Gōnoyama Tōki

Gōnoyama Tōki (Japanese: 豪ノ山 登輝, born April 7, 1998 as Tōki Nishikawa (西川 登輝, Nishikawa Tōki)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Neyagawa, Osaka. Wrestling for Takekuma stable, he made his professional debut in March 2021. He reached the second-highest jūryō division in July 2022, and has won one championship in both makushita and jūryō. He was promoted to the top makuuchi division in July 2023. His highest rank has been maegashira 5.

In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Gōnoyama.
Gōnoyama Tōki
豪ノ山 登輝
Personal information
BornTōki Nishikawa
(1998-04-07) April 7, 1998
Neyagawa, Osaka
Japan Japan
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Weight156 kg (344 lb; 24 st 8 lb)
Career
StableSakaigawa → Takekuma
UniversityChuo University
Current ranksee below
DebutMarch, 2021
Highest rankMaegashira 5 (September, 2023)
Championships1 (Jūryō)
1 (Makushita)
Special PrizesFighting Sprit (1)
* Up to date as of 24 September 2023.

Early life and sumo background

Gōnoyama started sumo by chance in kindergarten because his parents wanted him to play a sport. While at Keimei Elementary School in Neyagawa, Osaka, he participated for three consecutive years in the Wanpaku Sumo Tournament and the All Japan Elementary School Sumo Championship.[1] During that time he particularly enjoyed a visit to Sakaigawa stable.[2] At that time, the wrestlers he admired the most were Toyohibiki and Gōeidō. Takakeishō, two years his senior, also played a big role in his ambition to one day turn professional by helping him, when they were both children, to train.[2] When in elementary school, Gōnoyama was also trained by Ura, who was a 6th grade senior in the same prefectural sumo federation.[3] Gōnoyama attended Neyagawa Shiritsu Daikyu Junior High School, then followed Takakeishō to Saitama Sakae High School where he also trained with future professional wrestlers Ōhō, his one-year junior, and Kotonowaka, his senior.[4] Gōnoyama then graduated Chuo University's Faculty of Law. By his fourth year, he was captain of his university's sumo club and he also finished runner-up at the National Student Championships. After graduating from college, Gōnoyama opted to turn pro and joined Sakaigawa stable.

Career

Early life and career

He made his professional debut in March 2021 as a deshi of fellow Neyagawa native and former ōzeki Gōeidō. Due to his amateur achievements, Gōnoyama was allowed to enter professional sumo at the rank of sandanme tsukedashi, alongside fellow collegiate standout and Chu-Dai teammate Tochimusashi. At that time he was fighting under his legal name Nishikawa Tōki. In his first tournament, Gōnoyama remained undefeated until his final match, including with a win over Tochimusashi[5] however, he failed to claim the championship after losing to Fukushima by disqualification as he had pulled his topknot.[6] He then followed with another strong 6-1 record and was promoted to makushita in July 2021. In November 2021, Gōnoyama withdrew from the tournament due to a neck injury[7] and was demoted to makushita 35 in January 2022. In his return, Gōnoyama defeated former komusubi Ryūden on the final day to win the makushita championship with a perfect 7-0 record.[8] In February 2022, he transferred to the recently opened Takekuma stable, founded by former ōzeki Gōeidō.[9] He followed this with two 4-3 records and was promoted to jūryō in July 2022.[10]

Jūryō career

Upon his promotion to jūryō, he was given the new shikona, or ring name, Gōnoyama (豪ノ山) inspired by the first kanji from his master's own ring name. During his first tournament, he finished with an 8-7 record. During the March 2023 tournament, Gōnoyama achieved 11 wins and inflicted his only defeat on Ichinojō, the jūryō champion.[11] In the following tournament, Gōnoyama won the jūryō tournament championship with a score of 14–1. The championship was notably decided on the fifteenth day, when Gōnoyama and Ochiai faced each other in a playoff. Gōnoyama inflicted for the second time in the tournament a defeat on Ochiai, whom he had already beaten on Day 11, and subsequently claimed the second division title.[12] This championship win was also the first time since 1949 that the second-division title was decided in a playoff between two wrestlers with 14 wins.[13] In post-championship interviews, Gōnoyama confided that throughout the tournament he had been preparing to come second. He also praised maegashira Ōhō for helping him train and prepare for the makuuchi division level.[14]

