Monday, May 3, 2021

Behind the Curtain - May 2021

 The cherry blossom season is behind us, Golden Week has arrived and it is time for sumo at Kokugikan. Joining the rikishi with silk mawashi are two returnees for this basho, Oho Konosuke and Daishoho Kiyohiro are in the paid ranks once again.


Oho (Ms2e) posted a 4-3 record to secure his return to Juryo. Taihō's grandson continues to show us that he has sekitori DNA in his body. Oho won his 4 bouts primarily via his tsuki/oshi technique, which is pushing and thrusting. In general, Oho most common winning technique or kimarite is oshidashi, known as straightforward push out. His father, Takatoriki, was also a big oshidashi fighter.


The last time he was promoted to the paid ranks, his Oyakata changed his shikona from Naya to Oho (王鵬) which means King Peng (phoenix). 


Oho is the third of four sons and his father was the sekitori Takatoriki. And of course, his mother is the 48th yokozuna Taiho’s daughter. In his fourth year at Arima Elementary School, he was the runner-up in the national tournament.


Oho attended Saitama Sakae High School that has a strong sumo program. One of his classmates with the future Kotoshoho. In Oho’s third year at high school, he won both the group and individual championships on the national level. After high school, he joined Otake stable, which was founded by his grandfather. 


Fun fact. Oho is also the second third-generation sumo wrestler after Kotonowaka to become a sekitori.


Daishōhō (Ms2w) notched 5 wins and 2 losses to punch his return ticket to the paid ranks. Now where Oho is a pusher, Daishōhō is a traditional grappler, with his main technique yotsu sumo. Over his career, he has won mostly via tori-kiri or force out. He is also a right hand grip the mawashi kind of guy, migh-yotsu.


Daishōhō spent his childhood in Ulan-Bator and was a good student. He was sent to Japan to study after his fourth-grade year seeking a better education. He attended Kashiwa City Daini Elementary School and after 3 months he was able to speak basic Japanese.


Daishōhō attended Chiba Prefectural Nagareyama Minami High School. One of his classmates with future makuuchi wrestler Abi. In the New Year Chiba Prefecture sumo tournament, Daishōhō led his school to a team championship for the first time in 19 years. The next year the in the national competition he lost to sekiwake Ichinojo . Daishōhō would train with the Meiji University sumo club. Daishōhō graduated at the top of his class academically. It was in high school where he was introduced to Oitekaze Oyakata. Eventually, Daishōhō joined Oitekaze stable.


Fun fact. Daishōhō was the 25th Mongolian to be promoted to makuuchi.

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