Kyokutenzan Takeshi
旭天山 武
Personal information
BornBatmönkhiin Enkhbat
(1973-08-04) August 4, 1973
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Weight102 kg (225 lb)
Career
StableŌshima
Record337-321-0
DebutMarch, 1992
Highest rankMakushita 13 (July, 2004)
RetiredNovember, 2007
* Up to date as of November 2007.

Kyokutenzan Takeshi (born August 4, 1973 as Batmönkhiin Enkhbat, Mongolian: Батмөнхийн Энхбат) is a former professional sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, one of the first Mongolians to join the sport in Japan. He did not manage to reach the top two divisions, but was regarded as a kind of mentor and father figure by younger Mongolian wrestlers who followed him, such as Hakuhō and Harumafuji.[1] In 2005, he obtained Japanese citizenship, but he left sumo upon his retirement in November 2007, moving to Germany with his family to run a business.

Career

Kyokutenzan joined sumo in March 1992 at the same time as his more famous Mongolian colleagues Kyokushūzan and Kyokutenhō, part of the first group of Mongolians ever to join the sport professionally, but unlike them he never reached sekitori status. This was due partly to an inability to put on weight, and partly to injuries.[1] Nevertheless, he served as a tsukebito, or personal attendant, to Kyokutenhō, and was an importance influence on other Mongolian rikishi. During his early days in sumo, when five of the six Mongolians in Ōshima stable ran away due to homesickness and the hardship of training, and sought refuge in the Mongolian embassy, Kyokutenzan was the only one who remained and he persuaded his countrymen to return. The importance of this action was recognized by Futagoyama Oyakata, the former ōzeki and father of Takanohana and Wakanohana, who commented that otherwise the subsequent line of successful Mongolian wrestlers in sumo might never have emerged.[1]

During the January 2007 tournament Kyokutenzan attracted criticism over the amount of time he was spending in the two dressing rooms in which the wrestlers prepare for their bouts. He was interviewed by the Japan Sumo Association as part of their investigation of alleged match-fixing involving yokozuna Asashōryū.[2] Kyokutenzan responded by saying he was just giving advice to Mongolian junior wrestlers, declaring, "I have never known of any match-fixing."[2]

Kyokutenzan retired from professional sumo at the end of the 2007 Kyushu tournament. His retirement ceremony was held in December with Hakuhō and Asashōryū amongst the attendees as well as Kyokushūzan and Kyokutenhō.[3] Kyuokutenzan moved to Germany with his wife, who he had married in July 2007, to start a business.[4] His second child, a girl, was born in May 2008.

Career record

Kyokutenzan Takeshi[5]
Year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1992 x (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #46
6–1
 		 East Jonidan #98
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #121
5–2
 		 East Jonidan #79
4–3
 
1993 East Jonidan #46
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #23
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #1
1–6
 		 West Jonidan #38
5–2
 		 West Jonidan #1
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #19
4–3
 
1994 West Jonidan #4
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #85
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #2
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #31
6–1
 		 East Sandanme #72
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #89
3–4
 
1995 East Jonidan #4
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #68
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #32
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #44
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #63
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #42
5–2
 
1996 West Sandanme #10
4–3
 		 East Makushita #59
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #20
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #6
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #21
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #35
4–3
 
1997 West Sandanme #20
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #44
6–1
 		 West Makushita #58
5–2
 		 West Makushita #37
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #4
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #31
4–3
 
1998 East Sandanme #18
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #44
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #30
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #17
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #6
4–3
 		 West Makushita #56
5–2
 
1999 West Makushita #35
3–4
 		 East Makushita #46
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #2
5–2
 		 West Makushita #45
1–6
 		 West Sandanme #7
4–3
 		 East Makushita #59
2–5
 
2000 East Sandanme #23
5–2
 		 East Makushita #58
4–3
 		 East Makushita #51
4–3
 		 East Makushita #42
4–3
 		 East Makushita #33
1–6
 		 West Makushita #51
5–2
 
2001 West Makushita #32
4–3
 		 East Makushita #26
5–2
 		 West Makushita #17
1–6
 		 East Makushita #40
3–4
 		 East Makushita #53
5–2
 		 West Makushita #34
5–2
 
2002 East Makushita #18
4–3
 		 East Makushita #16
3–4
 		 West Makushita #26
4–3
 		 East Makushita #19
2–5
 		 West Makushita #37
4–3
 		 West Makushita #27
1–6
 
2003 East Makushita #55
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #10
4–3
 		 West Makushita #58
4–3
 		 West Makushita #50
5–2
 		 East Makushita #31
3–4
 		 West Makushita #41
4–3
 
2004 West Makushita #29
1–6
 		 West Makushita #55
6–1
 		 West Makushita #25
5–2
 		 East Makushita #13
2–5
 		 East Makushita #28
3–4
 		 East Makushita #36
3–4
 
2005 West Makushita #44
3–4
 		 West Makushita #56
4–3
 		 East Makushita #48
1–6
 		 West Sandanme #18
5–2
 		 East Makushita #58
4–3
 		 East Makushita #49
3–4
 
2006 West Sandanme #2
4–3
 		 East Makushita #52
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #5
4–3
 		 East Makushita #55
4–3
 		 West Makushita #47
3–4
 		 West Makushita #56
4–3
 
2007 West Makushita #46
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #8
4–3
 		 West Makushita #57
5–2
 		 East Makushita #45
4–3
 		 West Makushita #37
4–3
 		 West Makushita #29
1–6
 
2008 West Makushita #52
Retired
0–0–7
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

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

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Interview with Enkhbat Batmunkh (former Makushita Kyokutenzan), July 2008". Sumo Web Paper. July 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 McCurry, Justin (30 January 2007). "Sumo king enters ring of fire". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  3. ↑ [sumo] Kyokutenzan's dampatsu (and nostalgia)
  4. ↑ "Kyokutenzan set to retire". Japan Times. 27 November 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "Kyokutenzan Takeshi Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2015-11-28.
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