| 琴奨菊 和弘 Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro |
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|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | Kazuhiro Kikutsugi 30 January 1984 Fukuoka, Japan |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 174 kg (380 lb; 27.4 st) |
| Web presence | website |
| Career | |
| Heya | Sadogatake |
| Current rank | Ōzeki |
| Debut | January, 2002 |
| Highest rank | Ōzeki (November, 2011) |
| Yūshō | 1 (Jūryō) |
| Sanshō | Technique (4), Outstanding Performance (3) |
| * Career information is correct as of Nov 2011. | |
Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro (born 30 January 1984 as Kazuhiro Kikutsugi (菊次 一弘 Kikutsugi Kazuhiro) in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, Japan), is a sumo wrestler. He made his professional debut in 2002, reaching the top division in 2005. He has earned seven special prizes in his career and been runner-up in two tournaments. He wrestles for Sadogatake stable. Long regarded as one of the most promising young Japanese wrestlers in sumo, in 2011 he achieved the standard for promotion to the second highest rank of ozeki of winning 33 bouts over three tournaments, and he was formally promoted by the Japan Sumo Association on 28 September.[1]
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Kikutsugi took up sumo whilst at school, becoming middle school yokozuna in 1998. He fought his first professional bout in January 2002 under the shikona of Kotokikutsugi. Rising quickly, he changed his name to Kotoshōgiku in January 2004 before reaching jūryō in July 2004 and the top makuuchi division in January 2005. He steadily climbed the top division ranks, reaching maegashira 1 in July 2006, but a disastrous 3–12 result sent him back to maegashira 7. However, two 10–5 results in the following two tournaments saw him rise back up to maegashira 1 and earned him his first Technique prize. He produced a strong 9–6 score in the 2007 New Year tournament.
In March 2007 he made his sanyaku debut at sekiwake rank, the first newcomer to the rank for nine tournaments.[2] He made a poor start to the tournament, losing eight of his first nine bouts, but he showed great strength of character in winning the last six in a row to finish with a 7–8 record and remain in sanyaku, albeit at the lower rank of komusubi. Further losing scores in the next two tournaments caused him to slip to maegashira 3 by September 2007. However, a 10–5 mark in that tournament returned him to the titled ranks for November, again at komusubi. In that tournament he defeated yokozuna Hakuhō on the opening day and picked up his second Technique prize.
In January 2008 he was amongst the tournament leaders until he injured his right knee on the eighth day in a loss to Hakuhō and had to withdraw. This was the first time in his career that he had missed any tournament bouts. It was initially reported that he would need ten days of rest, but his stablemaster (the former Kotonowaka) indicated that Kotoshōgiku was keen to return to action as soon as possible.[3] He re-entered the tournament from the 12th day, winning three of his four bouts to finish with nine wins.
Kotoshōgiku was promoted back to sekiwake for the March 2008 tournament, where he defeated the eventual tournament winner Asashōryū on the 12th day (his second career win over a yokozuna) to earn the Outstanding Performance award. He maintained his sekiwake rank for three tournaments but returned to the maegashira ranks after scoring only 6–9 in July 2008. In July 2009 he returned to the sanyaku ranks for the first time in six tournaments, at komusubi, and came through with a winning record. He made sekiwake again in September, but fell short with a 6–9 record. He returned to komusubi for the January 2010 tournament, following a strong 10–5 performance at the rank of maegashira 2 the previous November. However, he had only one win over a sanyaku wrestler in this tournament (ōzeki Kaiō) and could score only a make-koshi 6–9. In July 2010 he returned to the sekiwake rank after scoring 9–6 at komusubi in May. Despite admitting some involvement with gambling the wake of the scandal surrounding his stablemate Kotomitsuki, it was not deemed serious enough to warrant a suspension. He scored only 5–10 in this tournament.
Returning to sekiwake once again in January 2011, he produced double digit wins for the first time in the sanyaku ranks, scoring 11–4 and winning his third Technique Prize. Sumo Association official Takanohana indicated that Kotoshōgiku would be considered for ozeki promotion if he won or came close to winning the following tournament in March.[4] However, that tournament was cancelled due to a match-fixing scandal, and in the following May 2011 'technical examination' tournament he finished out of contention on 10–5. Needing to win at least twelve bouts in July to be considered for ozeki promotion,[5] Kotoshogiku seemed on course by Day 11 when he defeated Hakuho for just the second time to move to 9-2.[6] However, he then lost two in a row to rank-and-filers Okinoumi and Wakanosato, dashing any hopes of immediate promotion. He finished the tournament on 11-4 and was awarded his second Outstanding Performance prize.
