Wikipedia

Ura Kazuki

In this Japanese name, the surname is Ura.

Ura Kazuki (Japanese: 宇良 和輝, born 22 June 1992) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Neyagawa, Osaka. After winning a gold medal in sumo at the 2013 World Combat Games, he made his professional debut in 2015, wrestling with the Kise stable and he won the jonokuchi division championship in his first tournament. He reached the top makuuchi division in March 2017, but a pair of serious injuries led to two extended layoffs, and his rank dropped to the lowest since his debut tournament, and it was three and a half years before he returned to top-level competition. He has two kinboshi, or gold stars, for defeating a yokozuna.

Ura Kazuki
宇良 和輝
Personal information
BornKazuki Ura
(1992-06-22) 22 June 1992 (age 32)
Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight142 kg (313 lb)
Career
StableKise
UniversityKwansei Gakuin University
Current ranksee below
DebutMarch 2015
Highest rankKomusubi (January, 2024)
Championships1 Juryo
2 Sandanme
1 Jonidan
1 Jonokuchi
Special Prizes1 Technique
Gold Stars2
Harumafuji
Terunofuji
* Up to date as of 25 December 2023.
Medal record
Men's Sumo
Representing  Japan
World Combat Games
Gold medal – first place 2013 St. Petersburg Lightweight

Ura's highest rank has been komusubi, which he achieved in January 2024. His unpredictable style has made him a favourite with tournament crowds.[1]

Amateur career

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While attending the School of Education, Kwansei Gakuin University, Ura was a member of the sumo club.[2] He competed in sumo at the 2013 World Combat Games at Saint Petersburg, Russia, winning a gold medal in the lightweight division.[2]

Professional career

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Debut and early success

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In February 2015, he announced his intention to enter the Kise stable as a professional sumo wrestler,[2] and after his first bouts in March, made his tournament debut in the May basho, winning the jonokuchi division.[3] He again performed well in the July tournament, posting a 7–0 record and losing a playoff for the jonidan division championship. After going 5–2 in the sandamne division in September, he finished the year with a 7–0 record as a makushita debutante, again losing a division championship playoff in November.

Ura began 2016 with a 6–1 record and another makushita playoff loss in January. Also going 6–1 in March, he was promoted to jūryō for the next tournament. In recognition of becoming the first among their alumni to achieve sekitori (the two highest divisions in sumo) rank, he was given a keshō-mawashi by Kwansei Gakuin University.[4] He finished the May tournament 10–5 and with a 11–4 finish in the July tournament, he entered the September event as the top-ranked jūryō, but he went 6–9, his first losing record, having fractured a bone in his left wrist that required post-tournament surgery.[5] On his return, he posted a 8–7 record in the November tournament.

His overall 11–4 record in the January 2017 tournament led to his promotion to the top makuuchi division and a rank of maegashira 12. In March 2017, before a home crowd in Osaka, he achieved a winning record (kachi-koshi) of 8–7, and entered the May 2017 tournament at maegashira 10. There he scored eleven wins against four losses in this tournament, but did not receive a special prize for his efforts, despite speculation that he would win the Technique Award. Former yokozuna Kitanofuji, commentating for NHK, expressed his surprise at the omission.[6] Still, his performance earned him a career-high ranking of maegashira 4 for the July 2017 tournament. There he got off to a 5–1 start, but then injuries among those ranked above him shifted him to a more challenging schedule, facing the san'yaku, the foremost wrestlers, for the first time. Though he defeated Harumafuji on Day 9 to earn his first kinboshi or gold star for a win over a yokozuna,[7] he injured his knee in a defeat to ozeki Takayasu on the following day, and he lost four of his remaining five matches to finish with a make-koshi 7–8 record.

Injury problems and returns

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Ura withdrew from the summer regional tour that followed the July 2017 tournament, citing damaged right knee ligaments, and indicated he would need a month's rest to recover.[8] He returned for the September tournament, but exacerbated his injury on the second day and was forced to withdraw,[9] with reports indicating a right knee anterior cruciate ligament injury and a left knee meniscus injury that would require surgery.[10] With the subsequent extended rehabilitation,[11] he only returned to the competition a year later at the September 2018 contest, having dropped three divisions in the rankings to near the bottom of sandanme. In this tournament he went 6–1 to stop his slide, and followed that with an undefeated 7–0 record and sandamne division championship in the November 2018 tournament. This returned him to makushita for the January 2019 contest, but he re-injured his right-knee ligament on a day 10 bout against future top-division man, Hōshōryū, withdrawing from the remainder of the tournament.[12]

