83 Facts About Terunofuji Haruo

Terunofuji Haruo is a Mongolian-Japanese former professional sumo wrestler.

Terunofuji Haruo took the top makuuchi division championship in May 2015, only 25 tournaments after his professional debut.

Terunofuji Haruo won his return tournament in the top division in July 2020.

Terunofuji Haruo earned his second promotion to ozeki following a third championship win in March 2021, which he immediately followed with another tournament championship in May 2021.

Terunofuji Haruo acquired Japanese citizenship the following month, taking the name Seizan Suginomori.

Terunofuji Haruo entered the ring in the same tournament as soon to be well-known Chiyotairyu and Jokoryu.

Terunofuji Haruo had become frustrated with a lack of training opportunities at the small Magaki stable, as with the ill health of his stablemaster and various scandals there were sometimes no other coaches or wrestlers present.

Terunofuji Haruo took the juryo championship in his debut tournament, beating future maegashira Kagamio on the last day to even their records and forcing a playoff bout against Kagamio, which he won.

Terunofuji Haruo only fell to maegashira 2 though, being helped by bad showings from several other wrestlers.

Terunofuji Haruo was awarded the Fighting Spirit Prize, or kantosho, his first special prize.

Terunofuji Haruo was promoted to the rank of sekiwake for the next tournament.

Terunofuji Haruo received his second Fighting Spirit Prize and was awarded the prize for Outstanding Performance.

Terunofuji Haruo was the first to be promoted to ozeki having previously spent only two tournaments in san'yaku since Yoshibayama 64 years earlier.

Terunofuji Haruo was kadoban, or danger of relegation from ozeki three times, but was able to hold on to his rank each time by getting a winning record in the following tournament.

Terunofuji Haruo underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee shortly afterwards.

Terunofuji Haruo then had two losses against Kakuryu and Goeido, but was able to get his winning record on day 12 against Hakuho which erased his kadoban status and secured his rank.

Terunofuji Haruo missed out on his second championship on the final day as he was defeated twice by Kisenosato, once in their regulation match and again in the resulting playoff.

The Japan Sumo Association was questioned by the government after the tournament when media reports suggested that Terunofuji Haruo was subjected to hate speech taunts from the crowd after his controversial win over Kotoshogiku, with the expression "Go back to Mongolia" reportedly used.

Terunofuji Haruo underwent endoscopic surgery on his left knee after the May 2017 tournament, but did not recover as well as expected.

Terunofuji Haruo could have made an immediate return to ozeki with at least ten wins in the November 2017 tournament, but he withdrew on Day 5 after losing his first four matches, citing a meniscus tear in his left knee.

Terunofuji Haruo withdrew from the January 2018 tournament on Day 3 after losing his first two bouts, due to a viscera disorder, and was demoted to juryo as a result.

Terunofuji Haruo is the fourth former ozeki to fall to juryo and the first since Baruto in 2013.

Terunofuji Haruo withdrew from the May 2018 tournament on Day 4, but returned from Day 11 in an attempt to stave off demotion to makushita.

Terunofuji Haruo's stablemaster reported that in addition to diabetes and knee problems he was suffering from kidney stones.

Terunofuji Haruo was the first ozeki and first top division tournament winner to fall to that division.

Terunofuji Haruo had surgery on both knees on 25 June and withdrew from the July 2018 tournament, with his stablemaster indicating he wanted Terunofuji to have his knees healed properly before competing again.

Terunofuji Haruo was absent for the next three tournaments, which caused him to fall to the second-lowest jonidan division.

Terunofuji Haruo returned to competition in March 2019 and won all seven of his matches, although he lost a playoff for the jonidan championship to Mongolian-Russian wrestler Roga.

Terunofuji Haruo lost his final two matches to Nishikigi and Daiamami, ending any outside hopes of immediate promotion back to makuuchi, and was ranked at juryo 3 for the March 2020 tournament.

Terunofuji Haruo is the first top division wrestler to fall to jonidan and successfully return to makuuchi.

Terunofuji Haruo secured the championship by defeating sekiwake Mitakeumi on the final day and won the Technique and Outstanding Performance prizes as well.

Terunofuji Haruo returned to the san'yaku ranks for the first time in three years at the November 2020 tournament.

Terunofuji Haruo faced Takakeisho on the final day, defeating him and bringing their scores level to force a yusho playoff.

Terunofuji Haruo was the runner-up again in January 2021 at the sekiwake rank, when he defeated both the active ozeki and secured another gino-sho.

Terunofuji Haruo is the first wrestler to win three top division championships from a rank below ozeki.

Terunofuji Haruo later told reporters that barely qualifying for promotion to the sport's second-highest rank was not enough, as he felt that his stablemaster's reputation was on the line.

Terunofuji Haruo accepted "with great humility" when informed by JSA representatives at Isegahama stable.

Terunofuji Haruo later reiterated his gratitude to his stablemaster, adding that he would devote himself to training and aim higher.

Terunofuji Haruo suffered another defeat to Endo on Day 14, but remained the leader.

Terunofuji Haruo won his fourth championship after defeating fellow ozeki Takakeisho in a playoff, having lost to him in their regulation match.

Terunofuji Haruo became the first person since the kadoban system was introduced in July 1969 to win the Emperor's Cup immediately after returning to the ozeki rank.

Terunofuji Haruo is only the second rikishi in history who was demoted from the rank of ozeki but still managed the promotion to yokozuna, the only other one being Mienoumi in 1979, and is only the fourth rikishi who got promoted to yokozuna after only two tournaments after promotion to ozeki, after Tochigiyama in 1918, Futabayama in 1937, and Terukuni in 1942.

