Masurao Hiroo
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
former sumo
wrestler, born in Itoda
, Fukuoka Prefecture
. Making his professional debut in 1979, he reached the top division in 1985. His highest rank was sekiwake and he won five special prizes
in his top division career. He was one of the lightest wrestlers in the top division, and very popular with tournament crowds. In his later career he suffered from a number of injuries, particularly to his knee, and he retired in 1990 at the age of 29. He is now the head coach of Ōnomatsu stable
.
but was persuaded to give sumo a try by Oshiogawa Oyakata, the former ozeki Daikirin. He entered sumo after his second year of high school, and fought his first match, under the name Tejima, at age 17 in the March tournament of 1979. In 1985 he entered the makuuchi
ranks, having already taken the name Masurao. He won his first special prize
in November 1986, and his first kinboshi
in January 1987.
The March tournament of 1987 saw Masurao ranked in the titled sanyaku ranks for the first time, at komusubi. In the first seven days he defeated two yokozuna (Chiyonofuji
and Futahaguro
) and four ōzeki (Hokuten'yū
, future yokozuna Ōnokuni
, Asashio
, and Wakashimazu
). Despite these six victories over higher-ranked opponents, he began losing in the second week and ended the tournament with a 9-6 record. In the next basho in May he beat two more yokozuna (Chiyonofuji and, for the third time in a row, Futahaguro) and two more ōzeki and scored 10-5. He then advanced to sekiwake, the highest rank he attained. However he finished the July 1987 tournament with a 4-11 record and never made sanyaku again. In the following September tournament he injured his knee in a bout with Onokuni and was forced to withdraw, falling to the bottom of the division. In May 1988 he injured the knee again in a bout with another heavyweight, Konishiki, and ended up dropping out of that tournament too. His knee continued to trouble him for the rest of his career, and he was demoted to the second jūryō division on several occasions. He ended up winning the jūryō division championship five times, which is a record.
Masurao retired from wrestling in July 1990 at the age of just 29. He left a record of 387 wins, 329 losses, missing 86 bouts. His career spanned eleven years and 68 tournaments, 20 in the makuuchi division, where his record was 111-125-64. He received several honors
: the shukunshō twice, the kantōshō twice, and the ginōshō once.
He has the fewest tournaments in the top division of any sekiwake..
. His favourite grip on his opponent's mawashi
was migi-yotsu, a left hand outside, right hand inside grip. Aside from yori-kiri, or force out, he also regularly used sukuinage, the scoop throw, and shitatenage, the underarm throw.
, which he founded in 1994. He has produced two makuuchi wrestlers, Katayama
and Wakakoyu. He was forced to leave the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables in January 2010 after declaring his support for Takanohana's unsanctioned bid to be elected to the board of directors of the Sumo Association.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
former sumo
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, born in Itoda
Itoda, Fukuoka
is a town located in Tagawa District, Fukuoka, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 10,248 and a density of 1,274.63 persons per km². The total area is 8.04 km².-External links:*...
, Fukuoka Prefecture
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
. Making his professional debut in 1979, he reached the top division in 1985. His highest rank was sekiwake and he won five special prizes
Sansho (Sumo)
Sanshō are the three special prizes awarded to top division sumo wrestlers for exceptional performance during a sumo honbasho or tournament. The prizes were first awarded in November 1947.-Criteria:...
in his top division career. He was one of the lightest wrestlers in the top division, and very popular with tournament crowds. In his later career he suffered from a number of injuries, particularly to his knee, and he retired in 1990 at the age of 29. He is now the head coach of Ōnomatsu stable
Onomatsu stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, formerly one of the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables. It was founded in its modern form on 1 October 1994 by Masurao Hiroo, who branched off from the now defunct Oshiogawa stable. His first wrestler to reach the top makuuchi division was Katayama in 2005....
.
Career
In his youth he excelled at judoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
but was persuaded to give sumo a try by Oshiogawa Oyakata, the former ozeki Daikirin. He entered sumo after his second year of high school, and fought his first match, under the name Tejima, at age 17 in the March tournament of 1979. In 1985 he entered the 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....
ranks, having already taken the name Masurao. He won his first special prize
Sansho (Sumo)
Sanshō are the three special prizes awarded to top division sumo wrestlers for exceptional performance during a sumo honbasho or tournament. The prizes were first awarded in November 1947.-Criteria:...
in November 1986, and his first kinboshi
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
in January 1987.
