Hoshoryu Tomokatsu

Hoshoryu Tomokatsu - 豊昇龍 智勝 (born May 22, 1999) is a Mongolian professional sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar. He made his debut in November 2017 and currently wrestles for Tatsunami stable. He reached the makuuchi division in September 2020 and has 3 special prizes and 1 top division championship. His highest rank as of 2023 is ozeki.

## **Early Life**

Sugarragchaa was born in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as the second son of former yokozuna Asashoryu's eldest brother (Sugarragchaa Dolgorsürengiin), who has a background as a bökh wrestler. Described as a "city kid", he spent all his summer vacations, particularly long in Mongolia (from June to September) camping in yurts. As a child, he was naturally athletic and learned to ride horses at the age of three. At the age of five, he began taking lessons in basketball and judo at the same club as fellow future-Ozeki Kirishima, saying that together they "were like friends". Born into a wrestling family, Sugarragchaa often socialized with other professional sumo wrestlers at dinner parties, notably with 73rd yokozuna Terunofuji, long before becoming a professional himself. He also watched his uncle's matches on television, and developed a great respect for him. Although he was not particularly fond of wrestling, he started taking bökh lessons at the age of 11 and achieved some local successes.

Upon graduation from middle school, he was scouted from Mongolia by the coach of Japan's NSSU Kashiwa High School sumo club, who visited the country to scout for international sports students. There, he was recognized because his coach saw his look, similar to his famous uncle's "who always seemed to be fighting something". Although he did not feel like wrestling yet, he decided to give in to temptation and took a trip to Japan. He was finally recruited and attended Kashiwa High School in Chiba Prefecture, along future professional sumo wrestlers Oshoma and Asahakuryu. There, he first joined the wrestling club, saying he was afraid of sumo, but in his first year he took part in a school trip and visited the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo and became interested in the sport. After consulting with his uncle he committed to trying sumo at the high school level. Though he had no previous experience, he quickly started getting good results in amateur sumo tournaments and was seen as having great potential. In his third year, he was defeated by Tottori Johoku High School's wrestler Amartuvshin Amarsanaa at the Inter-High School Championships, allowing Amartuvshin to become the first foreign-born high school-yokozuna in history.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Hoshoryu joined Tatsunami stable after high school. During this time, he was in regular contact with his uncle who gave him such advice as "build on your own strengths" and "don't put on weight quickly or you'll risk injury." Hoshoryu first stepped into the ring professionally in January 2018. In his maezumo (pre-sumo) debut, he was defeated by fellow debutant Naya, who was also garnering attention as the grandson of the greatly respected yokozuna Taiho. Because of their strong family ties to sumo, he commented that he and Naya (who later changed his shikona to Oho) felt close to each other. In his first official tournament on the banzuke in March 2018, Hoshoryu was close to winning the jonokuchi division championship after scoring six consecutive victories, but was defeated again by Naya, who went on to win the championship. Since then, the two wrestlers have maintained a certain rivalry.

In Hoshoryu's second tournament, he took the jonidan championship with a perfect 7-0 record. On his debut in the sandanme division, he went 6–1 when scoring a win in his final match against Hiradoumi, securing promotion to the makushita division. During the summer tours in June, Hoshoryu was unusually chosen by yokozuna Hakuho to participate in a training session, showing that he took him under his wing after helping to train him when he was still in high school. In his first tournament in the makushita division, he recorded 3 consecutive victories before recording 3 defeats. In his 7th bout, he was paired against Naya, who also had a score of 3–3, putting both wrestlers in a position of potential demotion to the sandanme division. Hoshoryu defeated Naya by kubinage, the latter suffering the first make-koshi record of his career and being logically relegated to the lower division for the November tournament of the same year.

