Historic Shift in Sumo as Terunofuji Retires, Ending Foreign Yokozuna Era
Yokozuna Terunofuji's recent retirement marks a significant milestone in the world of sumo, leaving the sport without an active grand champion for the first time in approximately 32 years. This unprecedented situation has arisen since there has always been at least one foreign-born wrestler holding the esteemed title since the early 1990s.
The journey of foreign-born wrestlers in sumo began in March 1993 when Akebono became the first to reach the rank of yokozuna. He was later joined by Musashimaru, another Hawaiian grappler, in 1999. Together, they competed against famed Japanese wrestlers Takanohana and Wakanohana, before the rise of Mongolian wrestlers in the early 2000s.
Asashoryu, who ascended to yokozuna in 2003, became a dominant figure, securing 25 Emperor's Cups, which places him fourth on the all-time list. Hakuho, widely regarded as one of the sport's greatest, won a record 45 titles from 2007 until his retirement in 2021. During this period, Harumafuji and Kakuryu also rose to the rank of yokozuna.
Terunofuji has been the sole grand champion since November 2021, following Hakuho's retirement. Since Akebono's first championship in May 1992, the seven foreign-born wrestlers have collectively won 118 titles out of 194 tournaments by last November, with Mongolian wrestlers claiming 95 of those.
The dominance of these wrestlers, particularly from Mongolia, has been remarkable, as they often outperformed their Japanese counterparts. Japanese wrestlers struggled to secure championships, with no titles won by locals for a decade starting January 2006. It wasn't until March 2017 that Kisenosato became the first Japanese-born yokozuna in 19 years.
The presence of Mongolian grand champions has brought both excitement and some controversies to the sport. Asashoryu's retirement in 2010 followed an alleged public assault, and Harumafuji left in 2017 after a similar incident involving a fellow wrestler. Hakuho has faced criticism for his aggressive style in the ring and his public demeanor.
In recent years, however, the influx of Mongolian wrestlers has been more stable, with many starting their careers in Japanese high schools before entering professional sumo, which has helped mitigate previous issues.
Looking ahead, the legacy of Mongolian yokozuna may continue, especially if Hoshoryu, Asashoryu's nephew, performs well in the ongoing New Year tournament. Following a strong 13-2 finish as a runner-up in the previous Kyushu tournament, expectations are high for his performance.
As Kakuryu, now a stablemaster, noted, the tradition of having yokozuna from abroad has been impressive, and Hoshoryu has the potential to step into the grand champion role vacated by Terunofuji.
