Matsumaeyama Takeshi

Matsumaeyama Takeshi - 松前山 武士 (born June 29, 1940) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Matsumae, Hokkaido. He made his debut in January 1958 and last wrestled for Kokonoe stable. He reached the makuuchi division in July 1964. His highest rank was maegashira 9 and he retired in November 1967.

## **Early Life**

Sadao Watanabe was born on June 29, 1940, in the town of Matsumae in Hokkaido. After graduating from junior high school, Watanabe became engaged in the fishing industry. He was recruited into Dewanoumi stable by the 41st yokozuna Chiyonoyama who came from the same Matsumae District in Hokkaido.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He made his debut in January 1958 and was given the shikona "Matsumaeyama" (松前山) which was derived from his hometown of Matsumae. In his first professional tournament he won the jonokuchi yusho with a perfect 8-0 record. He was promoted to sandanme in September 1958 and makushita in November 1959. After four years in makushita he was promoted to juryo in May 1963.

### **Juryo Career**

In his first tournament as a sekitori, Matsumaeyama finished with a 9-6 record and was able to establish himself as a sekitori. He followed with six more winning records and was promoted to makuuchi in July 1964.

### **Makuuchi Career**

At the time of his makuuchi debut he had not produced a single losing record as a sekitori, however, he finished with a 6-9 record in his top division debut and was demoted back down to juryo. He returned to makuuchi in March 1965 and produced an 8-7 record which promoted him to the rank of maegashira 9 in May 1965. However, he was forced to miss six tournaments after being diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and fell to the sandanme division. However he managed to return to the sekitori level and won the juryo division championship in March 1967 with a 12–3 record. This was his first tournament fighting for the newly formed Kokonoe stable. However, he never managed to return to makuuchi and he announced his retirement after the November 1967 tournament.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Upon retirement from active competition at the age of 27 he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Onoe. He left the Sumo Association in November 1968 and opened a chankonabe restaurant in Kabukicho, Tokyo.

## **Fighting Style**

Matsumaeyama was proficient in both yotsu-sumo (grappling) and oshi-sumo (pushing and thrusting) techniques. His favored grip on his opponent's mawashi was hidari-yotsu, a right hand outside, left hand inside position. He was also fond of employing hazu-oshi which is the act of pushing the opponent with hands beneath his armpits. His most often used winning kimarite was oshidashi (push out), followed by yorikiri (force out).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 301-205-58/506 (60 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 14-16-15/30 (3 basho)
* **Juryo:** 119-91-15/210 (16 basho)
* **Makushita:** 100-71-28/171 (28 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 49-22/71 (9 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 11-5/16 (2 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 8-0/8 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Juryo** Championship (March 1967)
* 1 **Makushita** Championship (July 1966)
* 1 **Jonokuchi** Championship (March 1958)

## **Shikona History**

* Matsumaeyama Sadao (1958.01 - 1964.05)
* Matsumaeyama Takeshi (1964.07 - 1965.09)
* Watanabeyama Sadao (1965.11 - 1966.03)
* Matsumaeyama Takeshi (1966.05 - 1967.11)

## **Gallery**

Matsumaeyama poses with his kesho-mawashiMatsumaeyama (left) part of Kitanofuji Yusho parade (c. 1967)Matsumaeyama (left) celebrates Kitanofuji's Yusho (c. 1967)
## **Sources**

* Matsumaeyama Takeshi Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Matsumaeyama Takeshi Rikishi Information