho lifts and defeats Harumafuji (c. 2010)Kyokutenho serves as Yokozuna Hakuho's flag bearer (c. 2010)Kyokutenho battles Yokozuna Hakuho (c. 2011)Kyokutenho defeats Tochiozan to win his first Yusho (c. 2012)Kyokutenho after winning his first Yusho (c. 2012)Kyokutenho wins his first Yusho (c. 2012)Kyokutenho celebrates his first Yusho (c. 2012)Kyokutenho's first Yusho parade (c. 2012)Kyokutenho presented with his Yusho portrait (c. 2012)Kyokutenho throws and defeats Takayasu (c. 2013)Kyokutenho prepares for his upcoming match (c. 2014)Kyokutenho celebrates his 40th birthday (c. 2014)Kyokutenho throws and defeats Okinoumi (c. 2014)Kyokutenho defeats Amuru (c. 2015)Kyokutenho loses his final match to Tochinoshin (c. 2015)Kyokutenho after wrestling his final match (c. 2015)Kyokutenho congratulated by Yokozuna Hakuho (c. 2015)Kyokutenho announces his retirement (c. 2015)Kyokutenho's retirement ceremony (c. 2016)Kyokutenho after retirement as Oshima Oyakata (c. 2020)

## **Sources**

* Kyokutenho Masaru Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Kyokutenho Masaru Rikishi Information