Kotofuji Takaya
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Takaya Kobayashi | |
| Date of birth | October 28, 1964 | |
| Place of birth | Chiba, Japan | |
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 31⁄2 in) | |
| Weight | 145 kg (320 lb) | |
| Career* | ||
| Heya | Sadogatake | |
| Record | 529-528-18 | |
| Debut | March 1980 | |
| Highest rank | Sekiwake (July 1990) | |
| Retired | September 1995 | |
| Yusho | 1 (Makuuchi) 1 (Sandanme) |
|
| Special Prizes | 2 (Fighting Spirit) | |
| Gold stars | 2 (Onokuni, Asahifuji) | |
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* Career information is correct as of August 2007. |
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Kotofuji Takaya (born 28 October 1964 asTakaya Kobayashi) is a former sumo wrestler from Chiba City, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake.
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[edit] Career
Kotofuji made his professional debut in March 1980. He had a long apprenticeship in the junior ranks, not breaking through to the juryo division until November 1986. He had an awkward build for sumo, as his long legs meant his hips were high and therefore his centre of gravity was much higher than the ideal.
He reached the top makuuchi division in September 1988, scoring 11 wins in his top division debut. He had two tournaments in the sanyaku ranks, one as a komusubi and one as a sekiwake, but turned in a losing score on both occasions. He won two special prizes and earned two gold stars, but he is best remembered for his extraordinary performance in the Nagoya tournament of July 1991, where he became the first maegashira to win the tournament championship in nearly six years. He defeated yokozuna Asahifuji, ozeki Konishiki and ozeki Kirishima to finish with an outstanding 14-1 record.
Kotofuji never approached anything like those heights again. He was demoted to the second juryo division in 1994 and announced his retirement from sumo in September 1995. He became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association, under the name of Kumegawa Oyakata, but he left the sumo world in July 1999 to launch a new career as a television personality.
During the short stay of Canadian wrestler Kototenzan at Sadogatake stable, Kotofuji was one of the few wrestlers who attempted to communicate with him in English.[1]
[edit] Top division record
| January Hatsu basho, Tokyo |
March Haru basho, Osaka |
May Natsu basho, Tokyo |
July Nagoya basho, Nagoya |
September Aki basho, Tokyo |
November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | x | x | x | x | East Maegashira #12 11–4 F |
East Maegashira #4 4–11 |
| 1989 | East Maegashira #10 6–9 |
East Maegashira #13 9–6 |
East Maegashira #5 5–10 |
East Maegashira #11 9–6 |
East Maegashira #6 8–7 |
East Maegashira #2 4–11 |
| 1990 | West Maegashira #8 8–7 |
East Maegashira #6 9–6 |
West Maegashira #1 8–7 |
West Sekiwake 4–11 |
East Maegashira #5 7–8 |
West Maegashira #6 8–7 |
| 1991 | East Maegashira #3 5–10 ★ |
East Maegashira #10 8–7 |
West Maegashira #7 5–10 |
East Maegashira #13 14–1 F★ |
East Komusubi 4–11 |
West Maegashira #6 6–9 |
| 1992 | West Maegashira #11 8–7 |
East Maegashira #6 8–7 |
West Maegashira #3 6–9 |
East Maegashira #7 8–7 |
East Maegashira #3 4–11 |
East Maegashira #11 6–9 |
| 1993 | West Maegashira #15 9–6 |
East Maegashira #10 8–7 |
West Maegashira #7 7–8 |
West Maegashira #9 11–4 |
East Maegashira #2 6–9 |
Sat out due to injury |
| 1994 | West Maegashira #4 3–12 |
East Maegashira #14 8–7 |
West Maegashira #12 9–6 |
West Maegashira #4 4–11 |
East Maegashira #12 4–11 |
(Jūryō) |
| 1995 | (Jūryō) | (Jūryō) | (Jūryō) | (Jūryō) | x | x |
| Record given as win-loss-absent Championship Retired Demoted from makuuchi Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi |
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[edit] References
- ^ Sharnoff, Lorna (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-x.
- ^ Rikishi in Makunouchi and Juryo (English). szumo.hu. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
