Asashōryū Akinori

朝 青龍 明 徳
Asashōryū Akinori

Personal data
real name	Dolgorsürengiin Dagwadorj
Born	September 27, 1980
place of birth	Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator) , Mongolia
size	1.84 m
Weight	154 kg
Career
Heya	Takasago
Career record	669–173–76 596–153–76 (Makuuchi)
debut	January 1999
Highest rank	Yokozuna (March 2003)
Tournament victories	25 (Makuuchi) 1 each in Makushita, Sandanme and Jonidan
resignation	February 2010

Play media file

Yokozuna dohyou iri

Asashoryu Akinori ( Japanese 朝青龍明徳 ; born Dolgorsürengiin Dagwadordsch ) ( Mongolian Долгорсүрэнгийн Дагвадорж * 27. September 1980 in Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator) ) is a former Mongolian Sumōkämpfer and the 68th yokozuna . He is one of the most famous athletes in Japan .

Asashōryū comes from a family with strong roots in Mongolian wrestling . Two of his brothers are also active as professionals in various martial arts leagues. In 2002 Asashōryū married a Mongolian childhood friend; the two have two children, a boy and a girl. The marriage ended in divorce in 2009. Despite the public's expectations, Asashōryū did not take Japanese citizenship .

After his debut in 1999, Asashōryū was able to celebrate his first tournament victory ( Yūshō ) in the top class ( Makuuchi Division), to which he has been a member since 2001, within just 24 tournaments ( Hon-Basho ) . This is a record since there have been six tournaments a year since 1958. After his promotion to Ōzeki in the fall of 2002, he also quickly fulfilled the conditions for his further rise: Since January 30, 2003, Asashōryū was in the rank of grand master ( yokozuna ). After the resignations of Takanohana and Musashimaru , he was - until Hakuhō was appointed yokozuna in May 2007 - for a long time the only one who carried this highest rank in Japanese wrestling.

After the yokozuna emerged as the winner of five tournaments in 2004, which Chiyonofuji had for the last time in 1986 , the year 2005 saw Asashōryū's greatest successes so far: He was the first wrestler to win all six tournaments in a calendar year and only 6 of them lost a total of 90 fights. Since he was also able to win the last tournament in 2004, there was a series of seven tournaments in a row that was unique up to that point. Asashōryū was able to celebrate 25 tournament victories in the Makuuchi division, five of which without losing a single fight ( zenshō yūshō ).

As Chiyonofuji was once called Asashōryū Wolf . He was a masterly technician and often managed to emerge victorious even in difficult combat situations. In addition, there was his speed, which had suffered somewhat due to his weight gain from 129 kg in 2001 to 154 kg in 2010, but still overshadowed that of most other sumōtori. He also managed effortlessly to switch from punching and thrusting techniques to Yotsu Sumō (fighting on the belt) and vice versa during the fight .

Ring entry ceremony, Yokozuna Asashōryū in the middle

The yokozuna was known for his hard training, which often led to injuries among his training partners.

After his yokozuna appointment in 2003, Asashōryū came under public criticism several times and did not seem to meet the special requirements of his high rank. For example, he was photographed in a western suit, even though it is actually a duty for rikishi to always wear traditional Japanese clothing. His vacation-related absence from compulsory events and a disqualification for pulling hair at the Nagoya Basho in 2003 sparked further discussions. Most recently, he caused a stir when, officially due to an injury, he canceled his participation in a jungyo (regional show tournament) in the summer of 2007. When it became known that he had participated in a charity soccer game in Mongolia, the sumo association banned him from two tournaments, a punishment that was sometimes felt to be too harsh. As a result of the punishment, the yokozuna fell into depression; On the advice of the doctor of the sumo association, he was allowed to travel to his home country to undergo treatment there. After returning to Japan in late November 2007, Asashōryū publicly apologized for his behavior, which settled the matter.

