Chiyohakuho Daiki
Encyclopedia
Chiyohakuhō Daiki is a former sumo
wrestler from Yamaga, Kumamoto
, Japan
. He made his professional debut in 1999 and broke into the top makuuchi
division nine years later in 2008
. His highest rank was maegashira 6. He wrestled for Kokonoe stable
. After admitting his involvement in match-fixing, he retired from the sport in 2011 following an investigation by the Japan Sumo Association
.
, and had little sumo experience, but his judo teacher was a friend of Kokonoe-oyakata, the 58th Yokozuna Chiyonofuji. After being introduced he joined Kokonoe stable
, making his professional debut in March 1999. His heya
mate, Chiyotaikai, made his debut at the rank of ozeki in the same tournament. He initially fought under his own surname, before adopting the shikona
of Chiyohakuhō in November 1999. (He has no connection to the better known wrestler Hakuhō
, who did not make his debut until March 2001.) He was first promoted to the third highest makushita division in November 2001.
Chiyohakuhō slowly climbed the makushita division and upon taking his first yusho
or tournament championship in January 2005 with a perfect 7-0 record from the rank of Makushita 4 he earned automatic promotion to the elite sekitori
ranks. However, he had to pull out of his debut tournament in the second highest jūryō division with an injury and fell back to makushita. He did not re-establish himself as a sekitori wrestler until May 2007. After six unremarkable tournaments he took the jūryō division championship with a 13-2 record in May 2008, and this was just enough to earn him promotion to the top makuuchi
division at the lowest rank of Maegashira 16 West.
Chiyohakuhō came through with a bare majority of eight wins against seven losses in his top division debut in July 2008. He could only manage six wins in the next tournament but remained in the division, and a score of 9-6 in November pushed him up to maegashira 9 for the January 2009
tournament. He recorded six wins against nine losses there. Falling to maegashira 13, he produced a strong 10-5 record in March, which sent him up to what was to be his highest rank of maegashira 6.
He made a good start to the May 2009 tournament but was forced to pull out after damaging knee ligaments in his Day 4 defeat to Kisenosato. He was demoted back to the jūryō division for July 2009 as a result. He was unable to secure an immediate return to the top division, scoring only 7-8 in the July tournament. In September 2009 he withdrew once again after winning only three bouts in the first ten days, and he remained in jūryō after that.
He was suspended along with over a dozen other wrestlers from the July 2010 tournament after admitting involvement in illegal betting on baseball. As a result, he fell to the makushita division in September. This also left Kokonoe stable without any sekitori. However, he scored 6-1 from the rank of Makushita 5 West, enough for an immediate return to jūryō.
In February 2011, Chiyohakuhō reportedly admitted to fixing or throwing bouts in which he was involved in advance, after police investigating the baseball affair found text messages on his mobile phone apparently arranging the outcome of matches and discussing payments. On February 4, he tendered his resignation to the Japan Sumo Association
. However, no decision on his future was made until an investigation into the affair by an independent panel concluded on April 1, when the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) announced the "advised retirements" of 21 wrestlers and two coaches. Because he admitted his involvement Chiyohakuho was given a two-year suspension instead, along with coach Takenawa (ex Kasuganishiki) and suspected go-between Enatsukasa. However, his letter of resignation was accepted. Chiyohakuho gave a public apology, saying "I'm very sorry for causing trouble to the JSA and sumo fans."
. His most common winning kimarite
were oshi-dashi, the push-out, hataki-komi, the slap down, and tsuki-otoshi, the thrust over.
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 Yamaga, Kumamoto
Yamaga, Kumamoto
is a city located in Kumamoto, Japan.On January 15, 2005 Yamaga absorbed the towns of Kahoku, Kamoto, Kaō and Kikuka, all from Kamoto District, into the new expanded city of Yamaga....
, 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...
. He made his professional debut in 1999 and broke into 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 nine years later in 2008
2008 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 13 January - 27 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 9 March - 23 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 May - 25 May...
. His highest rank was maegashira 6. He wrestled for Kokonoe stable
Kokonoe stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It was formed in 1967 and is located in Ishiwara, Sumida, Tokyo. As of April 2008 it had 16 sumo wrestlers.-History:...
