Ryuho Masayoshi
Encyclopedia
Ryūhō Masayoshi is a sumo
wrestler from Nakagami
, Okinawa, Japan
. His highest rank has been maegashira 16.
of Ryūhō in 1997. He has changed the second part of his shikona several times, from Keisuke to Shokichi before settling on his current Masayoshi.
In 2000 he moved to Michinoku stable
when his old heya
was closed down upon the retirement of its stablemaster. After over nine years in the unsalaried apprentice ranks, he finally became a sekitori
for the first time in November 2002 upon promotion to the second highest jūryō division. He could only manage a 5-10 score in that tournament and was demoted back to the makushita division. He finally managed a return to jūryō in September 2005, after nearly three years away, and slowly moved up the division until an 8-7 score at jūryō 1 East in July 2006 saw him promoted to the top makuuchi
division. It took him 81 tournaments from his professional debut to reach makuuchi, which at the time was the tenth slowest since the introduction of the six tournaments a year system in 1958.
Although Ryūhō won his first two top division matches (against Kasugao and Kakuryu) he could manage only two more wins in September 2006 (against Hakurozan
and Toyonoshima) and was demoted back to the second division after only one tournament. By July 2007 he had fallen to jūryō 11 West and a loss to Ichihara
on Day 12 left him with only three wins against nine losses. Demotion to makushita seemed certain, yet he managed to win his last three bouts, and his 6-9 score was just enough to preserve his sekitori status. However, in the next tournament in September 2007 he could only manage 5-10 at jūryō 14 West and was demoted from jūryō, replaced by Ichihara.
Back in makushita for the November 2007 tournament he turned in a make-koshi 3-4 score. He produced three kachi-koshi winning records of 4-3 in the first three tournaments of 2008, but partly due to knee problems, this was followed by three straight make-koshi. In 2009 he achieved six straight winning records, bringing him to the verge of promotion back to jūryō. Despite faltering in January and May 2010, a 6-1 record at Makushita 11 in July 2010 was enough to return him to sekitori level for the first time in 18 tournaments. Benefiting from the large number of demotions from jūryō because of suspensions, he became the first wrestler since the instigation of the seven day tournament system for the lower ranks in July 1960 to be promoted to jūryō from below Makushita 10 without a perfect 7-0 record. Ryuho described his promotion as a "miracle." Despite losing on the final day of the September tournament to the makushita wrestler Tsurugidake to finish with a make-koshi score of 7-8 he remained in jūryō for the following tournament. However, in November 2010 he could only score 4-11 at the lowest jūryō rank. He withdrew from the May 2011 tournament with only one win, the first time since January 2000 that he has missed any matches. He has not competed since and dropped to the sandanme division in September, although he has yet to announce his retirement.
of yori kiri or force out. He prefers a hidari-yotsu, or right hand outside, left hand inside grip on his opponent's mawashi
.
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 from Nakagami
Nakagami
Nakagami can refer to:* Kenji Nakagami - a Japanese writer* Nakagami District, Okinawa* Nakagami distribution - a statistical distribution...
, Okinawa, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. His highest rank has been maegashira 16.
Career
He entered sumo in March 1993, joining Tatsutagawa stable. He initially wrestled under his own surname of Urazaki, first adopting the shikonaShikona
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...
of Ryūhō in 1997. He has changed the second part of his shikona several times, from Keisuke to Shokichi before settling on his current Masayoshi.
In 2000 he moved to Michinoku stable
Michinoku stable
The is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tokitsukaze ichimon or group of stables. It was established in 1974 by former maegashira Hoshikabuto, who branched off from Izutsu stable. Former ozeki Kirishima became the current head coach in December 1997. It absorbed Tatsutagawa stable in...
when his old heya
Heya
In sumo wrestling, a heya , usually translated into English as stable, is an organization of sumo wrestlers where they train and live. All wrestlers in professional sumo must belong to one. There are currently 49 heya , all but four of which belong to one of five ichimon...
was closed down upon the retirement of its stablemaster. After over nine years in the unsalaried apprentice ranks, he finally 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...
for the first time in November 2002 upon promotion to the second highest jūryō division. He could only manage a 5-10 score in that tournament and was demoted back to the makushita division. He finally managed a return to jūryō in September 2005, after nearly three years away, and slowly moved up the division until an 8-7 score at jūryō 1 East in July 2006 saw him promoted 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. It took him 81 tournaments from his professional debut to reach makuuchi, which at the time was the tenth slowest since the introduction of the six tournaments a year system in 1958.
Although Ryūhō won his first two top division matches (against Kasugao and Kakuryu) he could manage only two more wins in September 2006 (against Hakurozan
Hakurozan Yuta
Hakurozan Yūta is a former sumo wrestler. The highest rank he reached was maegashira 2. His older brother is also a former sumo wrestler, under the name of Rohō of Ōtake stable...
and Toyonoshima) and was demoted back to the second division after only one tournament. By July 2007 he had fallen to jūryō 11 West and a loss to Ichihara
Ichihara Takayuki
Kiyoseumi Takayuki is a former sumo wrestler from Nagoya, Japan. An extremely successful amateur, his highest rank in the professional sport was maegashira 13...
on Day 12 left him with only three wins against nine losses. Demotion to makushita seemed certain, yet he managed to win his last three bouts, and his 6-9 score was just enough to preserve his sekitori status. However, in the next tournament in September 2007 he could only manage 5-10 at jūryō 14 West and was demoted from jūryō, replaced by Ichihara.
Back in makushita for the November 2007 tournament he turned in a make-koshi 3-4 score. He produced three kachi-koshi winning records of 4-3 in the first three tournaments of 2008, but partly due to knee problems, this was followed by three straight make-koshi. In 2009 he achieved six straight winning records, bringing him to the verge of promotion back to jūryō. Despite faltering in January and May 2010, a 6-1 record at Makushita 11 in July 2010 was enough to return him to sekitori level for the first time in 18 tournaments. Benefiting from the large number of demotions from jūryō because of suspensions, he became the first wrestler since the instigation of the seven day tournament system for the lower ranks in July 1960 to be promoted to jūryō from below Makushita 10 without a perfect 7-0 record. Ryuho described his promotion as a "miracle." Despite losing on the final day of the September tournament to the makushita wrestler Tsurugidake to finish with a make-koshi score of 7-8 he remained in jūryō for the following tournament. However, in November 2010 he could only score 4-11 at the lowest jūryō rank. He withdrew from the May 2011 tournament with only one win, the first time since January 2000 that he has missed any matches. He has not competed since and dropped to the sandanme division in September, although he has yet to announce his retirement.
Fighting style
Ryuho is a solidly yotsu-sumo wrestler and nearly half his victories come by using the most common kimariteKimarite
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...
of yori kiri or force out. He prefers a hidari-yotsu, or right hand outside, left hand inside 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:...
.