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Japan Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Times
Former college star Kusano looks ready for challenge of sumo's top tier
Back-to-back titles in March and May saw Onosato join Hoshoryu at the rank of yokozuna and bring a much more balanced feel to the top of sumo's upcoming banzuke (rankings list). With Onosato and Hoshoryu having recently celebrated their 25th and 26th birthdays, respectively, the stage seems to be set for the pair of young grand champions to monopolize the sport's silverware over the next half decade. That's a potential hegemony that won't go unchallenged, however, and the up-and-coming talent in the top division is about to be bolstered with a back-to-back champion of a different kind. While Onosato was claiming Emperor's Cups in Osaka and Tokyo in recent months, another ex-collegian was doing something similar, albeit one level down. Naoya Kusano, a former student yokozuna, narrowly missed out on promotion to the top division after a dominant 14-1 showing in the second-tier jūryō division in March. Quickly putting that disappointment behind him, Kusano repeated as division champion in May with another outstanding 13-2 mark that all but guaranteed he will be listed as a maegashira on the new banzuke that comes out Monday. It hasn't all been smooth sailing in ōzumō for the Nihon University graduate though. After a decorated amateur career, Kusano took some time to find his feet in professional sumo with a series of adequate, but not spectacular, performances in the third tier that gave little indication of what was to come in the salaried ranks. However, like many before him, the 24-year-old performed better once freed from the multitude of tasks and obligations that are part of daily life in sumo's lower divisions. Fighting every day in jūryō — as opposed to every other day, on average, in makushita — may be more tiring but it also allows wrestlers to maintain a consistent daily rhythm, and the Kumamoto native was able to showcase his talents over the past two tournaments. In an era when amateur and collegiate sumo are increasingly the main sources of new talent, many fans are excited to see how the latest prospect from those arenas does when matched up against the best in the world. Of course, the only way Kusano will face either of the yokozuna in Nagoya next month is if he is in the title race late into the second week of action. As good as he's been over the past couple of tournaments, that's a tall order. The incredible top-division debuts of Takerufuji, Hakuoho and others in recent years may have skewed perceptions somewhat, but the fact remains that for most newly promoted wrestlers, the speed and power found throughout sumo's top division comes as a shock and takes some getting used to. Even so, Kusano looks like a good bet to adapt quickly and continue his climb up the rankings. At 183 centimeters and 150 kilograms he may not have elite measurables in either height or weight, but he is in the sweet spot for both and has the physicality to match up with the sport's biggest men. Kusano is also well-rounded in terms of technique and comfortable both on the belt or at distance. Naoya Kusano competes at the All Japan Championships in Tokyo in December 2022. | John Gunning Whether involved in a pushing-thrusting battle or locked in an embrace with an opponent, Kusano has to date appeared comfortable and unflustered. Particularly impressive is his ability to swing opponents off balance to the side from a double handed inside grip position. Allowing an opponent to get both arms inside and on to the mawashi usually cedes control of the flow of a bout, so it's something that most rikishi fight hard to avoid. Kusano is able to achieve that position with regularity, and it's mostly thanks to his incredible speed off the line and continued use of the amateur style of putting two hands firmly down on the clay before an opponent can get set. Even when someone gets to that starting position before him — see his bout with Wakaikari on Day 8 of the most recent tournament for example — Kusano has the defensive capabilities and speed of lateral movement to overcome anyone using that tactic. Of course, in recent decades there have been numerous solidly built and technically sound former collegians who had good careers in professional sumo — including some with Emperor's Cups and ōzeki promotions to their name — but who never achieved greatness. In many cases that's been primarily because of an inability to adjust to the elite speed and unpredictable sumo of men like Asashoryu and Hakuho. Unlike with Onosato, whose potential was obvious before he even turned pro, musing over whether Kusano will 'only' reach ōzeki or push on to yokozuna makes no sense before he has even had a single bout in the top tier. And for every highly-touted amateur who had success at the top level, there's another who struggled, including some with better collegiate records than Kusano. Kusano's multiple 5-2 and 4-3 scores in the third tier can't be discounted entirely, either. Even so, what the 24-year-old has accomplished over the past four months has been very impressive, and he arrives on sumo's biggest stage riding a wave of positive vibes. Can Kusano follow in the footsteps of Takerufuji and upset the apple cart at the very beginning of the newly minted two-yokozuna era? Time will tell, but one thing's for sure, it will be worth keeping an eye on the top tier rookie in Nagoya.
