OSAKA: Takerufuji won the March Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday, becoming the first rookie in the Makuuchi top division to win a grand tournament in 110 years.

On the final day of the tournament at Edion Osaka Arena in the western Japan city of Osaka, Takerufuji defeated Gonoyama to finish the 15-day tournament with a record of 13 wins and two losses.

The March tournament was the 10th tournament for the 24-year-old wrestler hailing from Nihon University. He was the fastest to win the Makuuchi title on record since 1909.

On Saturday, Takerufuji, a native of Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, whose real name is Mikiya Ishioka, suffered his second loss in the tournament and injured his right leg. After the match, he was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

However, he was able to fight on the final day and achieved the historic milestone. He was the fourth lowest-ranked Makuuchi wrestler ever to win a grand tournament, after Terunofuji in July 2020.

At the March tournament, Takerufuji also won the Outstanding Performance Award, the Fighting Spirit Prize and the Technique Prize, becoming the first Makuuchi rookie to receive all three awards since 1973.

JIJI Press