Asashōryū Akinori

Asashōryū Akinori (Japanese: 朝青龍 明徳, born 27 September 1980, as Dolgorsürengiin Dagvadorj, Mongolian Cyrillic: Долгорсүрэнгийн Дагвадорж; [tɔɮgɔrsʊːrengiːn tagw̜atɔrt͡ʃ]) is a Mongolian former professional sumo wrestler (rikishi). He was the 68th yokozuna in the history of the sport in Japan, and in January 2003 he became the first Mongolian to reach sumo's highest rank. He was one of the most successful yokozuna ever. In 2005, he became the first wrestler to win all six official tournaments (honbasho) in a single year. Over his entire career, he won 25 top division tournament championships, placing him fourth on the all-time list.

Asashōryū Akinori
朝青龍 明徳
Asashōryū in the ring during the May 2009 sumo tournament
Personal information
BornDolgorsuren Dagvadorj
(1980-09-27) 27 September 1980
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolian People's Republic
Height184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight148 kg (326 lb; 23.3 st)
Web presencewebsite
Career
StableTakasago
Record669–173–76
DebutJanuary 1999
Highest rankYokozuna (January 2003)
Retired6 February 2010
Championships25 (Makuuchi)
1 (Makushita)
1 (Sandanme)
1 (Jonidan)
Special PrizesOutstanding Performance (3)
Fighting Spirit (3)
Gold Stars1 (Musashimaru)
* Up to date as of February 2015.

From 2004 until 2007, Asashōryū was sumo's sole yokozuna between the retirement of Musashimaru and the promotion of fellow Mongolian Hakuhō, and was criticized at times by the media and the Japan Sumo Association for not upholding the standards of behaviour expected of a holder of such a prestigious rank. He became the first yokozuna in history to be suspended from competition in August 2007 when he participated in a charity football match in his home country despite having withdrawn from a regional sumo tour claiming injury. After a career filled with a multitude of other controversies, both on and off the dohyō, his career was cut short when he retired from sumo in February 2010 after allegations that he assaulted a man outside a Tokyo nightclub.

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