is a Japanese retired

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 t ...

wrestler (''

rikishi A , or, more colloquially, , is a professional sumo wrestler. follow and live by the centuries-old rules of the sumo profession, with most coming from Japan, the only country where sumo is practiced professionally. Participation in official t ...

''),

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

and

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...

. He competed in sumo from 1979 to 1992 under 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'' ...

'' of Takanofuji Tadao, achieving the rank of ''

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 o ...

'', and afterwards turned to professional wrestling, in which he competed from 1994 to 2011, most notably in

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority sha ...

(NJPW), where he was a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was also fought in mixed martial arts from 2001 to 2003, holding a notable win over

Jérôme Le Banner Jérôme Philippe Le Banner (; born December 26, 1972) is a French kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and professional wrestler. Le Banner fought for most of his career in K-1 and became known for his aggressive fighting style and knockout power ...

Sumo career

He made his professional sumo debut in March 1979 at the age of 15, after leaving junior high school. He was recruited by Kokonoe stable. In 1980 he adopted the ''

'' of Fujinomori, before switching to Takanofuji in 1984. He first reached ''

sekitori A ''sekitori'' (関取) is a '' rikishi'' (力士, sumo wrestler) who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: '' makuuchi'' and ''jūryō''. The name literally translates to having taken the barrier, as only a relatively small fra ...

'' status in March 1985 upon promotion to the second highest ''

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. F ...

'' division, but could manage only 4 wins against 11 losses and was demoted back to the unsalaried ''

makushita 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. Fo ...

'' division. After winning promotion back to ''jūryō'' in January 1986 he made his debut in 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 o ...

'' division only two tournaments later in May 1986. Takanofuji was ranked in the top division for 33 tournaments, winning one special prize for Fighting Spirit. His two gold stars for defeating ''

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 ...

'' were both earned against Futahaguro (who, as Koji Kitao, also turned to professional wrestling). Takanofuji had the advantage of belonging to a

stable A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals and livestock. There are many different types of stables in use today; the ...

that included two ''yokozuna'',

Chiyonofuji , born , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler and the 58th ''yokozuna'' of the sport. Following his retirement as a wrestler, he was the stable master of Kokonoe stable until the time of his death. Chiyonofuji was considered one of the gre ...

and Hokutoumi, which under sumo regulations meant he never had to face them in tournament play. However, his height of meant he had a higher centre of gravity than was ideal for a sumo wrestler, and he seemed to struggle when promoted above the mid ''

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 o ...

'' ranks. Though he managed to reach the fourth highest ''komusubi'' ranking in July 1990 he could not maintain the rank, winning only two bouts there. He was demoted from the top division after the September 1991 tournament and announced his retirement in May 1992. His career coincided exactly with that of his stablemate Hokutoumi, who made his debut alongside him in March 1979 and also retired in May 1992. At Takanofuji's own request, it was the previous head of Kokonoe stable, ex-''yokozuna''

Kitanofuji is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Asahikawa, Hokkaidō. He made his professional debut in 1957, reaching the top '' makuuchi'' division in 1964. He was the sport's 52nd '' yokozuna'', a rank he attained in 1970. He won ten to ...

, his long time coach, and not his successor, ex-''yokozuna''

, who performed the topknot cutting at Takanofuji's official retirement ceremony or ''

danpatsu-shiki The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...

.''

Fighting style

Takanofuji's most common winning ''

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 r ...

'' were ''yori-kiri'' (force out), ''hataki-komi'' (slap down) and ''tsuki-otoshi'' (thrust over).

Professional wrestling career

Reverting to his real name, he joined the

(NJPW) promotion in June 1993, making his debut in February 1994. Yasuda spent the majority of the 1990s as an undercard wrestler, primarily competing in opening matches or as the fall guy in tag team matches with wrestlers such as

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the pr ...

and

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring. Sasaki is the first of four men ever to hold all three of '' puroresus major heavyweight titles (the IWGP Heav ...

, achieving little success. In late 2000, Yasuda, along with

Kazuyuki Fujita is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler, currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a one-time GHC Heavyweight Champion. He has most recently fought in Road FC, but is also known fo ...

, became somewhat of a pet project for

Antonio Inoki Muhammad Hussain Inoki (born ; February 20, 1943 – October 1, 2022) was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name , a homage ...

, and both of them were sent to the United States to train in

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incor ...

. Yasuda returned to Japan soon after, and was victorious in his first fight against veteran Masaaki Satake at Pride 13. Yasuda's win helped further legitimise him as a pro wrestler in the eyes of Inoki, and this was rewarded with Yasuda reaching the semi finals of the 2001 G1 Climax, where he lost to Keiji Mutoh. After earning one win and one loss in MMA throughout 2001, Yasuda earned the biggest win of his career in December by choking out veteran Jerome Le Banner. His defeat of Jerome led to Yasuda's stock in New Japan skyrocketing almost overnight, and Yasuda soon found himself elevated from over the hill veteran to top title contender in early 2002. Yasuda earned the biggest win of his pro wrestling career on February 16, defeating Yuji Nagata in a tournament to win the vacant

IWGP Heavyweight Championship The was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on June 12, 1987, in the final of an IW ...

