Former yokozuna Futahaguro dies aged 55.

[Swami]

I have just learned this morning of the death of former Yokozuna Futahaguro at the age of 55. He died on 10 February from kidney disease but the death has only been reported this morning.

Futahaguro of course will remain notorious for being forced to leave sumo in disgrace following a major argument with his stablemaster, hitting his stablemaster's wife and the head of his supporters' club. His poor performance following his premature promotion to Yokozuna (without winning a yusho) also had a factor in his very early retirement at only 24.

He later turned to pro-wrestling.

Swami

 

[Swami]

Controversial ex-sumo champ Futahaguro dies at 55: media
By Afp

Published: 05:17, 30 March 2019 | Updated: 05:17, 30 March 2019

+1 <img id="i-1fc9c386f0e003cc" src="https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/30/05/wire-11647844-1553923033-943_634x707.jpg" height="707" width="634" alt="Futahaguro, whose real name was Koji Kitao, was the only person in modern sumo history to have assumed the top sumo rank of "yokozuna" or grand champion without winning a tournament" class="blkBorder img-share" />

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Futahaguro, whose real name was Koji Kitao, was the only person in modern sumo history to have assumed the top sumo rank of "yokozuna" or grand champion without winning a tournament

Controversial former sumo grand champion Futahaguro, who retired in the late 1980s after a rift with his manager, died last month at age 55, Japanese media said Saturday.

The wrestler, whose real name was Koji Kitao, was the only person in modern sumo history to have assumed the top sumo rank of "yokozuna" or grand champion without winning a tournament, thanks to his impressive athleticism and talent.

Standing two metres (six feet and six inches) high and weighing 150 kilogrammes (330 pounds) at the height of his career, Futahaguro quickly rose through the ranks and became a grand champion in 1986 at age 22.

But he earned a reputation as an undisciplined young man in the hierarchical, tradition-bound sumo world and had a rocky relationship with his stablemates.

Futahaguro did not win any of the eight tournaments that he competed in as a yokozuna.

He left the sumo world at age 24 after fleeing from his stable in 1987 -- an incident that prompted the sumo authority to enforce a rule for not promoting a wrestler to yokozuna until the person won multiple tournaments.

Following a brief stint as a professional wrestler, the fighter largely disappeared from public life.

He died in February due to a kidney disease, his wife Yoshie told Japanese media.

Swami

 

[Swami]

Ex-yokozuna Futahaguro died in February at age 55, wife announces
Details
Written by Kyodo
Published: 30 March 2019
Hits: 10

Former yokozuna Futahaguro, who quit sumo after a series of personal issues, died on Feb. 10 at the age of 55, his wife, Yoshie, revealed.

Futahaguro, whose real name was Koji Kitao, died of the chronic kidney disease he has been battling since 2013.

A native of Mie Prefecture, the 199-cm Futahaguro was quickly marked as a rising star in the sumo world. He was promoted to yokozuna around the time of his 23rd birthday after the July 1986 tourney.

After promotion to yokozuna, his performance became inconsistent. At one point he went missing after a disagreement with his stablemaster. Futahaguro wrestled in just eight tournaments as a yokozuna before he retired and never won a grand tournament championship.

In the wake of his shocking retirement in December 1987, the Japan Sumo Association adopted a guideline for a time of not promoting a wrestler to yokozuna until he had won two consecutive championships as an ozeki.

After his retirement, he took up pro wrestling. In 2003, he was hired as an adviser at his former Tatsunami stable.

Swami

 

[Michelle Stevens]

Very informative. Wow, a yokozuna at twenty-three. I guess the JSA learned their lesson with that promotion of such a young and untested rikishi.

 

[Swami]

Yes, pretty much since then the unwritten rule has been two consecutive yusho to get promotion to Yokozuna.

In any event, he was promoted too early, he was too immature for promotion at the time and his behaviour in his stable was unacceptable.

Swami