Myōgiryū Yasunari

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Myōgiryū.

Myōgiryū Yasunari
妙義龍 泰成
Kakuryū
(2)
* Up to date as of 24 September 2023.

Myōgiryū Yasunari (

yokozuna
. He was runner-up in the September 2021 tournament.

Myōgiryū is popular with female sumo fans, some of whom call out his nickname "22" at tournaments, apparently a reference to his body fat percentage,[1] which is one of the lowest in sumo and has even been mentioned in commercials.[2] Due to his longevity in sumo's top division and popularity with the female audience, Myōgiryū is also nicknamed "otoko" (漢, lit. 'the man').[3]

Early life and sumo background

Miyamoto was a member of an area sumo club in elementary school and in junior high school he participated in a national athletic meet as a sumo participant. He transferred to

Gōeidō, and in group competition came in second place to Gōeidō's first. In 2008, as a fourth year university student at Nippon Sport Science University, he won a national sumo tournament in Ōita prefecture, and qualified to enter professional sumo as a makushita tsukedashi. He received invitations from several sumo stables, and eventually chose Sakaigawa stable
which Gōeidō had previously joined.

Career

Myōgiryū at his first tournament as a sekitori in January 2010

His first tournament was in May, 2009. His debut at

jūryō for the January 2010 tournament. On promotion to jūryō he changed his ring name
to Myōgiryū, meaning "dragon of many skills" a name suggested by a former teacher at his university.

Myōgiryū convincingly beat

Masunoyama
in a playoff for the championship.

In his second full tournament at jūryō Myōgiryū racked up an even more convincing 13–2 record and a consecutive championship. This would secure his entry into the top division in the 2011 November tournament. Coincidentally, he entered in the same tournament as senior wrestler Tsurugidake who 8 years before had entered sumo under the same ring name of Miyamoto, the surname they share.

Myōgiryū managed a winning record of 10–5 and advanced in

Gōeidō
. He won ten bouts and his fourth Technique Prize in the last five tournaments.

Gagamaru
in the May 2014 tournament

After a losing record in November Myōgiryū was ranked at maegashira 1 for the January 2013 tournament. He earned his first

Harumafuji
, and two ōzeki, and was rewarded with his fifth Technique prize for the tournament after a strong 11–4 score. His success continued, with two sekiwake appearances in the following July and September tournaments. He would fall back to maegashira 1 in November 2013, but a winning tournament would put him back in san'yaku at komusubi for the January 2014 tournament. He lost his first four bouts in this tournament and dropped out due to injury. This would drop him to maegashira 10 in March, but two consecutive 8–7 winning tournaments would put him back in upper makuuchi for the July 2014 tournament. He scored 11–4 there, which returned him to sekiwake for September, but he had to miss the whole of that tournament through injury and dropped back to the maegashira ranks. Nine wins in November and nine more in January 2015 saw him back at komusubi for the March tournament where eight wins were sufficient to gain promotion to sekiwake again. He dropped back to komusubi for July, but was promoted to sekiwake for the fourth time for the September tournament. He lost his sekiwake rank in November 2015 after a poor 2–13 record, and spent 2016 in the maegashira ranks. His run of 34 consecutive tournaments ranked in the top division ended after the May 2017 tournament when he was demoted to the jūryō division.

After spending two tournaments in jūryō he returned to makuuchi after the November 2017 tournament. He stood at 6–3 after nine days but then lost four bouts in a row and withdrew on Day 14 due to a left knee injury, which meant a

Hidenoumi
in a playoff and ensuring another return to makuuchi.

After three consecutive winning records from May to September 2018, Myōgiryū was promoted to maegashira 1 for the November tournament. On Day 2 he defeated yokozuna

Kisenosato for only the fourth time in 20 meetings to earn his third career kinboshi and his first since 2013.[6] He was promoted to komusubi in January 2019, the first time he had been ranked in san'yaku since November 2015, but fell short with a 5–10 record. In May 2019 he earned his fourth kinboshi with a defeat of Kakuryū.[7]
In January 2020 he defeated Hakuhō and Kakuryū on consecutive days, but finished with a 5–10 record.

