May 25 (News On Japan) –
Wakatakakage accomplished a outstanding comeback from main knee surgical procedure and a fall to the decrease divisions by profitable his second top-division championship on the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on May twenty fourth, ending a 25-tournament wait for an additional Emperor’s Cup.
“My attacks from below were the best part of my sumo,” Wakatakakage stated on the news convention.
His first championship in 25 tournaments marked the third-longest hole between titles in sumo historical past, following Kotonishiki and Terunofuji. Wakatakakage completed the event with a 12-3 document, giving him a robust place to begin in a possible push for promotion to ozeki.
Wakatakakage’s profession is formed by two landmark victories: an historic new-sekiwake title in March 2022, adopted by a return from main knee surgical procedure to win once more on May 24, 2026.
Born Atsushi Onami in Fukushima City on December sixth, 1994, Wakatakakage comes from certainly one of sumo’s best-known wrestling households. His maternal grandfather was former komusubi Wakabayama, whereas his father competed within the decrease divisions underneath the ring title Wakanobu. His two older brothers additionally entered skilled sumo: the eldest grew to become Wakatakamoto, whereas the second grew to become Wakamotoharu, who has reached sekiwake within the prime division. The three brothers’ ring names had been impressed by the sons of the Sixteenth-century warlord Mori Motonari, whose story of the “three arrows” has lengthy symbolized energy by means of brotherly unity.
Wakatakakage started sumo on the age of seven and later attended Gak法 Fukushima High School earlier than transferring to Toyo University, the place he established himself as one of many nation’s main scholar wrestlers. He gained the East Japan Student Sumo particular person weight-class championship, contributed to a nationwide scholar crew championship and completed runner-up within the particular person competitors on the 2016 National Student Sumo Championships, incomes eligibility to start his skilled profession on the elevated sandanme rank reasonably than on the backside of the rankings.
After graduating from Toyo University’s Faculty of Law in 2017, Wakatakakage entered Arashio secure and made his skilled debut as a sandanme tsukedashi entrant on the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in March 2017. His progress was quick. He went 5-2 in his first event, captured the sandanme championship with an ideal 7-0 document in May 2017 and rose into the makushita division, the place one other unbeaten event in January 2018 earned him the makushita championship. He reached the salaried juryo ranks in May 2018, little greater than a 12 months after getting into the skilled sport.
His rise to the highest division got here in November 2019, when he made his makuuchi debut as a maegashira. That first try was minimize brief after he injured his ankle early within the event and withdrew with a 4-1-10 document, sending him again to juryo. He responded by recording profitable marks within the first two tournaments of 2020, together with a 10-5 end in March, and returned to makuuchi in July 2020. From that time, his compact, technically polished fashion started to determine him among the many main wrestlers within the division.
At about 183 centimeters and significantly lighter than a lot of his rivals, Wakatakakage constructed his sumo round a low stance, forceful ahead motion and skilful use of the ottsuke arm-blocking method to stop bigger opponents from controlling his belt or elevating his higher physique. He recorded 10 wins in March 2021 and 9 wins in May 2021, incomes the Technique Prize in each tournaments, earlier than reaching the sanyaku ranks as a brand new komusubi in July 2021. Although he struggled in that first look among the many elite rank-holders, he rapidly fought his approach again into rivalry.
The defining second of his early profession arrived on the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka in March 2022. Competing as a brand new sekiwake, Wakatakakage completed the regulation event tied with Takayasu at 12-3 and defeated him in a playoff to win his first Emperor’s Cup. It was the primary championship by a brand new sekiwake since Futabayama achieved the feat in May 1936, an interval of 86 years, and made Wakatakakage the primary wrestler from Fukushima Prefecture to win a top-division title in 50 years.
His first championship appeared to place him as a future ozeki candidate. Wakatakakage remained at sekiwake all through a lot of 2022, posting profitable information in 4 of the following 5 tournaments after his title, together with an 11-4 efficiency and one other Technique Prize in September 2022. He opened 2023 with a 9-6 document at sekiwake, sustaining his place near sumo’s second-highest rank.
