Will sumo's newest champion follow in his uncle's rough-and-tumble missteps?

We're all acquainted with the venerable expression, "Like father, like son." But how much further on the branches of the family tree does this situation extend? Might there also be something along the lines of "Like uncle, like nephew?"

Shukan Post (Aug 11) thinks this point is worth considering because of the outcome of the 15-day Grand Sumo tournament that ended in Nagoya on July 23. In a playoff match, 24-year-old Mongolia-born sekiwake (junior champion) Hoshoryu defeated veteran makunouchi (rank-and-file)  grappler Hokutofuji to secure victory with a record of 12 wins and 3 losses.

This winning performance also gave Hoshoryu a total of 33 wins over the three most recent tournaments, thereby qualifying him for promotion to ozeki (champion) -- sumo's second-highest rank and the last stepping stone to the exalted rank of yokozuna (grand champion).

While winning a tournament is certainly a good thing, Shukan Post qualifies Hoshoryu's Nagoya victory on the grounds that he had faced less competition: two upper-ranked grapplers, yokozuna Terunofuji and ozeki Takakeisho had withdrawn due to injuries.

"Without a yokozuna and ozeki to compete against, I get the feeling that there was something inadequate about Hoshoryu's performance," is how entertainer Kon Omura put it.  

The Japan Sumo Association had been hoping for a "triple ozeki promotion," but the other two sekiwake, Daieisho and Wakamotoharu, underperformed and will be back to square one come the next tournament.

With Hoshoryu's promotion three out of four of sumo's top-ranked wrestlers are Mongolian-born, an imbalance that has persisted in Japan's native sport for the last two decades.

"At least 33 victories over three tournaments to be eligible for ozeki promotion is now an official requirement, but some believe the sumo association was willing to lower the hurdles for ozeki promotion as presently ozeki are down to just two (Kirishima and Takakeisho), both of whom are threatened with demotion if they don't achieve a majority of eight wins in the September tournament. 

Hoshoryu, the oldest of five children, is the son of a retired police official in Mongolia. His next-younger brother is a practitioner of mixed martial arts, and the brother beneath him belongs to the Shin-Nihon Pro Wrestling association, where he competes under the name Blue Wolf.

Hoshoryu's resemblance to his uncle is also unmistakable.

"There's no doubt whatsoever that he's been influenced by his uncle, Asashoryu," says a sumo reporter. "Even his movements in the ring, such as the way he smacks his mawashi (belly band) after throwing salt resembles his uncle's style."

Asashoryu, almost invincible in the sumo ring, unfortunately had a mean streak that earned him a reputation as a troublemaker. He was accused of bullying younger wrestlers and also got into scraps when out on the town. In February 2010, only a few days after winning his 25th tournament victory, Asashoryu was involved in a brawl in the Nishiazabu district of Tokyo in which his adversary reportedly suffered a broken nose. The details were never made public, but the powerful Yokozuna Promotion Committee, which advises the Japan Sumo Association, made the unprecedented move of calling for Asashoryu to retire. He was only 29 years old and at the peak of his career when he left the sport.

Now some people are worried that Hoshoryu's disposition and temperament may be too close to his illustrious uncle's for comfort.

A reporter raised Hoshoryu's uncle's reputation for wild behavior when in his cups during the post-tournament press conference.

"I don't drink that much," Hoshoryu replied. "But yesterday I had a few drinks for the first time in a long time, and it tasted good."

A veteran sumo reporter recalls that when Asashoryu was first starting out in sumo he practiced hard and with enthusiasm, but as his socializing (and drinking) increased, he changed. And unfortunately his stablemaster Takasago took a hands-off approach to disciplining him.

"I don't think we can say there's zero possibility Hoshoryu will behave in a similar way, but his stable, Tatsunami, is widely known for its close relationships and isn't plagued by bullying of apprentice wrestlers or violent behavior," the reporter continues. "Its senior wrestlers tend to take the initiative, which is why Hoshoryu also practices hard."

The reporter is less concerned with Hoshoryu's character than it is over the fact that he hasn't managed to adopt a consistent fighting style but instead often resorts to leg trips and other tricky techniques.

"His almost acrobatic 'circus sumo' is exciting for the fans, but there's a strong consensus that an ozeki with a well established style is more likely to achieve a stable record," he remarked. 

Hoshoryu's stablemaster Tatsunami told reporters, "Recently, I think he's been adopting a style with direct frontal attacks, and I hope that he will be able to charge forward like he did against Hokutofuji in the championship playoff. His winning the championship and being promoted to ozeki will help him to improve his sumo."

Things should become more evident, Shukan Post believes, after Hoshoryu makes his ozeki debut in the September tournament.

© Japan Today