He underwent surgery again in late February 2019, requiring another extended recovery period,[13] from which he only returned the following November, having dropped to the bottom of jonidan, his lowest rank since his debut tournament. He achieved a 6–1 record in this first tournament back, and in the following tournament in January 2020, from the rank of jonidan 28, an undefeated 7–0 record and a playoff victory earned Ura the division championship. Fighting at the rank of sandanme 30 at the March tournament, Ura won his second straight division championship with another perfect 7–0 record and a playoff win. This result earned him a return to makushita for the July tournament (the May tournament having been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and he extended his winning streak to 18 matches before finishing at 6–1 and earning a spot in the upper ranks of makushita, where another 6–1 in September elevated him back to jūryō after 15 tournaments in lower divisions. He is only the second former top division wrestler after Terunofuji to fall as far as jonidan and make a return to jūryō,[14] earning 9–6 and 10–5 records on his first two tournaments back in November 2020 and January 2021, respectively. In the March 2021 tournament he reached 6–2 on Day 8 after a win over another fan favorite, Enhō, a highly-anticipated first match between the two in professional sumo,[15] but a minor injury Ura suffered in the contest forced his withdrawal from the next two days of the tournament,[16] before returning to gain 4 additional wins.

 
Ura tegata (handprint & signature)

Ura won the jūryō championship in May 2021 with a 12–3 record, ensuring his return to makuuchi after 21 tournaments away. He now holds the record for the lowest rank reached before a successful makuuchi return (jonidan 106 West).[17]

Return to top division

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Ura began the July 2021 tournament ranked at maegashira 13, and after a 10–5 record rose to maegashira 6 for September. In a tournament that included a pairing that matched him against fellow top division returnee and newly-promoted yokozuna Terunofuji, he finished 7-8. He then opened the November tournament one rank lower at maegashira 7. In this tournament he produced a 10–5 record and won his first special prize, for Technique,[18] and as a consequence surpassing his pre-injury highest rank, opening the January 2022 tournament at maegashira 2 and again achieving a winning record of 8–7. At maegashira 1 in March, he finished 4–11, dropping him to maegashira 6. In the May 2022 tournament, Ura's record after the 13th day stood at 9–4, just one win behind three leaders tied on 10–3, but he withdrew from the tournament on Day 14 with a left ankle injury.[19]

In the September 2022 tournament, Ura stood out by winning his fourth day with a rare Tsutaezori kimarite and earned his second kinboshi when he defeated yokozuna Terunofuji on the sixth day.[20] In the November tournament Ura ended with a 4–11 record.[21]

In the January 2023 tournament Ura finished with a 7–8 record.[22] In the March tournament Ura secured a 9–6 record.[23]

San'yaku promotion

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Following an 8-win record at the top maegashira rank in November 2023, Ura was promoted to komusubi, reaching san'yaku for the first time in his career. Ura said after the promotion that he was happy, adding that he thought he would never make it to the komusubi rank. He became the first former top-division competitor in the history of sumo to reach san'yaku after being demoted to jonidan.[24] Ura finished the tournament 6–9, however, beating Ryūden on the final day using the rare winning technique tsutaezori ('underarm forward body drop').[25]

Ura was demoted to maegashira 1 for the March 2024 tournament. Despite finishing that tournament with a losing record, he stood out in the first week by beating three of the then four ōzeki (Hōshōryū, Kirishima and Kotonowaka).[26][27][28] Ura took the early lead in the following tournament in May by winning six consecutive matches in the first week of the competition, achieving this series of consecutive victories for the first time in his career.[29][30] His position as leader came to an end, however, when he lost his seventh and eighth matches to ōzeki Kotozakura (the former Kotonowaka) and Hōshōryū respectively.[31][32] He lost six more times in a row and finished the tournament with another losing record.

Style

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When he first entered the professional ranks Ura's weight was listed as 113 kg (249 lb),[33] but by May 2017 he had bulked up to 137 kg (302 lb) and by March 2021 to 143 kg (315 lb), heavier than the other 'small' sekitori such as Ishiura, Terutsuyoshi, Tobizaru and Enhō. When he first became a sekitori, he displeased some sumo elders as one of several younger wrestlers bucking tradition by choosing colorful mawashi over the traditional brown or black, in his case opting for deep pink.[34][35]