The Guardian
25-06-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Teenager from Hull becomes second Briton ever to join a professional sumo stable
A teenager from Hull has arrived in Japan to pursue his dream of becoming a grand champion sumo wrestler, as only the second Briton to win a place at one of the ancient sport's professional stables. Nicholas Tarasenko, 15, left Yorkshire for Japan straight after finishing his GCSEs, to become the first British hopeful to join a stable since Nathan Strange – a Londoner who fought under the ring name Hidenokuni – in 1989. Tarasenko, who is 187cm tall, was given the rare opportunity to break into the Japanese sport's professional ranks after winning amateur tournaments and demonstrating a commitment to learning Japanese – a requirement if his trial period at the Minato stable near Tokyo is to turn into a professional career. Tarasenko was invited back after reportedly impressing the stable when he trained there last year, and now is on the brink of what some experts believe could be the start of a successful life as a full-time rikishi, or wrestler, with his sights set firmly on reaching yokozuna grand champion status. Despite his youth, Tarasenko's physique and years spent practising judo and playing rugby helped him win under-18 gold in the 90kg weight class at an amateur tournament in Estonia – his father's country of birth – in 2023, after just an hour of formal sumo training, according to the Japan Times. His father, Georgi Zilkin, said he was confident his son would thrive in Japan and quickly become part of the sumo family. 'They [the stablemaster and his wife] are considered his parents from the moment he enters the club,' Zilkin told Hull Live, adding that Tarasenko had been selected for his 'raw ability' and work ethic. 'He was learning Japanese every day at 5am, waking up in the morning because of the time difference to speak to his tutor online,' he said. Tarasenko's feat is all the more impressive given that sumo's 45 stables have been limited to one foreign wrestler each since 2002, although that did not prevent the sport's recent domination by Mongolian-born wrestlers, decades after Hawaiian rikishi first penetrated sumo's famously conservative culture. The Minato stable, based in Saitama prefecture, confirmed that Tarasenko had been accepted as a trainee, adding that he could make his professional debut at the spring basho, or major tournament, in Osaka in March next year provided he passes his Japanese exams. Tarasenko will be expected to perform cooking and other duties and live alongside his fellow wrestlers as he adjusts to regimented stable life. He will also have to fit his Japanese studies around early-morning training sessions and twice-daily meals of chanko nabe – a protein-rich hotpot – to help him gain weight. The crewcut he sported during his amateur career will eventually give way to a chonmage top-knot. 'He will have to adjust to lots of things, such as diet and lifestyle, but he's an earnest and honest boy, and his Japanese ability has improved considerably, so we are not particularly worried about him settling in,' a Minato stable spokesperson told the Guardian. 'He has already made friends with the other wrestlers and gets plenty of support from the people around him. We hope he'll continue to work hard at his sumo and live up to everyone's expectations.'
Japan Times
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Hakuho's new venture not an automatic 'Grand Slam'
World Sumo Grand Slam was the moniker used by former yokozuna Hakuho to describe his next venture during a retirement press conference on Monday. It's a smart move to adopt a label used for golf and tennis majors that also evokes imagery of dynamic sumo finishes. In addition to being instantly recognizable and easy to remember, World Sumo Grand Slam is a very catchy name. Unfortunately for those hoping for more details, that's all it seems to be — at least for the moment. Given the suddenness of his departure from professional sumo, it isn't surprising that Hakuho hasn't yet worked out the particulars of this new path. Even so, it was disappointing to receive so little of substance from Hakuho during what was ostensibly an announcement of future plans. The fact that nothing seems to have been decided beyond a vague notion of something related to global sumo was obvious in the hesitant and at times confusing language used by the participants. For example, at one point "rikishi" rather than "senshu" was used to describe international sumo wrestlers, though the former is a term exclusively reserved for those in ōzumo. And while he was no doubt being allegorical, Hakuho's claim that each country has its own yokozuna was a reminder that wrestlers who didn't come up through the collegiate or international amateur systems often have a poor understanding of exactly how those organizations work. The mixing of amateur and professional sumo terminology was unfortunately reminiscent of past failed efforts to create a commercially viable version of international sumo. The most recent of those, World Championship Sumo – a U.S. based production that featured amateurs facing off against former ozumo stars such as Osunaarashi and Wakanoho — hasn't been heard from since a social media post 12 months ago claiming that it was about to 'take off.' It's a reminder that while there has been no shortage of excitement and enthusiasm expressed about Hakuho — arguably