Tsushimanada Masamitsu - 對馬洋 勝満 (born June 27, 1993) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Isahaya, Nagasaki. He made his debut in May 2016 and currently wrestles for Sakaigawa stable. He reached the juryo division in November 2022. His highest rank as of 2025 is juryo 9.
Early Life[]
Masamitsu Umeno comes from a family originally from the island of Tsushima. His grandmother (Hideko Umeno) was the oldest ama diver in Tsushima.[1] Umeno began sumo wrestling in his fourth year at Isahaya City Yue Elementary School,[2] later saying of his introduction to sport that he saw it only as an extension of playground games.[3]
Umeno during his time in college (c. 2013)
Umeno then went to Isahaya Agricultural High School,[4] and joined their basketball team before leaving it for the school's sumo club because his high school coach was also the coach of a small sumo club in Isahaya where Umeno used to go.[5] He then graduated from Nihon University where he was a member of their sumo club and a classmate of Churanoumi.[6] During his time as a student, he won the Eastern Japan Student Sumo Championship three time in the under 100 kg category.[2] In his fourth year, however, he suffered a meniscus injury to his left knee and to his anterior cruciate ligament at the All Japan University Sumo Tournament in Uwajima, Ehime on 29 April 2015.[2] He aggravated his injury at the East Japan Student Sumo Individual Weight Classification Championships and was unable to take part in more tournaments during his student years.[6]
After graduating, he worked for a while in a company in Isahaya, but was motivated to become a professional sumo wrestler by Churanoumi.[3] He joined professional sumo in 2016, entering Sakaigawa stable, his master (former komusubi Ryogoku IV) also being from his home prefecture.
Career[]
Early Career[]
His professional debut was postponed because of his torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, and this injury could have cost him his wrestling career by putting him over the maximum age for becoming a wrestler at the time (23). However, in September 2016, that same age was raised to 25, allowing him to become a wrestler.[7]
Tsushimanada prepares for his upcoming match (c. 2021)
On the fifth day of the July 2016 tournament, Umeno suffered a concussion against Kinjo during a bout in maezumo (pre-sumo), but he still managed to win the bout.[6] He breezed through the bottom three divisions and was given the shikona "Tsushimanada" (對馬洋) in March 2017. The shikona is derived from 20th century ozeki Tsushimanada Yakichi, who was originally from Tsushima Island like his family, and to whom he thought he was related to. However, after further investigation his master declared "it was not the case."[8]
Tsushimanada's progression stalled as he reached the makushita division, mostly due to sustaining injuries. He reached as high as makushita 6 in March 2019, but had to sit out of the following two tournaments which resulted in a demotion back to sandanme. He returned back to makushita in November 2019 but continued to struggle due to injuries.[9]
In November 2021, Tsushimanada rose to the rank of makushita 2 but failed to capitalize on a winning record. In the May 2022 tournament, Tsushimanada defeated juryo wrestler and former komusubi Shohozan on the final day and this proved to be Shohozan's final match.[1] In September 2022, Tsushimanada finished with a 5-2 record at the rank of makushita 4 and was promoted to the juryo division for the following November 2022 tournament.[9]
Juryo Career[]
Tsushimanada being the fourth sekitori in his stable. His promotion also makes him the first wrestler from his hometown to be promoted sekitori in 45 years, since the retirement of former maegashira Shishiho Yoshimasa.[10] However, Tsushimanada suffered a narrow loss in his first tournament as a sekitori, achieving a 7-8 make-koshi record. After his first tournament at sekitori, he visited his hometown of Isahaya for the first time in seven years, because he decided that he would not return until he became a sekitori.[10] Tsushimanada maintained his sekitori rank due to the balance of promotion and demotion within the ranking. After a good performance during the 2023 January tournament, in which he scored five wins in a row during his last five matches, he was promoted to juryo 9, his highest rank at the time. However, after a weak performance at the March tournament, Tsushimanada was relegated to juryo 14, threatening him with demotion back to the makushita division. Nevertheless, he managed to go from a 1–6 score at Day 7, to a kachi-koshi score of 8–7, notably winning his last four bouts and securing his sekitori status.[9]
He began 2024 in the rank of makushita 2, putting him in a position of possible re-promotion in the juryo division. Despite being defeated by Kitaharima on the first day, Tsushimanada recorded a run of four consecutive victories (kachi-koshi) before suffering defeat in his sixth match against Hakuoho, who was returning to competition after missing two tournaments. In January 2024, it was announced that Tsushimanada's score was sufficient to grant him a second promotion to the juryo division. On this occasion, Tsushimanada confided to Yahoo! Sports that, on the advice of his master, he now saw his new promotion as a springboard to reach the makuuchi division, quoting the former Ryogoku as having told him that he should have a "stronger feeling than when [he] was aiming for his first juryo promotion".[3]
Personal Life[]
- Tsushimanada's hobby is watching movies, his favorite food is oden, his favorite artist is ET-KING, and his favorite manga is One Piece.[11]
- Tsushimanada's stablemate Hiradoumi, who reached the top makuuchi division in September 2022, is also from Nagasaki, and the two of them have maintained a friendly rivalry.[12]
Fighting Style[]
Tsushimanada defeats Shimazuumi by hatakikomi (slap down)
Tsushimanada prefers yotsu-sumo (grappling techniques) instead of oshi-sumo (pushing techniques) and the Japan Sumo Association lists his favorite mawashi grip as migi-yotsu (right hand inside and left hand outside).[13] His most common kimarite are hatakikomi (slap down), yorikiri (force out) and uwatedashinage (pulling overarm throw).[14]
Record[]
Division Results[]
- Total: 205-169-21/373 (48 basho)
- Juryo: 46-74/120 (8 basho)
- Makushita: 129-90-21/218 (34 basho)
- Sandanme: 18-3/21 (3 basho)
- Jonidan: 6-1/7 (1 basho)
- Jonokuchi: 6-1/7 (1 basho)
Shikona History[]
- Umeno Masamitsu (2016.05 - 2017.01)
- Tsushimanada Masamitsu (2017.03 - )
Gallery[]
JSA Profile Pictures and Tegata[]
Career Overview[]
(c. 2022)
(c. 2025)
External Links[]
- Tsushimanada Masamitsu Japanese Wikipedia Article
- Tsushimanada Masamitsu Rikishi Information
- Tsushimanada Masamitsu JSA Profile Page
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nippon Shimbun: Juryo Shohozan only gets three wins, falling from sekitori status is certain
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 BBM Sumo June 2016 Issue p. 107
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Yahoo! Sports: Tsushimanada will be promoted to the juryo division again
- ↑ Nagasaki Shimbun: New juryo wrestler Tsushimanada vows to make great strides
- ↑ Face Passport: Isahaya people active on the front lines, Tsushimanada
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 BBM Sumo August 2016 Issue p. 107
- ↑ BBM Sumo May 2018 Issue p. 22
- ↑ Nikkan Sports: Tsushimanada, delighted with new juryo rank
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Tsushimanada Rikishi Information
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 NHK: Promoted sumo wrestler Tsushimanada expresses his aspirations
- ↑ Tsushimanada JSA Profile (archived)
- ↑ NHK: An interview with Hiradoumi, carrying the name of his hometown
- ↑ Tsushimanada JSA Profile
- ↑ Tsushimanada Kimarite Information