After the end of his suspension Asashōryū reported back in January 2008 at the Hatsu basho with a 13-2 strong. In the last fight of the tournament he had his own 13: 1 against Yokozuna Hakuhō, also 13: 1, the chance to win his 22nd Yūshō, but lost through Uwatenage .

In January 2009 Asashōryū celebrated his comeback by winning a basho for the 23rd time - in the decisive battle against his yokozuna rival Hakuhō - with 14-1 victories. With the same result he won, again after a decisive battle against Hakuhō, also in September, while Hakuhō won the tournament in November.

At the 2010 Hatsu basho, Asashōryū won his 25th and last yūshō. Only Hakuhō, Taihō (32) and Chiyonofuji (31) have won more tournaments. On February 4, 2010, Asashōryū resigned as a yokozuna because he was said to have been involved in a drunken brawl.

Combat Statistics

year	Hatsu (January)	Haru (March)	Natsu (May)	Nagoya (July)	Aki (September)	Kyushu (November)	Weight / loss	average
2000	-	-	-	Makushita 2 West 7-0 Makushita Yusho	Juryo 7 East 9-6	Juryo 3 West 11-4	27-10	72.9%
2001	Maegashira 12 West 9-6	Maegashira 6 East 9-6	Komusubi West 8-7 Shukun-sho (1)	Komusubi East 7-8	Maegashira 1 West 10-5 Kanto-sho (1)	Komusubi East 10-5 Kanto-sho (2)	53-37	58.8%
2002	Sekiwake West 8-7	Sekiwake West 11-4 Shukun-sho (2)	Sekiwake East 11-4 Kanto-sho (3)	Sekiwake East 12-3 Shukun-sho (3)	Ozeki East 10-5	Ozeki East 14-1 Yusho (1)	66-21	75.8%
2003	Ozeki East 14-1 Yusho (2)	Yokozuna West 10-5	Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (3)	Yokozuna East 5-5-5	Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (4)	Yokozuna East 12-3	67-18-5	78.8%
2004	Yokozuna East 15-0 Yusho (5)	Yokozuna East 15-0 Yusho (6)	Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (7)	Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (8)	Yokozuna East 9-6	Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (9)	78-12	86.7%
2005	Yokozuna East 15-0 Yusho (10)	Yokozuna East 14-1 Yusho (11)	Yokozuna East 15-0 Yusho (12)	Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (13)	Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (14)	Yokozuna East 14-1 Yusho (15)	84-6	93.3%
2006	Yokozuna East 11-4	Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (16)	Yokozuna East 1-2-12	Yokozuna East 14-1 Yusho (17)	Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (18)	Yokozuna East 15-0 Yusho (19)	67-11-12	74.4%
2007	Yokozuna East 14-1 Yusho (20)	Yokozuna East 13-2	Yokozuna East 10-5	Yokozuna East 14-1 Yusho (21)	Suspended	Suspended	51-9	85.0%
2008	Yokozuna West 13-2	Yokozuna West 13-2 Yusho (22)	Yokozuna East 11-4	Yokozuna East 3-3-9	Yokozuna West 5-5-5	no participation due to injury	45-16-29	50.0%
2009	Yokozuna West 14-1 Yusho (23)	Yokozuna East 11-4	Yokozuna West 12-3	Yokozuna West 10-5	Yokozuna West 14-1 Yusho (24)	Yokozuna East 11-4	72-18	80.0%
2010	Yokozuna West 13-2 Yusho (25)	resignation

Web links

Commons : Asashōryū Akinori  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Info page of the Japanese Sumo Association

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Sumo champ Asashoryu had spring divorce . Japan Times. July 7, 2009. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
2. ↑ http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/24bf742c-117a-11df-9195-00144feab49a.html
3. ↑ http://in.reuters.com/article/worldOfSport/idINIndia-45899920100204

Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . Thus, Asashōryū is the family name, Akinori the first name.

Mongolian name: As is customary in Mongolia, in this article the patronymic is in the genitive case before the proper name. Thus Dolgorsüren is the patronymic, Dagwadordsch the proper name. The person is addressed with their proper name.