Ura is predominantly a pusher. However, observers have noted his tendency to be unpredictable, with former yokozuna Wakanohana even saying that he has "no style", which prevents his opponents from anticipating him.[29] The unpredictability of his improvisational style that responds to opponents' moves has made him popular.[34] Ura has been called "agile as a gymnast"[34] and his bouts acrobatic.[1] His favourite techniques as listed in his Japan Sumo Association profile include oshi pushing/thrusting techniques as well as the rare ashitori (leg grab), and he has also drawn notice for performing other rare winning techniques. In the May 2016 tournament, he won a jūryō bout by koshinage, a hip throw.[36] He employed another rare winning technique at the January 2017 tournament, tasukizori (reverse backward body drop), against fellow jūryō wrestler, Amakaze, its first instance in sumo's upper divisions since 1955 when winning techniques were first announced.[37] In the November 2020 tournament he deployed two unusual techniques. On the fifth day he used izori to defeat Kyokushūhō, the first time the move had been seen at sekitori level since Tomonohana used it against Hananokuni in September 1993. Tomonohana (now Tamagaki-oyakata) was at the ringside in his role as a judge to see Ura's win.[38] On the fourteenth day of the same tournament Ura defeated Azumaryū with the rare ushiromotare, or "backward lean out," which brought cheers from the crowd when the technique was announced.[39] During the twelfth day of the May 2023 tournament, Ura won his match against Tobizaru using the very rare kimarite winning technique zubuneri. This technique had not been used in makuuchi for 25 years.[40]

Career record

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Ura Kazuki[41]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2015 x (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #9
7–0
Champion
 		 East Jonidan #10
7–0–P
 		 West Sandanme #18
5–2
 		 West Makushita #54
7–0–P
 
2016 West Makushita #6
6–1–P
 		 West Makushita #2
6–1
 		 West Jūryō #13
10–5
 		 West Jūryō #8
11–4
 		 East Jūryō #1
6–9
 		 East Jūryō #5
8–7
 
2017 East Jūryō #3
11–4
 		 West Maegashira #12
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #10
11–4
 		 East Maegashira #4
7–8
★		 West Maegashira #4
1–2–12
 		 West Maegashira #16
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15
2018 East Jūryō #11
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 West Makushita #10
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Makushita #50
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Sandanme #30
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 East Sandanme #91
6–1
 		 East Sandanme #33
7–0
Champion
 
2019 West Makushita #23
2–3–2
 		 West Makushita #36
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Sandanme #16
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Sandanme #76
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Jonidan #36
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Jonidan #106
6–1
 
2020 East Jonidan #28
7–0–P
Champion
 		 West Sandanme #30
7–0–P
Champion
 		 East Makushita #19
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 East Makushita #19
6–1
 		 West Makushita #5
6–1
 		 East Jūryō #13
9–6
 
2021 East Jūryō #10
10–5
 		 East Jūryō #7
10–4–1
 		 East Jūryō #2
12–3
Champion
 		 West Maegashira #13
10–5
 		 East Maegashira #6
7–8
 		 East Maegashira #7
10–5
T
2022 East Maegashira #2
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #1
4–11
 		 East Maegashira #6
9–5–1
 		 West Maegashira #3
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #3
8–7
★		 East Maegashira #3
4–11
 
2023 West Maegashira #7
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #8
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #4
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #4
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #4
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #1
8–7
 
2024 West Komusubi #1
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #1
6–9
 		 West Maegashira #4
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #4
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #5
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #2
5–10
 
