Miyabiyama Tetsushi
Encyclopedia
Miyabiyama Tetsushi is a sumo wrestler from Mito
, Ibaraki
, Japan
. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1998. He has been ranked in the top division of professional sumo since 1999, holding the second highest rank of ōzeki from 2000 to 2001. He has won eight special prizes
and been runner-up in four tournaments during his top division career. He wrestles for Fujishima stable (formerly Musashigawa stable).
, but left before graduation to join the professional ranks. He was accepted by Musashigawa stable
in July 1998 and given makushita tsukedashi status, meaning he could begin at the bottom of the third highest makushita division. He quickly worked his way through the ranks, logging in four consecutive championships, two in makushita and two in jūryō to reach the top makuuchi
division in March 1999 just eight months after entering professional sumo. His rise to the middle ranks of makuuchi was so quick, that he still did not have a topknot, a true rarity and one that did not go unnoticed by announcers. He won a fighting spirit prize
in his first top division tournament, and was promoted to komusubi in January 2000. In that tournament he delivered an impressive 12-3 record, finishing as runner up to stablemate Musoyama. He followed that up with two 11-4 marks at sekiwake rank in March and May 2000. After that tournament he was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ōzeki. He had made the rank only 12 tournaments after his professional debut, tying for the record with Yutakayama
(another amateur champion) and Haguroyama
.
), in particular, was reported to have felt it was too soon as Miyabiyama had only been in makuuchi for just over a year, and had not yet won a top division title. In the end the doubters were proved correct as Miyabiyama lasted just eight tournaments in the rank, never scoring more than 9 wins, before being demoted in the wake of two consecutive losing records. He was one of the most short-lived ōzeki on record (not counting of course, wrestlers who have quickly been promoted to yokozuna).
declared him the winner the judges ordered a rematch, which he lost. He produced the occasional strong tournament, finishing as runner-up in July 2004, and he held a sanyaku rank several times, but he was unable to go further and continued to move up and down the banzuke
.
It was not until mid-2006 that Miyabiyama was able to make his first sustained challenge for promotion to ozeki since his demotion five years previously. In May at sekiwake rank he produced a superb 14-1 record, only losing the championship on the last day in a playoff to then-Ōzeki Hakuhō
. There was speculation that another strong performance in July 2006 would see him return to ōzeki, but he got off to a poor start, winning only three bouts in the first seven days, and though he recovered somewhat to post a 10-5 score, it was not considered good enough. He was only the second wrestler after Kotogahama in 1957 to post more than 33 wins in three tournaments in sanyaku and not get promoted to ozeki. He could score only 9-6 and 8-7 in the next two basho and in January 2007 his run of five tournaments at sekiwake came to an end when he could only manage a 5-10 record.
In March 2007 Miyabiyama earned his first ever kinboshi
or gold star by defeating yokozuna Asashōryū
on the second day. He had defeated yokozuna on four previous occasions - Akebono
in January 2000, Akebono and Wakanohana
in March 2000 and Asashoryu himself in September 2004, but each time had had been ranked in sanyaku and was not eligible for a kinboshi. The victory was all the more surprising as prior to this bout Miyabiyama had lost thirteen in a row to Asashōryū. However on the 7th day he picked up a hamstring
injury and had to withdraw from the tournament. He returned with a comfortable 9-6 mark in May, and remained in the upper maegashira ranks, defeating Asashōryū again in September 2008. In May 2009 he slipped to maegashira 11, his lowest ever top division ranking, but he responded with two consecutive winning records, the first time he had achieved this since 2006. In November 2009 he was runner-up alongside Tochinoshin on 12-3 and shared the Fighting Spirit award.
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 became the first former ozeki since Daiju
in 1977 to be demoted to the jūryō division. This broke a run of 69 consecutive tournaments ranked in makuuchi. However, he had no problem in securing a return to the top division (the first ex-ozeki ever to do so), scoring 12-3 at the rank of jūryō 2.
Miyabiyama specialises in pushing and thrusting techniques
, with about a third of his wins being a simple push-out, or oshi-dashi. Like most oshi specialists, he is at a disadvantage if his opponents manage to grab hold of his mawashi
or belt. At 182 kg (401.2 lb), he was the heaviest man in the top division from the retirement of his stablemate Musashimaru in November 2003, until the arrival of the 250 kg (551.2 lb) Yamamotoyama
in 2009.
