Big in Japan: sumo comes home with first local grand champion in years

by Dramelin 7:00 AM 0 comments big champion comes grand japan kisenosato local mongolia promotion rank reach sumo tournament wrestler wrestlers yokozuna

The latter is considered by many to be the greatest sumo wrestler of all time with 37 tournament titles. Japan?s long wait for a homegrown sumo grand champion has ended after Kisenosato became the first Japanese wrestler to reach the ancient sport?s pinnacle in almost two decades. Kisenosato joins three other wrestlers at the rank of yokozuna, all of whom were born in Mongolia: Kakuryu, Harumafuji and Hakuho. The last Japan-born wrestler to reach the top rank was Wakanohana in 1998. Earlier this week, with his promotion all but a formality, Kisenosato told reporters that the rank of yokozuna came with a special responsibility.