[sumo] Fwd: [Sumo news] - Ochil-the most talked about Mongolian prospect-finally enters sumo

[Jeff A]

Moti

Best regards,
Jeffrey Anderson
Gaijingai
For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these:
It might have been.
- John Greenleaf Whittier


---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Moti Dichne <niramiai at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Subject: [Sumo news] - Ochil-the most talked about Mongolian
prospect-finally enters sumo
To: Sumo Newsletter2 <sumo-newsletter2 at googlegroups.com>


The "strongest new shin-deshi in history" is finally entering the sumo
world. On the 3rd, the Kyokai announced the candidates for the shindeshi
kensa
<https://www.nihongomaster.com/japanese/dictionary/word/96273/shindeshikensa-%E6%96%B0%E5%BC%9F%E5%AD%90%E6%A4%9C%E6%9F%BB-%E3%81%97%E3%82%93%E3%81%A7%E3%81%97%E3%81%91%E3%82%93%E3%81%95>
 for the Aki Basho. Battsetsege Ochirsaihan (23, Isegahama) from Mongolia,
who is highly regarded among those involved as "already Ozeki or
Yokozuna-class," will be taking the exam at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on the
5th. This talented rikishi, regarded by avid fans and insiders as a future
Yokozuna, will make his debut in maezumo at the Kyushu basho (starting on
November 9th, at the Fukuoka International Center) after obtaining his
visa, if all goes well. He came to Japan in the spring of 2018 at the age
of 15 and studied at Asahigaoka High School in Kanagawa Prefecture for his
first year. While he didn't achieve any notable results at high school, the
reason for the high expectations is due to the four and a half years of
intensive training he underwent at Isegahama beya after graduating, which
allowed his talent to blossom.

According to sumo regulations, each heya can only have one foreign-born
wrestler. Mongolian-born Yokozuna Terunofuji continued to wrestle at
Isegahama beya until his retirement during the Hatsu basho. After
Terunofuji's retirement, the six-month training period required for
foreign-born rikishi officially began. As a trainee, he continued to train
at Isegahama beya, known for its intense training, further improving his
skills. Isegahama beya is packed with talented rikishi, including
Hakuouhou, who won a kinboshi in the previous tournament as a Maegashira;
Atamifuji and Kusano, who competed for the yusho last basho; and former
yusho winner Takerufuji. The heya  has seven sekitori, the most of any
heya, including Maegashira Midorifuji, Juryo Nishikifuji, and Takarafuji.
Even among them, Ochirusaihan's skills stand out. He naturally participates
in the sekitori's matches and is at the center of them. Ochirusaihan often
racks up consecutive wins. There were also cases where rikishi from other
heya came to train, but were no match for Ochirusaihan and went home
feeling defeated..

 Ochirusaihan, unable to compete in honbasho, only gets a chance to gauge
his own abilities when rikishi from other heya come to train with him. He
has felt his growth through overwhelming opponents there. In April, after
officially becoming a trainee, he laughed and revealed, "Everyone in my
stable is telling me, 'You've won 28 consecutive matches since your
debut.'" The record for the longest undefeated streak in honbasho since
debuting is held by former Komusubi Joukouryuu who won 27 consecutive
matches from his debut in the Jonokuchi division. A 28-match winning streak
would mean winning or tying for first place in each division (Jonokuchi,
Jonidan, Sandanme, and Makushita) for four consecutive tournaments. While
ranking luck is a factor, if he finishes within the top 15 in the Makushita
division in the fourth basho, it will take five tournaments, including one
mae-zumo tournament, making him the fastest to be promoted to Juryo, a
milestone no one has ever reached. (All this is theoretical, of course,
didn't actually happen..*Yet*..) At 187 cm and 155 kg, his muscular,
armor-clad physique makes him intimidating. On the other hand, the pressure
he exerts from the tachiai is astounding. At a time when it was unclear
when he would be able to step into the dohyo for the first time, he once
jokingly said, "Maybe I'll go to America and play American football," but
he has such a strong physique that it seems he could even make it to the
NFL, the pinnacle of American football..

His ability to win by pressure without even grabbing the mawashi is similar
to that of Yokozuna Oonosato. Of course, once he does, he displays
incredible strength that even the sekitori of Isegahama beya cannot match.
His aunt, Bulma Ochirbat (43), his mother's sister, is a regular at the
Olympics and World Championships, including the women's 76kg wrestling
event at the age of 39 at the Tokyo Olympics. Her physical strength, which
allows her to remain active for so long, is attested to by her blood
relatives.

Isegahama beya is home to Mongolian-born Makushita rikishi Seihakuhou as
well. However, he originally belonged to Miyagino beya, where former
Yokozuna Hakuhou was his Oyakata. He transferred to Isegahama following the
closure of Miyagino beya. Because Ochirsaikhan had been a trainee for some
time, he did not violate the rule limiting foreign-born rikishi to one per
heya. In the past, Kasugano beya was home at the same time to former
Georgian Ozeki Tochinoshin and former Bulgarian Sekiwake Aoiyama who
transferred from the former Tagonoura beya following the sudden death of
his Oyakata.

In Mongolian, "Ochir" means "God" and "Saihan" means "happiness." After
many twists and turns, he finally made it to the shindeshi kensa. With his
mischievous personality and adorable smile, he has been loved by heya
officials and supporters alike. For all the hardships he has endured over
the past four and a half years, his godlike strength has earned him the
love of fans and a happy life as a rikishi- and with this belief, he is
eagerly awaiting the day of his debut.

[Takada Bunta]

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