I shed a few tears over my beloved Asashoryu’s (forced) retirement from sumo. It’s not that I don’t like Hakuho, but Asashoryu’s bad boy personality is super sexy. The retirement ritual involves a hair cut. Thanks to the non-jealous hubb for sending me these images and story.
Sexy, adorable Mongolian sumo wrestler Hakuho has now extended his consecutive wins to 46, placing him 3rd in the ranks of all-time greatest sumo wrestlers. Since Asashoryu’s expulsion, Hakuho is the only yokozuna, or top-ranked player now. He is guaranteed to win the Nagoya championship that ends today. I was glad to see that despite the recent yakuza gambling scandal, the Nagoya stadium was full for this big match.
Watching on television allowed me to also focus on the opening ritual, in which Hakuho squats, lifts one leg to the side, drops his weight with a thud, thrusts his pelvis, and gives an impish stare. All while wearing not only the normal jockstrap-like costume, but also Shinto paper decorations and an elaborate rope sculpture on his back. A perfect mix of spirituality and raw physicality.
I am not sure why bad boy x-sumo champion Asashoryu is posing next to Japan’s medal-winning wrestlers. But I like it! It’s funny to see a sumo big boy in a conservative suit, and the wrestlers outfits are revealing. I love combinations of unrelated masculinity. More is definitely better ^^
Mongolian bad boy sumo wrestler Asashoryu retires. Last month he won his 25th Emperor’s Cup, making him the third most successful wrestler of all time. The reason he retired is because he broke someone’s nose at a nightclub. His given name is Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj.
I’ll miss his corpulent body and bad boy behavior!
Hakoho helps Asashoryu to his feet after defeating him. Hakoho went on to to win the Kyushu sumo tournament. The hubb found this image, which suggest that “good guy” and “bad boy” rivals might also share some big love after all.
I think I fell in love with Asashoryu today. This Mongolian sumo bad boy defeated my previous favorite, sweet Mongolian Hakuho. I even bought a Hakuho towel for my nephew in spring. But now I have fallen for Asashoryu, who is criticized for failing to practice all the time, and for slapping himself silly before matches. His stubble and fat face are somehow enchanting!
And last year he upset the Japan Sumo Association by calling for a 10% salary raise, the first since 2001, to cover the rising cost of food staples such as “bread, rice, cooking oil, mayonnaise and beer”.
Who is your favorite sumo wrestler?
Tokyo Moe 