Takatōriki Tadashige

貴闘力 忠茂
Takatōriki Tadashige
Personal information
Born Tadashige Kamakiri
(1967-09-28) September 28, 1967
Kobe, Japan
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Weight 147 kg (324 lb)
Career
Stable Fujishima -> Futagoyama
Record 754-703-0
Debut March, 1983
Highest rank Sekiwake (September, 1991)
Retired September, 2002
Championships 1 (Makuuchi)
1 (Makushita)
Special Prizes Outstanding Performance (3)
Fighting Spirit (10)
Technique (1)
Gold Stars 9
Akebono (7)
Ōnokuni
Asahifuji
* Up to date as of October 2007.

Takatōriki Tadashige (born September 28, 1967 as Tadashige Kamakiri) is a former sumo wrestler and professional wrestler from Kobe, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1983, reaching the top division in 1990. His highest rank was sekiwake. Known for his great fighting spirit, he won 14 tournament prizes, including a record ten Kantō-shō, and earned nine gold stars for defeating yokozuna ranked wrestlers. He wrestled for the highly successful Futagoyama stable. He was twice runner-up in top division tournaments and in March 2000, from the maegashira ranks, he unexpectedly won the yūshō or championship. He retired in 2002 and became the head coach of Ōtake stable, having married the daughter of the previous owner of the heya, the great yokozuna Taihō. However, he was dismissed from the Sumo Association in 2010 for his role in an illegal gambling scandal.

Career

As a young boy Takatōriki idolised Takanohana Kenshi and even stayed with the former ōzeki and his family in Tokyo for a while.[1] He joined Takanohana's Fujishima stable in March 1983 after leaving junior high school, where he had also done judo.[1] Initially fighting under his own surname of Kamakari, he rose up the ranks rather slowly, finally becoming a sekitori in May 1989 after six years in the unsalaried divisions.

Takatōriki reached the top makuuchi division in September 1990, along with future yokozuna Akebono and Wakanohana III. He won eleven bouts and the Fighting spirit prize in his top division debut, and in his next tournament he defeated his first yokozuna, Ōnokuni. He had a very successful year in 1991, becoming the only man in the top division to achieve a winning record in every tournament that year. On the third day of the May 1991 tournament, he defeated yokozuna Chiyonofuji, who announced his retirement that night. In July 1991 he was promoted to sekiwake, the highest rank he was to achieve. He won fourteen sanshō, or special prizes in his career, the fourth best ever. He earned seven kinboshi from Akebono, a record against one yokozuna (Takamiyama also earned seven from Wajima). He was runner-up in the tournaments of March 1994 (losing in a three-way playoff that also involved Akebono and stablemate Takanonami) and September 1996.

Towards the end of his career, in March 2000 at the age of 32, he won his only top division yūshō, or tournament title.[2] This win was considered a great upset as two poor performances had sent him down to maegashira 14 in the rankings, and Takatōriki faced demotion from makuuchi altogether. He won his first twelve matches, and though he was then defeated by yokozuna Akebono and Musashimaru, he clinched the championship by beating Miyabiyama to finish on 13-2. After his final bout, confirming his tournament win, Takatoriki was visibly shaken. He was awarded his tenth Fighting Spirit Prize (two ahead of his nearest rival, stablemate Akinoshima) and third Outstanding Performance Award, and was promoted to a san'yaku rank for the final time for the May 2000 tournament. In total he spent 15 tournaments at sekiwake and 11 at komusubi.

Takatōriki fell into the jūryō division in 2001 and announced his retirement in September 2002.[3] He did not miss a single bout during his 19-year career, finishing with 754 wins and 703 losses. His 1456 consecutive career matches place him third on the all-time list, after Aobajō and Fujizakura.

Fighting style

Takatōriki's fighting style was fierce, and he often relied on initial powerful face slaps (harite) to stun his opponents. He was a tsuki-oshi wrestler, preferring pushing and thrusting to fighting on the mawashi or belt. His most common winning technique was oshi-dashi or push out. However, due to his background in judo he was also adept at throws, some extremely rarely seen in the top division. He employed nichonage, the body drop down, on three occasions in makuuchi, and once pulled off the spectacular amiuchi, or fisherman's net casting throw.[4]

Retirement from sumo

Having married the third daughter of Taihō[5] (and changed his legal name from Kamakari to Naya), Takatōriki took over the running of the former yokozuna's stable in February 2003. It was renamed Ōtake stable. It was the home of the Russian top division wrestler Rohō until he was banned from sumo in September 2008 for testing positive for marijuana. Takatōriki and his wife have four children.

