Asōfuji Seiya

Sumo wrestler infobox


wrestlername = 安壮富士 清也 Asōfuji Seiya
realname = Kiyotoshi Suginomori
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|1|17
placeofbirth = Aomori
height = height|meters=1.80
weight = convert|125|kg|lb|abbr=on
heya = Isegahama
rank = Juryo 14
record = 415-378-7
debut = January 1994
highestrank = Maegashira 13 (November 2006)
yushos = 1 (Jonidan)
prizes =
goldstars =
update = Sept 2008

Asōfuji Seiya (born January 17, 1976 as Kiyotoshi Suginomori) is a sumo wrestler from Fukaura, Nishitsugaru, Aomori, Japan. The highest rank he has reached is "maegashira" 13. He is the elder brother of Aminishiki.

Career

Asōfuji made his professional debut in January 1994. He joined Ajigawa stable, run by former "yokozuna" Asashifuji, also of Nishitsugaru District and a cousin of Asōfuji's father. He took a long time to climb up the rankings, mainly due to his relatively light weight (barely 100kg). He was outperformed by his younger brother, who joined the stable three years after him but had already reached "sekitori" status by 2000. Asōfuji first reached the second highest "jūryō" division in September 2003, but lasted only one tournament before being demoted back to the third "makushita" division. He reappeared in the second division a year later and in November 2006 he finally made his top "makuuchi" division debut at the age of 30. He was the ninth oldest "makuuchi" debutant since the end of World War II. In that tournament, there were three sets of brothers (Asofuji and Aminishiki, Kitazakura and Toyozakura, and Roho and Hakurozan) in the top division simultaneously for the first and only time in sumo history. Asōfuji could manage only a 6-9 score in his top division debut, and only four wins in the next tournament in January 2007.

He fell back to the "jūryō" division for the March 2007 tournment and a 4-11 record in July sent him right to the bottom of the division. He held onto "sekitori" status with an 8-7 mark in September but could manage only five wins in January 2008 and fell back to "makushita". He managed a 5-2 score in the March 2008 tournament which returned him immediately to the second division, but again he was unable to secure "kachi-koshi" and was demoted to "makushita" once more. He scored 5-2 again in July, which will put him in contention for an immediate return to "jūryō".

Among his favourite techniques are "nage", or throws. His most common winning move over the six tournaments from July 2007 to May 2008 was "uwatedashinage", or "pulling outer-arm throw", but he is also adept at "shitatenage", or inner-arm throws.

Asofuji was married in December 2006.

Top division record

Sumo record year start|2006 Basho Basho Basho Basho Basho Basho|m|13|e|6|9 Sumo record year start|2007 Basho|m|15|e|4|11 Basho|JURYO Basho|JURYO Basho|JURYO Basho|JURYO Basho|JURYO Basho|JURYO Basho|MAKUSHITA Basho|JURYO Basho|MAKUSHITA Basho|JURYO Basho|

References

ee also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of active sumo wrestlers

External links

* [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi_1048.html Japan Sumo Association profile]