Akiseyama Mitsuhiko


Akiseyama Mitsuhiko is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kasugai, Aichi. An amateur sumo competitor while studying at Nihon University, he made his professional debut in January 2008. He reached the top makuuchi division in March 2016. His highest rank to date has been maegashira 16. He has both a lower division jonokuchi and a makushita division championship. He wrestles for Kise stable.

Early life and sumo background

Fukao started sumo at the Chukyo Sumo Club in elementary school, this is where he meet the future Kiyoseumi who was one year his senior. He had a deep respect and friendship with his senior. They trained and practiced together throughout their school years and both attended Nihon University. Eventually after university Akiseyama would choose to enter the same Kise stable.

Career

He made his debut exactly one year after Kiyoseumi in January, 2008, debuting with the likes of Kyokutaisei and Homarefuji. He quickly rose up to the makushita division after spending just one tournament at each of the lower divisions. He finally broke though to the sekitori ranks after nearly three years in November 2010. To mark the occasion he changed his shikona from his family name of Fukao to Akiseyama, with the "se" kanji taken from his stable. He was to last only four tournaments in before being demoted back down.
He returned to jūryō at the end of 2012 and after over eight years he broke though to the top makuuchi division in March 2016. He lasted just one tournament and returned to jūryō. After only managing one win against fourteen losses in the next tournament in May 2016 he was demoted straight to makushita, where he remained for the next two years. He was promoted back to jūryō in March 2018 and produced a strong 11–4 record, taking part in a playoff for the championship. He reached jūryō 1 in July 2018, his highest rank since his single makuuchi appearance. However, seven consecutive losing scores saw him fall to the bottom of jūryō and then be relegated to the makushita division after the July 2019 tournament. He returned to jūryō after just one tournament away by recording a 4–3 score in September.

Fighting style

Akiseyama lists his preferred techniques on his Japan Sumo Association profile as tsuki/oshi, pushing and thrusting his opponents rather fighting on the mawashi or belt. However his most common winning kimarite in his career to date is yori-kiri, or force out, which usually involves a mawashi grip.

Career record