Shishi Masaru (Japanese: 獅司 大) born 16 January 1997 as Serhii Sokolovskyi (Ukrainian: Сергій Соколовський), is a Ukrainian professional sumo wrestler from Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Nicknamed "mini-Baruto",[1] he made his professional debut in January 2020 after a successful amateur career. He became sekitori when he reached the jūryō division in July 2023, and was promoted to the top makuuchi division for the first time in November 2024. He wrestles for Ikazuchi stable, and joined that stable when it was still named Irumagawa.
As of July 2023 he is one of the two Ukrainian currently competing in professional sumo.[2][3] He is the first Ukrainian in the history of the sport to have reached the status of sekitori,[4] and the only such person to be promoted to the top division.[5]
Serhii started wrestling at the age of 6, and switched to sumo at the age of 15.[10] According to his mother, he always liked to fight and wasn't afraid of pain, something she attributes to an ancestor on his father's side, who was a strongman and who fought alongside Nestor Makhno.[11] As a kid, he played football as a goalkeeper but was scouted by a freestyle wrestling coach who motivated him to join his club.[11] While climbing the weight categories of freestyle wrestling, Serhii exceeded the sport's maximum weight limit of 125 kg (276 lb) and joined the sumo club.[11] In 2012, he won the European Sumo Championships.[12] In 2016, he took part in several tournaments, including the European and World Championships, where he finished third in both individual and team competition.[7] In 2018, he took part in the US Sumo Open where he won bronze and silver medals in the Heavyweight and Openweight categories respectively, being only defeated in the Openweight final by the champion, Russian Konstantin Abdula-Zade.[13]
Since he had already decided to become a professional sumo wrestler, he moved to Japan in 2016, after the World Championships to train at Tokitsukaze stable.[14] However, the stable already had a foreign wrestler and could therefore not recruit Shishi.[14] At the invitation of Irumagawa stable, which had also scouted him, he stayed in Japan and was tested to see if he could acclimatize to the life in the stable.[11][12] After over a year living and training at Irumagawa stable, he finally decided to enroll in 2020, bringing the number of countries with at least one professional sumo wrestler to 24.[15] During his first months of community life, he revealed that he was prone to homesickness and had difficulty overcoming the language barrier (speaking neither English nor Japanese), crying regularly.[14] Nonetheless, he managed to learn a few words of Japanese by mimetism, recalling that he was particularly proud of having managed to order a dish of chankonabe on his own at the restaurant.[14]
Career
Early career
During the new recruits inspection, Wakafuji-oyakata (former maegashiraŌtsukasa), one of his coaches at Irumagawa stable, said he looked like a "mini-Baruto" because at the time of his apprentice examination he was 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) and weighted 162 kg (357 lb).[10][16] He joined at the same time as 2019 high-school yokozunaGenki Ōkuwa [ja], who joined Isegahama stable,[16]Hokuseihō, who joined Miyagino stable,[17] and Hōzan Takamori [ja], the second son of former sekiwakeTakatōriki, who joined Ōtake stable;[17] although they never faced each other in their maezumō debut. He was given the shikona, or ring name, Shishi (獅司), from the kanji for 'lion' (獅), to evoke the hopes of his master that he will "become the king of beasts", and the kanji meaning 'to govern' (司), in deference to former coach and stable owner, the former sekiwakeTochitsukasa.[18]
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Shishi has been regularly asked about the fate of his family, who stayed in the country. However, since the Japan Sumo Association forbids political comments to its wrestlers, he has always dodged the subject, limiting himself to simple comments on his communications with his parents and their view of his performances and refusing to comment on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit in Japan in May 2023.[6][19][20] Furthermore, since the beginning of the invasion, he's received a great deal of acclaim from the public, even when he was in makushita, a division where the public isn't normally as enthusiastic.[19][12]