. Yasuda held the title for 48 days, before dropping it to Nagata in April. In August 2002, Yasuda and

Kantaro Hoshino (born Yeo Geon-bu (여건부) on October 9, 1943 – November 25, 2010) was a Japanese born, Korean professional wrestler, manager, and promoter best known for his time in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. As a wrestler, he was half of The Yamaha Brother ...

formed their own faction, the

Makai Club Makai (born 27 August 1973, stylized as MAKAI) is a Japanese house DJ. He is well known for his collaborations with Japanese vocalists, such as "Garden of Love" with Thelma Aoyama, which topped the iTunes iTunes () is a software program ...

, a group of wrestlers primarily with MMA backgrounds who worshipped Antonio Inoki like a god. Yasuda was viewed as the leader of the group, and in early 2003 he partnered up with his second in command

Kazunari Murakami (born November 29, 1973) is a Japanese professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah. Murakami is best known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) during the late 1990s and early 2000 ...

to enter the IWGP Tag Team Championship #1 Contender Tournament. Despite losing to Jim Steele and Mike Barton in the final, an injury to Steele would give the title shot to Murakami and Yasuda who unsuccessfully challenged

Hiroyoshi Tenzan is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the ...

and

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for ...

on February 16. Having retired from MMA, the aging Yasuda's position in the New Japan card began to fall again, and in late 2004 he left the promotion. After leaving New Japan, he started making sporadic appearances for ZERO-ONE and Hustle. In October 2007 he reportedly attempted to commit suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning, using a yeontan. A friend however, interrupted the alleged attempt. He was hospitalized with fears of possible

brain damage Neurotrauma, brain damage or brain injury (BI) is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors. In general, brain damage refers to significant, undiscriminating t ...

, but this proved not to be the case and he eventually made a return to wrestling. Speaking to '' Tokyo Sports'' Yasuda later denied attempting suicide, saying the poisoning was accidental. On January 11, 2011, Yasuda announced his retirement from professional wrestling. He wrestled his final match on February 4, 2011, in which he was defeated by

Genichiro Tenryu , better known as is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling. "Tenryu" was hi ...

Mixed martial arts career

Though very past his prime physically, Yasuda made his transition to

as a NJPW representative in March 2001. He had his debut at the PRIDE 13 against similarly retired kickboxer and karate champion Masaaki Satake. Yasuda received damage and bled from his face, but he nullified most of Satake' attacks by rushing him through sumo techniques against the ropes every time they were separated. At the end, the unanimous decision was given to Yasuda for controlling the fight. Yasuda returned to MMA in the

K-1 K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993, well known worldwide mainly for its heavyweight division fights and Grand Prix tournaments. In January 2012, K-1 Global Holdings Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong, acquired ...

Andy Hug Memorial event, taking on

Rene Rooze Rene Rooze (born 26 January 1969) is a Dutch former kickboxer and mixed martial artist. Biography and career As a member of Team Aerts, he was an active fighter competing in mainly European events and accumulating (as of 2004) a kickboxing recor ...

in a special rules match, but he lost via head kick KO at the third round. He would be more successful in December 2001, when he fought popular K-1 player Jerome Le Banner at an Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye event: Yasuda managed to take him down and submit him by pressing his forearm against Le Banner's throat, getting the biggest win of his MMA career. He would later lose to fellow NJPW wrestler

in a Universal Fighting-Arts Organization event. Yasuda then fought superheavyweight kickboxer Jan Nortje, but he had to retire from the match when he hurt a leg seriously. His last fight was a rematch against Rooze, losing the fight again, this time by TKO.

Family

Yasuda's daughter Ayami was born in 1987 and is a model.

Championships and accomplishments

* Hustle :* Hustle Hardcore Hero Championship ( 1 time) :*

Hustle Super Tag Team Championship was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion managed by Nobuhiko Takada. Hustle can be described as an industry experiment to market the sports entertainment style of professional wrestling in Japan. History Booked primarily by Nobuhiko Takad ...

( 1 time) - with

:* Hustle King Hashimoto Memorial Six-Man Tag Tournament (2006) - with

Masato Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) in Japan where he was a one-time FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Champion and a one-time WEW World Heavyweight Champion and in Ex ...

Shinjiro Otani is a semi-retired Japanese professional wrestler and the current acting president of Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1). He is currently inactive from pro-wrestling competition due to a cervical spine injury substained in April 2022. A product of the ...

( 1 time) :*IWGP Heavyweight Championship Tournament (2002) *

Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...

:*PWI ranked him #150 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 2002

Sumo career record

Mixed martial arts record

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, TKO (punches) , Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:50 ,

Kobe Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whi ...

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, Submission (arm triangle choke) , Universal Fighting-Arts Organization: Legend , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:46 ,

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...

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