Azumafuji Kin'ichi
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Hatnote". Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template other
Script error: No such module "Nihongo". was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Taitō, Tokyo. He was the sport's 40th yokozuna, and later a professional wrestler.
Sumo career
Azumafuji's real name was Script error: No such module "Nihongo".. He made professional debut in January 1936, joining Takasago stable. He was promoted to the top makuuchi division in May 1943. On the sixth day of the November 1944 tournament, he defeated yokozuna Futabayama, the last wrestler ever to do so as Futabayama pulled out of the tournament the next day and only fought one more bout before his retirement. Azumafuji was promoted to ōzeki in June 1945 on the strength of two runner-up performances. He won his first top division championship in May 1948, and was promoted to the top yokozuna rank in October of that year after finishing as runner-up. Going against historical trends, he managed to win his debut yokozuna tournament, in January 1949.
On the 12th day of the September 1951 tournament, Azumafuji recorded an azukari, or hold, a rare result. On that day, he had come down with acute pneumonia but he forced himself to continue in the tournament as he had only one loss. Azumafuji fought with then ōzeki Yoshibayama twice, but the outcome still could not be determined. After the second bout, Azumafuji could not stand up any more and conceded defeat, but the gentlemanly Yoshibayama insisted that the fairest result was to declare a hold, which was confirmed by the officials. Azumafuji went on to win the tournament, his fourth championship.
Azumafuji won his sixth and final championship in September 1953, and struggled with injuries after that. In September 1954, ōzeki Tochinishiki seemed certain to win his second consecutive championship. Azumafuji suddenly announced his retirement at that tournament, not wishing to hinder Tochinshiki's promotion to yokozuna.[1] Had he remained, Tochinishiki would have become the fifth active yokozuna, an unprecedented situation. Tochinishiki reportedly asked Azumafuji to reconsider his decision, but to no avail.[1]
Professional wrestling career
Azumafuji was the first yokozuna to turn to Western-style professional wrestling, in 1955. This occurred after a dispute in the Japan Sumo Association between two other elders, Takasago and Tatsunami, which he wished to escape.[1] In April 1955 he won the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship in Honolulu alongside another former sumo wrestler turned professional wrestler, Rikidōzan. In 1956 he defeated former judoka Toshio Yamaguchi to win the Japanese Heavyweight tournament.[2] This tournament was supposed to give him a shot at Rikidozan, at the time the Japanese Heavyweight Champion, but the match never took place.
Championships and accomplishments
Sumo top division record
- From 1953 a New Year tournament was added and the Spring tournament began to be held in Osaka.
Template:Sumo record box start 1933-1952
1943
x
East MaegashiraTemplate:Ifnumber
10–5
Not held
1944
West MaegashiraTemplate:Ifnumber
7–4–4
East MaegashiraTemplate:Ifnumber
6–4
West SekiwakeTemplate:Ifnumber
9–1
1945
Not held
East SekiwakeTemplate:Ifnumber
6–1
East ŌzekiTemplate:Ifnumber
9–1
1946
Not held
Not held
East ŌzekiTemplate:Ifnumber
7–6
1947
Not held
West ŌzekiTemplate:Ifnumber
9–1–P
West ŌzekiTemplate:Ifnumber
6–5
1948
Not held
West ŌzekiTemplate:Ifnumber
10–1
West ŌzekiTemplate:Ifnumber
10–1–P
1949
West YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
10–2
1d
East YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
8–7
West YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
10–5
1950
West YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
6–6–3
West YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
14–1
East YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
11–4
1951
West YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
10–5
East YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
12–3
East YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
13–1
1h
1952
East YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
7–4–4
West YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
13–2
East YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
7–7–1
Record given as wins–losses–absences Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation
Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi
Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira
Template:Sumo record box start 1953-1956
1953
West YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
2–5–8
West YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
12–3
East YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
11–4
West YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
14–1
1954
East YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
3–7–5
West YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
5–3–7
East YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15
East YokozunaTemplate:Ifnumber
Retired
4–4–7
Record given as wins–losses–absences Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation
Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi
Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira
*d = draw (引分) / h = hold (預り)
See also
- Glossary of sumo terms
- List of past sumo wrestlers
- List of sumo tournament top division champions
- List of yokozuna
References
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- ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ History of Puroresu : The Rikidozan Era
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External links