20 Facts About Miyabiyama Tetsushi

Miyabiyama Tetsushi won eight special prizes and was runner-up in four top division tournaments.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi wrestled for Fujishima stable, where he worked as a coach until opening his own Futagoyama stable.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi was accepted by Musashigawa stable in July 1998 and given makushita tsukedashi status, meaning he could begin at the bottom of the third highest makushita division.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi quickly worked his way through the ranks, logging in four consecutive championships, two in makushita and two in juryo to reach the top makuuchi division in March 1999 just eight months after entering professional sumo.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi's rise to the middle ranks of makuuchi was so quick that he did not yet have a topknot, a true rarity and one that did not go unnoticed by announcers.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi won a fighting spirit prize in his first top division tournament, and was promoted to komusubi in January 2000.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi had made the rank only 12 tournaments after his professional debut, tying for the record with Yutakayama and Haguroyama.

Sakaigawa-oyakata, in particular, was reported to have felt it was too soon as Miyabiyama Tetsushi had only been in makuuchi for just over a year, and had not yet won a top division title.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi was one of the shortest-lived ozeki on record.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi sat out the two tournaments following his demotion with an injury, and so had to start all over again from the maegashira ranks.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi was only the second wrestler after Kotogahama in 1957 to post more than 33 wins in three tournaments in san'yaku and not get promoted to ozeki.

In March 2007 Miyabiyama Tetsushi finally earned his first gold star by defeating yokozuna Asashoryu on the second day.

The victory was all the more surprising as prior to this bout Miyabiyama Tetsushi had lost thirteen in a row to Asashoryu.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi was suspended along with over a dozen other wrestlers from the July 2010 tournament after admitting involvement in illegal betting on baseball.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi won only three bouts in that tournament and was demoted to juryo in March 2013, where he again only managed three wins and quickly announced his retirement on the last day of the tournament.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi fought in the top division for 82 tournaments in total, which is second best among makushita tsukedashi entrants and the eleventh best overall in sumo history.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi stayed in sumo as a coach at his stable under the elder name of Futagoyama Oyakata.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi specialised in pushing and thrusting techniques, with about a third of his wins being a simple push-out, or oshi-dashi.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi was married in 2008 to a 24-year-old former office worker from Kurume, Fukuoka, and their wedding reception was held in June 2009 with 450 guests including his stablemaster Musashigawa Oyakata attending.

Miyabiyama Tetsushi continued to give guidance to his wrestlers during their training by way of video conference until he was discharged.