Kaisei Ichirō
Encyclopedia
Kaisei Ichirō is a professional sumo
wrestler (rikishi) from São Paulo
, Brazil
. Making his debut in September 2006, he reached the top makuuchi
division in May 2011
. His highest rank has been maegashira 5.
in 2006 (already home to another Brazilian wrestler, Kaishin) and was given the shikona
or ring name of Kaisei Ichirō. Ichirō was the name of Kaisei's late grandfather, who was Japanese.
Kaisei moved through the lower divisions quickly, reaching the fourth highest sandanme division in March 2007. He was promoted to the third makushita division after the March 2008 tournament, but then his progress stalled somewhat. He came through the September 2009 tournament undefeated (although he lost a playoff for the yusho
to Gagamaru) and in May 2010 became a sekitori
by earning promotion to juryo. He was the fourth Brazilian to make the juryo division after Ryuko, Kuniazuma and Wakaazuma, but Kaisei was to surpass all of them by winning promotion to the top makuuchi
division. After winning the juryo division yusho in November 2010 with an 11-4 record, he followed up with an 8-7 at Juryo 1 in January 2011, which saw him reach maegashira 16 in the May Technical Examination tournament.
Kaisei won his first six bouts in his makuuchi debut, the first makuuchi debutant to do so since Takanonami in 1991. He went on to 8-0, the first to achieve that since Sadanoumi in 1980, and 9-0, running neck and neck with yokozuna Hakuho, before suffering his first defeat to Tochinoshin on Day 10. He thus failed to emulate the great Taiho
, who reached 11-0 in 1960. Nevertheless his final score of 10-5 saw him win the Fighting Spirit Award. He was also given the honour of serving as Hakuho's tsuyuharai
, or dew sweeper, during the yokozuna's ring entering ceremony.
He was promoted to maegashira 5 for the July tournament, where he recovered from 1-4 to go to 6-4, but then lost his last five matches to finish on 6-9. With the intai-zumo (retirement from sumo) of ōzeki Kaio
during the same tournament Kaisei become the heyagashira (the highest ranked rikishi) at Tomozuna stable. So far in his makuuchi career he has been unable to capitalise on his strong debut, recording disappointing scores of 4-11 and 6-9 in September and November 2011 to fall to the bottom of the division.
), yori (forcing) and oshi (pushing). His most common winning kimarite
are straightforward: yori-kiri (force out) and oshi dashi (push out).
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler (rikishi) from São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Making his debut in September 2006, he reached the top makuuchi
Makuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division in May 2011
2011 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 9 January – 23 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 13 March – 27 March *Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 8 May – 22 May...
. His highest rank has been maegashira 5.
Career
Born Ricardo Sugano in São Paulo, he did judo while growing up. He joined Tomozuna stableTomozuna stable
The is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. It has a long and prestigious history. Its current head coach is former sekiwake Kaiki, who is also a director of the Japan Sumo Association...
in 2006 (already home to another Brazilian wrestler, Kaishin) and was given the shikona
Shikona
A shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
or ring name of Kaisei Ichirō. Ichirō was the name of Kaisei's late grandfather, who was Japanese.
Kaisei moved through the lower divisions quickly, reaching the fourth highest sandanme division in March 2007. He was promoted to the third makushita division after the March 2008 tournament, but then his progress stalled somewhat. He came through the September 2009 tournament undefeated (although he lost a playoff for the yusho
Yusho
A Yūshō is a tournament championship in sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual honbasho or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most number of bouts. Yūshō are awarded in all six professional sumo divisions...
to Gagamaru) and in May 2010 became a sekitori
Sekitori
A sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...
by earning promotion to juryo. He was the fourth Brazilian to make the juryo division after Ryuko, Kuniazuma and Wakaazuma, but Kaisei was to surpass all of them by winning promotion to the top makuuchi
Makuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division. After winning the juryo division yusho in November 2010 with an 11-4 record, he followed up with an 8-7 at Juryo 1 in January 2011, which saw him reach maegashira 16 in the May Technical Examination tournament.
Kaisei won his first six bouts in his makuuchi debut, the first makuuchi debutant to do so since Takanonami in 1991. He went on to 8-0, the first to achieve that since Sadanoumi in 1980, and 9-0, running neck and neck with yokozuna Hakuho, before suffering his first defeat to Tochinoshin on Day 10. He thus failed to emulate the great Taiho
Taiho Koki
Taihō Kōki is the 48th Yokozuna in the Japanese sport of sumo wrestling. He is generally regarded as the greatest sumo wrestler of the post-war period. He became a yokozuna in 1961 at the age of 21, the youngest ever at the time, and he won a record 32 tournaments between 1960 and 1971...
, who reached 11-0 in 1960. Nevertheless his final score of 10-5 saw him win the Fighting Spirit Award. He was also given the honour of serving as Hakuho's tsuyuharai
Tsuyuharai
In professional sumo, the tsuyuharai is one of the two attendants that accompany a yokozuna when he performs his dohyo-iri or ring entrance ceremony. The other attendant is called the tachimochi....
, or dew sweeper, during the yokozuna's ring entering ceremony.
He was promoted to maegashira 5 for the July tournament, where he recovered from 1-4 to go to 6-4, but then lost his last five matches to finish on 6-9. With the intai-zumo (retirement from sumo) of ōzeki Kaio
Kaio Hiroyuki
Kaiō Hiroyuki is a former professional sumo wrestler from Nōgata, Fukuoka, Japan.He made his debut in 1988, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1993. He held the second highest rank of ōzeki or champion for eleven years from 2000 to 2011, and is the longest-serving ozeki of all time in terms of...
during the same tournament Kaisei become the heyagashira (the highest ranked rikishi) at Tomozuna stable. So far in his makuuchi career he has been unable to capitalise on his strong debut, recording disappointing scores of 4-11 and 6-9 in September and November 2011 to fall to the bottom of the division.
Fighting style
Kaisei's favoured techniques are listed at the Sumo Association as migi-yotsu (a left hand outside, right hand inside grip on the opponent's mawashiMawashi
In sumo, a mawashi is the belt that the rikishi wears during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a keshō-mawashi as part of the ring entry ceremony or dohyo-iri.-Mawashi:...
), yori (forcing) and oshi (pushing). His most common winning kimarite
Kimarite
Kimarite are winning techniques in a sumo bout. For each bout in a Grand Sumo tournament , a sumo referee, or gyoji, will decide and announce the type of kimarite used by the winner...
are straightforward: yori-kiri (force out) and oshi dashi (push out).
Tournament record
See also
- Glossary of sumo termsGlossary of sumo termsThe following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. azukari : Hold. A kind of draw. After a mono-ii, the gyōji or the shimpan "holds" the result if it was too close to call...
- List of sumo tournament second division winners
- List of active sumo wrestlers