Akebono haigyo!

[Kotoseiya Yuichi]

I just got the message from Japan that Akebono Oyakata is haigyo, resigned from the membership of the Nihon Sumo Kyokai. Anyone with details?

[Kintamayama]

It appears he's going to join K-1!!!!!

Akebono will be asking to resign from the Sumo Kyokai today. Yesterday, he met with takasago Oyakata and asked to be let go. He is going after his dream of joining a martial arts organization. "I can't say anything at the moment", he said. But his close circle says that he has always been talking about joining K-1, which is a sport akin to kickboxing. It seems he will go pro again.

Akebono arrived at the Takasago Heya encouragement party held in a hotel in Fukuoka, and went into a side room with Takasago Oyakata for a fifteen minute conference. His appearance there caused a lot of chatter, since it was highly irregular (He's from Azumazeki beya, which belongs to Takasago Ichimon) . People there knew something was about. Then, he abruptly left for Tokyo. Leaving Fukuoka three days before Shonichi is also highly irregular.. There are rumors that he met with Kitanoumi Rijicho as well.

The last ex-Yokozuna who left the kyokai was Wakanohana III in December 2000.

IF this happens, and Akebono enters K-1, the impact will be tremendous. It will be a first time an honored ex- Yokozuna turns professional in the "hand to hand combat " world. (Futahaguro, who became a pro-wrestler, doesn't count for obvious reasons...) his "name value" for whatever sport he decides to join will be very high. He has kept in shape by training others, and it wouldn't be terribly surprising to see him in the ring again. (what about the KNEES?? MD) Will he be going from the round ring to the squared one? Whatever organization he chooses to join, it will cause a great stir in the sports world.

Here is a link to an English article:

http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20031106p2a00m0fp011000c.html

Edited November 6, 2003 by Kintamayama

[furanohana]

And that's a bad to start a day, to learn this... (This is no good...) ;-)

[Yubiquitoyama]

It appears he's going to join K-1!!!!!

:-D

Has Akebono gone crazy? Has the Kyokai thrown him out? Will the world come to an end? ;-)

[Kintamayama]

Azumazeki Oyakata is using words like "betrayal". He said Akebono had asked to retire three time spreviously, but was persuaded not to. "There was no use trying to convince him a fourth time. I don't want to use these words, but this is a betrayal!", he said.

A press conference is supposed to be on right now.

I say, he got a financial offer he couldn't refuse. Couple that with an aging athlete's wish to live on forever, and you have it..

Edited November 6, 2003 by Kintamayama

[Kaikitsune Makoto]

Many martial arts athletes and other kind of athletes too get enough after a while and don't miss the hard training etc. Akebono with his arthritic knees entering K1 is absurd and can't see any other reason than money. Maybe the big guy has big expenses too...

The ultimate poster boy of massive steroid usage Bob Sapp looks more like a character from a scifi comedy. I have seen some matches of his and he looks just like a big stupid gorilla whose brain weighs 2g and who doesn't have skill but only his freaky body. At least compared to him, Akebono looks less like an idiot.

Well Akebono has the brutality for K-1 me thinks. Hopefully tsuppari is allowed and he can at least entartain audience by throwing his foe around and then get a WARNING for illegal style.

How beautiful day for ozumo.

[Manekineko]

;-)

[Fujisan]

Well theres one thing though-

We get more K1 on british eurosport than Sumo,whens he likely to debut?

I agree,its not right though.

[Kashunowaka]

When he has failed in his K-1 career, is it possible for him to come back to sumo? If so, can he buy a toshiyori-kabu later, or have he forfeited his chances of that by leaving the Kyokai?

[Yubiquitoyama]

When he has failed in his K-1 career, is it possible for him to come back to sumo? If so, can he buy a toshiyori-kabu later, or have he forfeited his chances of that by leaving the Kyokai?

I am quite sure this is it. After he's haigyo, it's no coming back.

[Kintamayama]

I am quite sure this is it. After he's haigyo, it's no coming back.

Although he can come back after some years as "Chaddo-san" or "Taro-san' and train the newbies at Asashouryuu-beya..

He will have to give up the Akebono name too, right? Maybe they'll let him use AKEBONO (romaji) like they allowed KONISHIKI.

I have a gut feeling they won't.

Edited November 6, 2003 by Kintamayama

[Zenjimoto]

This is the most demented thing I have heard in a long time. K-1 to me represents everything that is wrong in sports and entertainment today, and to have an icon of the ONE refuge sport that still has some class defect to it, is a real blow.

Akebono says, he wants to fight again. That he wants his children to have a chance to see him fight. What a strange disposition is this, you would like your young children to see you beat the crap out of some other guy for money, or even worse, have your kids watching while some stronger, fitter, younger and lighter thug beats their daddy into a cripple on international television - which I am sure will happen sooner rather than later.

My respect for Akebono has completely vanished.

Ultimate Jeers

Zenjimoto

Edited November 6, 2003 by Zenjimoto

[Doitsuyama]

I'm pretty sure he can't come back with a toshiyori once he left. BUT - maybe he was more or less forced to make haigyō since his time as oyakata without toshiyori-kabu will come to an end in a year or two anyway he only had the choice of haigyō or digging up the money (probably having to take a big loan) to buy a toshiyori-kabu. Since the choice (in connection with the K-1 offer) means the short term choice between getting a lot of money on the one side and having to loan a lot of money on the other side his decision might be understandable from an entrepreneurial stance. In the long run the toshiyori-kabu might be the more safe cash cow, but who knows if the world still exists in the long run. :-P

[Manekineko]

Re: Toshiyori buying.