Along with five other oyakata (Magaki, Ōnomatsu, Otowayama, Tokiwayama and Futagoyama), he was forced to leave the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables in January 2010 after declaring his support for his former stablemate Takanohana's unsanctioned bid to be elected to the board of directors of the Sumo Association.[6]

Expulsion

In June 2010 he admitted that he had been gambling illegally on baseball, after an investigation by the Sumo Association and Tokyo police prompted by articles in the tabloid weekly Shukan Shincho.[7] It subsequently emerged that he had been borrowing large amounts of money from ōzeki Kotomitsuki to pay gambling debts.[8] He was reportedly gambling on a much larger scale than others implicated in the scandal, betting tens of millions of yen, and knew that a bookmaker used in the gambling had links to a crime syndicate.[9] He was expelled from the Sumo Association at a special meeting on July 4, and apologised for his actions at a press conference. [10] He received no severance pay.[11] Ōtake stable was spared having to close and was taken over by another coach at the stable, the former Dairyū, who switched from the Futagoyama name. It was also reported that Taihō had instructed his daughter to divorce Ōtake, as a result of his expulsion.[12]

He announced in September 2010 that he was opening up a yakiniku restaurant in Kōtō, Tokyo.

In March 2011 prosecutors announced that Ōtake, as well as Kotomitsuki and 25 others involved in the scandal, would be spared indictment over gambling due to lack of implicating evidence.[13]

Professional wrestling career

Takatoriki's first appearance in professional wrestling was originally in 2013, getting attacked by Atsushi Onita in a Real Japan Pro Wrestling show for criticizing him after a match between Onita and Original Tiger Mask. Afterwards, he announced he would be debuting soon in the professional wrestling circuit, and that he would challenge his old sumo enemy and fellow pro wrestler Akebono in the future.[14] In April 16, 2014 Takatoriki debuted for RJPW, teaming up with Minoru Suzuki to defeat Jadogun (Atsushi Onita and Ichiro Yaguchi). He would later appear in 2015 for Legend Pro Wrestling, teaming up with Riki Choshu and Tiger Mask to defeat again Jadogun, now including Hideki Hosaka. After the match, Onita challenged Takatoriki, but he replied that he originally debuted with only competing for a year and that this was his final match. However, he later retracted his statement and finally challenged Akebono to a match.[15]

In wrestling

Career record

Takatōriki Tadashige[18]
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
1983 x (Maezumo) East Jonokuchi #33
6–1–P
 		 West Jonidan #103
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #78
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #90
3–4
 
1984 East Jonidan #92
6–1
 		 East Jonidan #18
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #44
1–6
 		 East Jonidan #74
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #64
6–1
 		 West Sandanme #99
6–1
 
1985 West Sandanme #50
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #82
6–1
 		 West Sandanme #38
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #11
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #39
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #8
5–2
 
1986 East Makushita #43
3–4
 		 West Makushita #57
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #10
5–2
 		 West Makushita #44
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #14
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #22
2–5
 
1987 West Sandanme #52
6–1
 		 West Sandanme #5
5–2
 		 East Makushita #45
3–4
 		 West Makushita #56
5–2
 		 East Makushita #35
3–4
 		 West Makushita #43
5–2
 
1988 West Makushita #25
3–4
 		 West Makushita #33
4–3
 		 West Makushita #27
3–4
 		 West Makushita #37
6–1
 		 East Makushita #17
4–3
 		 East Makushita #11
4–3
 
1989 East Makushita #8
5–2
 		 East Makushita #5
6–1
 		 West Jūryō #13
6–9
 		 West Makushita #2
7–0–P
Champion
 		 East Jūryō #10
7–8
 		 East Jūryō #12
8–7
 
