OSAKA – Spring Grand Sumo Tournament champion Kirishima was promoted back to ozeki Wednesday after 11 meets following the Mongolian-born wrestler’s strong performances over the past three tournaments.
The Japan Sumo Association officially confirmed his promotion unanimously at an extraordinary board meeting at Edion Arena Osaka, where the 15-day meet finished Sunday with Kirishima winning the title with a 12-3 record as a sekiwake.
The usual ozeki promotion standard is 33 wins over three straight meets at sumo’s third- and fourth-highest ranks of sekiwake and komusubi. Kirishima went 11-4 both as a No. 2 maegashira in November and a sekiwake in January before raising his win total to 34 over the span of three tournaments this month.
“I’ll make my best efforts aiming to reach greater heights,” the 29-year-old said in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, where two JSA messengers delivered the news of his promotion. “I’m happy more than anything. I’ve been nervous ever since this morning.”
Kirishima, whose real name is Byambachuluun Lkhagvasuren, secured his third Emperor’s Cup after winning the elite makuuchi division for the first time since being demoted from ozeki after the May 2024 tournament.
Kirishima had struggled with a neck injury during his previous six-tournament spell as ozeki and dropped after posting two straight losing records. He needed 10 wins at the subsequent July 2024 meet to immediately regain his ozeki status but only managed an 8-7 record.
The comeback means Kirishima becomes only the third wrestler in history, after Kaiketsu and Terunofuji, to reclaim the ozeki spot after failing to make an immediate return to the rank.
He was grateful to his stablemaster Otowayama, the Mongolian-born former yokozuna Kakuryu, as well as his family for the support he received, having also battled with elbow and wrist injuries since his demotion.
“I’ve climbed my way up thanks to training. I’ll look to keep doing what I’ve been doing,” he said. “Becoming a yokozuna has been my goal since the start (of my career), so I’ll stay the same and work even harder.”
AloJapan.com