Makuuchi career

Gōnoyama was promoted to the top makuuchi division for the July 2023 tournament, listed at the rank of east maegashira 13. Upon his promotion, he said in a press conference that he wanted to win at least ten matches and win a special prize at the upcoming tournament.[15] Gōnoyama made a good start to the tournament and recorded five straight wins before being defeated by Ochiai (now renamed Hakuōhō) on Day 6.[16] Following this defeat he suffered three consecutive defeats but bounced back at the end of his tournament to achieve a positive record (kachi-koshi). Having also scored a ninth win against Takanoshō, Gōnoyama was listed as a potential recipient of the Fighting Spirit special prize, which was conditional on a tenth win. On the final day of the tournament, Gōnoyama defeated Tamawashi and won the award.[17]

Fighting style

Gōnoyama is a tsuki and oshi specialist, which means he relies on thrusting and pushing techniques to defeat his opponents rather than belt-wrestling. By far the most common of his winning techniques is oshidashi which accounts for 42% of his wins.[18] His style was compared by his master Gōeido to that of former ōzeki Dejima Takeharu.[2]

Career record
Gōnoyama Tōki[19]
Year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2021 x Sandanme tsukedashi #100
6–1
 		 East Sandanme #39
6–1
 		 West Makushita #52
5–2
 		 East Makushita #36
5–2
 		 West Makushita #21
2–3–2
 
2022 East Makushita #35
7–0
Champion
 		 East Makushita #3
4–3
 		 West Makushita #1
4–3
 		 West Jūryō #14
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #12
6–9
 		 West Jūryō #14
9–6
 
2023 East Jūryō #10
9–6
 		 East Jūryō #6
11–4
 		 East Jūryō #1
14–1–P
Champion
 		 East Maegashira #13
10–5
F		 East Maegashira #5
9–6
 		 x
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also

References
  1. "Haru Basho all new recruits list". ベースボール・マガジン社 (in Japanese) (2021年4月号): 108. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  2. Iizuka, Saki (8 May 2023). "11 wins at the Osaka tournament Gonoyama's strong start and his true character - his mentor, former ozeki Goeido, is also a taiko drummer" (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  3. "Gonoyama is new to the Makuuchi division, hoping to "fight" Ura, his senior, whom he borrowed from when he was a small boy". Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  4. "Komusubi wrestler Kotonowaka was deeply moved by a match with three juniors from Saitama Sakae High School: "It reminds me of those days..." ...13-4 with the determination of his predecessors". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 6 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  5. "Nishikawa defeats Kanno "I'm glad I won" junior high school graduate confrontation" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  6. "Nishikawa misses all wins with topknot grabbing "Indescribable feeling"" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  7. "Detailed Report on the Joy of Winning Wrestlers in Each division under Juryo". ベースボール・マガジン社 (in Japanese) (2022年2月号): 68. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  8. "Makushita Nishikawa defeats, Ryuden, San'yaku veteran, wins his first divisional championship" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  9. "Former Ozeki Goeido gains approval to branch out and open independent Takekuma Stable" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  10. "Makushita's leader Nishikawa makes a big step forward to juryo with a win "I was more enthusiastic than usual" Sumo summer venue" (in Japanese). Daily Sports. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  11. "Gōnoyama Tōki (Haru 2023)". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  12. "Gonoyama first championship in 6 juryo tournaments, two one-day wins over Kitanowaka in the main division and Ochiai in the championship match, momentum for a new makuuchi entry in the Nagoya Tournament". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 28 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  13. "Gonoyama wins the juryo Summer Grand Sumo Tournament" (in Japanese). NHK. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  14. "Gonoyama, who won the juryo division title: "I always had the mindset of taking the number 2 spot," and won the championship match against Ochiai with an electrifying oshidashi". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 28 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  15. "Newly-promoted Gonoyama, "with his push sumo," aims for double-digit victories and one of the three special prizes, hoping to replicate the performance of his master Takekuma, former Ozeki Goeido" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  16. "Hakuoho defeats Gonoyama for the first time after losing the three previous bouts. 'I'm honestly happy', won by a skilful flap against a newly-promoted wrestler for his fourth win" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 15 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  17. "The three prizes in the Nagoya tournament are Nishiki's Outstanding Performance Award, Hokutofuji and Hakuoho's Fighting Spirit Awards. Hakusakuho also wins the Technique Prize" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  18. "Japan Sumo Association Official Website Gonoyama profile" (in Japanese). sumo.or.jp.
  19. "Gōnoyama Tōki Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference.
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