Sumo: Ukrainian Aonishiki fuels predictions of future ozeki promotion
Competing as a No. 1 maegashira, the 21-year-old was in the title race until his loss on the final day of the 15-day tournament to Kotoshoho, who clinched the championship by winning their match on Sunday.
Aonishiki has compiled an impressive 11-4 record in each of his three tournaments in the elite makuuchi division, employing a low-to-the-ground stance that reflects his background in the sport of wrestling as a youth.
Stablemaster Kokonoe, formerly ozeki Chiyotaikai, compared the youngster's dynamic grappling style to that of a past great.
"He reminds me of (former ozeki) Tochiazuma, when he was on his way up," Kokonoe said.
Despite his forward leaning posture, Aonishiki has not been vulnerable to pulling techniques, with one opponent wryly observing that he "never goes down."
Sumo elder Takekuma, formerly ozeki Goeido, said Aonishiki exhibited both excellent strength and technique.
"It shows the strength of his abdominals and back muscles," Takekuma said. "Since both legs are never in line, you can't slap him down."
Stablemaster Asakayama is also among the elders impressed by the emerging European star, having seen firsthand his dedication and will to improve during practice sessions.
"He's focused on one thing, how he can get stronger," Asakayama, formerly ozeki Kaio, said.
Speaking after his loss to Kotoshoho on Sunday in Nagoya, Aonishiki indicated his strong desire to continue climbing toward sumo's upper echelon.
"My sumo life starts from here," he said.
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In last week's column, I wondered whether the tournament-leading Ichiyamamoto could keep his hot streak going and become the 12th first-time champion to be crowned since January 2020. With five straight losses from day 11, the answer to that question was conclusively in the negative, but sumo did get a first-time winner in the form of Kotoshoho — a veteran whose triumph was perhaps even more surprising than Ichiyamamoto's would have been. The 25-year-old had come into the Nagoya meet on the back of four losing records in five tournaments, with his sole kachikoshi an 8-7 finish eked out on the final day of the March basho. A similar outcome looked to be on the cards once again one-third of the way through the just-completed tournament, as Kotoshoho won just three of five fights against some of the lowest-ranked men in the top division. 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Of course, given pre-tournament hopes for a first championship-deciding showdown between yokozuna in five years, the Emperor's Cup going to a low-ranked maegashira once again will be a letdown for some, but there is a possibility that this victory will reinvigorate Kotoshoho's career and lead to him reaching greater heights. It shouldn't be forgotten that four years ago, Kotoshoho was ranked higher than stablemate Kotonowaka (current ōzeki Kotozakura) and seemed to have just as much, if not more, potential. In January of 2021, Kotoshoho was at a career-high rank of maegashira 3, having followed up a jūryō division title win with three straight winning records from his top-tier debut. At the time I said the then-21-year-old had been 'nothing but impressive since making his top-division debut' and added that while 'he isn't yet a finished product and inexperience still shows in some of his bouts, all the ingredients are there for a long and successful career.' That obviously hasn't been the case since, as the intervening years have been a rollercoaster of demotions to jūryō, occasional double-digit winning records and a lot of tournaments with a 7-7 record heading into the final day. Various reasons for Kotoshoho treading water have been posited over the past four years but none fully explain why it's taken him so long to capitalize on his obvious potential. The hope for Sadogatake stable supporters now will be that this month's victory kickstarts a return to form for Kotoshoho, and possibly even reignites the yokozuna promotion hopes of stablemate Kotozakura. An improved Kotoshoho could indeed help both men get back on track, as having to face a tough, high-level opponent every single morning in practice can only be good for the ozeki. As the American football cliche goes, 'iron sharpens iron.' Kotoshoho (right) seals his Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament championship by defeating Aonishiki by tsukiotoshi on Sunday. | JIJI Kotoshoho's victory in Nagoya came at the expense of fairytale endings for new rising talents Aonishiki and Kusano. The former man's journey to the higher reaches of professional sumo, which includes fleeing his native Ukraine following the Russian invasion, is unlike any other. Given all Aonishiki has been through in his young life to date, and the way in which he has acclimatized to Japanese culture and the language, it's fair to say the 21-year-old would have been most neutral fans' preferred winner last Sunday. Nerves seemed to play a part in the final day showdown against Kotoshoho, though, with Aonishiki not quite as sharp at the initial charge as he had been for most of the previous two weeks. That is more than understandable given his youth, but Aonishiki fans probably needn't worry as the Ajigawa stable man appears to be on an inevitable path to greater heights. All five tournaments after reaching the salaried ranks have ended with double-digit wins for the Vinnytsia Oblast native, and it's been three straight 11-4 finishes since debuting in the top tier in March. Aonishiki is certain to be promoted to the sanyaku slot that he arguably should have been given for this meet, and it may not be long before Kusano joins him there. Kotoshoho's defeat of Aonishiki as Kusano sat ringside dashed the latter's hopes of a playoff for the title. That almost certainly upset his concentration and contributed to the subsequent loss to Takayasu, but double-digit wins and coming so close to glory in his top division debut marked an outstanding effort by the former collegian. Kusano has been on an incredible run of his own since reaching the paid ranks in March and, like Aonishiki, continues to make predictions of him hitting a career wall look foolish with each passing tournament. Kotoshoho may have grabbed glory in Nagoya, but the two men who missed out should be back in contention the next time out.