Stablemates Terutsuyoshi and Takarafuji served as the tsuyuharai and tachimochi, respectively, and Terunofuji Haruo borrowed the tachi used for the ceremony from his stablemaster.

In preparation for his first tournament as yokozuna, Terunofuji Haruo received a tachi from the sumo club supporters' association of Johoku High School.

Terunofuji Haruo was the first wrestler to win four tournaments in a year since Hakuho in 2014.

Terunofuji Haruo missed ten days of training as a result.

Terunofuji Haruo withdrew on Day 6 of the March 2022 tournament in Osaka citing issues with his right heel and left knee, both of which he had injured in the past.

Terunofuji Haruo's withdrawal came after he was defeated by Daieisho and, for the second straight tournament, Tamawashi.

Terunofuji Haruo avoided what would have been a four-way playoff with Daieisho, Takanosho and Sadanoumi by beating Mitakeumi on the final day.

Terunofuji Haruo withdrew from the tournament in order to continue recovering from the surgery on his knees.

Terunofuji Haruo appeared for the first time since his September 2022 withdrawal as a part-time participant in the April 2023 regional sumo tours, called jungyo.

Terunofuji Haruo was the leader of the makuuchi championship race throughout the May 2023 tournament.

Terunofuji Haruo became the sole leader after Day 12, when former ozeki Asanoyama suffered his second defeat.

On Day 14 Terunofuji Haruo won his eighth top division championship by defeating sekiwake Kiribayama, thereby securing a two-win advantage over his competitors with one day remaining.

Terunofuji Haruo's victory was the first makuuchi championship won by a wrestler who had been absent for three successive tournaments in 34 years, the last being Sumo Association president Hakkaku.

Terunofuji Haruo's victory meant that he had won at least one top-division championship for four consecutive years since his comeback to the makuuchi division.

Terunofuji Haruo withdrew from the July 2023 tournament on Day 4 after conceding back-to-back gold stars to top maegashira competitors Nishikigi and Tobizaru.

The official medical certificate noted that Terunofuji Haruo was being treated for a lumbar disc herniation and symptoms of diabetes.

In preparation for the Autumn regional tour, Terunofuji Haruo offered clarification on the state of his back, nevertheless withdrawing from the first week of the tour to continue treatment, while ruling out surgery in order to compete at the Kyushu tournament.

Terunofuji Haruo withdrew again before the start of the November 2023 tournament, one day after cutting his practice short at his stable's lodging in Fukuoka in order to treat lower back pain.

Terunofuji Haruo then faced and defeated Kotonowaka who qualified for a playoff, winning his ninth championship title in the process.

Terunofuji Haruo withdrew on Day 7, marking his ninth withdrawal from a grand sumo tournament since his rise to the yokozuna rank.

Terunofuji Haruo decided to participate in the tournament after there was some uncertainty, and sumo officials assigned him to face new Onosato.

Terunofuji Haruo was defeated losing to the 23-year-old by, or beltless arm throw.

Terunofuji Haruo withdrew from the tournament on the following day, with his medical certificate stating that he would need treatment for damaged costal cartilage in his left rib as well as osteoarthritis in his right knee.

Terunofuji Haruo suffered his first loss of the tournament at the hands of new Onosato on Day 11.

Terunofuji Haruo then suffered two more defeats on the last two days to finish in a tie at 12 wins with his Day 14 opponent, Takanosho, who had earned his third career against Terunofuji.

Terunofuji Haruo later told reporters that the July 2024 tournament featured the strongest wrestlers he had ever seen compete.

Two days later Terunofuji Haruo pulled out of the September 2024 tournament.

Masayuki Yamauchi of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council stated after the tournament that the council was not considering any action against Terunofuji Haruo, saying that they would continue to take a wait-and-see approach.

In early 2025, Terunofuji Haruo confirmed his presence for the first tournament of the year, despite numerous comments calling for his retirement after only a handful of appearances in the annual competitions.

Terunofuji Haruo suffered a quick loss to Wakatakakage on the opening day of the tournament.

Later that same day Japanese media outlets, citing sources within the Japan Sumo Association, reported that Terunofuji Haruo had decided to retire after a long battle with knee pain and diabetes.

Terunofuji Haruo said that he felt like he had a vigorous sumo career.

Fellow Mongolian Miyagino, commenting on Terunofuji Haruo's retirement, noted that Terunofuji Haruo "recovered from rock bottom, both physically and mentally," and achieved the remarkable feat of reaching sumo's highest rank.

Terunofuji Haruo said that Terunofuji had done well, and could not imagine everything he had been going through.

Terunofuji Haruo was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who favoured grappling techniques as opposed to pushing and thrusting.

Terunofuji Haruo's preferred grip on his opponent's mawashi or belt was migi-yotsu, a left hand outside, right hand inside position.

Terunofuji Haruo's favourite winning kimarite or technique was a straightforward yori-kiri, or force out, which accounted for nearly two-thirds of his career victories.

Terunofuji Haruo was married in February 2018 to a Mongolian exchange student, although he did not announce it until January 2021.

Terunofuji Haruo's wife is credited with being an unfailing supporter during his long injury layoff, as during this period he gave up drinking and she followed nutritional advice from his doctor in preparing his meals.

In March 2021 Terunofuji Haruo revealed that he was in the process of acquiring Japanese citizenship, which would enable him to stay in sumo after retirement as an elder of the Japan Sumo Association.

Terunofuji Haruo explained that he had made the decision to seek Japanese citizenship in 2019 following his fall to the second-lowest jonidan division, after consultation with his family, stablemaster and colleagues.