In January 2019, Hoshoryu faced former makuuchi wrestler Ura, who was rising through the ranks after being absent from the ring since the September 2017 tournament. Although Hoshoryu defeated him by kakenage, Ura injured his knee again during the match and had to withdraw from the tournament before missing another four consecutive tournaments due to injury. Hoshoryu later said he was nervous about facing a former maegashira but felt responsible for the injury, going to the arena infirmary after the match to ask Ura for forgiveness. In May, Hoshoryu also recorded an eighth positive record and had a remarkable match against Kotonowaka, where observers noticed the similarities between Hoshoryu's technique and that of his uncle. In July 2019, Hoshoryu, then ranked as makushita 2, faced competition against opponents who had mostly already been ranked in the juryo division. During this tournament he was called upon to wrestle in this upper-division with a match against juryo Kizakiumi, where he suffered a defeat. That month, he suffered his only losing tournament in his rise through the lower divisions.

Hoshoryu quickly bounced back the following tournament in September 2019 and, with a winning record of 4–3 (kachi-koshi), he earned juryo promotion for the November tournament in Fukuoka along with Kotoshoho. At a press conference, Hoshoryu vowed to surpass his uncle's 25 championships. He also received a kimono from his uncle at the time of his promotion.

### **Juryo Career**

In his juryo debut, Hoshoryu began the tournament with a victory over Akiseyama, but suffered a make-koshi record on Day 14, with a loss to Sokokurai. Despite this setback he logged two 8–7 records in the next two consecutive tournaments. In the July 2020 tournament (held in Tokyo instead of the usual Nagoya due to COVID concerns) he took part in a rare situation, where six wrestlers were lined up for the championship with ten wins each. In the preliminary stages of the playoff, he defeated Kyokutaisei. The race for the title culminated in a three-man playoff (tomoesen) between three members of Tatsunami stable. This playoff comprised himself, Akua, and Meisei. Bouts between stablemates are only allowed in the case of playoffs, where two or more wrestlers end up with the same record, and is a rare occurrence. Hoshoryu was defeated by former makuuchi wrestler Meisei, who went on to defeat Akua to take the championship.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Hoshoryu's performance in July 2020 was enough to propel him into the top-tier makuuchi division for the September 2020 tournament. He is the 50th foreigner to reach the top division, and the 27th Mongolian. In his first match in the division, he won his first victory in the opening match, beating Ichinojo with the surprising kimarite (winning technique) of yorikiri, the two wrestlers having a 70 kg (150 lb) difference at the time.

In the July 2021 tournament Hoshoryu had his best result in the top division up to that point. On Day 11, he notably defeated ozeki Shodai by yoritaoshi, his fastest win to date. In total, he won ten bouts during the tournament, and was awarded his first special prize, the Gino-sho (Technique prize). After the tournament, he also received public congratulations from the executives of the Japan Sumo Association, including Chairman Hakkuku and Nishikido. In October of the same year, Sports Hochi reported that after the July 2021 tournament he received a comment from the winner of the championship (yokozuna Hakuho) who passed the baton to him in the hope that he would occupy the top of the sumo world. His performance saw him promoted to a new highest rank of Maegashira 1 for September, but in that tournament he had to withdraw on Day 5 with only one win because of tonsillitis. He returned on Day 8 and won four of his remaining eight matches.

In the January 2022 tournament he produced a strong 11–4 record, and was then promoted to san'yaku for the first time, ranked at komusubi for the March 2022 tournament. He achieved winning records in three consecutive tournaments at komusubi, and earned a promotion to sekiwake for the September 2022 tournament. In the November tournament, Hoshoryu stood out by winning his fifth bout against Midorifuji with a rare kawazugake winning-move, a technique not seen in 10 years. He was the leader of the tournament after Day 11 with just one loss, but ultimately finished at 11–4. Still, it was his best performance to date in the san'yaku ranks. He received his second Technique Prize of his career by recording his eleventh victory over Kiribayama.

Hoshoryu had hopes of promotion to ozeki if he produced double-digit wins in the January 2023 tournament, but he withdrew on Day 10 with a sprained left ankle. He returned to the tournament on Day 12 having missed just one day, and preserved his sekiwake rank on the final day, winning his eighth match after his opponent Onosho was disqualified for a hair pull. In the March 2023 rankings, Hoshoryu retained his position as sekiwake. In that tournament he finished with a 10–5 record. Between March and May 2023, Hoshoryu won enough victories to reach double-digit records. After the May tournament, Judging Department chairman Sadagotake commented on the sekiwake results and announced that the July tournament would be one where promotion to ozeki would be considered if Hoshoryu's results were good enough. Hoshoryu would need 12 wins at the July basho to reach the normal ozeki promotion requirement of 33 wins at san'yaku in three tournaments.

