Shunketsu Yūji

Sumo wrestler infobox


wrestlername = 駿傑 悠志 Shunketsu Yūji
realname = Yūji Ishide
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|7|13
placeofbirth = Saitama, Japan
height = height|meters=1.76
weight = convert|123|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on
heya = Hanaregoma
rank =
record = 461-434-17
debut = March 1992
highestrank = Maegashira 12 (September 2005)
retireddate = March 2008
yushos = 1 (Jūryō) 1 (Makushita)
prizes =
goldstars =
update = March 2008

Shunketsu Yūji (born July 13, 1976 as Yūji Ishide) is a former sumo wrestler from Misato, Saitama, Japan. The highest rank he reached was "maegashira" 12.

Career

Shunketsu made his professional debut in March 1992, alongside several future top division regulars such as Kyokushuzan, Wakanosato and Takanowaka. He weighed only just over convert|100|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on and remained one of the lightest wrestlers in the senior ranks, only managing to put on around convert|20|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on in subsequent years.

Shunketsu used several different "shikona" during his career. He began using his own surname, Ishide. Upon promotion to "sekitori" status for the first time in January 2001 he was given the name Komahikari. However after falling back to the unsalaried "makushita" division he reverted to Ishide. He retained this name until November 2005 when he became Shunketsu.

Shunketsu spent only five tournaments in the top "makuuchi" division, and only made "kachi-koshi" there once. He was ranked in the second "jūryō" division for 25 tournaments. In recent years he was the only "sekitori" from Hanaregoma stable, which once produced "yokozuna" Onokuni.

On the 13th day of the November 2005 tournament he faced the veteran top division wrestler Kotonowaka, in what was widely assumed to be Kotonowaka's final bout after 21 years in sumo. Rather than meet his opponent head on, Shunketsu chose to sidestep at the initial charge, which greatly disappointed many sumo fans. [ [http://www.sumotalk.com/kyushu05.htm Hon-basho Daily Comments - Sumo ] ]

Since falling from the top division with a 4-11 record in January 2006 he rarely looked like returning, managing to win more than 8 bouts on only one occasion (in July 2006 when he slid to the bottom of the second division at "Juryo" 13 West and produced a 10-5 score). From November 2006 to May 2007 he managed four consecutive winning scores (eight wins each time), which took him up to "Juryo" 1 West, but he had five consecutive losing scores after that. After a 3-12 record in March 2008 at the rank of Juryo 11 West, and facing certain demotion to the third division, he announced his retirement.

He won one "yusho" or tournament title in the "makushita" division (a perfect 7-0 score in November 2000 which earned him automatic promotion to the "juryo" division for the first time), and one in the "juryo" division (a 12-3 score in November 2004).

Top division record

Sumo record year start|2005 Basho Basho|m|17|e|6|9 Basho |JURYO Basho|m|17|e|9|6 Basho|m|12|e|7|8 Basho|m|13|w|6|9 Sumo record year end Sumo record year start|2006 Basho|m|15|e|4|11 Basho |JURYO Basho |JURYO Basho |JURYO Basho |JURYO Basho |JURYO Sumo record year end Sumo record year start|2007 Basho |JURYO Basho |JURYO Basho |JURYO Basho |JURYO Basho |JURYO Basho |JURYO Sumo record year end Basho |JURYO Basho |intai|rank=J|r-no=12|tozai=W|win=3|loss=12 Basho | Basho | Basho | Basho | Sumo record year end

References

ee also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of past sumo wrestlers

External links

* [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi_1091.html Japan Sumo Association profile]