Yutakayama Intai

[WAKATAKE 2,338]

I didn't see anyone post about this yet, but in a surprise move Yutakayama has announced his retirement. 

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202211280000024.html

NSK Twitter also confirms it

[Katooshu 2,327]

Wow! Didn't see that coming. Obviously not in good form lately, but still not at a point where retirement seemed close. I noticed after his loss on day 15 he had a big smile and seemed at ease, so maybe it's a weight off for him.

Did he retire fast enough for another promotion spot to open?

Edited November 28, 2022 by Katooshu

[WAKATAKE 2,338]

Yutakayama made his debut in Haru 2016, under his real name Oyanagi Ryota. Two consecutive yusho from his Sandanme tsukedashi debut saw him get into the top 15 of Makushita, where he lingered for two basho before finally getting that sekitori status, the first Sandanme tsukedashi to do so. Four basho later he made his Makuuchi debut, changing his name to Yutakayama in what was a nod to the previous line of wrestlers who had that name. Some even touted him to make ozeki, and there were even those who thought he was better than stablemate Shodai. However injuries would hamper him, and the closest he got to sanyaku was July 2020, which ended with a 5-10 record. He also had a jun-yusho 12-3 in Nagoya 2018.

[WAKATAKE 2,338]

2 minutes ago, Katooshu said:

Wow! Didn't see that coming. Obviously not in good form lately, but still not at a point where retirement seemed close. I noticed after his loss on day 15 he had a big smile and seemed at ease, so maybe it's a weight off for him.

Did he retire fast enough for another promotion spot to open?

Yes. The banzuke committee is supposed to meet tomorrow.

NSK also has not indicated that he got a kabu, so that's another person out of the organization. No word on where he will go from here

[Yamanashi 2,821]

6 minutes ago, WAKATAKE said:

where he lingered for two basho before finally getting that sekitori status

Well, it was a fast linger; his loss to Wakanoshima in the Nagoya 2016 tournament kept him from a third straight yusho and ~ automatic place in Juryo.  The slow part was his 4-3 at Ms1 the next basho: he lost the first three but went 4-0 to get the KK and promotion.

[Yamanashi 2,821]

Whether he gets a kabu or not, he's on the "eligible list": 26 basho in Makuuchi, 10 in Juryo. Highest rank M1, so no San'yaku credit.  I assume Shodai would get the kabu for Tokitsukazebeya, but the present oyakata is only 37.  What's up?

[Godango 751]

This is a huge surprise, obviously he was underperforming, but wow. At 29 he's hardly over the hill, but I guess the desire just wasn't there. Eh, good on him.

[sumojoann 1,071]

His retirement was not that big of a surprise to me in hindsight.  He always had such a pained look on his face when he lost and he lost a LOT!  He seemed very unhappy with himself when he lost, more than the customary fleeting disappointment shown by other rikishi, who then move on.  Whether it was a lack of stoicism or not, he seemed like one miserable dude.  The only time I ever saw him smile was a while back when he was doing some PR work that was athletic in nature.  I wish him well.

[yohcun 364]

He was always a bit more emotional than your average rikishi, for better or worse (often for worse). To his credit though, he actively tried to calm himself down with a pre-bout routine involving some kind of unspoken eye-contact conversation with his tsukebito in the hanamichi.

I guess with his injuries, he just knew he wasn't returning to that brief sparkle of form he had a few years ago. Still, I think his success was a fine validation of the new sandanme-tsukedashi system. I wish him well.

Edited November 28, 2022 by yohcun

[Tigerboy1966 948]

2 hours ago, WAKATAKE said:

He also had a jun-yusho 12-3 in Nagoya 2018.

...and threw the yusho winner Mitakeumi on Day15. That was his shining moment and I will never forget it.

[Seiyashi 3,316]

2 hours ago, Yamanashi said:

Whether he gets a kabu or not, he's on the "eligible list": 26 basho in Makuuchi, 10 in Juryo. Highest rank M1, so no San'yaku credit.  I assume Shodai would get the kabu for Tokitsukazebeya, but the present oyakata is only 37.  What's up?

At 29 he's still young enough to start a second career. I don't think he's staying if the NSK Twitter hasn't specifically said he's taking up a particular kabu. 

[themistyseas 191]

44 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

At 29 he's still young enough to start a second career. I don't think he's staying if the NSK Twitter hasn't specifically said he's taking up a particular kabu. 

That and he's also university educated which likely changes the calculus for him in terms of his personal decision making. While the number of college educated rikishi is obviously a small minority, one would think that there are more options and higher earning options available to them if they aren't looking or aren't able to join the Kyokai after they retire, especially if they feel the time is right at a younger age.

