Hōshōryū Tomokatsu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hōshōryū Tomokatsu
豊昇龍 智勝
Hōshōryū in January 2022
Personal information
Born	Sugarragchaagiin Byambasuren (1999-05-22) May 22, 1999 (age 26) Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	150 kg (331 lb)
Career
Stable	Tatsunami
Current rank	Yokozuna
Debut	January 2018
Highest rank	Yokozuna (January 2025)
Championships	2 (Makuuchi) 1 (Jonidan)
Special Prizes	Technique (2) Fighting Spirit (1)
* Up to date as of May 1, 2025.

Hōshōryū Tomokatsu (Japanese: 豊昇龍 智勝, born Sugarragchaagiin Byambasüren; May 22, 1999) is a professional sumo wrestler from Mongolia. He is part of the Tatsunami stable, which is like a sumo training school. Hōshōryū started his professional sumo career in January 2018. He is very good at using throws in his matches. Many Mongolian sumo wrestlers are skilled at throws, just like in their traditional Mongolian wrestling.

Hōshōryū is the nephew of Asashōryū, who was the 68th yokozuna (the highest rank in sumo). Hōshōryū has won two championships in the top sumo division, called Makuuchi. He also won a championship in a lower division, jonidan, without losing any matches in 2018. Hōshōryū won his first top-division championship in July 2023. This win helped him get promoted to the rank of ōzeki, which is the second-highest rank in sumo. After coming in second place in November 2024, Hōshōryū won his second top-division championship in January 2025. This big win led to him being promoted to yokozuna, becoming the 74th wrestler to reach this top rank.

Early Life and Sumo Journey

Byambasuren was born in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in 1999. He is the second son of Asashōryū's older brother, who was also a traditional Mongolian wrestler (called bökh). Even though he grew up in the city, he spent his long summer breaks camping in yurts (traditional Mongolian tents). He was a very active child and learned to ride horses when he was only three years old. At five, he started taking basketball and judo lessons with Kirishima, who would also become a top sumo wrestler. They were good friends.

His family was involved in wrestling, so he often met other sumo wrestlers. He watched his uncle's matches on TV and looked up to him a lot. Even though he wasn't very keen on wrestling at first, he started bökh lessons at age 11 and had some success locally.

After middle school, a sumo coach from Japan, Tomohiro Ōsawa, visited Mongolia looking for talented young athletes. He noticed Byambasuren because he looked a bit like his famous uncle. Even though Byambasuren wasn't sure about sumo, he decided to visit Japan. He was then recruited to attend Kashiwa High School in Chiba Prefecture. There, he first joined the wrestling club because he was a bit scared of sumo. But during a school trip to the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, he became interested in the sport. After talking with his uncle, he decided to try sumo in high school. He quickly became good at amateur sumo and was seen as having great potential.

Starting Professional Sumo

Hōshōryū in January 2019

After high school, Hōshōryū joined Tatsunami stable. His uncle often gave him advice, like "build on your own strengths" and "don't gain weight too fast, or you might get hurt." Hōshōryū had his first professional sumo match in January 2018. In his very first match, called maezumō, he lost to Naya, who was also a new wrestler and the grandson of the famous yokozuna Taihō. Because both had strong family ties to sumo, Hōshōryū and Naya (who later changed his sumo name to Ōhō) felt a connection.

In his first official tournament in March 2018, Hōshōryū almost won the jonokuchi division championship. He won six matches in a row but was again defeated by Naya, who then won the championship. Since then, they have had a friendly rivalry.

In his second tournament, Hōshōryū won the jonidan championship without losing any matches. He then moved up to the sandanme division and won six out of seven matches, which got him promoted to the makushita division. During summer training tours, the yokozuna Hakuhō chose Hōshōryū to train with him, showing that he saw potential in the young wrestler.

In September 2019, Hōshōryū had a winning record and was promoted to the jūryō division for the November tournament. At a press conference, Hōshōryū said he wanted to win more championships than his uncle's 25. His uncle even gave him a special kimono for his promotion. In July 2020, Hōshōryū was part of a rare playoff for the jūryō championship. He was one of three wrestlers from his own stable who ended up with the same number of wins. Matches between wrestlers from the same stable are usually not allowed, except in playoffs. Hōshōryū lost to Meisei, who went on to win the championship.

Reaching the Top Division: Makuuchi

Hōshōryū's good performance in July 2020 earned him a spot in the top sumo division, Makuuchi, for the September 2020 tournament. He was the 50th foreign-born wrestler and the 27th Mongolian to reach this high level. In his first match in the top division, he won against Ichinojō using a surprising winning move called yorikiri.