In the September tournament Kotoshogiku put in another strong performance, faltering only against fellow sekiwake Kakuryu and maegashira Tochiozan before beating Hakuho for the second time in a row on Day 13. This put both men on 10-2 and left open the possibility of a playoff for the yusho on the final day. In the event however, Kotoshogiku lost his last bout to ozeki Baruto while Hakuho won to clinch his twentieth championship.[1] Nevertheless Kotoshogiku on 12-3 had achieved the necessary number of 33 wins over the last three tournaments to earn ozeki promotion. Takanohana commented "Beating the yokozuna was a big factor. It was close to a unanimous decision by the judging committee to promote him."[1] Kotoshogiku became the first Japanese wrestler to be promoted to ozeki since his former stablemate Kotomitsuki in 2007.[7] He was also awarded special prizes for Outstanding Performance (his third) and Technique (his fourth).[1] In his debut ozeki tournament he won his first nine matches, although he lost to two fellow ozeki and yokozuna Hakuho and finished on 11-4.
Kotoshōgiku is a yotsu-sumo specialist, preferring techniques which involve grabbing the opponent's mawashi or belt. He favours a right hand outside, left hand inside grip (hidari-yotsu). His most common winning technique is a straightforward yori-kiri or force out, which he has used in over half his career victories.[8] His trademark is gaburi-yori, which involves using his torso to bump his opponent out.[1] The next most often used technique is oshi-dashi or push out. He seldom employs throwing techniques.
| year in sumo | January Hatsu basho, Tokyo |
March Haru basho, Osaka |
May Natsu basho, Tokyo |
July Nagoya basho, Nagoya |
September Aki basho, Tokyo |
November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | (Maezumo) | East Jonokuchi #32 6–1 |
East Jonidan #61 7–0–P |
West Sandanme #59 5–2 |
West Sandanme #29 6–1 |
East Makushita #46 6–1 |
| 2003 | East Makushita #20 3–4 |
East Makushita #30 4–3 |
West Makushita #24 4–3 |
East Makushita #19 5–2 |
West Makushita #10 3–4 |
West Makushita #17 3–4 |
| 2004 | East Makushita #22 6–1 |
West Makushita #6 4–3 |
West Makushita #5 5–2 |
East Jūryō #13 10–5 |
West Jūryō #5 9–6 |
West Jūryō #3 10–5 |
| 2005 | East Maegashira #16 5–10 |
East Jūryō #4 13–2 Champion |
East Maegashira #14 10–5 |
East Maegashira #9 8–7 |
East Maegashira #6 7–8 |
East Maegashira #7 6–9 |
| 2006 | West Maegashira #10 8–7 |
East Maegashira #8 9–6 |
East Maegashira #3 9–6 |
East Maegashira #1 3–12 |
West Maegashira #7 10–5 |
East Maegashira #2 10–5 T |
| 2007 | East Maegashira #1 9–6 |
West Sekiwake 7–8 |
West Komusubi 7–8 |
East Maegashira #1 5–10 |
West Maegashira #3 10–5 |
West Komusubi 9–6 T |
| 2008 | East Komusubi 9–4–2 |
West Sekiwake 8–7 O |
West Sekiwake 8–7 |
West Sekiwake 6–9 |
East Maegashira #1 6–9 |
East Maegashira #3 9–6 |
| 2009 | East Maegashira #1 6–9 |
East Maegashira #2 6–9 |
East Maegashira #6 10–5 |
West Komusubi 8–7 |
West Sekiwake 6–9 |
East Maegashira #2 10–5 |
| 2010 | East Komusubi 6–9 |
West Maegashira #3 10–5 |
East Komusubi 9–6 |
West Sekiwake 5–10 |
East Maegashira #3 9–6 |
West Maegashira #1 9–6 |
| 2011 | West Sekiwake 11–4 T |
East Sekiwake Tournament Cancelled 0–0–0 |
East Sekiwake 10–5 |
East Sekiwake 11–4 O |
East Sekiwake 12–3 OT |
West Ōzeki 11–4 |
| 2012 | West Ōzeki – |
x | x | x | x | x |
| Record given as win-loss-absent Top Division Champion Retired Lower Divisions Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi(s) P=Playoff(s) |
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