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Kintamayama

Ochil-the most talked about Mongolian prospect-enters sumo

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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  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]

 

Maybe Rhyen can add some more info?

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4 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

In Mongolian, "Ochir" means "God" and "Saihan" means "happiness." 

To be accurate, Ochir is the Vajra and Saihan means "good, pleasant". Vajra symbolizes diamond and thunderbolt so that's something nice he could incorporate into his shikona. In Japanese it's 金剛 kongou, so 金ノ富士 Kanenofuji maybe?

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17 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

According to sumo regulations, each heya can only have one foreign-born wrestler.

So Seihakuho is still expected to branch out again?

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54 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

So Seihakuho is still expected to branch out again?

The situation is explained in detail. Or did I miss something, which I usually do with your comments?

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2 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

The situation is explained in detail. Or did I miss something, which I usually do with your comments?

Too much detail perhaps. I lost track of the whole Miyagino discussion at some point.

Edit: Oops, it's even explained in the original post above. My attention span won't last beyond two paragraphs anymore... (Wearingapaperbag...)

Edited by Jakusotsu

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The shindeshi kensa for Aki was held today at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, and all three applicants, including Battsetsegye Ochirsaikhan (23) of Isegahama beya, met the physical requirements of being over 167 cm tall and weighing over 67 kg. Pending the results of the internal organ examination, the successful candidates will be announced on shonichi. Ochirsaikhan is a promising prospect who has already shown strength surpassing that of the sekitori in keiko. Having passed at 185 cm and 150 kg, he said enthusiastically, "Finally.. I'm looking forward to it. I'll work hard to move up." Both Ochirsaikhan, who is originally from Mongolia, and Gambat Otgonbat (21) of Tamanoi beya, who dropped out of Toyo University, are scheduled to make their debut after obtaining performance visas.
 

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He passed all additional tests and will be entering Kyushu after all the visa stuff will be taken care of.

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