In July 2021, Hōshōryū had his best result in the top division so far. He won ten matches and received his first special award, the Technique Prize. After this, he was congratulated by important sumo officials. His performance led to him being promoted to Maegashira 1 for September. However, he had to withdraw from that tournament on Day 5 because of tonsillitis. He returned later and won four of his remaining matches.

In January 2022, he had a strong record of 11 wins and 4 losses. This led to his first promotion to a san'yaku rank, becoming a komusubi for the March 2022 tournament. He continued to do well, achieving winning records in three tournaments in a row as komusubi. This earned him a promotion to sekiwake for the September 2022 tournament. In November, Hōshōryū won a match using a very rare move called kawazugake, which hadn't been seen in ten years. He finished that tournament with 11 wins and 4 losses, his best performance yet at the san'yaku ranks. He also received his second Technique Prize.

Becoming an Ōzeki

Hōshōryū hoped to be promoted to ōzeki if he won ten or more matches in January 2023. However, he had to withdraw on Day 10 due to a sprained left ankle. He returned on Day 12 and managed to keep his sekiwake rank. In March 2023, he kept his sekiwake position and finished with a 10-5 record. After the May tournament, sumo officials said that if Hōshōryū did well in the July tournament, he would be considered for ōzeki promotion. He would need 12 wins in July to reach the usual requirement of 33 wins in three tournaments at a san'yaku rank.

In early June, Hōshōryū went back to Mongolia for the first time in four years. He wanted to rest and prepare for his push to ōzeki. There, his uncle Asashōryū gave him advice. Hōshōryū said he would approach the tournament "as usual" without worrying too much about the promotion. Before the July tournament, Hōshōryū also received a special ceremonial apron called a keshō-mawashi.

Hōshōryū started the July 2023 tournament well. He won six matches in a row, putting him in the running for the championship. He defeated two ōzeki wrestlers, Kirishima and Wakamotoharu. On the final day, he was tied for the lead with two other wrestlers, Hokutofuji and Hakuōhō. Hōshōryū defeated Hakuōhō, which gave him 12 wins for the tournament and 33 wins in three tournaments at a san'yaku rank. This was enough for ōzeki promotion. He then went on to defeat Hokutofuji in a playoff to win his first top-division championship! After winning, Hōshōryū was so happy that he cried. He said he did his best and didn't think about promotion, and he wanted to share his joy with his stablemaster and his uncle.

Because he met the win requirement, the Japan Sumo Association approved Hōshōryū's promotion to ōzeki. On July 26, Hōshōryū formally accepted the rank. He promised to work hard with a strong fighting spirit so he would not dishonor the ōzeki rank. This made Hōshōryū the first wrestler from Tatsunami stable to become ōzeki in 37 years. He is also the seventh Mongolian ōzeki.

Life as an Ōzeki and Becoming a Yokozuna

Hōshōryū started his ōzeki career in September 2023. He managed to avoid being in a difficult kadoban situation (where an ōzeki is in danger of being demoted) by winning his eighth match on the final day.

In November 2023, Hōshōryū had a very long start to a match against Gōnoyama, where both wrestlers waited for a minute and a half before starting. Even though he won, he received a warning from the head judge because of his high rank and the repeated false starts.

Hōshōryū was a strong contender for the championship in January 2024. However, he hurt his knee during a match and had to withdraw from the tournament the next day. Still, he had already won enough matches to keep his rank. In March, he remained in the championship race, notably beating Takerufuji, a new top-division wrestler who had been undefeated. Hōshōryū's chances for the title ended on Day 14 when he lost to fellow ōzeki Kotonowaka. He also withdrew from the July tournament on Day 13 due to a thigh injury, but he had already secured enough wins to keep his rank.

On the final day of the November 2024 tournament, Hōshōryū faced Kotozakura, with both tied for the lead. Kotozakura won the match and the championship. Even though Hōshōryū didn't win the championship, his strong performance (13 wins and 2 losses) was enough for the Sumo Association to announce that he would be a candidate for yokozuna promotion at the next tournament in January 2025. This was a rare event, as it was the first time in 55 years that two wrestlers (Hōshōryū and Kotozakura) were considered for yokozuna promotion at the same time.

At the January 2025 tournament, Hōshōryū started with four straight wins. He then lost a few matches, which seemed to hurt his chances for yokozuna. However, he fought back, defeating the tournament leader Kinbōzan and then the other two active ōzeki, Ōnosato and Kotozakura. This put him in a three-way playoff for the championship. Hōshōryū won the playoff by defeating Kinbōzan and Ōhō one after the other, securing his second top-division championship! The Japanese Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, even presented him with the Prime Minister's Cup in person, which was the first time since 2019.