While he's one guy with his own hopes and dreams, it will be intriguing to learn what he decides to do next. It would be an interesting data point (at least on a personal level) in terms of understanding how this generation of rikishi to have come out of university might assess their future "second life".

[Kaninoyama 1,253]

He and Asanoyama were always compared with one another since their amateur days and came up through the ranks as rivals, with Asanoyama from Toyama and he from neighboring Niigata. 

I get the feeling that he had much higher (pre-suspension Asanoyama-like) expectations for himself that he ultimately failed to achieve, and probably just came to the realization that injuries and perhaps his own limitations were going to keep him from ever realizing them. 

[Koorifuu 438]

I'm sad, but at the risk of sounding pretentious, this doesn't surprise me as it had crossed my mind. His body has been giving off 'wrecked beyond repair' vibes and now it's become apparent he won't make it back to makuuchi as it is going. Likely too late to go for a lengthy recess and comeback, too.

This is likely a result of grinding away with injuries for too long, as he never spent any substantial time off after his career-derailing kyujo in Aki 2020. A shame because, on his way up, he truly looked like he could belong in those joi echelons. Certainly had the skill.

All the best for his future.

[Yokozuna Hattorizakura 119]

Such a shame. I remember he once posted the best fought 2-13 I've seen at his brief peak at the top of makuuchi lol. He was always a bit of underachiever though, kinda like Endo. Definitely when compared to rival Asanoyama, shame they didn't have one last match next basho.

[rokudenashi 148]

His reaction after losing to Tochimusashi yesterday gave me the indication that this might happen. He was notorious for letting his emotions show on his face after a loss, but this time he was smiling from when he got back up to when he headed back down the hanamichi, as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders. It seemed so out of character for him that the prospect of intai entered my mind.

A respectable sumo tenure (if perhaps falling short of expectations) and out before the age of 30, good for him.

Best of luck in your next life Yutakayama!

[Reonito 597]

I think Yutakayama is the first top-division wrestler of whom I can say that I saw his entire career since getting into sumo.

[Akinomaki 34,218]

If the toshiyori name is not mentioned in the intai announcement by the NSK, a rikishi always quits without becoming oyakata.

Yutakayama will have the intai press conference on the 29th. Niigata is without sekitori now, the local paper was always supporting him and had a newspaper special for his intai

o

 

Aki basho vs. Oho

o

bouts this basho:

d5 Hidenoumio d6 Kitanowakao d12 mk vs. Tsurugisho o

final bout vs. Tochimusashi

o o o

His local koenkai started Dec. 2020

o

oo   o

o   o o o o

Edited November 30, 2022 by Akinomaki

[Churaumi 680]

Explains his oddly happy behavior yesterday. He's one who I enjoyed watching and wish his body had held up longer. 

[Kashunowaka 249]

I expected the title to contain Tokushoryu, not Yutakayama. I would be surprised to see the former carry on.

[Koorifuu 438]

58 minutes ago, Kashunowaka said:

I expected the title to contain Tokushoryu, not Yutakayama. I would be surprised to see the former carry on.

I've seen people saying the same thing elsewhere, and while that's a strong possibility, I can totally see Tokushoryu having a Jokoryu-like late career, having fun brawling about in makushita, with the occasional unsuccessful juryo dab. We'll see that in the next few days.

[dingo 624]

Quite out of the blue, but in the end not totally unexpected. His body unfortunately did not hold up, otherwise we'd still see him in the joi and who knows, perhaps winning this basho even. Too bad he had to leave early, but I applaud his courage to step back when the time is right. Wish him the best of luck in his post sumo life. 

Edited November 28, 2022 by dingo

[Sue 456]

13 hours ago, Kaninoyama said:

He and Asanoyama were always compared with one another since their amateur days and came up through the ranks as rivals, with Asanoyama from Toyama and he from neighboring Niigata. 

They broke into Makuuchi at the same basho, and that's what caught my attention for both of them. I had hoped that he would develop enough to be a good rival for Asanoyama, but that didn't happen. Alas.

[Kintamayama 40,089]

10 hours ago, Sue said:

They broke into Makuuchi at the same basho, and that's what caught my attention for both of them. I had hoped that he would develop enough to be a good rival for Asanoyama, but that didn't happen. Alas.

They actually came in together at Sandanme 100 tsukedashi. Yutakayama made Makuuchi two bashos earlier than Asanoyama.

[Akinomaki 34,218]

On 28/11/2022 at 18:28, Akinomaki said:

Yutakayama will have the intai press conference on the 29th.

intai press conference: he told the oyakata before the basho that he's crossed his limits already. He wants to be a trainer from now on

o o o o o  o

 

4th year university at the Towada tournament he won, with Asanoyama (3rd)

o

sansho together Nagoya 2018

o

last win against rival Asanoyama: Haru 2020

o

Edited November 30, 2022 by Akinomaki