Daishoyama Naoki

Daishoyama Naoki - 大翔山直樹 (born July 7, 1966) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Anamizu, Ishikawa. He made his debut in January 1989 and wrestled for Tatsunami stable. He reached the makuuchi division in September 1990 and has one special prize as well as three kinboshi. His highest rank was maegashira 2 and he retired in November 1995.

Early Life[]

Born in Anamizu, Hosu District, as an amateur he won eleven sumo titles, including collegiate and amateur yokozuna, while studying at Nihon University. He also served as captain of the school sumo team. He was recruited by the former sekiwake Annenyama of the Tatsunami stable. Yamazaki had stayed at the heya while taking part in junior high school competitions (as did Daishoho), and he had also met the former Tatsunami stable wrestler Wakanami as an infant, being held in his arms for a photograph (as top rikishi are often requested to do for luck). He made his professional debut in January 1989.

Career[]

Early Career[]

As an amateur champion he was given makushita tsukedashi status and made his debut in the third highest makushita division. His first tournament was in January 1989 and he produced four consecutive winning records from his debut. After two consecutive yusho with perfect 7-0 records in January and March 1990 he was promoted to the second highest juryo division, becoming the first sekitori from Tatsunami stable since the abrupt departure of yokozuna Futahaguro in 1987.

Juryo Career[]

Upon promotion to juryo, he changed his shikona to "Daishoyama" (大翔山). He won the juryo yusho with an impressive 12-3 record in his first sekitori tournaments and followed with a strong 11-4 record. As a result he was promoted to makuuchi in September 1990 after only two tournaments in juryo. His rise was so rapid that his hair could not be tied into a proper oichomage at the time of his promotion.

Makuuchi Career[]

Daishoyama made his debut in the top makuuchi division in September 1990, and made a kachi-koshi winning score along with three other makuuchi debutants, Akebono, Wakahanada and Takatoriki. This marked the first time that four wrestlers making their top division debuts at the same time had all come through with winning records. In January 1991 he reached what was to be his highest rank of maegashira 2 and earned his first kinboshi for defeating yokozuna Hokutoumi. He was to repeat this upset in July 1991 and also defeated yokozuna Onokuni in that tournament. In January 1993 he had slipped to maegashira 14 in the banzuke rankings but responded with his best ever top division score, winning twelve bouts, defeating Konishiki and Takahanada amongst others and finishing runner-up to Akebono, who was promoted to yokozuna after the tournament. Daishoyama was rewarded with what was to be his only sansho award, for Fighting Spirit.

Retirement from Sumo[]

DEEIz0WVwAA4YiT — Oitekaze oyakata (c. 2017)

Daishoyama had had longstanding hip problems since his professional debut, and after missing two tournaments in 1994 through injury he fell back to the juryo division. After being forced to sit out the September 1995 tournament as well he was demoted to the makushita division and retired from sumo in November without competing in any more bouts.

Having fought in 33 tournaments as a sekitori, Daishoyama was qualified to become a toshiyori, or elder of the Japan Sumo Association, and he purchased the Oitekaze name. In May 1998 he branched out from Tatsunami stable, where he had been working as a coach, and opened up his own Oitekaze stable. His first top division wrestler was Hayateumi in 2000 and he was followed by Hamanishiki in 2001. Both are former Nihon University competitors. He also recruited the Georgian wrestler Kokkai who reached makuuchi in 2004. More recent Nihon University recruits include the popular Endo in 2013, Daishomaru and Tsurugisho in 2014, Tobizaru in 2015 and Daiamami in 2016 all of whom have reached the top division. He produced another top division wrestler Daieisho in 2015, who has a non-collegiate background and won the January 2021 makuuchi yusho.

Fighting Style[]

Daishoyama was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who preferred fighting on the mawashi to pushing or thrusting. His favoured grip was migi-yotsu, with his left hand outside and right hand inside his opponent's arms. He won over 35 percent of his matches by yorikiri, or force out. He was also fond of shitatenage, or underarm throw.