Tamashōhō Manpei

, born March 6, 1993, as Erdenebileg Enkhmanlai () is a Mongolian professional sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Wrestling for Kataonami stable, his highest rank has been 16.

Early life and career

Early career

Tamashōhō was born in Mongolia into a family steeped in wrestling. His father was a famous '' bökh'' and judo coach whose students included Asashōryū, Harumafuji, Asasekiryū, Tokitenku, Hakuba and Ryūō. Tamashōhō though had no interest in wrestling at first, preferring basketball or ice skating. He however changed his mind and came to Japan at the invitation of ''yokozuna'' Harumafuji to become a ''rikishi'', or professional sumo wrestler, in September 2010. He first made a deal to join Takashima stable, run at the time by former ''sekiwake'' Kōbōyama. However his visa expired and he temporarily returned to Mongolia. At his return the stable closed because its only remaining wrestler had retired before Tamashōhō had the chance to pass the new apprentice examination, and so he was transferred to Kasugayama stable. Because he had not yet started to wrestle for Takashima stable, Tamashōhō is not officially listed as a member of the stable on his record, although his membership to five different stables is regularly noted and mentioned by the press. Beginning his career in '' maezumō'', he was given the ''shikona'', or ring name, a combination of the first kanji of Kōbōyama's own name, the ''oyakata'' who should have been his master, and the first two kanji of his master at Kasugayama stable (former ''maegashira'' Kasugafuji). During his years at Kasugayama stable, Tamashōhō came close to winning the ''sandanme'' championship in March 2014, but failed in a playoff against Chiyoarashi. He then climbed the ranks and was promoted to the ''makushita'' division for November 2013, just two years after his professional debut. However, in 2016, the new master of his stable, the 21st Kasugayama (former ''maegashira'' Hamanishiki), was ordered by the Japan Sumo Association to resign his position of stablemaster after a dispute over the acquisition of a coaching licence between him and his predecessor was settled in court. In the first time, the majority of the wrestlers were transferred to Oitekaze stable, but in the same month, the 15th Nakagawa (former ''maegashira'' Asahisato) announced he took over the stable, renaming it after his own title. In the span of a month Tamashōhō hence transferred from Oitekaze to Nakagawa stable. Later in the year he received a new ''shikona'' inspired by the name of a patron of his new stable and was hence renamed . In November 2017 he changed his ''shikona'' again and was renamed , after the first kanji of his master Nakagawa's former wrestling name and to evoke the colour of the Mongolian sky, which he likes. This reference will also be reused when he was promoted to the rank of ''jūryō'' while choosing the colour of his '' shimekomi''. In March 2020, Tamashōhō was in contention to win the ''makushita'' tournament, having won his first 6 bouts. He failed, however, being defeated by Nishikifuji who went on to win the championship. At the beginning of July of the same year, reports emerged that the Sumo Association's compliance department was investigating complaints by wrestlers at the stable of power harassment leveled against the stablemaster and on the 13th of the same month it was decided that the stable would close down, with the remaining wrestlers and staff to be distributed between seven stables. Tamashōhō was therefore transferred to Kataonami stable and adopted his current ''shikona'', given to him to evoke the 14th Kataonami (the former ''sekiwake'' Tamakasuga) and the hopes of his master that he would "live a righteous life". Commenting on his five stable changes, Tamashōhō expressed his gratitude for having learned from five different masters.

''Jūryō'' career

At the November 2022 tournament, Tamashōhō won all 7 of his matches and went on to win the ''makushita'' tournament. During this tournament, he defeated the former '' ōzeki'' Asanoyama and inflicted his only defeat of the tournament on him by '' hatakikomi''. At the next tournament, in January 2023, he was promoted to the rank of East ''Makushita'' 1, being then in a situation of potential promotion in the ''jūryō'' division. In his last match he won for the fourth time in seven matches, beating former ''maegashira'' and upper-division wrestler Terutsuyoshi. At the ranking preparation meeting on 25 January of the same year, it was confirmed that Tamashōhō would be promoted to ''jūryō'' for the March tournament in Osaka. This promotion makes Tamashōhō the second slowest foreign wrestler, at 68 tournaments in professional sumo, to reach this rank behind fellow Mongolian and his 71 tournaments. He was also the third lightest ''sekitori'' at the time. At the time of his promotion, observers noted the unusual situation in which two of the four wrestlers in Kataonami stable wore white training ''mawashi'', a privilege for wrestlers who have reached ''sekitori'' status. Tamashōhō's promotion to ''jūryō'' also posed a logistical problem, since a ''sekitori'' is supposed to have one or more '' tsukebito'' (assistant) depending on his rank and division. Tamashōhō having been promoted to ''jūryō'', however, had to remain Tamawashi's ''tsukebito'' for some time to allow Tamawashi to recruit a new assistant. In preparation for his first tournament as a ''sekitori'', Tamashōhō worked on his weight gain and gained , something he had been struggling to work on.

Tamashōhō inflicted his first defeat on Hakuōhō (then known as Ochiai) on day 2 of the March 2023 tournament (in Osaka). On the sixth day of the same tournament he injured his leg after losing to Tomokaze. Nevertheless, he finished the tournament with a ''kachi-koshi'' of 8 wins and 7 losses, and maintained his ''jūryō'' status. Following good results in the May tournament, Tamashōhō was promoted to the rank of East ''Jūryō'' 5.

career

Following a 10-win performance in the November 2024 tournament at the rank of 4, Tamashōhō earned a promotion to the top division () for the first time in his 13-year professional career. Tamashōhō is the first new wrestler for Kataonami stable since the promotion of fellow Mongolian and brother-in-law Tamawashi in 2008, as well as the first top-division wrestler for his stablemaster, former Tamakasuga. He is also the slowest foreign-born competitor to be promoted to the top division, having done so in 79 tournaments, and well as the eighth oldest wrestler of any nationality to do so in the post-war era. Tamashōhō said he was happy and was glad to achieve his goal of top-division promotion. His stablemaster said that he did not expect Tamashōhō to be promoted, noting that he was lucky since two of his ten wins at the prior tournament came by default and foul.

Fighting style

Tamashōhō's Japan Sumo Association profile lists his preferred grip on his opponent's ''mawashi'' is ''migi-yotsu'', a left hand outside, right hand inside position. He is fond of using ''hatakikomi'' (slap down) and, since his promotion ''jūryō'', has begun to develop a style based on ''oshi-zumo'', a style who prefers pushing and thrusting techniques.

Personal life

Tamashōhō is the brother-in-law of fellow Kataonami stablemate and senior wrestler Tamawashi, since the latter married his sister (Michelle) in 2012.

Career record

See also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of active sumo wrestlers
*List of non-Japanese sumo wrestlers

References

External links

*
{{Jūryō rikishi banzuke
1993 births
Living people
Mongolian sumo wrestlers
Sumo people from Ulaanbaatar