Kaiketsu Masateru (Japanese: 魁傑 將晃, born Teruyuki Nishimori; February 16, 1948 – May 18, 2014) was a Japanese
sumo
is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...
wrestler, who reached the second highest rank of ''
ōzeki'' on two occasions. He also won two top division tournament championships. After his retirement in 1979 he became a coach under the name of
Hanaregoma-''oyakata'' and established
Hanaregoma stable
was a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki '' ichimon'' or group of stables. As of September 2010 it had eight active wrestlers.
The stable was established in 1981 by former '' ōzeki'' Kaiketsu Masateru, as a breakaway from Hanakag ...
. He was also chairman of the
Japan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling (called ''Ōzumō'', 大相撲) in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). ''Rikishi'' (active ...
from 2010 to 2012.
Career
While at
Nihon University
, abbreviated as , is a private university, private research university in Japan. Its predecessor, Nihon Law School (currently the Department of Law), was founded by Yamada Akiyoshi, the Minister of Justice (Japan), Minister of Justice, in 1889. ...
he practiced
judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
. He made his professional sumo debut in September 1966 at the age of 18, fighting out of
Hanakago stable
, formerly known as Shibatayama stable from September 1952 to May 1953, was a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki '' ichimon'' or group of stables. Founded by former ''maegashira'' Ōnoumi Hisamitsu. It closed in 1985 with all wrestl ...
. Initially fighting under his own surname of Nishimori, he reached the second ''
jūryō
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...
'' division in January 1970. He adopted the ''
shikona
A is a sumo wrestler's ring name. The tradition of ring names in sumo dates back to the Edo period, where they were used as a means to attract customers and hide the identities of the ''rikishi''.
Like standard Japanese names, a ''shikona'' co ...
'' of Hananishiki before switching to Kaiketsu in November 1970. He reached the top ''
makuuchi
, or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
This is the on ...
'' division in September 1971. In March 1972 from the
maegashira
, or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
This is the on ...
7 ranking he was the tournament runner-up to
Hasegawa, who defeated him in a playoff, and he was given
special prizes for Outstanding Performance and Technique. At the following tournament in May 1972 he made his ''
san'yaku
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
...
'' debut at ''
komusubi
, or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
This is the on ...
'' rank. After scoring 11 wins there and finishing as runner-up to his stablemate
Wajima he was promoted to ''
sekiwake
, or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
This is the on ...
''. He was also a runner-up in January 1973.
In September 1974 Kaiketsu turned in a ''
make-koshi
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
...
'' or losing score of 7–8 at ''sekiwake'' rank but then took his first top division ''
yūshō
is the term for a championship in Japanese. This article focuses on championships in the sport of professional sumo.
It is awarded in each of the six annual ''honbasho'' or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most bouts. ''Yūs ...
'' or championship in November as a ''komusubi''. He scored twelve wins against three losses, and defeated ''
yokozuna
, or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
This is the on ...
''
Kitanoumi
, born , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. He was the dominant wrestler in the sport during the 1970s. Kitanoumi was promoted to ''yokozuna'' at the age of 21, becoming the youngest ever to achieve sumo's top rank. He won 24 tournament ...
in a playoff. He followed this up with an 11–4 score in January 1975. His combined total of wins over the last three tournaments was 30, below the normal standard for ''
ōzeki'' promotion of 33, but there was only one ''ōzeki'' at the time,
Takanohana, so the Sumo Association decided to promote Kaiketsu.
After suffering from
hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pa ...
and lower back pain,
Kaiketsu was demoted from ''ōzeki'' less than a year after reaching the rank following two consecutive losing scores. However, in September 1976 ranked at ''
maegashira
, or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
This is the on ...
'' 4, he took his second tournament championship with a 14–1 record, followed by consecutive 11–4 scores at ''sekiwake'' in November 1976 and January 1977. He was promoted to ''ōzeki'' once again, alongside
Wakamisugi, to whom he had a superior three tournament record.
However, he held the rank for only four more tournaments, and soon fell back to the ''maegashira'' ranks. He retired in January 1979, having not missed a single bout in his 12-year career. He once said, "Being absent from a tournament means deliberately abandoning a bout."
In addition to his two ''yūshō'' he had accumulated ten special prizes (including seven for Fighting Spirit) and three ''
kinboshi
is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked (''maegashira'') wrestler's victory over a ''yokozuna''.
It is believed that the term stems from the usage of the terms ''shiroboshi'' (lit: white star) to designate a b ...
''.