sumo's greatest ever exponent — turning his full attention to the global game, expectations should be kept in check. WCS, despite putting on several sold-out shows at large venues and receiving extensive media coverage from outlets such as Jomboy with millions of followers, was unable to parlay early gains into sustained success. Twenty years ago an even bigger production 'World S.U.M.O. Challenge: Battle of the Giants" sold out the almost 20,000-seat Madison Square Garden in New York. With an event that featured taiko drumming and pageantry more akin to professional wrestling, that 2005 tournament was broadcast live on ESPN and covered by CNN, with its participants making appearances on shows such as 'Regis and Kelly' and 'The Late Show with David Letterman.' Despite all the attention and strong ticket sales, plans for a worldwide sumo tour never came to fruition and World S.U.M.O. Challenge met the same fate as every other attempt to create a viable professional sumo organization outside Japan. Hakuho poses with the Brazil team at the Sumo World Championships in Osaka on Aug. 28, 2015. | John Gunning Of course, none of those efforts were led by a 45-time Emperor's Cup winner with significant backing from some of Japan's biggest companies. And Hakuho isn't a total novice when it comes to international or amateur sumo, with his namesake tournament — the Hakuho Cup — being arguably the biggest and most important event on the calendar for elementary school boys, and the Dream Girls Tournament a trailblazing effort to provide something similar for girls. Even so it's going to take significant work — in countries where he has little to no name recognition — for Hakuho to establish a commercially sustainable sumo venture. That's of course assuming World Sumo Grand Slam is even intended to be a professional sports organization. The lack of details in Monday's press conference left it uncertain whether Hakuho's new project will be a professional sporting body or an effort to enhance and build on existing amateur sumo structures. With the stated goal of getting sumo into the Olympic Games, it could very well be the latter. Should that be the case, the former yokozuna may find that the politics and factionalism inherent in amateur sumo are far deeper and more bitterly fought than even those in ōzumo. Over the past three decades, amateur sumo has seen numerous spats and schisms with every split of a governing body or usurping of power weakening the sport and leaving athletes out in the cold — in an activity which can ill-afford to lose participants. And while some may hail Hakuho as a hero riding in on a white horse to save the day, there are plenty who will see the yokozuna's arrival as a threat to their power. Just as there has been backlash in flag football circles to NFL players assuming they can waltz in and take slots on national teams for the 2028 Olympic Games — particularly when many of them display a lack of even the most basic knowledge about the sport — so too may there be resistance in amateur sumo's halls of power to 'outside' interference, even if it comes from the sport's most decorated champion. There is no doubt that ōzumo's loss is international sumo's gain, and having someone with the profile and powerful backing that Hakuho brings opens up all kinds of exciting possibilities. But whether it's a new professional organization, or the improving of existing amateur structures, the scale of the challenge is enormous. Until Hakuho shows he's able to win outside the ring in the same manner that he did inside it, expectations should be tempered.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
All-time great wrestler Hakuho quits Japan Sumo Association with plans to form global body
TOKYO (AP) — Hakuho, a retired 'yokozuna' or grand champion and viewed by many as the sport's greatest wrestler, quit the Japan Sumo Association on Monday after an apparent falling out with the governing body of the ancient sport. The Mongolia-born Hakuho was earlier sanctioned by the Japan Sumo Association, accused of failing to control the behavior of a wrestler in his so-called stable, the term used for a training team headed by retired wrestlers. Advertisement Hakuho's stable was closed a year ago. Japanese media reports say the wrestler in question engaged in physical violence. But closing a stable, instead of just punishing an individual wrestler, was unusual. He did not directly criticize the professional Japan Sumo Association, but he said wrestlers who had trained under him were treated unfairly. Hakuho, who was granted Japanese citizenship, said he had been in talks with the association but recently decided to quit because there was no hope of reopening his stable. His farewell and future 'After 25 years of loving sumo and being loved by sumo, I want to advance toward a new dream,' Hakuho told reporters Monday at a Tokyo hotel. Advertisement Hakuho said he wants to create a body to govern sumo outside Japan — the 'world sumo project.' 'When I think of my situation, I think it's best to contribute to sumo from the outside,' he said, wearing a dark suit and referring to the Japan Sumo Association. Appearing with a lawyer and other officials he had tapped for his team, Hakuho said they were getting corporate sponsors to back sumo grand slams, which draw amateur sumo wrestlers from around the world, including children and women. Hakuho said he was friends with Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Akio Toyoda, who has expressed interest in supporting his efforts. Toyota already supports various amateur and professional sports activities. Advertisement Many regard the Mongolia-born Hakuko as the greatest champion in the sport's history and he holds many of its records. Hahuko's late-father, who went by the given name of Monkhbat, was an Olympic silver medalist for Mongolia in 1968. He also competed in at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Sumo encompasses very strict rules and traditions that have prompted other top wrestlers to pursue careers outside the sport. Hahuko retired from active wrestling in 2021. ___ AP sports: Yuri Kageyama And Stephen Wade, The Associated Press