Isn't Azumazeki-oyakata close to 65? Maybe he was even willing to retire somewhat earlier then that age if Akebono needed a kabu to stay... I really thought Ake would be the new Azumazeki. :-| No wonder Azumazeki spoke of betrayal, I feel somewhat betrayed myself... If you asked me two days ago, I had more respect for Ake than for Taka. Now, that's gone. (Broken heart...) , indeed.

Edit: why K1? (Shaking head...)

:-P (Depressed...)

Edited November 6, 2003 by Manekineko

[Yubiquitoyama]

Isn't Azumazeki-oyakata close to 65?

Azumazeki is 60 next year I think, so he has a few years left before retirement.

Edited November 6, 2003 by Yubiquitoyama

[Zenjimoto]

Another thing I forgot to mention, I find the timing of this announcement despicable. Just a few days before shonishi he totally deflates Azumazeki-beya with this. What was the rush? He could have just as easily announced after the basho, and at least finished his duties in training and taking care of the stablemates during this most important time... (Sign of disapproval) (Sign of disapproval) (Sign of disapproval)

[Mark Buckton]

One financial aspect I haven't seen covered thus far (but forgive me if it has been) was this: headlines around the time Akebono called it quits indicated him to be receiving a large sum from the Kyokai as a .....thank you? / severance of yokozuna? / retirement benefit - forgot the terminology.

Anyway, turns out it was either, as large as it was, one tenth or one hundreth of that given to Wakanohana - a yokozuna of course but a less accomplished one - bar the family name. So, was it racism? Who knows? Something else? Who knows again?

Anyone got any info on this chain of thoughts.

ANR

[Onnagumo]

Akebono says, he wants to fight again.  That he wants his children to have a chance to see him fight. 

(Just do not get it...) I don't get it..... Instead of showing his kids videotapes of the times their dad was a great, highly respected yokozuna, he wants to make a fool of himself in a K-1 ring before their eyes...... (Broken heart...) (Shaking head...)

It happens that just yesterday my oldest son (almost 9) asked me if he could see a videotape with some matches of Akebono on it. He was cheering so loud the neighbours must have thought we had won the lottery. He still can't forget those days. I don't think I'll tell him what Akebono is going to do now. I don't want him to see what Akebono's kids are going to see.

Boy, this news really makes me feel sad.

:-P

[Kashunowaka]

As a matter of fact, I didn't even know that there existed a sport named K-1 until today. :-P

Since everyone seems to be very upset that Akebono chose this particular sport, perhaps some more knowledgeable person could explain a little: What's the object of the sport? Who is this Bob Sapp guy? How long has K-1 existed?

[Naifuzan]

K-1 is kinda like kick boxing, but it's only heavy weight. There are also a lot of theatrics and show to it. The fighters play dress up and stuff like that :-P

Bob Sapp is a huge former american football player, former pro wrestler, who joined K-1 and is hugely popular in japan.

He's a little over 2 metres tall and weigh 160kg, and it's all muscle. So he's a monster.

He has no fighting skill what so ever but he's huge and strong.

He's apparently enormously popular in japan, and he's the kind of guy you either love of hate.

Futhermore, Mike Tyson recently signed for K-1 and is going to fight Bob Sapp sometime in the beginning of 2004 I think.

So it's pretty much a huge circus.

I wonder how Akebono figured he could last an entire K-1 match. He has to go for reaaaally early knock out. I have a hard time seeing how he could have the stamina for a sport like K-1.

[Kashunowaka]

Whew - for a minute I thought ... Never mind.

[Naifuzan]

LOL :-P

Yeah, its pretty confusing isn't it?

But I think I'd rather see Akebono and Sapp duke it out in that kind of K1 fight.

He who sinks last wins!

[Yubiquitoyama]

One financial aspect I haven't seen covered thus far (but forgive me if it has been) was this: headlines around the time Akebono called it quits indicated him to be receiving a large sum from the Kyokai as a .....thank you? / severance of yokozuna? / retirement benefit - forgot the terminology.

Anyway, turns out it was either, as large as it was, one tenth or one hundreth of that given to Wakanohana - a yokozuna of course but a less accomplished one - bar the family name. So, was it racism? Who knows? Something else? Who knows again?

Anyone got any info on this chain of thoughts.

ANR

I really think that is not correct. With the mailing list archive down, I can't find the exact amounts Wakanohana and Akebono got on retirement, but I'm pretty sure I recall Akebono got the bigger amount by some margin, as of course he should.

[Tumppi]

I was very shocked to read this.. :-P

Any idea when he will fight K1??

Oh yeah Bob Sabb is a beast.. 171kg I've seen. The only time I've seen him fight (don't watch K1 much at all) he lost to this 100kg guy.. Mirko Crocop I think it was, by KO.

[Asashosakari]

Edit: why K1?  :-P

They pay good money to relative outsiders if they bring enough celebrity status with them, the K-1 circuit is all the rage in Japan at the moment, and it's generally regarded as one of the more respectable (and tame) mixed martial arts organizations currently around, which is why I'm not sure why Zenjimoto feels that K-1 "represents everything that is wrong in sports and entertainment today" - there's plenty of worse stuff out there, even if your main hang-up is the mix of legit fighting and theatrical presentation. (UFC does that too, and it's arguably quite a bit more brutal and, ermm, unsightly, than K-1. )

I can't say I'm a terribly big fan of K-1 though, and I'm just as surprised as anyone else by this development. I think Doitsuyama has it right; the allure of quick, big money as compared to having to take a loan just to secure the relatively modest oyakata pay probably played a big role here. (Shaking head...)

Edited November 6, 2003 by Asashosakari