1990 West Jūryō #8
11–4
 		 East Jūryō #3
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #1
9–6
 		 East Jūryō #1
10–5
 		 East Maegashira #13
11–4
F		 West Maegashira #2
5–10
★
1991 East Maegashira #8
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #1
9–6
O★		 West Komusubi #1
9–6
F		 West Sekiwake #1
9–6
F		 East Sekiwake #1
8–7
 		 East Sekiwake #1
8–7
 
1992 West Sekiwake #1
7–8
 		 East Maegashira #2
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #5
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #8
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #2
10–5
 		 West Komusubi #2
5–10
 
1993 West Maegashira #5
5–10
 		 East Maegashira #12
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #6
11–4
T		 East Komusubi #1
8–7
 		 East Komusubi #1
7–8
 		 East Maegashira #1
5–10
 
1994 East Maegashira #7
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #12
12–3–PP
F		 West Maegashira #1
9–6
F★		 West Komusubi #2
10–5
F		 West Sekiwake #1
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake #1
6–9
 
1995 West Maegashira #1
7–8
★		 East Maegashira #2
8–7
 		 East Komusubi #1
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #3
9–6
★		 East Maegashira #1
8–7
 		 West Komusubi #1
7–8
 
1996 East Maegashira #1
12–3
F★		 West Sekiwake #2
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake #2
7–8
 		 West Komusubi #1
10–5
F		 West Sekiwake #1
11–4
F		 East Sekiwake #1
6–9
 
1997 West Maegashira #1
11–4
 		 West Sekiwake #1
7–8
 		 West Komusubi #1
6–9
 		 West Maegashira #1
11–4
O★		 West Sekiwake #2
9–6
 		 West Sekiwake #2
6–9
 
1998 East Maegashira #1
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #4
7–8
★		 East Maegashira #5
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #1
10–5
★		 West Sekiwake #1
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake #1
5–10
 
1999 East Maegashira #2
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #1
8–7
 		 West Komusubi #1
5–10
 		 East Maegashira #3
4–11
 		 East Maegashira #7
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #2
2–13
 
2000 East Maegashira #10
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #14
13–2
FO		 West Komusubi #2
2–13
 		 West Maegashira #8
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #4
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #5
4–11
 
2001 East Maegashira #12
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #9
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #14
5–10
 		 West Jūryō #2
9–6–P
 		 East Maegashira #14
6–9
 		 East Jūryō #1
7–8
 
2002 East Jūryō #2
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #14
6–9
 		 West Jūryō #1
4–11
 		 East Jūryō #7
5–10
 		 West Jūryō #11
Retired
3–10		 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 2 Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. p. 217. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
  2. ↑ Adams, Andy (2000-03-27). "Lowly Takatoriki captures first Emperor's Cup". Japan Times Online. Retrieved 2007-05-12.
  3. ↑ Newton, Clyde (2002-09-23). "Maru overpowers Taka to take title". Japan Times Online. Retrieved 2007-05-12.
  4. ↑ "Takatoriki bouts by kimarite". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  5. ↑ http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/20100629p2a00m0na003000c.html
  6. ↑ "Takanohana speaks out after six supporters kicked out of sumo faction". Mainichi Daily News. 20 January 2010. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  7. ↑ "Stablemaster admits gambling". Japan Times. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  8. ↑ "Kotomitsuki, Otake face sumo ouster". Japan Times. June 28, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Kotomitsuki, Otake to get ax over bets / Nagoya basho to go ahead as planned". Daily Yomiuri. 29 June 2010. Archived from the original on 2 July 2010.
  10. ↑ http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20100705p2a00m0na007000c.html
  11. ↑ http://www.japantoday.com/category/sports/view/kotomitsuki-otake-to-be-fired-but-get-severance-pay
  12. ↑ http://www.sumotalk.com/news.htm
  13. ↑ "Ex-wrestler Kotomitsuki, 25 others spared indictment over gambling". Mainichi Daily News. 18 March 2011. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011.
  14. ↑ http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/199245/
  15. ↑ http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/354734/
  16. ↑ "Legend The Pro-Wrestling Results" (in German). PuroLove.com. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  17. ↑ "Real Japan Pro-Wrestling Results" (in German). PuroLove.com. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  18. ↑ "Takatōriki Tadashige Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2012-08-10.

External links

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