### **Promotion to Ozeki**

In early June, Hoshoryu returned to Mongolia for the first time in four years, to recover physically and mentally in preparation for his run (ozeki-tori) to the rank of ozeki. There, he benefited in particular from advice from his uncle Asashoryu and declared that he intended to approach the tournament like his previous ones, "as usual" and without worrying too much about promotion. Prior to the July tournament, Hoshoryu also received a kesho-mawashi designed by manga artist Rieko Saibara, depicting one of the patrons of his stable (Katsuya Takasu) as Genghis Khan and the "blue wolf", a Mongolian legend. Originally, the kesho-mawashi was to be offered after a possible promotion to the rank of ozeki, but Hoshoryu insisted on having it ready at the July tournament.

Hoshoryu began the July 2023 tournament by facing Maegashira Tobizaru. Despite designated the winner of the match, many spectators and journalists mentioned that Hoshoryu's hand had touched the ring floor before Tobizaru had fallen. In response to the growing criticism, the Nikkan Sports newspaper commented in an editorial that the judges had probably awarded the victory to Hoshoryu because he had shown himself to be dominant in the match and Tobizaru was not in a position to continue fighting. Nevertheless, Hoshoryu performed well in the following days, winning his second match against former ozeki Shodai, but lost to Maegashira Nishikigi, one of the tournament's surprise leaders, on Day 3. Hoshoryu bounced back, however, to win six consecutive victories to put him in the title race, including a notable one against Komusubi Abi by okurihikiotoshi, an unusual winning move. Between Days 10 and 12, however, he suffered two defeats to Komusubi Kotonowaka and title contender Hokutofuji. After defeating back-to-back ozeki Kirishima and ozeki promotion-seeker Wakamotoharu, he entered the final day of the tournament in a three-way tie for the lead with eight-year sumo veteran Hokutofuji and 19-year-old makuuchi-newcomer Hakuoho. Hoshoryu took on Hakuoho in their scheduled Day 15 contest with the winner then needing to face Hokutofuji, who by winning that day against Nishikigi had triggered the necessity of a playoff. Hoshoryu brought down Hakuoho, thus winning his 12th match of the tournament and his 33rd in three tournaments at a san'yaku rank, the threshold typically needed for ozeki promotion. Hoshoryu then went on to defeat Hokutofuji in the playoff to secure his first top-division championship and second overall title in professional sumo. Upon winning the playoff and leaving the dohyo, Hoshoryu could not contain his emotions. "I was just so overwhelmed with joy, I was trying to hold it back but the tears just came," he said. He added that he did everything he could and did not think about a possible promotion, and that he wanted to share his joy with his stablemaster Tatsunami and with his uncle.

Since he had reached the quota of victories required for promotion, the board of directors of the Japan Sumo Association approved Hoshoryu's appointment to the rank of ozeki, after JSA Chairman Hakkaku accepted the request of Judging Department head Sadogatake to hold an extraordinary board meeting to discuss the promotion. On July 26, Hoshoryu made his formal acceptance speech at his stable's lodging house in Nagoya, with his parents who had flown in from Mongolia for the ceremony. In his speech, Hoshoryu said that he would work hard with a spirit of kihaku issen (気魄一閃, the mental strength to fight powerfully) so as to not tarnish the rank of ozeki. This promotion makes Hoshoryu the first wrestler promoted to the rank of ozeki from Tatsunami stable in 37 years, since Futahaguro Koji in 1986. He is also the seventh Mongolian ozeki to date, after Kirishima was elevated to the rank in May 2023. After the September banzuke was released, Hoshoryu noted that he had to work even harder than before because many people were offering congratulations to him during the summer regional tours and he became accustomed to people referring to him as an ozeki. He said that he had to win the September tournament by wrestling well.

### **Ozeki Career**

Hoshoryu began his ozeki career in September 2023 by narrowly escaping a kadoban situation with an eighth victory on the final day of the tournament against Hokuseiho.

