Yuma Takeru

Yuma Takeru - 勇磨猛 (born June 13, 1998) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Hirakata, Osaka. He made his debut in March 2014 and currently wrestles for Onomatsu stable. He reached the juryo division in July 2023. His highest rank as of 2025 is juryo 13.

Early Life[]

Nakao was born the second of three sons in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan,^[1] and was raised in a single-mother household.^[2] He started sumo wrestling during his fifth year of elementary school and participated at the National Wanpaku Sumo Tournament later that year.^[3] He attended Hirakata Municipal Nakamiya Junior High School, however, from his second year the school's sumo club was suspended, so Nakao continued his training at Kindai University High School's sumo club.^[1] After graduating junior high school, Nakao was introduced to Onomatsu stable by the director of Kindai University High School's sumo club.^[3]

Career[]

Early Career[]

He made his professional debut in March 2014 and unusually wrestled under his given name Yuma. This was because his surname, Nakao, was already being used by another active wrestler who shared the same last name.^[4] After two years in jonidan, he reached the sandanme division in March 2016.^[5]

YumaAsa — Yuma wins the sandanme yusho (c. 2020)

Prior to the November 2017 tournament, Yuma ruptured his left knee's anterior cruciate ligament and had to undergo surgery. As a result, he had to miss five tournaments which caused him to fall completely off the banzuke.^[1] He returned to sumo in September 2018 and had to redo maezumo (pre-sumo). Upon returning to sumo, Yuma posted six consecutive winning records and was promoted to makushita in November 2019. In his makushita debut, Yuma could only manage two wins and was demoted back down to sandanme. He won the sandanme yusho with a perfect 7-0 record in January 2020. However, during his final match in the January 2020 tournament, Yuma fractured the scaphoid bone in his left hand and had to miss the following March 2020 tournament.^[6]

Prior to the January 2021 tournament, Yuma underwent surgery on his left wrist and had to miss two tournaments which regulated him back down to sandanme.^[7] Nevertheless, he returned to makushita and in September 2022, Yuma surprisingly defeated former ozeki Asanoyama on the 11th day by tsukiotoshi, or thrust down. This was the ozeki's first loss since returning to sumo in July 2022.^[8]

In May 2023, while ranked at makushita 5, Yuma finished with a strong 5-2 record which included a win over juryo-ranked Shimanoumi. As a result, he was promoted to juryo for the following July 2023 tournament.^[5]

Juryo Career[]

Yuma is the first sekitori from Onomatsu stable since the current stablemaster (former maegashira Daido) took over the stable in 2019. Yuma finished with a 6-9 record in his juryo debut which resulted in his demotion back down to makushita in September 2023. He immediately returned back to juryo in November 2023, but after two more losing records, he was demoted back down to makushita in March 2024.^[5]

Personal Life[]

Yuma's younger brother, Yusei Nakao, also joined Onomatsu stable in March 2017, however, he retired right after maezumo (pre-sumo).^[9]
Yuma's hobby is reading, his favorite food is beef tongue, his favorite artist is Yuuri, and his favorite manga is Kingdom.^[10]

Fighting Style[]

Yuma is an oshi-sumo wrestler who prefers pushing and thrusting techniques to fighting on the mawashi. His most common kimarite used are hatakikomi (slap down) and oshidashi (push out).^[11]