Tsurugishō Momotarō

Tsurugishō Momotarō (Japanese: 剣翔 桃太郎, born 27 July 1991 as Kentarō Abiko (安彦 剣太郎)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Katsushika, Tokyo. He is a graduate of Nihon University. His highest rank has been maegashira 7. He won a Fighting Spirit Prize in his debut tournament in the top makuuchi division in September 2019.[1] He is a member of the Oitekaze stable.

In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Tsurugishō.
Tsurugishō Momotarō
剣翔桃太郎
Tsurugishō in 2017
Personal information
BornKentarō Abiko
(1991-07-27) July 27, 1991
Katsushika, Tokyo
Height1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Weight173 kg (381 lb)
Career
StableOitekaze
UniversityNihon University
Current rankSee below
DebutJanuary 2014
Highest rankMaegashira 7 (November 2019)
Championships1 (Jūryō)
1 (Makushita)
1 (Jonidan)
1 (Jonokuchi)
Special Prizes1 (Fighting Spirit)
* Up to date as of May 4, 2020.

Career

He was an amateur wrestler at Nihon University, and although he did not win an individual title he was on the winning team in the Student Yokozuna 2012 championships. He entered professional sumo in January 2014. He rose up the ranks quickly, winning championships in the jonokuchi, jonidan and makushita divisions before slowing down a little and spending eight tournaments in makushita. He won promotion to the jūryō division after the November 2015 tournament, and adopted a new shikona, having previously fought under his family name of Abiko. He wanted a two-kanji name to make it easy to remember, and suggested "Ken" from his own first name, combined with the "shō" suffix common at his Oitekaze stable. However, as "kenshō" is the name used for the prize money awarded after a bout it was therefore unavailable, and he used the reading "Tsurugi" instead.

He took some time to settle in jūryō, recording a succession of 7–8 and 8–7 scores, before suffering a setback in March 2018 with his first double-digit loss score of 4–11. However he recovered to post 11–4 in the following tournament, and in July 2019 he won the jūryō championship with a 13–2 record to earn promotion to the top makuuchi division. He was the eighth member of Oitekaze stable to win promotion to the top division since his stablemaster, ex-maegashira Daishōyama, opened the heya in 1998. He had a strong debut, scoring double-digit wins and staying in contention for the championship with a win over Takarafuji on Day 13.[2] Although he lost his last two matches he was awarded the Fighting Spirit Prize on Day 15. He was promoted to a new highest rank of maegashira 7 for the November 2019 tournament, but could only score 6–9 there. He suffered a left knee injury in January 2020,[3] but competed until the end of the tournament, again scoring 6–9. He entered in March but withdrew on Day 5, with the medical certificate citing a left knee anterior cruciate ligament injury.[4]

Fighting style

Tsurugishō is a yotsu-sumo wrestler, who prefers grabbing the mawashi to pushing or thrusting at his opponents. His favoured grip is migi-yotsu, a left arm outside, right hand inside position. His most common winning kimarite or technique is yori-kiri or force out.[5]

Career record
Tsurugishō Momotarō[6]
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
2014 (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #12
7–0
Champion
 		 West Jonidan #11
7–0
Champion
 		 East Sandanme #21
6–1
 		 East Makushita #42
7–0
Champion
 		 East Makushita #4
3–4
 
2015 East Makushita #8
5–2
 		 East Makushita #4
4–3
 		 West Makushita #3
4–3
 		 West Makushita #2
3–4
 		 West Makushita #5
5–2
 		 East Makushita #1
5–2
 
2016 East Jūryō #12
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #9
7–8
 		 West Jūryō #10
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #10
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #9
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #5
7–8
 
2017 West Jūryō #8
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #8
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #6
6–9
 		 West Jūryō #9
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #8
7–8
 		 West Jūryō #8
8–7
 
2018 East Jūryō #6
7–8
 		 West Jūryō #7
4–11
 		 East Jūryō #14
11–4
 		 East Jūryō #7
7–8
 		 East Jūryō #8
7–8
 		 West Jūryō #8
6–9
 
2019 West Jūryō #11
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #6
6–9
 		 East Jūryō #10
9–6
 		 East Jūryō #6
13–2
Champion
 		 East Maegashira #14
10–5
F		 East Maegashira #7
6–9
 
2020 East Maegashira #12
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #15
1–4–10
 		 West Jūryō #7
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 x x x
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up 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. Morita, Hiro (25 September 2019). "Fall sumo tourney: a September to remember". NHK World. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  2. "Title chase now wide open". Japan Times. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  3. "Sumo: Takakeisho falls, Enho beats Goeido on Day 9 of New Year meet". Kyodo News. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  4. "Sumo: Hakuho labors to 5th victory, unbeaten in 4-way tie". The Mainichi. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  5. "Wins of Tsurugisho". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  6. "Tsurugisho Momotaro Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
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