During the November 2023 tournament Hoshoryu stood out on the fifth day of the tournament in his match against Gonoyama, a match during which the two wrestlers waited at the moment of the tachi-ai for a minute and a half, leading to three unsuccessful attempts to launch the initial charge. Although he won the match, Hoshoryu, due to his rank and three unsuccessful attempts was summoned by head judge Kumegawa to receive a verbal warning.

## **Personal Life**

* Hoshoryu comes from a prestigious wrestling family, his father (the eldest brother) and uncles all having wrestling backgrounds. With the exception of former yokozuna Asashoryu, he also counts among his uncles Dolgorsürengiin Sumyaabazar a Mongolian politician but former Olympic freestyle wrestling athlete, and Dolgorsürengiin Serjbüdee, who was a professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. His paternal grandfather, Donrovyn Dolgorsüren, is also a renowned bökh wrestler, having achieved the status of Ulsyn zaan (Mongolian: Улсын заан), meaning "National Elephant", which means he reached a semi-final in a national Naadam wrestling festival.
* Since Hoshoryu is the nephew of the 68th yokozuna Asashoryu, the latter regularly comments on his performances in the ring. Hoshoryu notably cited his uncle's anger when he suffered three consecutive defeats in March 2019, and his uncle's criticism on Twitter of his style at the September 2019 tournament. Hoshoryu maintains a complicated relationship with the aura his uncle has over professional sumo, feeling that he is "perpetually chasing his shadow." Before his promotion to the rank of ozeki he also commented on his annoyance at being regularly compared to his uncle.
* Hoshoryu's hobbies include sleeping and playing with a Rubik's cube.

## **Fighting Style**

Due to Hoshoryu's wrestling background, he prefers to do yotsu-sumo and prefers grabbing grips. His favorite grip is the migi-yotsu grip, or left hand outside, right hand inside. His most frequently used kimarite is yorikiri (frontal force out), however he also regularly engages with throws and trips, such as shitatenage (underarm throw), uchigake (inside leg trip) and sotogake (outside leg trip).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 257-171-2/425 (35 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 175-123-2/296 (20 basho)
* **Juryo:** 33-27/59 (4 basho)
* **Makushita:** 30-19/49 (7 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 6-1/7 (1 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 7-0/7 (1 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 6-1/7 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Makuuchi** Championship (July 2023)
* 1 **Jonidan** Championship (May 2018)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Technique Prize (2), Fighting Spirit Prize (1)

## **Gallery**

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

Hoshoryu Tomokatsu - 2023 (Retrieved from the JSA)Hoshoryu Tomokatsu - 2022 (Retrieved from the JSA)Hoshoryu Tomokatsu - 2019 (Retrieved from the JSA)Hoshoryu's tegata
### **Career Overview**

Hoshoryu gets measured upon joining professional sumo (c. 2017)Hoshoryu joins alongside the future Oho (c. 2017)Hoshoryu wins the Jonidan Yusho (c. 2018)Hoshoryu ensures promotion to Juryo (c. 2019)Hoshoryu after promotion to Juryo (c. 2019)Hoshoryu defeats Toyonoshima (c. 2019)Hoshoryu after promotion to Makuuchi (c. 2020)Hoshoryu defeats Ichinojo (c. 2020)Hoshoryu defeats Hokutofuji (c. 2021)Hoshoryu with his first of many sansho prizes (c. 2021)Hoshoryu defeats Ozeki Shodai (c. 2022)Hoshoryu after promotion to Komusubi (c. 2022)Hoshoryu prepares for his upcoming match (c. 2022)Hoshoryu after promotion to Sekiwake (c. 2022)Hoshoryu defeats Hokutofuji to win his first Yusho (c. 2023)Hoshoryu wins his first Yusho (c. 2023)Hoshoryu celebrates his first Yusho (c. 2023)Hoshoryu's first Yusho parade (c. 2023)Hoshoryu gets promoted to Ozeki (c. 2023)Hoshoryu celebrates promotion to Ozeki (c. 2023)Hoshoryu presented with his yusho portrait (c. 2023)
## **See Also**

* List of Mongolian Sumo Wrestlers
* List of Ozeki

## **Sources**

* Hoshoryu Tomokatsu Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Hoshoryu Tomokatsu Rikishi Information