Record given as wins–losses–absences    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Miki, Shuji (5 May 2017). "SUMO ABC (50) / Do rikishi from the college ranks ever shine in the top ranks?". The Japan News. Yomiuri Shimbun. Tokyo.
  2. ^ a b c "First sumo wrestler from KGU to turn professional!" (Press release). Kwansei Gakuin University Public Relations Office. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Kangakudai Shūshin Hatsu no Rikishi, Ura ga Jonokuchi Yūshō ｢Shinjirarenai. Sunao ni Yorokobitai｣" 関学大出身初の力士, 宇良が序ノ口優勝 ｢信じられない。素直に喜びたい｣ [Ura, the first professional sumo wrestler to come out of Kwansei Gakuin University, wins the Jonokuchi championship. Says "It's unbelievable" and that "I just want to enjoy the moment".]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). 22 May 2015. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  4. ^ "KGU's first sumo wrestler Ura presented with a kesho-mawashi (ceremonial apron)" (Press release). Kwansei Gakuin University Public Relations Office. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  5. ^ "宇良11勝も三賞逃す…取り口技能でなく異能扱い" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 29 May 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  6. ^ "宇良が骨折手術、秋場所で左手甲痛め秋巡業全休へ" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Hakuho equals legendary yokozuna Chiyonofuji with 1,045th career victory". Japan Times. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  8. ^ "宇良が夏巡業から離脱…右膝の外側靱帯を痛める" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  9. ^ "Sumo: Ozeki Takayasu, maegashira Ura withdraw from Autumn tourney". The Mainichi. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  10. ^ "九州場所、鶴竜、貴ノ岩ら４人が休場" (in Japanese). Hochi. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  11. ^ "宇良６場所連続休場 木瀬親方は万全の状態での再起強調「２度と同じケガはさせたくない」" (in Japanese). daily.co.jp. 8 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  12. ^ "Absent Rikishi Information". Japan Sumo Association. Archived from the original on 23 January 2019.
  13. ^ ""業師"宇良が右膝再手術 靱帯断裂、長期離脱へ 木瀬親方「完璧にして戻す」" (in Japanese). Sanspo. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  14. ^ "2020 November Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke Topics". Japan Sumo Association. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  15. ^ "SUMO/ Small vs. small matchup comes up big with the spectators". Asahi Shimbun. 22 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  16. ^ "宇良11日目から再出場 炎鵬戦で左ふくらはぎ負傷". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  17. ^ "2021 July Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke Topics". Japan Sumo Association. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Sumo: Yokozuna Terunofuji secures 1st perfect record to celebrate 6th title". Kyodo News. 28 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Title-chasing Ura forced to pull out of sumo tourney with ankle injury". Japan Times. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Sumo: Tamawashi Hokutofuji stay perfect as Terunofuji falls again". Kyodo News. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  21. ^ Chifuri, Hiromitsu (26 December 2022). "2022 Kyushu Basho Results". The Japan Times. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  22. ^ Chifuri, Hiromitsu (20 February 2023). "2023 New Year Basho Results". The Japan Times. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  23. ^ Premselaar, Alan (18 January 2013). "Sumo Daily Bouts". The Japan Times. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  24. ^ "宇良が念願の新三役に「なれないと思っていた。自分でも不思議。うれしいです」と感慨" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  25. ^ "宇良が伝え反り　結び3番前に豪快な技で場内を沸かせる" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  26. ^ "宇良ご当所沸かせた"銀星"発進「一番一番頑張りたい」大関豊昇龍破り地元大阪のファンは大歓声" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  27. ^ "宇良が大関霧島を突き落として銀星「覚えてないです。無我夢中で」初日の豊昇龍戦に続く大関撃破" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  28. ^ "宇良、琴ノ若を肩透かし３大関撃破　地元大阪のファンから大歓声「声援を感じる余裕がない」とがむしゃら" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  29. ^ a b "【若乃花の目】５連勝の宇良、好調要因は前に出る思い切り　型がない「スタイル」で相手を幻惑" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  30. ^ "宇良　幕内自身初４連勝発進　３連勝発進３場所全て勝ち越し２場所で２桁星　「何もないです。終わるまでは」" (in Japanese). Daily Sports. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  31. ^ "全勝宇良、大関琴桜に敗れ無敗力士なくなる 大の里は熱海富士に勝利　大相撲夏場所７目" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 18 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  32. ^ "大関・豊昇龍は連敗せず 宇良に勝利も土俵に腹部を強打「大丈夫。大関らしい相撲を」" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  33. ^ Gould, Chris (4 May 2017). "A New Champion Appears: A Japanese sumo wrestler reclaims the grand title". Tokyo: MetropolisJapan.com. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  34. ^ a b c Shoji, Kaori (7 November 2016). "Strength and tradition draw women back to sumo world". Tokyo: The Japan News.
  35. ^ Shearing, Hazel (13 November 2016). "Sumo throws a wobbly as young stars ditch tradition". The Times. London. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  36. ^ "Grand Sumo Summer Tournament – Day 10". GettyImages. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  37. ^ "Sumo: Juryo wrestler Ura employs another rare technique". GettyImages. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  38. ^ "玉垣親方「おっ」目の前で宇良が弟子に居反りも感慨". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 18 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  39. ^ "珍手「後ろもたれ」で9勝目の宇良、場内どよめきと拍手 それでも「自分の思惑通りでは…」(Ura's 9th win with the rare hand "back leaning", screaming and applauding in the hall)". Sponichi (in Japanese). 21 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  40. ^ "宇良が幕内２５年ぶりの「頭捻り」で白星　翔猿との"業師"対決制す「また一つ伝説を作る」「魅せる相撲」". Sports Hochi. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  41. ^ "Sumo reference".
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