Asofuji Seiya

Asofuji Seiya - 安壮富士清也 (born January 17, 1976) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Fukaura, Aomori. He made his debut in January 1994 and last wrestled for Isegahama stable. He reached the makuuchi division in November 2006. His highest rank was maegashira 13 and he retired in May 2011.

Early Life[]

His was born the oldest son to a family who operated an inn. His younger brother was future sekiwake Aminishiki. During his high school days in Ajigasawa, he won the Aomori Prefectural Tournament. He joined Ajigawa stable in January 1994, run by former yokozuna Asahifuji, who was also of Nishitsugaru District and a cousin of Suginomori's father.

Career[]

Early Career[]

Wrestling under the shikona "Asofuji" (安壮富士), he won the jonidan yusho in his fourth professional tournament with a perfect 7-0 record and was promoted to sandanme in November 1994. However, due to his relatively light weight (barely 100 kg) he could not accelerate pass the sandanme and makushita divisions and was soon surpassed by his younger brother, Aminishiki, who reached juryo in January 2000 while Asofuji was struggling in the mid-makushita ranks. After a 4-3 record at the rank of makushita 2, Asofuji was promoted to juryo in September 2003.

Juryo Career[]

Asofuji produced a poor 5-10 record in his juryo debut and was demoted back down to makushita for the following tournament. He did not return to juryo until January 2005. After a gradual rise through the ranks of juryo he was promoted to makuuchi in November 2006.

Makuuchi Career[]

Screen Shot 2021-02-13 at 12.33.52 AM — Asofuji prepares for his upcoming match (c. 2011)

He was the ninth oldest makuuchi debutant since the end of World War II at the age of 30. In that tournament, there were three sets of brothers (Asofuji and Aminishiki, Kitazakura and Toyozakura, and Roho and Hakurozan) in the top division simultaneously for the first and only time in sumo history. Asofuji could manage only a 6-9 score in his top division debut, and only four wins in the next tournament in January 2007.

Later Career[]

He fell back to the juryo division for the March 2007 tournament and a 4-11 record in July sent him right to the bottom of the division. He held onto sekitori status with an 8-7 mark in September but could manage only five wins in January 2008 and fell back to makushita. He managed a 5-2 score in the March 2008 tournament which returned him immediately to the second division, but again he was unable to secure kachi-koshi (more wins than losses) and was demoted to makushita once more. He scored 5-2 again in July for another immediate return to juryo for the September tournament, but fell back to the third division yet again, narrowly missing the kachi-koshi with a 7-8 score. However, a fine 6-1 score at the top makushita ranking in November 2008 ensured his return to the sekitori ranks once again. This was his sixth promotion to juryo, putting him in equal third place on the all-time list. He remained in the juryo division for the rest of his career, although he never won more than nine bouts in a tournament.

Retirement from Sumo[]

Asofuji was one of 23 wrestlers found guilty of fixing the result of bouts after an investigation by the Japan Sumo Association, and ordered to retire in April 2011. He considered filing a lawsuit against his dismissal, but chose to hand in his retirement papers on April 4. His danpatsu-shiki or official retirement ceremony was held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on May 29, 2011. After reportedly considering a career in mixed martial arts, he was hired privately by Isegahama stable as a trainer.

In May 2022 the former Asofuji attended his brother's retirement ceremony, exactly eleven years after his own. As of 2022 he was working as a manager for an industrial waste disposal company.

Fighting Style[]

Asofuji had a weight disadvantage against most of his competitors in the sekitori ranks, and had to rely on his technical skill. Among his favourite techniques were nage, or throws. His most common winning move over the six tournaments from July 2007 to May 2008 was uwatedashinage, or "pulling outer-arm throw", but he was also adept at shitatenage, or inner-arm throws.