Iwatefuji Yuichi - 岩手富士 祐一 (born August 9, 1963 - December 18, 2020) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Esashi, Iwate. He made his debut in March 1979 and wrestled for Asahiyama stable. He reached the juryo division in January 1986. His highest rank was juryo 6 and he retired in September 1991.
Career[]
After graduating from a junior high school in Kawasaki city, Suzuki joined Asahiyama stable and made his professional debut in March 1979. He was given the shikona "Futasekaze" (二瀬風). He was promoted to sandanme in July 1980 and makushita in November 1981. After several years of bouncing back and forth between the mid to high levels of Makushita, he changed his shikona to 'Iwatefuji" (岩手富士) in March 1985. After the shikona change, he posted five consecutive winning records and was promoted to juryo in Janaury 1986.
Iwatefuji was ranked in juryo for a total of 14 tournaments. His first stint only lasted one tournament as he finished with a 5-10 record. He returned to juryo in November 1986 only to last two tournaments. His third stint in juryo lasted for four tournaments from July 1987 to Janaury 1988. He returned to juryo in May 1988 and was ranked as a sekitori for seven straight tournaments, reaching as high as juryo 6 in November 1988.
Retirement from Sumo[]
Iwatefuji spent the last two years of his career in makushita before announcing his retirement after the September 1991 tournament due to an illness. After retiring, he became a truck driver. In 2015, he appeared in a mini documentary by Vice called "The Life of a Retired Sumo Wrestler".
Death[]
Iwatefuji died at a hospital in Chiba prefecture on December 18, 2020, due to sepsis. He was 57 years old.
Fighting Style[]
Iwatefuji defeats Kotomatsuzawa by tsukiotoshi (thrust down)
Iwatefuji was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who prefers grappling to pushing and thrusting techniques. He favored a hidari-yotsu (right hand outside, left hand inside) position when gripping his opponent's mawashi (belt). His most common kimarite was yorikiri, or force out.
Record[]
Division Results[]
- Total: 325-298-14/623 (76 basho)
- Juryo: 93-117/210 (14 basho)
- Makushita: 164-137-7/301 (44 basho)
- Sandanme: 39-24-7/63 (10 basho)
- Jonidan: 25-17/42 (6 basho)
- Jonokuchi: 4-3/7 (1 basho)
Shikona History[]
- Futasekaze Yuichi (1979.03 - 1985.01)
- Iwatefuji Yuichi (1985.03 - 1991.09)
Gallery[]