, and their wedding reception was held in June 2009 with 450 guests including his stablemaster Musashigawa Oyakata
attending.
Mito, Ibaraki
is the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan and has a central location, moderately offset towards the coast in that prefecture. As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 263,748 and a total area is 217.45 km², giving a population density of 1,212.91 persons per km²...
, Ibaraki
Ibaraki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province...
, 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...
. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1998. He has been ranked in the top division of professional sumo since 1999, holding the second highest rank of ōzeki from 2000 to 2001. He has won eight 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:...
and been runner-up in four tournaments during his top division career. He wrestles for Fujishima stable (formerly Musashigawa stable).
Early career
Miyabiyama competed in amateur sumo tournaments while at Meiji UniversityMeiji University
is a private university in Tokyo and Kawasaki, founded in 1881 by three lawyers of the Meiji era, Kishimoto Tatsuo, Miyagi Kōzō, and Yashiro Misao. It is one of the largest and most prestigious Japanese universities in Tokyo, Japan....
, but left before graduation to join the professional ranks. He was accepted by Musashigawa stable
Musashigawa stable
Fujishima stable is a heya or stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Dewanoumi group of stables. It was set up on 29 August 1981 by Musashigawa Oyakata, the former yokozuna Mienoumi, who branched off from Dewanoumi stable...
in July 1998 and given makushita tsukedashi status, meaning he could begin at the bottom of the third highest makushita division. He quickly worked his way through the ranks, logging in four consecutive championships, two in makushita and two in jūryō to reach 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 March 1999 just eight months after entering professional sumo. His rise to the middle ranks of makuuchi was so quick, that he still did not have a topknot, a true rarity and one that did not go unnoticed by announcers. He won a fighting spirit 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 his first top division tournament, and was promoted to komusubi in January 2000. In that tournament he delivered an impressive 12-3 record, finishing as runner up to stablemate Musoyama. He followed that up with two 11-4 marks at sekiwake rank in March and May 2000. After that tournament he was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ōzeki. He had made the rank only 12 tournaments after his professional debut, tying for the record with Yutakayama
Yutakayama Katsuo
Yutakayama Katsuo is a former sumo wrestler from Niigata, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki. Although he never managed to win a top division tournament championship he was a runner-up on eight occasions...
(another amateur champion) and Haguroyama
Haguroyama Masaji
Haguroyama Masaji was a sumo wrestler from Nakanokuchi, Niigata, Japan. He was the sport's 36th yokozuna. He was a yokozuna for a period of twelve years and three months dating from his promotion to that rank in May 1941 until his retirement in September 1953, which is an all-time record...
.
Ōzeki
Miyabiyama's promotion was controversial. The Sumo Association's decision was not unanimous, with three of the ten directors present at the meeting voting against the promotion. Sakaigawa-oyakata (ex yokozuna SadanoyamaSadanoyama Shinmatsu
Sadanoyama Shinmatsu is a former sumo wrestler from Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 50th Yokozuna...
), in particular, was reported to have felt it was too soon as Miyabiyama had only been in makuuchi for just over a year, and had not yet won a top division title. In the end the doubters were proved correct as Miyabiyama lasted just eight tournaments in the rank, never scoring more than 9 wins, before being demoted in the wake of two consecutive losing records. He was one of the most short-lived ōzeki on record (not counting of course, wrestlers who have quickly been promoted to yokozuna).
Later career
Miyabiyama sat out the two tournaments following his demotion with an injury, and so had to start all over again from the maegashira ranks. In January 2003 he looked to have defeated yokozuna Takanohana for the first time in eleven attempts by producing a rare counter-attacking nichonage throw but although the refereeGyoji
A Gyōji is a referee in professional sumo wrestling in Japan.Gyōji usually enter the sumo world as teenagers and remain employees of the Sumo Association until they retire aged 65.-Responsibilities:...
declared him the winner the judges ordered a rematch, which he lost. He produced the occasional strong tournament, finishing as runner-up in July 2004, and he held a sanyaku rank several times, but he was unable to go further and continued to move up and down the banzuke
Banzuke
This article is about the banzuke document, for a list of wrestlers as ranked on an actual banzuke see List of active sumo wrestlersA , officially called is a document listing the rankings of professional sumo wrestlers published before each official tournament or honbasho. The term can also...
.
It was not until mid-2006 that Miyabiyama was able to make his first sustained challenge for promotion to ozeki since his demotion five years previously. In May at sekiwake rank he produced a superb 14-1 record, only losing the championship on the last day in a playoff to then-Ōzeki 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,...
. There was speculation that another strong performance in July 2006 would see him return to ōzeki, but he got off to a poor start, winning only three bouts in the first seven days, and though he recovered somewhat to post a 10-5 score, it was not considered good enough. He was only the second wrestler after Kotogahama in 1957 to post more than 33 wins in three tournaments in sanyaku and not get promoted to ozeki. He could score only 9-6 and 8-7 in the next two basho and in January 2007 his run of five tournaments at sekiwake came to an end when he could only manage a 5-10 record.
In March 2007 Miyabiyama earned his first ever kinboshi
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
or gold star by defeating yokozuna Asashōryū
Asashōryū Akinori
is a former sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He was the 68th yokozuna in the history of the sport in Japan and became the first Mongol to reach sumo's highest rank in January 2003. He was one of the most successful yokozuna ever. In 2005 he became the first man to win all six official...
on the second day. He had defeated yokozuna on four previous occasions - Akebono
Akebono Taro
is a retired American born-Japanese sumo wrestler from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Joining the professional sport in Japan in 1988, he was trained by pioneering Hawaiian sumo wrestler Takamiyama and rose swiftly up the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990...
in January 2000, Akebono and Wakanohana
Wakanohana Masaru
is a former sumo wrestler from Tokyo, Japan. As an active wrestler he was known as Wakanohana III Masaru , and his rise through the ranks alongside his younger brother Takanohana Koji saw a boom in sumo's popularity in the early 1990s...
in March 2000 and Asashoryu himself in September 2004, but each time had had been ranked in sanyaku and was not eligible for a kinboshi. The victory was all the more surprising as prior to this bout Miyabiyama had lost thirteen in a row to Asashōryū. However on the 7th day he picked up a hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
injury and had to withdraw from the tournament. He returned with a comfortable 9-6 mark in May, and remained in the upper maegashira ranks, defeating Asashōryū again in September 2008. In May 2009 he slipped to maegashira 11, his lowest ever top division ranking, but he responded with two consecutive winning records, the first time he had achieved this since 2006. In November 2009 he was runner-up alongside Tochinoshin on 12-3 and shared the Fighting Spirit award.
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 became the first former ozeki since Daiju
Daiju Hisateru
Daiju Hisateru is a former sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki, but he held the rank for only five tournaments, fewer than any ozeki in the modern era. He won eleven sansho or special prizes during his top division career which lasted from 1970 to 1977...
in 1977 to be demoted to the jūryō division. This broke a run of 69 consecutive tournaments ranked in makuuchi. However, he had no problem in securing a return to the top division (the first ex-ozeki ever to do so), scoring 12-3 at the rank of jūryō 2.
Fighting style
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...
, with about a third of his wins being a simple push-out, or oshi-dashi. Like most oshi specialists, he is at a disadvantage if his opponents manage to grab hold of his 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:...
or belt. At 182 kg (401.2 lb), he was the heaviest man in the top division from the retirement of his stablemate Musashimaru in November 2003, until the arrival of the 250 kg (551.2 lb) Yamamotoyama
Yamamotoyama Ryuta
Yamamotoyama Ryūta is a former sumo wrestler from the city of Saitama in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Making his professional debut in January 2007, he reached the top makuuchi division in January 2009. His highest rank was maegashira 9. At , he is the heaviest Japanese-born sumo wrestler ever...
in 2009.
Family
Miyabiyama was married in 2008 to a 24 year old former office worker from Kurume, FukuokaKurume, Fukuoka
is a city located in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan.The city has an estimated population of 303,277 and a population density of 1,319.51 persons per km²...
, and their wedding reception was held in June 2009 with 450 guests including his stablemaster Musashigawa Oyakata
Mienoumi Tsuyoshi
(born February 4, 1948 as is a former champion sumo wrestler, the 57th yokozuna of the sport. He is the founder of Musashigawa stable and a former chairman of the Japan Sumo Association. He was born in Matsusaka, Mie prefecture, Japan.- Career :...
attending.
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