Wakashoyo
Encyclopedia
Wakashoyo is a Japanese mixed martial artist
, kickboxer
and former sumo
wrestler.
, he grew up in Nakano, Tokyo
. He joined sumo in 1981, wrestling out of Futagoyama stable. He first entered the top makuuchi
division in 1991 and made his sanyaku debut in March 1993 from komusubi rank. Unusually, he came through with a winning record (which included a win over new yokozuna Akebono
), and was awarded his second successive special prize
for Fighting Spirit. After the tournament he was promoted to sekiwake, which was the highest rank he was to achieve. He retired in November 1997 and became an elder
of the Japan Sumo Association
under the name Otowayama. However, the retirement of his former stablemate, Wakanohana
in March 2000 meant that his elder name was needed by the former Takamisugi (who had been borrowing Wakanohana's), and Wakashoyo had to leave the sumo world.
He then signed with K-1
, a kickboxing
and mixed martial arts
organization, fighting under his old shikona
(He uses the Roman alphabet, appearing as "WAKASHOYO" rather than using the Japanese characters. The Sumo Association requested that Konishiki do the same thing in his post-sumo career). He made his debut in a kickboxing bout against fellow newcomer, South Korea
n giant Choi Hong-man
in the quarter-final of the K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Seoul on March 19, 2005. Wakashoyo was knocked down twice in the first round; he was not able to recover from the second one. On July 36, 2005, he entered Hero's
, the mixed martial arts series promoted by K-1, against kickboxing legend Peter Aerts
in an MMA bout at Hero's 2. He was again knocked out in the first round. Wakashoyo returned to the promotion against Kazuhiro Hamanaka
at Hero's 5
on May 3, 2006 and was submitted with an arm lock.
In 2008, he began using his real name, Yoichi Babaguchi, as his fighting name. However, he reverted to the name Wakashoyo in December 2010 for a kickboxing match with fellow former sekitori
Sentoryu. Out of shape in his first match in over two and a half years, he lost in the first round.
. His most common winning kimarite
was yori-kiri, or force out, but he also liked using kotenage, or armlock throw.
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Legend:
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! colspan=2 style="background:#A9A9A9" | Mixed martial arts record
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Legend:
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
, kickboxer
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
and 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.
Career
Although born in ChibaChiba, Chiba
is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....
, he grew up in Nakano, Tokyo
Nakano, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Nakano City .As of April 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 311,690 with a household number of 176,936 and a density of 19,992.94 persons per km². The total area is 15.59 km².-Geography:Five special wards...
. He joined sumo in 1981, wrestling out of Futagoyama stable. He first entered 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 1991 and made his sanyaku debut in March 1993 from komusubi rank. Unusually, he came through with a winning record (which included a win over new yokozuna 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...
), and was awarded his second successive 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:...
for Fighting Spirit. After the tournament he was promoted to sekiwake, which was the highest rank he was to achieve. He retired in November 1997 and became an elder
Toshiyori
A toshiyori is a sumo elder of the Japan Sumo Association. Also known as oyakata, former wrestlers who reached a sufficiently high rank are the only people eligible...
of 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...
under the name Otowayama. However, the retirement of his former stablemate, 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 meant that his elder name was needed by the former Takamisugi (who had been borrowing Wakanohana's), and Wakashoyo had to leave the sumo world.
He then signed with K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
, a kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
and mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
organization, fighting under his old 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...
(He uses the Roman alphabet, appearing as "WAKASHOYO" rather than using the Japanese characters. The Sumo Association requested that Konishiki do the same thing in his post-sumo career). He made his debut in a kickboxing bout against fellow newcomer, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n giant Choi Hong-man
Choi Hong-man
Choi Hong-man , often anglicised to Hong-man Choi, is a South Korean kickboxer, mixed martial artist and former ssireum wrestler. In Asia he is called "Che Man", "Korean Monster" and "Korean Colossus"...
in the quarter-final of the K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Seoul on March 19, 2005. Wakashoyo was knocked down twice in the first round; he was not able to recover from the second one. On July 36, 2005, he entered Hero's
HERO'S
Hero's was a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion operated by Fighting and Entertainment Group, the parent entity behind kickboxing organization K-1. Grown from and branched off of K-1's earlier experiments in MMA, including the K-1 Romanex event and various MMA fights on its regular K-1...
, the mixed martial arts series promoted by K-1, against kickboxing legend Peter Aerts
Peter Aerts
Peter "The Dutch Lumberjack" Aerts is a Dutch super heavyweight kickboxer. He is a three-time K-1 World Grand Prix and Muay Thai World Champion. Aerts is best known for his powerful strikes and high kicks.- Biography :...
in an MMA bout at Hero's 2. He was again knocked out in the first round. Wakashoyo returned to the promotion against Kazuhiro Hamanaka
Kazuhiro Hamanaka
is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He fought for the Tokyo Sabres in the International Fight League.-Career:Hamanaka began his mixed martial arts career in 2003 with a victory over Antonio Schembri at PRIDE 26. After losing to Ryan Gracie in PRIDE Bushido 1, he made stints in other organizations...
at Hero's 5
Hero's 5
Hero's 5: 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix Opening Round was a mixed martial arts event held by the Hero's promotion on May 3, 2006 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.The opening round of the 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix was held at the event...
on May 3, 2006 and was submitted with an arm lock.
In 2008, he began using his real name, Yoichi Babaguchi, as his fighting name. However, he reverted to the name Wakashoyo in December 2010 for a kickboxing match with fellow former 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...
Sentoryu. Out of shape in his first match in over two and a half years, he lost in the first round.
Fighting style
During his sumo career Wakashoyo favoured yotsu-sumo, or grappling techniques. He preferred a hidari-yotsu, or right hand outside, left hand inside grip on his 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...
was yori-kiri, or force out, but he also liked using kotenage, or armlock throw.
Sumo top division record
Kickboxing record
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Legend:
Mixed martial arts record
{| class="toccolours" width=100% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#A9A9A9" | Mixed martial arts record
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Legend:
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