Shunketsu Yuji
Encyclopedia
Shunketsu Yūji is a former sumo
wrestler from Misato
, Saitama
, Japan
. The highest rank he reached was maegashira 12.
Shunketsu used several different shikona
during his career. He began using his own surname, Ishide. Upon promotion to sekitori
status for the first time in January 2001 he was given the name Komahikari. However after falling back to the unsalaried makushita division he reverted to Ishide. He retained this name until November 2005 when he became Shunketsu.
Shunketsu spent only five tournaments in the top makuuchi
division, and only made kachi-koshi
there once. He was ranked in the second jūryō division for 25 tournaments. In recent years he was the only sekitori from Hanaregoma stable
, which once produced yokozuna Onokuni.
Since falling from the top division with a 4-11 record in January 2006 he rarely looked like returning, managing to win more than 8 bouts on only one occasion (in July 2006 when he slid to the bottom of the second division at jūryō 13 West and produced a 10-5 score). From November 2006 to May 2007 he managed four consecutive winning scores (eight wins each time), which took him up to jūryō 1 West, but he had five consecutive losing scores after that. After a 3-12 record in March 2008 at the rank of jūryō 11 West, and facing certain demotion to the third division, he announced his retirement.
He won one yusho or tournament title in the makushita division (a perfect 7-0 score in November 2000 which earned him automatic promotion to the jūryō division for the first time), and one in the jūryō division (a 12-3 score in November 2004).
. His favoured grip on the opponent's mawashi
was hidari-yotsu, with his right hand outside and left hand inside his opponent's arms. He also regularly employed henka, or sidestepping at the tachi-ai
or initial charge.
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 Misato
Misato, Saitama
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It borders Chiba Prefecture.In January 2011, the city has an estimated population of 132,937 and a population density of 4,407.73 persons per km2. The total area is 30.16 km2.The city was founded on May 3, 1972...
, Saitama
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
, 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...
. The highest rank he reached was maegashira 12.
Career
Shunketsu made his professional debut in March 1992, alongside several future top division regulars such as Kyokushuzan, Wakanosato and Takanowaka. He weighed only just over 100 kg (220.5 lb) and remained one of the lightest wrestlers in the senior ranks, only managing to put on around 20 kg (44.1 lb) in subsequent years.Shunketsu used several different 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...
during his career. He began using his own surname, Ishide. Upon promotion to 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...
status for the first time in January 2001 he was given the name Komahikari. However after falling back to the unsalaried makushita division he reverted to Ishide. He retained this name until November 2005 when he became Shunketsu.
Shunketsu spent only five tournaments in 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, and only made kachi-koshi
Glossary of sumo terms
The 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...
there once. He was ranked in the second jūryō division for 25 tournaments. In recent years he was the only sekitori from Hanaregoma stable
Hanaregoma stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables. As of September 2010 it had eight active wrestlers.The stable was established in 1981 by former ōzeki Kaiketsu Masateru, as a breakaway from Hanakago stable. Among the wrestlers who went with him was Onokuni, who...
, which once produced yokozuna Onokuni.
Since falling from the top division with a 4-11 record in January 2006 he rarely looked like returning, managing to win more than 8 bouts on only one occasion (in July 2006 when he slid to the bottom of the second division at jūryō 13 West and produced a 10-5 score). From November 2006 to May 2007 he managed four consecutive winning scores (eight wins each time), which took him up to jūryō 1 West, but he had five consecutive losing scores after that. After a 3-12 record in March 2008 at the rank of jūryō 11 West, and facing certain demotion to the third division, he announced his retirement.
He won one yusho or tournament title in the makushita division (a perfect 7-0 score in November 2000 which earned him automatic promotion to the jūryō division for the first time), and one in the jūryō division (a 12-3 score in November 2004).
Fighting style
Shunketsu was predominately a yotsu-sumo wrestler, preferring grappling as opposed to pushing and thrusting 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 favoured grip on the 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 hidari-yotsu, with his right hand outside and left hand inside his opponent's arms. He also regularly employed henka, or sidestepping at the tachi-ai
Tachi-ai
The tachi-ai is the initial charge between two sumo wrestlers at the beginning of a bout.There are several common techniques that wrestlers use at the tachi-ai, with the aim of getting a decisive advantage in the bout:...
or initial charge.
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