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
All-time great wrestler Hakuho quits Japan Sumo Association with plans to form global body
Hakuho Sho, a retired "yokozuna" or grand champion of sumo Hakuho, speaks during a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation and to outline his future plans. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Hakuho Sho, a retired "yokozuna" or grand champion of sumo Hakuho, speaks during a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation and to outline his future plans. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)) Hakuho Sho, a retired "yokozuna" or grand champion of sumo Hakuho, wipes his face during a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation and to outline his future plans. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Hakuho Sho, a retired 'yokozuna' or grand champion of sumo, Hakuho, walks to the venue for a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Hakuho Sho, a retired 'yokozuna' or grand champion of sumo, Hakuho, bows during a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Hakuho Sho, a retired 'yokozuna' or grand champion of sumo, Hakuho, bows during a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Hakuho Sho, a retired "yokozuna" or grand champion of sumo Hakuho, speaks during a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation and to outline his future plans. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Hakuho Sho, a retired "yokozuna" or grand champion of sumo Hakuho, speaks during a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation and to outline his future plans. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)) Hakuho Sho, a retired "yokozuna" or grand champion of sumo Hakuho, wipes his face during a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation and to outline his future plans. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Hakuho Sho, a retired 'yokozuna' or grand champion of sumo, Hakuho, walks to the venue for a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Hakuho Sho, a retired 'yokozuna' or grand champion of sumo, Hakuho, bows during a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, June 9, 2025, to deliver a farewell message following the reported acceptance of his resignation. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) TOKYO (AP) — Hakuho, a retired 'yokozuna' or grand champion and viewed by many as the sport's greatest wrestler, quit the Japan Sumo Association on Monday after an apparent falling out with the governing body of the ancient sport. The Mongolia-born Hakuho was earlier sanctioned by the Japan Sumo Association, accused of failing to control the behavior of a wrestler in his so-called stable, the term used for a training team headed by retired wrestlers. Advertisement Hakuho's stable was closed a year ago. Japanese media reports say the wrestler in question engaged in physical violence. But closing a stable, instead of just punishing an individual wrestler, was unusual. He did not directly criticize the professional Japan Sumo Association, but he said wrestlers who had trained under him were treated unfairly. Hakuho, who was granted Japanese citizenship, said he had been in talks with the association but recently decided to quit because there was no hope of reopening his stable. His farewell and future 'After 25 years of loving sumo and being loved by sumo, I want to advance toward a new dream,' Hakuho told reporters Monday at a Tokyo hotel. Advertisement Hakuho said he wants to create a body to govern sumo outside Japan — the 'world sumo project.' 'When I think of my situation, I think it's best to contribute to sumo from the outside,' he said, wearing a dark suit and referring to the Japan Sumo Association. Appearing with a lawyer and other officials he had tapped for his team, Hakuho said they were getting corporate sponsors to back sumo grand slams, which draw amateur sumo wrestlers from around the world, including children and women. Hakuho said he was friends with Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Akio Toyoda, who has expressed interest in supporting his efforts. Toyota already supports various amateur and professional sports activities. Advertisement Many regard the Mongolia-born Hakuko as the greatest champion in the sport's history and he holds many of its records. Hahuko's late-father, who went by the given name of Monkhbat, was an Olympic silver medalist for Mongolia in 1968. He also competed in at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Sumo encompasses very strict rules and traditions that have prompted other top wrestlers to pursue careers outside the sport. Hahuko retired from active wrestling in 2021. ___ AP sports:
