Tsushimanada Masamitsu

, born June 27, 1993, as is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Isahaya, Nagasaki. His highest rank is ''jūryō'' 9.

Early life

Masamitsu Umeno comes from a family originally from the island of Tsushima. His grandmother (Hideko Umeno) was the oldest ''ama'' diver in Tsushima. He began sumo in his fourth year at Isahaya City Yue Elementary School, later saying of his introduction to sport that he saw it only as an extension of playground games. He then went to Isahaya Agricultural High School, and joined their basketball team before leaving it for the school's sumo club because his high school coach was also the coach of a small sumo club in Isahaya where Umeno used to go. He then graduated from Nihon University where he was a member of their sumo club and a classmate of Churanoumi. During his time as a student, he won the Eastern Japan Student Sumo Championship three time in the under 100 kg category. In his fourth year, however, he suffered a meniscus injury to his left knee and to his anterior cruciate ligament at the All Japan University Sumo Tournament in Uwajima, Ehime on 29 April 2015. He aggravated his injury at the East Japan Student Sumo Individual Weight Classification Championships and was unable to take part in more tournaments during his student years.

After graduating, he worked for a while in a company in Isahaya, but was motivated to become a professional wrestler by Churanoumi. He joined professional sumo in 2016, entering Sakaigawa stable, his master (former ''komusubi'' Ryōgoku IV) also being from his home prefecture. His stablemate Hiradoumi, who reached the top ''makuuchi'' division in September 2022, is also from Nagasaki, and the two of them have maintained a friendly rivalry. His professional debut was postponed because of his torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, and this injury could have cost him his wrestling career by putting him over the maximum age for becoming a wrestler at the time (23). However, in September 2016, that same age was raised to 25, allowing him to become a wrestler.

Career

During his ''maezumo'' debut, he suffered a concussion and was unable to get up. Wrestling under his real name of Umeno Masamitsu, he changed his ''shikona'', or ring name, to Tsushimanada in 2017, to evoke 20th century '' ōzeki'' Tsushimanada Yakichi, who was originally from Tsushima Island like his family, and to whom he thought he was related to. However, after further investigation his master declared "it was not the case." In 2019, Tsushimanada was competing to win the ''makushita'' division championship but failed against then-former ''ōzeki'' Terunofuji who was making his comeback in the divisions after his injury and 4 tournament absence. While in ''makushita'', in the final day of the May 2022 tournament, Tsushimanada defeated upper division wrestler and former ''komusubi'' Shōhōzan. This proved to be Shōhōzan's final match.

In September 2022, it was announced that he would be promoted to ''jūryō'' for the November 2022 tournament, hence being the fourth ''sekitori'' in his stable. His promotion also makes him the first wrestler from his hometown to be promoted ''sekitori'' in 45 years, since the retirement of former ''maegashira'' Shishihō Yoshimasa. Tsushimanada began his first ''jūryō'' tournament with a victory over Rōga. However, he suffered a narrow '' make-kochi'' losing record in his first tournament as a ''sekitori'', achieving a score of 7–8. After his first tournament at ''sekitori'', he visited his hometown of Isahaya for the first time in seven years, because he decided that he would not return until he became a ''sekitori''. Tsushimanada maintained his ''sekitori'' rank due to the balance of promotion and demotion within the ranking. After a good performance during the 2023 January tournament, in which he scored five wins in a row during his last five matches, he was promoted to ''jūryō'' 9, his highest rank at the time. However, after a weak performance at the March tournament, Tsushimanada was relegated to ''jūryō'' 14, threatening him with demotion back to the ''makushita'' division. Nevertheless, he managed to go from a 1–6 score at Day 7, to a ''kachi-koshi'' score of 8–7, notably winning his last four bouts and securing his ''jūryō'' status. At the following tournament in July, however, Tsushimanada recorded his worst score in the division, relegating him to the ''makushita'' division after only five tournaments as a ''sekitori''.

He began 2024 in the rank of ''makushita'' 2, putting him in a position of possible repromotion in the ''jūryō'' division. Despite being defeated by Kitaharima on the first day, Tsushimanada recorded a run of four consecutive victories (''kachi-koshi'') before suffering defeat in his sixth match against Hakuōhō, who was returning to competition after missing two tournaments. In January 2024, it was announced that Tsushimanada's score was sufficient to grant him a second promotion to the ''jūryō'' division. On this occasion, Tsushimanada confided to ''Yahoo! Sports'' that, on the advice of his master, he now saw his new promotion as a springboard to reach the ''makuuchi'' division, quoting the former Ryōgoku as having told him that he should have a "stronger feeling than when ewas aiming for his first ''jūryō'' promotion".

Fighting style

At the time of his repromotion to ''jūryō'' in 2024, Tsushimanada described his ideal style as an always forward style, made to secure a ''migi-yotsu'', or left hand outside, right hand inside grip on his opponent's ''mawashi''.

Career record

See also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of active sumo wrestlers

References

External links

{{Goo Sumo, 3733
1993 births
Living people
Japanese sumo wrestlers
Sumo people from Nagasaki Prefecture
Nihon University alumni