Posts Tagged ‘asashoryu’

Head of Bulgarian Sumo Federation gloats about Asashoryu’s retirement

An article from Sofia News Agency notes how Bulgarian sumo wrestler Kotooshu has a better chance of winning championships now that Asashoryu is gone:

Kotooshu is reported as behaving totally differently, abiding by all social and professional rules. His wedding, on February 14, will be conducted entirely according to Japanese protocol and tradition.

The entire sumo community will attend the wedding of Kotooshu and his bride Asako and some 250 wrestlers are expected to attend the celebration.

His future best man and head of the Bulgarian Sumo Federation Petar Stoyanov, commented on Kotooshu’s professional prospects, following Asashoryu’s retirement.

“We are not gloating over this, but for Bulgaria it is good. The retirement of Asashoryu gives him a very big chance to attack the top position from second place . Kotooshu needs to be the winner in the next two tournaments, in one to acquire a credit of 14:1 or 15: 0 and, I think, he will immediately be selected for yokozuna,” Stoyanov said.

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While we’re on the topic of Asashoryu, just thought I’d like to share this interesting account of Asashoryu’s retirement, from a Mongolian blog I found today via Google:

Asashoryu has “volunteered” to quit the Sumo arena to avoid being “kicked out” officially by Japan Sumo Association because of his constant “bad behavour” violating Sumo rules and ethics.

That way he saved his name and stepped down with honor. The last incident happened during recent January Tournament when he punched the face of a Chinese-born “Japanese” who owned the restaurant where the Grand champion was dining. The owner of this restaurant must have said something offensive to Asashoryu , like “What is Mongolia anyway?” and “Mongolia is part of Great China”, etc., which would easily anger any Mongol.

Some say, it was a planned plot to get him into a trouble which would be enough to justify the banning him from Sumo.

The Japanese TV news programs I’ve watched in the last week have not gone into such detail. Perhaps it is based on some Japanese media report, or maybe the Mongolian press interviewed some people involved. It could also be a rumor being spread around in Mongolia by Asashoryu fans who want to put a positive spin on the fact that their hero assaulted someone. It sure would seem grand if the whole incident took place because he was trying to defend Mongolian honor from an arrogant Chinese-Japanese…

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The End of Asashoryu?

Mongolian-born sumo grand champion Asashoryu is in deep trouble after drunkenly assaulting a man in Tokyo:

The latest indiscretion by sumo’s perennial “bad boy” purportedly took place outside a nightclub in Tokyo’s Nishiazabu district in the early hours of Jan. 16 during the recent New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Asashoryu is alleged to have punched an unidentified man, who reportedly works at the nightclub where the wrestler was drinking, causing the man injuries that included a broken nose, lacerations of the lip and bruises to the back of the head, as reported in the Feb. 4 edition of the weekly magazine Shukan Shincho.

The JSA is set to determine what punishment, if any, Asashoryu will face after its board of directors election Feb. 1.

A few more details from ABC:

….the wrestler punched the man while leaving the club, then offered to talk things over in his car.

It then quoted the victim as telling Asashoryu that the incident was “water under the bridge”.

Asashoryu then reportedly told his driver to take them to a river, saying he would kill the man there.

The man only escaped after screaming out to police who were attending a nearby accident. He was left with a broken nose, a busted lip and bruises to the head.

Unlike the soccer-playing scandal of 2007, this is very serious business. It’s fine for sumo wrestlers to occasionally act like arrogant jerks, but assaulting and threatening to kill people is too much.

Polls, such as the one in the video below, show that the public expects Asashoryu to be banned from the sport:

The last known incident like this took place in 1987, when yokozuna Futahaguro allegedly assaulted the wife of his stablemaster. The JSA voted to accept his “resignation.” Many believe the JSA will follow this precedent and force an end to Asashoryu’s career.

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New Special Effects Sumo Fighting Video

Mongolian Yokozuna Asashoryu and Hakuho face off in an earth-splitting battle in the latest video of Check-it‘s “the real SUMO fighting”:

And for those who have not seen our previous posts about these videos, here are the previous episodes:

Ama vs. Goeido

Reppu-ken

Sumo Training

The First 4 Episodes

Asashoryu Returns

Sumo grand champion Asashoryu is back in Japan , and looking to reclaim his pre-suspension status as the sport’s dominant wrestler:

Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu returned to the raised- ring Sunday after a two-tournament ban was lifted, participating in the winter regional tour.

Sumo’s perennial bad boy was a little out of shape but in high spirits after his three-month layoff — a dramatic turnaround from his demoralized state after being hit with the suspension on Aug. 1.

“I am happy that I was able to have contact with everyone again,” Asashoryu said.

In the morning practice, Asashoryu squared off against makuuchi- division local native Yoshikaze and countryman Kakuryu, and even beat follow Mongolian grand champion Hakuho using a left-handed frontal takeout maneuver in an afternoon practice bout.

“I guess I felt both happy and nervous. In any case, I really wanted to get back in the ring. It was a great feeling,” said a fresh-faced Asashoryu, whose last appearance in the dohyo was the final day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in July.

The winner of 21 Emperor’s Cup titles looked a little plump around the belly but had not lost much in the way of muscle in his shoulders and chest.

“I have been taking care to work out every day. But the other wrestlers look big,” Asashoryu said with a wry smile.

Over the next two days of the tour, the 27-year-old is planning to appear in the practice sessions again and might even take part in some actual exhibition bouts. “We’ll see how things go little by little,” Asashoryu said.

After practice, Asashoryu apologized to the Japan Sumo Association department in charge of the regional tour for playing in a charity soccer match in Mongolia, even though he had asked to be excused from the summer tour because of injuries.