Kirishima Tetsuo made his debut in March 2015 representing Michinoku stable under the name Kiribayama Tetsuo, and reached the top makuuchi division in January 2020.
27 Facts About Kirishima Tetsuo
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Kirishima Tetsuo wrestles for Otowayama stable, where he moved to in April 2024 following the closure of Michinoku stable.
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Kirishima Tetsuo has won the makuuchi championship twice along with two runner-up performance and four special prizes in his career to date.
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Kirishima Tetsuo's name is a reference to his grandfather, Yatamsuren, who was a renowned bokh wrestler.
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Kirishima Tetsuo eventually moved to Ulaanbaatar and began practicing judo and bokh in a club, where he was joined later by future Yokozuna Hoshoryu.
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Michinoku stablemaster, former ozeki Kirishima Tetsuo, thought Lkhagvasuren was the best of the five, but was reluctant at first to take on a foreign recruit.
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Kirishima Tetsuo eventually relented after Lkhagvasuren committed to staying in Japan, and let him take the new recruits examination in February 2015.
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Kirishima Tetsuo was the first new sekitori Michinoku stable had produced since Kirinowaka in January 2008.
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Kirishima Tetsuo shared his promotion with another future san'yaku wrestler, Wakamotoharu.
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Kirishima Tetsuo moved through the juryo division in just five tournaments.
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Kirishima Tetsuo expressed his desire to be tsuyuharai at Kakuryu's ring-entering ceremony if he managed to be promoted to makuuchi.
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Kirishima Tetsuo managed only six wins against nine losses in this tournament, and returned to the maegashira ranks.
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Kirishima Tetsuo was promoted to komusubi again following the July 2022 tournament, and maintained his rank for the next three tournaments.
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Kirishima Tetsuo stayed in the makuuchi championship race until suffering his third loss against yokozuna Terunofuji on Day 14, finishing the tournament with 11 wins and his third straight Technique prize.
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The former Kirishima Tetsuo told reporters that he wanted the new Kirishima Tetsuo to climb higher with his new name, and surpass him to reach the rank of yokozuna.
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Kirishima Tetsuo said that he would work harder than ever to live up to the rank of ozeki.
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The issues forced Kirishima Tetsuo to declare himself kyujo for his scheduled match against Nishikigi.
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The medical report stated that Kirishima Tetsuo had bruised his right ribs and would need about three weeks of rest and treatment, but his stablemaster said at the time that he could return during the tournament.
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Kirishima Tetsuo's absence was the first time since Musoyama at the May 2000 tournament that a newly promoted ozeki had to withdraw on the first day of a tournament, and the fifth time in total since the start of the Showa era.
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In October 2023, Kirishima Tetsuo won for the first time the All Japan Rikishi Championship, a Meiji Shrine-sponsored charity tournament.
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Kirishima Tetsuo won the match by yorikiri, securing a one-win lead in the championship race into the final day.
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Kirishima Tetsuo locked up his second title when Atamifuji was defeated by Kotonowaka.
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Kirishima Tetsuo made a good start to the tournament, although he suffered two defeats on Day 4 against Midorifuji and on Day 8 against Tobizaru.
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However, Kirishima Tetsuo was beaten by Kotonowaka on Day 14, forcing him to beat the yokozuna on the final day to secure a place in a playoff.
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Kirishima Tetsuo failed to beat Terunofuji, ending his chances of winning the tournament.
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Kirishima Tetsuo's performances were impacted by his injuries and at the May 2024 tournament, during which Kirishima Tetsuo wrestled under the status of kadoban-ozeki, he recorded a series of consecutive defeats.
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Kirishima Tetsuo withdrew on Day 7 after scoring just one win.