That momentum ended abruptly in the course of the Spring Tournament in March 2023. Wakatakakage injured his proper knee in a bout towards Kotonowaka on the thirteenth day and withdrew from the competitors. Medical examinations confirmed harm together with a torn proper anterior cruciate ligament, accidents to the lateral meniscus and related knee harm. He underwent reconstructive surgical procedure in early April 2023, starting a protracted rehabilitation interval through which his stablemaster, former maegashira Sokokurai, made clear {that a} full restoration would take precedence over an early return.
The harm carried an particularly heavy price in a sport the place rankings fall rapidly throughout absence. Wakatakakage sat out the May, July and September tournaments in 2023, dropping from the sanyaku ranks by means of juryo and into makushita, outdoors sumo’s salaried divisions. He returned in November 2023 at east makushita No. 6 and went 5-2, then produced an ideal 7-0 championship efficiency from west makushita No. 1 in January 2024 to regain juryo standing. In May 2024, he dominated the second division with a 14-1 document to win the juryo championship and safe his return to makuuchi.
His return to the highest division proved excess of a ceremonial comeback. Wakatakakage recorded 11 wins from east maegashira No. 14 in July 2024, adopted by a 12-3 efficiency and the Outstanding Performance Prize in September 2024. He added 10 wins and the Technique Prize in November 2024, demonstrating that his low, driving sumo had survived an harm severe sufficient to finish or completely restrict the careers of many athletes. By January 2025, he had returned to komusubi, little greater than a 12 months after resuming competitors in makushita.
Wakatakakage continued his renewed push in 2025, going 9-6 in March and 12-3 with one other Technique Prize in May, outcomes that returned him to sekiwake. He posted 10 wins in July earlier than slipping again down the rankings later within the 12 months, however he started 2026 with 9 wins in January and climbed once more towards the sanyaku positions. At the Spring Tournament in March 2026, he defeated yokozuna Onosato on the opening day to earn the primary gold star of his profession, however a proper elbow harm worsened later within the event and compelled him to withdraw after securing an 8-6-1 profitable document.
After lacking the spring regional tour to bear therapy, Wakatakakage entered the Summer Tournament in May 2026 as an east komusubi with contemporary doubts over his bodily situation. Instead, he started strongly, defeating ozeki Kotozakura on the second day and reaching the midway level with a 7-1 document. Although a loss to Kirishima on the eleventh day gave him his third defeat and appeared to wreck his championship hopes, he gained his remaining 4 common bouts, together with a final-day victory over Fujiryoga by katasukashi, to complete stage with Kirishima at 12-3.
In the playoff, Wakatakakage attacked from a low place and drove Kirishima out by oshidashi, securing his second Emperor’s Cup. His 25-tournament hole between championships was the third-longest in top-division historical past, behind solely Kotonishiki and Terunofuji. He additionally acquired the seventh Technique Prize of his profession, recognition of the exact, aggressive sumo that has remained the inspiration of his success all through his rise, collapse within the rankings and eventual return.
The championship carried specific emotional weight as a result of his household had witnessed each ends of his troublesome journey. After the victory, Wakatakakage stated his youngsters had informed him that morning to win the championship, including that he was happy to point out them his triumph after his household had supported him by means of the harm. At his news convention on May twenty fifth, he admitted he felt “a little tired, both mentally and physically,” however stated his attacking sumo from a low place had been one of the best a part of his efficiency.
Wakatakakage’s second title has once more raised the prospect of a problem for ozeki promotion, a chance that had appeared shut earlier than his knee harm in 2023. His profession has now traced an uncommon path: from college standout to historic new-sekiwake champion, from main surgical procedure and a fall into makushita to a second championship on the age of 31. For a wrestler whose fashion depends upon getting decrease than his opponents and driving ahead, his return to the Emperor’s Cup has mirrored the identical qualities that outline his sumo: endurance, stability and an unwillingness to present floor.
Source: Kyodo