The March tournament of 1987 saw Masurao ranked in the titled sanyaku ranks for the first time, at komusubi. In the first seven days he defeated two yokozuna (Chiyonofuji
Chiyonofuji Mitsugu
, born June 1, 1955, as in Hokkaidō, Japan, is a former champion sumo wrestler and the 58th yokozuna of the sport. He is now the head coach of Kokonoe stable....
and Futahaguro
Koji Kitao
Kōji Kitao is a former sumo wrestler and professional wrestler, born in Mie, Japan. He was sumo's 60th Yokozuna, and the only yokozuna in sumo history not to win a top division tournament championship...
) and four ōzeki (Hokuten'yū
Hokuten'yu Katsuhiko
was a sumo wrestler, from Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan. The highest rank he achieved was ozeki which he held for seven years from 1983 until 1990. He won two top division yusho or tournament championships...
, future yokozuna Ōnokuni
Onokuni Yasushi
Ōnokuni Yasushi is a former sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō, Japan. Making his professional debut in 1978, he reached the top division in 1983. In 1987 he won his first yusho or tournament championship with a perfect score and became the sport's 62nd yokozuna...
, Asashio
Asashio Taro IV
Asashio Tarō IV is a former sumo wrestler from Muroto, Kochi, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki...
, and Wakashimazu
Wakashimazu Mutsuo
Wakashimazu Mutsuo is a former sumo wrestler from Nakatane, Kagoshima, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki. He won two top division yusho or tournament championships. He retired in 1987 and is now the head coach of Matsugane stable.-Career:Wakashimazu wrestled for Futagoyama stable, joining in March...
). Despite these six victories over higher-ranked opponents, he began losing in the second week and ended the tournament with a 9-6 record. In the next basho in May he beat two more yokozuna (Chiyonofuji and, for the third time in a row, Futahaguro) and two more ōzeki and scored 10-5. He then advanced to sekiwake, the highest rank he attained. However he finished the July 1987 tournament with a 4-11 record and never made sanyaku again. In the following September tournament he injured his knee in a bout with Onokuni and was forced to withdraw, falling to the bottom of the division. In May 1988 he injured the knee again in a bout with another heavyweight, Konishiki, and ended up dropping out of that tournament too. His knee continued to trouble him for the rest of his career, and he was demoted to the second jūryō division on several occasions. He ended up winning the jūryō division championship five times, which is a record.
Masurao retired from wrestling in July 1990 at the age of just 29. He left a record of 387 wins, 329 losses, missing 86 bouts. His career spanned eleven years and 68 tournaments, 20 in the makuuchi division, where his record was 111-125-64. He received several honors
Sansho (Sumo)
Sanshō are the three special prizes awarded to top division sumo wrestlers for exceptional performance during a sumo honbasho or tournament. The prizes were first awarded in November 1947.-Criteria:...
: the shukunshō twice, the kantōshō twice, and the ginōshō once.
He has the fewest tournaments in the top division of any sekiwake..
Fighting style
Masurao was a yotsu-sumo wrestler, favouring grappling and throwing rather than pushing techniquesKimarite
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...
. His favourite grip on his opponent's mawashi
Mawashi
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:...
was migi-yotsu, a left hand outside, right hand inside grip. Aside from yori-kiri, or force out, he also regularly used sukuinage, the scoop throw, and shitatenage, the underarm throw.
After retirement
After leaving the ring, Masurao remained in sumo. He is now the head of the Ōnomatsu stableOnomatsu stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, formerly one of the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables. It was founded in its modern form on 1 October 1994 by Masurao Hiroo, who branched off from the now defunct Oshiogawa stable. His first wrestler to reach the top makuuchi division was Katayama in 2005....
, which he founded in 1994. He has produced two makuuchi wrestlers, Katayama
Katayama Shinji
Katayama Shinji is a former sumo wrestler from Yaizu, Shizuoka, Japan. His highest rank was maegashira 13.-Career:...
and Wakakoyu. He was forced to leave the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables in January 2010 after declaring his support for Takanohana's unsanctioned bid to be elected to the board of directors of the Sumo Association.
Top division 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 past sumo wrestlers