. After admitting his involvement in match-fixing, he retired from the sport in 2011 following an investigation by the Japan Sumo Association
Japan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Rikishi , gyōji , tokoyama , and yobidashi , are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run...
.
Career
At high school he preferred 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...
, and had little sumo experience, but his judo teacher was a friend of Kokonoe-oyakata, the 58th Yokozuna Chiyonofuji. After being introduced he joined Kokonoe stable
Kokonoe stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It was formed in 1967 and is located in Ishiwara, Sumida, Tokyo. As of April 2008 it had 16 sumo wrestlers.-History:...
, making his professional debut in March 1999. His 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...
mate, Chiyotaikai, made his debut at the rank of ozeki in the same tournament. He initially fought under his own surname, before adopting 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...
of Chiyohakuhō in November 1999. (He has no connection to the better known wrestler Hakuhō
Hakuho Sho
is a professional sumo wrestler from Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Making his debut in March 2001, he reached the top makuuchi division in May 2004. On May 30, 2007 at the age of 22 he became the second native of Mongolia, and the fourth non-Japanese overall, to be promoted to the highest rank in sumo,...
, who did not make his debut until March 2001.) He was first promoted to the third highest makushita division in November 2001.
Chiyohakuhō slowly climbed the makushita division and upon taking his first 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...
or tournament championship in January 2005 with a perfect 7-0 record from the rank of Makushita 4 he earned automatic promotion to the elite 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...
ranks. However, he had to pull out of his debut tournament in the second highest jūryō division with an injury and fell back to makushita. He did not re-establish himself as a sekitori wrestler until May 2007. After six unremarkable tournaments he took the jūryō division championship with a 13-2 record in May 2008, and this was just enough to earn him 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 at the lowest rank of Maegashira 16 West.
2009 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 January - 25 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 15 March - 29 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 May - 24 May...
tournament. He recorded six wins against nine losses there. Falling to maegashira 13, he produced a strong 10-5 record in March, which sent him up to what was to be his highest rank of maegashira 6.
He made a good start to the May 2009 tournament but was forced to pull out after damaging knee ligaments in his Day 4 defeat to Kisenosato. He was demoted back to the jūryō division for July 2009 as a result. He was unable to secure an immediate return to the top division, scoring only 7-8 in the July tournament. In September 2009 he withdrew once again after winning only three bouts in the first ten days, and he remained in jūryō after that.
Controversy
In September 2008 Chiyohakuhō was the only wrestler who did not take part in the surprise drug tests of the 70 sekitori that led to the dismissals of Roho and Hakurozan. In June 2009, along with other members of the Kokonoe stable and four other heya, he was tested, and he expressed his relief at finally having done so.He was suspended along with over a dozen other wrestlers from the July 2010 tournament after admitting involvement in illegal betting on baseball. As a result, he fell to the makushita division in September. This also left Kokonoe stable without any sekitori. However, he scored 6-1 from the rank of Makushita 5 West, enough for an immediate return to jūryō.
In February 2011, Chiyohakuhō reportedly admitted to fixing or throwing bouts in which he was involved in advance, after police investigating the baseball affair found text messages on his mobile phone apparently arranging the outcome of matches and discussing payments. On February 4, he tendered his resignation to the Japan Sumo Association
Japan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Rikishi , gyōji , tokoyama , and yobidashi , are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run...
. However, no decision on his future was made until an investigation into the affair by an independent panel concluded on April 1, when the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) announced the "advised retirements" of 21 wrestlers and two coaches. Because he admitted his involvement Chiyohakuho was given a two-year suspension instead, along with coach Takenawa (ex Kasuganishiki) and suspected go-between Enatsukasa. However, his letter of resignation was accepted. Chiyohakuho gave a public apology, saying "I'm very sorry for causing trouble to the JSA and sumo fans."
Fighting style
Like his stablemate Chiyotaikai, Chiyohakuhō favoured pushing and thrusting techniques, as opposed to grabbing 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:...
. 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...
were oshi-dashi, the push-out, hataki-komi, the slap down, and tsuki-otoshi, the thrust over.