Hōshōryū dedicated his championship to his old high school coach, Tomohiro Ōsawa, who had brought him to Japan and passed away in September 2024.

Promotion to Yokozuna

After Hōshōryū's victory, the Japan Sumo Association discussed his promotion to the highest rank of yokozuna. On January 27, 2025, the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, a group that advises on promotions, unanimously recommended Hōshōryū's promotion.

Before his promotion, it was reported that Hōshōryū would use the Unryū style for his ring-entering ceremony. This style was used by his uncle Asashōryū and other famous yokozuna from his stable's group. Hōshōryū said he chose this style because his uncle's performance of it made a strong impression on him.

On the morning of January 29, 2025, the Sumo Association officially promoted Hōshōryū to yokozuna. He became the 74th yokozuna in sumo history and the sixth Mongolian to reach this rank. He achieved this top rank in 42 tournaments, making him the sixth-fastest wrestler to do so since 1958. It was also special because his uncle Asashōryū became the first Mongolian-born yokozuna on the same date in 2003.

Soon after, Sumo Association representatives visited Hōshōryū and his stablemaster to officially tell him about his promotion. In his acceptance speech, Hōshōryū said, "I will continue to work hard with a strong determination in order not to tarnish the title of yokozuna." He used the same powerful words he used for his ōzeki promotion, just like his uncle had done. He later told reporters that becoming yokozuna was his dream since he started sumo.

Hōshōryū's first ring-entering ceremony as a yokozuna was held on January 31 at Tokyo's Meiji Shrine. About 3,500 people watched. His stablemate Meisei was the tsuyuharai (dew sweeper), and Hiradoumi was the tachimochi (sword bearer). His uncle Asashōryū was also there to watch.

After the March 2025 rankings were released, Hōshōryū said seeing his name at the top of the list was "a little scary," but he was also happy and felt a "grave sense of responsibility."

Life as a Yokozuna

Hōshōryū's first tournament as a yokozuna in March 2025 was tough. He lost his first match and had to withdraw from the tournament after Day 9 due to an elbow injury. This was the first time a new yokozuna had to withdraw from their first tournament at the highest rank since 1986.

Hōshōryū returned for the May 2025 tournament. He finished with 12 wins and 3 losses, his first time winning double-digit matches as a yokozuna. He was the runner-up in the tournament. He even defeated Ōnosato, who won the championship, on the final day, stopping Ōnosato from having a perfect tournament.

Hōshōryū had another difficult start in the July 2025 tournament. He lost three matches in a row to lower-ranked wrestlers before withdrawing on Day 5. His stablemaster later said that Hōshōryū had a bone crack in his left big toe and had to be convinced to pull out of the tournament. His stablemaster wanted him to be in "perfect shape next time in order to compete for the title."

Fighting Style

Hōshōryū's favorite way to grab his opponent's belt (called a mawashi) is with his left hand outside and his right hand inside. He often uses shitatenage (an underarm throw) and yorikiri (forcing his opponent out of the ring). He also likes to use an outside leg trip, called sotogake, which is becoming his special move. He is known for his strong fighting style, using his speed and athletic ability. This has made him popular with many sumo fans.

Family Life

Hōshōryū comes from a famous wrestling family. His father and uncles all have wrestling backgrounds. Besides his uncle, former yokozuna Asashōryū, his uncles include Dolgorsürengiin Sumyaabazar, a Mongolian politician and Olympic freestyle wrestler, and Dolgorsürengiin Serjbüdee, a professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. His grandfather was also a well-known bökh wrestler in Mongolia. In October 2024, his cousin also became a professional sumo wrestler.

Since Hōshōryū is the nephew of the 68th yokozuna Asashōryū, his uncle often comments on his matches. Hōshōryū has mentioned his uncle's anger when he lost three matches in a row in March 2019. His uncle also criticized his style on social media. Asashōryū even encourages Hōshōryū's opponents sometimes! Hōshōryū feels like he is "always chasing his uncle's shadow" and has had disagreements with him. He also finds it annoying to be constantly compared to his uncle.

In May 2025, it was reported that Hōshōryū was planning to apply for Japanese citizenship. This is needed if he wants to stay involved with the Sumo Association as an elder after he retires from wrestling.

Career Record

See Also

• Active special prize winners
• Glossary of sumo terms
• List of active sumo wrestlers
• List of non-Japanese sumo wrestlers
• List of sumo tournament top division champions
• List of sumo tournament top division runners-up
• List of yokozuna