Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro

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琴奨菊 和弘
Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro
Personal information
Born Kazuhiro Kikutsugi
(1984-01-30) 30 January 1984
Fukuoka, Japan
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 174 kg (384 lb; 27.4 st)
Web presence website
Career
Stable Sadogatake
Current rank Ōzeki
Debut January, 2002
Highest rank Ōzeki (November, 2011)
Championships 1 (Jūryō)
Special Prizes 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. In 2011 he achieved the standard for promotion to the second highest rank of ōzeki of winning 33 bouts over three tournaments, and he was formally promoted by the Japan Sumo Association on 28 September.[1]

Career

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 san'yaku 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 san'yaku, 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.

Kotoshōgiku warms up for his first match in the May 2009 tournament.

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 san'yaku 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 san'yaku 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 san'yaku ranks, scoring 11–4 and winning his third Technique Prize. Sumo Association official Takanohana indicated that Kotoshōgiku would be considered for ōzeki 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 ōzeki 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 2011 tournament Kotoshogiku put in another strong performance, faltering only against fellow sekiwake Kakuryū and maegashira Tochiozan before beating Hakuhō 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 yūshō on the final day. In the event however, Kotoshōgiku lost his last bout to ōzeki Baruto while Hakuhō 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 ōzeki 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 ōzeki 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 ōzeki tournament he won his first nine matches, although he lost to two fellow ōzeki and yokozuna Hakuho and finished on 11-4. Kotoshogiku has not managed to win more than ten bouts in a basho next year, and had to withdraw from the September 2012 tournament after suffering a knee injury.[8]

Fighting style

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.[9] 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.

Career record

                                                                         
Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro[10]
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
61
 
East Jonidan #61
70P
 
West Sandanme #59
52
 
West Sandanme #29
61
 
East Makushita #46
61
 
2003East Makushita #20
34
 
East Makushita #30
43
 
West Makushita #24
43
 
East Makushita #19
52
 
West Makushita #10
34
 
West Makushita #17
34
 
2004East Makushita #22
61
 
West Makushita #6
43
 
West Makushita #5
52
 
East Jūryō #13
105
 
West Jūryō #5
96
 
West Jūryō #3
105
 
2005East Maegashira #16
510
 
East Jūryō #4
132
Champion

 
East Maegashira #14
105
 
East Maegashira #9
87
 
East Maegashira #6
78
 
East Maegashira #7
69
 
2006 West Maegashira #10
87
 
East Maegashira #8
96
 
East Maegashira #3
96
 
East Maegashira #1
312
 
West Maegashira #7
105
 
East Maegashira #2
105
T
2007 East Maegashira #1
96
 
West Sekiwake #1
78
 
West Komusubi #1
78
 
East Maegashira #1
510
 
West Maegashira #3
105
 
West Komusubi #1
96
T
2008 East Komusubi #1
942
 
West Sekiwake #1
87
O
West Sekiwake #1
87
 
West Sekiwake #1
69
 
East Maegashira #1
69
 
East Maegashira #3
96
 
2009 East Maegashira #1
69
 
East Maegashira #2
69
 
East Maegashira #6
105
 
West Komusubi #1
87
 
West Sekiwake #1
69
 
East Maegashira #2
105
 
2010 East Komusubi #1
69
 
West Maegashira #3
105
 
East Komusubi #1
96
 
West Sekiwake #1
510
 
East Maegashira #3
96
 
West Maegashira #1
96
 
2011 West Sekiwake #1
114
T
East Sekiwake #1
Tournament Cancelled
000
East Sekiwake #1
105
 
East Sekiwake #1
114
O
East Sekiwake #1
123
OT
West Ōzeki #2
114
 
2012 West Ōzeki #1
87
 
West Ōzeki #3
96
 
West Ōzeki #2
105
 
West Ōzeki #1
105
 
East Ōzeki #2
2211
 
East Ōzeki #2
87
 
2013 West Ōzeki #2
87
 
West Ōzeki #2
87
 
East Ōzeki #2
114
 
West Ōzeki #1
96
 
East Ōzeki #2
105
 
West Ōzeki #1
1212
 
2014 East Ōzeki #2
96
 
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)
Divisions: Makuuchi Jūryō Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna Ōzeki Sekiwake Komusubi Maegashira

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Sumo: Hakuho wins 20th career title at autumn sumo". Mainichi Daily News. 25 September 2011. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. 
  2. "Kotoshogiku hopes to shine; focus on Asa". The Japan Times. 27 February 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2008. 
  3. "Hakuho, Asashoryu remain on collision course". Japan Times Online. 22 January 2008. Retrieved 9 February 2008. 
  4. "Sekiwake duo have shot at ozeki". Japan Times. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2011. 
  5. "Harumafuji clinches second Emperor's Cup of career". Japan Times. 24 July 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2011. 
  6. "Kotoshogiku takes big step toward promotion with upset of Hakuho". Japan Times. 21 July 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2011. 
  7. "Kotoshogiku becomes only active Japanese ozeki". Asashi Shimbun. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2011. 
  8. "Kotooshu exits basho with injury". Japan Times. 15 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012. 
  9. "Kotoshogiku bouts by kimarite". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 20 July 2009. 
  10. "Kotoshogiku Kazuhiro Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2013-01-27. 

External links

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