Onosato, 24, promoted to sumo grand champion in record time – and he’s Japanese
The wrestler, whose real name is Daiki Nakamura, becomes first Japan-born wrestler to reach rank of yokozuna since 2017
Sumo crowned a new grand champion in record time on Wednesday as Onosato became the fastest to attain the exalted rank of yokozuna in the Japanese sport’s modern era.
And the big news is: he is Japanese.
The 24-year-old’s elevation by the Japan Sumo Association came after he appeared in just 13 professional tournaments, eight fewer than the current record holder.
The wrestler, who weighs 191 kilograms (421 pounds) and is 1.92 metres (six feet three inches) tall, became the 75th grand champion in the centuries-old history of sumo. By comparison, the average weight of an NFL lineman is about 140kg, or just over 300 pounds.
Onosato was the second to reach the top rank in the space of four months, following the promotion of Hoshoryu in January.
The two will go head-to-head for the first time as yokozuna in July in Nagoya.