In September 2021 he was runner-up in a top division tournament for the first time, finishing on 11-4, two wins behind new yokozuna

Takakeishō for the first time. He was awarded his sixth Technique prize, his first in eight years.[8]

During the 12th day of the July 2023 tournament, Myōgiryū celebrated his 1100th match since his professional debut with a victory over maegashira Takarafuji.[9] When asked at the end of 2023 about how long his career would last, he confided that he did not think he would continue to fight until he was forty, but that he would fight until he was no longer satisfied with his performances.[3]

Fighting style

Myōgiryū is a pusher thruster who prefers oshi-sumo techniques. His most common winning kimarite is oshi-dashi, a straightforward push out, which has accounted for about half his career victories so far. In his university days he was known for his ability to drop his hips low and move forward quickly, although his was diminished by the serious knee injury he suffered in his jūryō debut.[2] In his fourteenth professional year, Myōgiryū spoke to Yahoo! Sports about his longevity, mentioning above all that his key to longevity was his diet and the supplements he takes to build muscle mass.[3]

Personal life

Myōgiryū announced in September 2017 that he registered his marriage to an old classmate from Saitama Sakae High School in June. Their first child, Yasukichi, was born in the same month. The wedding ceremony will be held in June 2018.[10]

Career record

Myōgiryū Yasunari[11]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2009 x x Makushita tsukedashi #15
5–2
 		 West Makushita #7
5–2
 		 West Makushita #2
5–2
 		 West Makushita #1
5–2
 
2010 East Jūryō #14
1–2–12
 		 East Makushita #14
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Makushita #54
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Sandanme #34
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Sandanme #94
7–0–P
 		 East Makushita #58
6–1–PPP
Champion
 
2011 West Makushita #26
6–1
 		 East Makushita #8
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 East Makushita #8
4–3
 		 West Jūryō #12
11–4–P
Champion
 		 East Jūryō #3
13–2
Champion
 		 West Maegashira #11
10–5
 
2012 East Maegashira #5
9–6
T		 East Maegashira #1
7–8
 		 East Maegashira #2
9–6
T		 East Komusubi #1
8–7
T		 East Sekiwake #1
10–5
T		 East Sekiwake #1
6–9
 
2013 West Maegashira #1
7–8
★		 West Maegashira #2
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #1
11–4
T★		 East Sekiwake #1
8–7
 		 East Sekiwake #1
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #1
8–7
 
2014 East Komusubi #1
0–4–11
 		 East Maegashira #10
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #8
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #6
11–4
 		 East Sekiwake #1
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 East Maegashira #11
9–6
 
2015 East Maegashira #8
9–6
 		 West Komusubi #1
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake #1
7–8
 		 West Komusubi #1
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake #1
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake #1
2–13
 
2016 East Maegashira #8
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #6
10–5
 		 East Maegashira #1
6–9
 		 West Maegashira #3
7–8
 		 East Maegashira #4
5–10
 		 East Maegashira #9
8–7
 
2017 East Maegashira #7
4–11
 		 East Maegashira #14
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #15
4–11
 		 East Jūryō #4
10–5
 		 West Jūryō #1
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #15
6–8–1
 
2018 East Jūryō #1
10–5–P
Champion
 		 West Maegashira #15
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #16
10–5
 		 East Maegashira #9
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #5
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #1
8–7
★
2019 East Komusubi #1
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #2
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #5
6–9
★		 East Maegashira #7
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #6
8–5–2
 		 East Maegashira #2
8–7
 
2020 West Maegashira #1
5–10
★★		 East Maegashira #6
4–11
 		 West Maegashira #10
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 West Maegashira #10
10–5
 		 East Maegashira #3
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #5
4–11
 
2021 West Maegashira #9
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #4
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #4
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #7
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #10
11–4
T		 West Maegashira #3
2–13
 
2022 East Maegashira #10
5–8–2
 		 East Maegashira #11
7–8
 		 East Maegashira #12
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #14
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #9
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #7
8–7
 
2023 West Maegashira #6
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #10
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #14
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #10
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #13
10–5
 		 East Maegashira #9
6–9
 
2024 West Maegashira #12
5–10
 		 East Maegashira #15
6–9
 		 x x x x
Record given as wins–losses–absencies    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Playoff
(s)
Divisions:
Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: 
Maegashira

See also

References

  1. ^ "Female fans bring sumo back from the brink". Nikkei Asian Review. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Gunning, John (13 March 2020). "University sumo product Myogiryu blossoming in 30s". Japan Times. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Izuka Saki (23 October 2023). "「気が済むまで現役を」37歳、衰え知らずの "漢" 妙義龍　大相撲の第一線で活躍し続ける秘訣とは？". Yahoo! Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Kyokutenho beats Tochiozan for title". Japan Times. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Hakuho suffers shock defeat". Japan Times. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  6. ^ "Sumo: Kisenosato suffers second straight upset of Kyushu meet". The Mainichi. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Sumo: Tochinoshin, Kakuryu upset on Day 11 at Summer meet". The Mainichi. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Sumo: Terunofuji crowns yokozuna debut with 5th career championship". Kyodo News. 26 September 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  9. ^ "36歳・妙義龍が通算出場1100回の節目に白星「幕内で10年以上も…」宝富士との同学年対決に感慨" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  10. ^ "妙義龍が結婚と長男誕生発表 埼玉栄同級生、隣の席" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  11. ^ "Myogiryu Yasunari Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 24 November 2011.

External links

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