Kokkai intai

[shumitto]

It has been reported at least twice already in other threads. However, a former komusubi retirement is worth its own thread, I guess.

The date of his danpatsu-shiki has yet to be decided. He will return to his homeland of Georgia where he will spread sumo and also start a political career. He was the first European in Makuuchi, now he is the first European sekitori to retire, and my impression is that others will follow in his footsteps. In other words, soon we will read of Baruto's or Kotooshu's plan of returning to their countries to spread sumo & become politicians or public persons in some capacity.

I wish him luck.

http://mainichi.jp/sports/news/20120921k0000e050157000c.html

[kuroimori]

(Kokkai...) will have his (Danpatsu-shiki...)(the exact date will be announced later)

[Pandaazuma]

I have plenty of great memories of his distinctive oshi style, sadly diluted in the last few years by age and chronic injuries. He always conducted himself with great dignity and remains one of my favourite foreign rikishi.

Best of luck to the lad.

[Zenjimoto]

He's done well for himself, given that he has his own custom smiley in this forum! Slowly but surely more and more of them are going away:

No longer with us: (KaioU...) (Mickey...) (Toki...) (Iwakiyama...) (Roho...) (Buyuzan...) (Kokkai...) (Futeno...)

Still here: (Osh...) (Bart...) (Sakke...)

Perhaps it's time for introducing some new ones? (In jonokuchi...)

Btw, any of the Europeans candidates to stay in the Kyokai after retirement? Doesn't seem like any of them are...?

Edited September 22, 2012 by Zenjimoto

[Pippooshu]

I'm very sad for this. He was a brutal wrestler with "heavy hands". I think he has been the first east-european in japanese sumo. Before than Kotooshu, Baruto, Aran, Takanoyama, Tochinoshin, Aoiyama and "fallen" russians Roho, Hakurozan and Wakanoho. Is it right?

Edited September 22, 2012 by Pippooshu

[Pippooshu]

I have plenty of great memories of his distinctive oshi style, sadly diluted in the last few years by age and chronic injuries. He always conducted himself with great dignity and remains one of my favourite foreign rikishi.

Best of luck to the lad.

Perfect post!

[kuroimori]

I'm very sad for this. He was a brutal wrestler with "heavy hands". I think he has been the first east-european in japanese sumo. Before than Kotooshu, Baruto, Aran, Takanoyama, Tochinoshin, Aoiyama and "fallen" russians Roho, Hakurozan and Wakanoho. Is it right?

Yes, you are right!

Kokkai was the first European sekitori, his Juryo debut was at the Natsu 2003 basho and first to Makuuchi in Hatsu 2004 (it was also the first basho for me to follow when I was living in Tokyo)

But Roho beat him as first European Sanyaku when he reached the rank of Komusubi at the Haru 2006 tournament.

[Kintamayama]

Kokkai held his intai press conference today. "By my coming to Japan and entering sumo, I have widened my life experience. I have a lot of memories n my heart," he said. He said his fondest memory was when he beat Asashouryuu and got that kinboshi back in July 2005. He plans to enter the business world back home and also train amateur sumo athletes in Georgia. "I would be happy if he told everyone back home that he lived the sumo life ," said Oitekaze Oyakata.

The danpatsushiki will be held in Tokyo-no date set yet.

Oitekaze with Kokkai:

Edited September 22, 2012 by Kintamayama

[Pippooshu]

He isn't so old! He is 31 because is born in 1981! But ha has too many injuries, I think, in the back above all...

[Hakuyobaku]

Highlights of Kokkai's career for me would be his second kinboshi, in fantastic style vs Asashoryu in Hatsu 2006. . There's a video around, not on youtube but here: http://www.banzuke.c...shor_kokkai.wmv . One has to remember how dominant Asashoryu was at the time, riding on record 7 basho winning streak, which is unimaginable at the moment.

Second highlight would be the Indian summer of his career, Haru 2008, when he racked up record 12 wins in good style

Third, his first kinboshi, in Nagoya 2005, again vs Asashoryu, not a stellar win but again, one has to keep in mind how dominant Asashoryu was at the time, right in the middle of the record yusho streak, the year when he lost only 6 bouts.

A trail blazer in a range of ways, he paved way for some more dominant European rikishi. One has to realize that in Georgia, people go to do pro sumo for money mostly, but Kokkai was stylish. Injured for most of his career, didn't miss a bout for most of his career until the very end. until Best of luck

Edited September 22, 2012 by Hakuyobaku

[Yubinhaad]

Report on Kokkai's intai from The Mainichi:

========

Sumo: Injury-weary former komusubi Kokkai calls it quits

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Battle-weary Georgian wrestler Kokkai has decided to call time on his career and submitted retirement papers to the Japan Sumo Association on Friday, the 13th day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.

Kokkai's stablemaster Oitekaze said the former komusubi, currently a 12th-ranked juryo division wrestler, has knee, neck and shoulder problems and no longer has the drive to keep on fighting.

"He has dropped down (a division) and no longer has the spirit to give it another shot," said Oitekaze of Kokkai, who pulled out of the ongoing Tokyo basho on the third day of action with a right knee injury.

"He has got bad knees, a bad neck and bad shoulders and hasn't been able to train properly for the last three tournaments."

Kokkai, whose ring name means Black Sea after the body of water bordering his homeland, has not taken Japanese citizenship and will not become a sumo elder. He plans to return home to Georgia to start a business.

Kokkai made his debut at the 2001 summer basho and reached his highest ever rank of komusubi at the autumn meet in 2006.

========

[Blue_Wolf]

He was scary when he was coming up and yusho'd in juryo. People had high hopes for him. Even comparing hem to Hakuho.

[yorikiried by fate]

Sorry I really don't want to be a cheeky bastard, but how could he have been compared to Hakuho, when he was already in Makuuchi at the time Hakuho arrived in Juryo? Usally comparisons are made against established standards.

Edited September 24, 2012 by yorikiried by fate

[Asashosakari]

I honestly don't remember much Kokkai hype from back then other than a brief "wow, 14-1 yusho, you don't see that very often in juryo!" phase. Maaaybe somebody somewhere expected him to become an ozeki after that, but I think such ideas dissipated pretty quickly once it was demonstrated that his fighting style worked merely good but not great against makuuchi opposition.

[Blue_Wolf]

I don't know. Maybe it's just me. I googled;

http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=3412

http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=3325

And i did not find much. Yeah, it's me. I had high hopes for him.

[Naganoyama]

Kokkai looks so relaxed now. It's as if the cares of the world have been lifted from his shoulders. Good to see!

[Yubinhaad]

Kokkai's danpatsu-shiki was held today at a hotel in Tokyo. About 200 people participated, including both Yokozuna Hakuho and Harumafuji. Kokkai is currently running a Japanese restaurant back in Georgia and also helping out with the amateur sumo scene there.

Final cut by Oitekaze-oyakata:

[Akinomaki]

(a few minutes too late, I deleted half)
Kokkai: "In sumo I learned the patience necessary for a human being."
A national hero in Georgia: "I want to help to improve Japan-Gorgia relations.", showing his dream to become a politician.

[Swami]

Good luck to him!

Swami

[Akinomaki]

more pics today





with wife

[Yubinhaad]

Extras:

[Jakusotsu]

Having the wife make a cut? Never seen something like that before...

[Kintamayama]

Having the wife make a cut? Never seen something like that before...

Begging the question-why not at the Kkan like the other ex-Makuuchi guys?

[yorikiried by fate]

She looks a bit like she's in charge. That might explain Kokkai's perma-raised eyebrow.