After retirement
Kaiketsu set up his own training stable,
Hanaregoma stable
was a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki '' ichimon'' or group of stables. As of September 2010 it had eight active wrestlers.
The stable was established in 1981 by former '' ōzeki'' Kaiketsu Masateru, as a breakaway from Hanakag ...
, in 1981 after breaking away from Hanakago.
Joining him was future ''
yokozuna
, or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
This is the on ...
''
Ōnokuni. In 1985, when Hanakago stable was wound up, all its wrestlers transferred to Hanaregoma. Other top division wrestlers he trained included
Hananokuni
Hananokuni Akihiro (born 15 October 1959 as Akihiro Noguchi) is a former sumo wrestler from Fujiidera, Osaka, Japan.
Career
He made his professional debut in March 1975, joining Hanakago stable. He joined Hanaregoma stable when Hanakago was woun ...
,
Hananoumi
Hananoumi Ken (born 6 December 1960 as Ken Sawaishi) is a former sumo wrestler from Ikawa, Akita, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1976, and reached the top division in March 1985. His highest rank was ''komusubi''. He retired in Ju ...
and
Shunketsu. He also became a Director of the
Japan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling (called ''Ōzumō'', 大相撲) in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). ''Rikishi'' (active ...
, responsible for managing the
judges
A judge is an official who presides over a court.
Judge or Judges may also refer to:
Roles
*Judge, an alternative name for an adjudicator in a competition in theatre, music, sport, etc.
*Judge, an alternative name/aviator call sign for a membe ...
, and supervising the examination of new recruits. In August 2010 he took over as head of the Association after the resignation of
Musashigawa. Following a
match-fixing
In organized sports, match fixing is the act of playing or officiating a match with the intention of achieving a pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. There are many reasons why match fixing might take place, ...
scandal which broke in February 2011 he announced an independent investigation and the cancellation of the March 2011
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
''
honbasho
A is an official professional sumo tournament. The number of ''honbasho'' every year has varied along the years; since 1958 there are six tournaments every year. Only ''honbasho'' results matter in determining promotion and relegation for ''riki ...
''.
He insisted that there was no match-fixing in the past, a claim that drew criticism from sumo commentator and former wrestler
Mainoumi. He stood down from the post at the February 2012 Sumo Association board elections as the terms are for two years and he was close to the mandatory retirement age of 65. He left the Sumo Association in February 2013 and Hanaregoma stable was absorbed into
Shibatayama stable
Shibatayama Stable (Japanese: 芝田山部屋, ''Shibatayama-beya'') is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. It was founded in 1999 by former ''yokozuna'' Ōnokuni. Located in Suginami, it is the only stable to ...
, run by the former Ōnokuni. He died on May 18, 2014 while practicing
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
. He was 66.
Fighting style
Kaiketsu's favourite ''
kimarite
''Kimarite'' ( ja, 決まり手) is the technique used in sumo by a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) to win a match. It is officially decided or announced by the ''gyōji'' (referee) at the end of the match, though judges can modify this decision. The rec ...
'' or techniques were ''tsuppari'' (a series of rapid thrusts to the chest), ''hidari yotsu'' (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on the ''
mawashi
In sumo, a is the loincloth that (sumo wrestlers) wear during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a as part of the ring entry ceremony or .
For top ranked professional , it is made of silk and comes in a var ...
''), ''yori kiri'' (force out) and ''uwatenage'' (overarm throw).
Career record
See also
*
*
List of sumo tournament top division champions
This is a list of rikishi, wrestlers who have won the Makuuchi, top division (''makuuchi'') yusho, championship in professional sumo since 1909, when the current championship system was established. These honbasho, official tournaments are held ex ...
*
List of sumo tournament top division runners-up
The table below lists the runners up ('' jun-yusho'') in the top ''makuuchi'' division at official sumo tournaments or ''honbasho'' since the six tournaments per year system was instituted in 1958. The runner up is determined by the wrestler(s) w ...
*
List of past sumo wrestlers
This is a list of prominent past wrestlers (either retired or deceased) in the sport of professional sumo. They are listed in order of the year and tournament month that they made their professional debuts. The information listed below was gleaned ...
*
List of ōzeki
More than 50 sumo wrestlers have reached the second highest in the sport, the rank of '' ōzeki'', but have failed to rise to the top rank since the modern era of sumo began in 1927 with the merger of the Tokyo and Osaka organizations. By 2020, ov ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaiketsu Masateru
1948 births
2014 deaths
Japanese sumo wrestlers
Sumo people from Yamaguchi Prefecture
Ōzeki
Nihon University alumni