12 Facts About Terunoumi Masato

Terunoumi Masato, known as Daikiko Masato, born Masato Hayashi, was a sumo wrestler from Gobo, Wakayama, Japan.

Terunoumi Masato was the first wrestler in the six tournaments per year era to reach the top makuuchi division after spending just one tournament in the second highest juryo division.

Terunoumi Masato had played an active role in national sumo competitions since junior high school, and was a junior high school yokozuna in the third grade.

Terunoumi Masato was an amateur champion at Kinki University, and won the All Japan Gakusei Championship in his senior year.

Terunoumi Masato made his professional debut in March 1990 as a makushita tsukedashi entrant.

Terunoumi Masato won immediate promotion to the top makuuchi division after his juryo debut, the first wrestler to do so since the establishment of the six tournaments a year system in 1958.

Terunoumi Masato's achievement was helped by the fact that the top division was expanded from 38 to 40 wrestlers for the January 1991 tournament.

Terunoumi Masato missed the July and September 1991 tournaments through injury, and was demoted back to the makushita division.

Terunoumi Masato retired in May 1993 after demotion to the makushita division .

Terunoumi Masato was replaced in the juryo division by his stablemate Musoyama.

Terunoumi Masato died of a cerebral haemorrhage in 2009 at the age of 41.

Terunoumi Masato's favoured grip on the opponent's mawashi or belt was migi-yotsu, a left hand outside, right hand inside position.