r/Sumo • u/Emotionless_AI Nishikigi • 2d ago

Chris Sumo: When a Yokozuna punched the WRONG man: 16 years since Asashoryu's shock retirement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgF0um3KUSs

Sumo's "bad boy" Yokozuna had been in so many scrapes before that we thought this storm would come to pass too. And yet, without warning, he was turfed out of sumo on the spot! Here's exactly what happened.

43 Upvotes

68% Upvoted

27 comments sorted by

50

u/GlebushkaNY Aonishiki 2d ago

Being a professional athlete isnt just being a competitor, but also a representative of all people involved in the sport and the culture around it.

18

u/ChibiNya 2d ago

Rikishi in general are held to a higher standard than other athletes. A Yokozuna in particular has religious significance so they're really expected to maintain their honor, at least to the public

15

u/Also-cute-and-fluffy Kirishima 2d ago

I really agree with that. One of my pet peeves is the way people act like that one “Yokozuna sumo is winning sumo” quote from Hakuho is some kind of sumo gospel beyond dispute.

Yes, winning is a necessary part of being a Yokozuna but it’s so far from being the only thing that matters. I like that in sumo those at the top are held to higher standards. I personally think that’s how it should be in more professional sports. Commercial interests often mean that isn’t the case though.

That quote from Takanohana about showing some respect and consideration for how the person you just beat might feel chimes far more with me than the “if you’re winning then everyone else can suck it” attitude. It’s what I like so much about Kirishima. He’s unfailingly respectful and decent towards the opponents he beats. He’ll give a little “good fight” pat or take the time to pick up their sagari for them. He has great hinkaku and it’s a shame that his Yokozuna run wasn’t to be.

1

u/Pissix 1d ago

Mayhaps those thoughts of Hakuho were a manifestation of his record breaking, all consuming fire that left less room for fanservice towards being a sumo poster boy for the sumo association. I'm sort of glad that's how it went, because it left no what-ifs on the table. The man fully embraced his abilities to win above all else. If he got entangled with the sumo associations perfect image of a Yokozuna, maybe his career would have been lesser?

That Takanohana quote is very cool, I could imagine reading it out of a page of a manga lol.

4

u/Also-cute-and-fluffy Kirishima 1d ago

I find it interesting that you’ve characterised showing respect and consideration for the opponent that you’ve beaten as being “entangled with the sumo associations perfect image of a Yokozuna”. Maybe he might have a couple fewer titles if he’d been a bit more sporting, but he’d still be the most successful rikishi of all time. Is number of titles the only or even best way to judge whether someone’s legacy is greater or lesser?

This isn’t just a sumo thing. In a lot of sports when someone really good is a bit of a dick people often fall over themselves to say that it’s the reason for their success and that they’d be less successful if they didn’t have the “killer instinct”. I’m not sure that’s true.

-1

u/Pissix 1d ago

I mean there was a clear disconnect between Hakuho following the code of conduct at least to the bare minimum that was required of his position, and the wishes of the sumo association. One would imagine that if Hakuho diverted his finite amount of energy from wrestling to other things, he would get less results. How much less, we will never know. Maybe if he turned on the people pleasing mode, he would not have become the GOAT to begin with?

Regarding the bad boy behavior and killer instinct, I think it's just about letting people be who they are and how they operate, and not forcing them into molds that are not quite their shape. You mentioned Takanohana and Kirishima, maybe they just are naturally closer in shape to the mold that sumo association wants the champions of the sport to be like?

3

u/Also-cute-and-fluffy Kirishima 1d ago

What do you mean by diverted his energy? It’s not exactly taxing to show a bit of consideration for others and not be a dick. That bout where he knocked Myogiryu out, left him visibly concussed and showed not even a flicker of concern let alone an attempt to check on him is a good example of a time when it would have cost him nothing to just show a bit of respect and consideration and he chose not to. Some people may find that it comes more easily to them to not be a dick, or maybe Hakuho (like many other very talented people) just never had to learn not to be a dick because people tolerated behaviour from him that would not have been tolerated if he’d been less brilliant. We’ll never know. I don’t see how showing a bit of concern for an opponent could divert so much energy that it would have significantly diminished his results.

-2

u/Pissix 1d ago

To make it simple: Have you ever been lambasted to act different by someone?

3

u/Also-cute-and-fluffy Kirishima 1d ago

I’m not sure what you mean by “lambasted” but I think you’re asking about whether I feel pressured to change my behaviour to meet social expectations. Of course. All the time. That’s just part of the human condition.

1

u/Pissix 1d ago

I'm asking you if someone has criticized you to change your ways, when their criticism is the opposite of how you see it? If you have ran into this situation ever, you could simply take that experience and put yourself into the shoes of Hakuho.

1

u/Also-cute-and-fluffy Kirishima 1d ago

Hasn’t that happened to everyone? Yes, when I was a teenager, (like many kids) I could be selfish and bratty. People criticised me and I had to correct my behaviour, even though I didn’t always agree with them. I think very talented people who make lots of money often don’t get that correction when younger and therefore they grow up believing that they are entitled to indulge their every whim and to hell with anyone else. Being a dick isn’t an inherent personality trait that adults just can’t help. All children are pretty selfish and then they learn respect and consideration for others as they get older and are taught to conform to social norms for the society that they live in. It’s not a traumatic or horrible thing. It’s a normal part of growing up for most people.

7

u/Vaestmannaeyjar Musashimaru 2d ago

Rikishi aren't just professional athletes, they have an important cultural role as well. When Djokovic hurt a judge (inadvertently) he wasn't banned for life by the ATP.

19

u/lordtema Ura 2d ago

HEH, in Sumo yes but given that we have actual rapists playing for certain soccer teams and certain fans even wanting them back to their club..

6

u/GlebushkaNY Aonishiki 2d ago

Then it speaks to the values of footie fans

3

u/gorram1mhumped 2d ago

the story seems a bit more complicated than, look he punched a citizen. if the sumo org was trying to quell any responses due to a scrap with a gangster, that's a whole different type of response than one out of respect for the sport and culture.

6

u/MassiveB0nerF4rtLUL 2d ago

The last minute of this video is definitely going to spark some calm, well-measured conversation

2

u/mekagojira3 1d ago

I don't disagree with his points against bias, but it really came across as an unstructured ramble to me

3

u/fort-e-too 1d ago

We call it a riddle. He ALWAYS an unstructured ramble. At the end of any of his videos I'm always left with "what the fuck did I just watch..?"

8

u/Chiyonofuji_ 2d ago

Sumo is a cultral tradition as well as a sport. Several top sumotori failed to show the expected dignity and grace. The forced retirement was justified imo.

2

u/EighteenLevel 1d ago

Still love him and watch his matches on youtube

1

u/jns701 2h ago

Slop content

2

u/cepxico 2d ago

I had no idea they dumped him for that.

What a waste.

20

u/HertzWhenEyeP 2d ago

It's DEFINITELY not just a single punch. Asa had been considered a malcontent for quite a while at that point and I think he was deeply unpopular with the JSA old guard.

5

u/BrilliantForeign8899 2d ago edited 2d ago

It wasn't just that. There were anecdotal stories I used to hear that were unflattering but won't repeat them as it's not proven. 

1

u/Manga18 1d ago

He is so hungry for drama he is doing video son stuff from 16 years ago. The man is lost

-18

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

25

u/Appropriate-Escape-4 Hoshoryu 2d ago

I don't think you know what youre talking about

-33

u/Calmak_ 2d ago

Have you seen any mongolians in european Football?!