On 26 January 2023, it was announced that Irumagawa-oyakata (former sekiwakeTochitsukasa), in anticipation of his mandatory retirement in April, would give control of his stable to coach Ikazuchi (former komusubiKakizoe), without him inheriting the Irumagawa elder name.[21] During this change, Shishi received encouragement from his new stablemaster, who told him he had "the potential to become a star".[10]
During the May 2023 tournament, Shishi was in a position of potential promotion to the jūryō division. He first secured a kachi-koshi record over Yūma [ja] on Day 4,[19] and went to earn a sixth victory with a win over upper-division wrestler Tokihayate, conceding just one defeat in his sixth match to eventual tournament winner Kiryūkō [ja] (Tatsunami stable). He finished the tournament with a score of 6–1 and was logically promoted to sumo's second highest division, jūryō, alongside Kihō and Yūma.[4] This promotion makes Shishi the first Ukrainian wrestler in sumo history to achieve sekitori status,[10] although sumo has also welcomed other wrestlers of Ukrainian descent, including the no less famous yokozunaTaihō, whose father was a Ukrainian from Kharkiv who fled the Russian revolution.[22] At the press conference to mark his promotion to the rank of jūryō, he expressed his reservations about the situation in his home country, but vowed to offer his parents, who remained in Ukraine, the material and financial assistance they needed from then on.[6] At the time of his promotion, Shishi received his shimekomi from his former master (former sekiwake Tochitsukasa) and was presented with a keshō-mawashi by the supporters' association of Izumisano (Osaka Prefecture).[23] The all-white and gold keshō-mawashi bears the inscriptionKishin (鬼心), meaning 'demon's heart', at the request of master Ikazuchi to inspire his wrestler to fight with demonic fervor.[23] On the thirteenth day of the July tournament, Shishi achieved a kachi-koshi record by defeating Tamashōhō, thus securing his presence in the jūryō division.[24]
Shishi continued his progress in the jūryō division by recording another good score at the September tournament. During the November tournament, he had a notable match against Hitoshi [ja] on day eleven, during which he broke his front teeth during the tachi-ai.[25] Shishi had, however, recorded an eighth defeat the day before against the eventual winner of that month's tournament, Kotoshōhō. He finally worsened his score on the thirteenth day, in his match against Kagayaki, finishing the tournament with a score of 6–9.
Makuuchi
Remaining in jūryō at the start of 2024, Shishi scored 11 wins at the July tournament. He followed it up with a nine-win effort in September at the rank of jūryō 2. He was promoted to maegashira for the November 2024 tournament, becoming the first professional sumo wrestler from Ukraine to reach the top division. He also became the first wrestler for Ikazuchi stable since reopening in 2023 to reach makuuchi. Shishi told reporters after his promotion that he was happy to reach the top division, noting that he spent more time in makushita than he did in jūryō. "One year in jūryō is fast... I thought it would take a little longer," he said. Stablemaster Ikazuchi told reporters his wish for Shishi to have the chance to reach the san'yaku ranks (above maegashira).[26]
Since makuuchi wrestlers who win their bouts are eligible for bonuses if their match was sponsored, Shishi mentioned to the press his intention to send the money to his family back in Ukraine.[27]
Fighting style
Shishi's most common kimarite, or winning technique, is yori-kiri ('force out'), and he prefers a migi-yotsu, or left hand outside, right hand inside grip on his opponent's mawashi. However, it was noted that he could also be versatile, winning a not inconsiderable number of matches by oshi-dashi ('push out') and uwatenage ('overarm throw'). In the early years of his professional career he admitted that he wanted to emulate the style of former ōzekiTochinoshin, who is his favourite wrestler.[28]
Despite being in Japan since 2018, Shishi still has difficulty speaking Japanese properly. Since his promotion to jūryō, this problem has become more of a hassle as sekitori respond more to interviews. To compensate for his level of Japanese, Shishi relies on his tsukebito (assistant) and stablemate, sandanme-ranked wrestler Saidaiji, with whom he converses when in doubt about the meaning of his sentence and who relays the answer to the journalists.[29] The relationship between the assistant and his superior has also attracted the attention of observers, who are amused by this unprecedented situation, even dubbing Saidaiji the "Ippei Mizuhara of the kakukai", in reference to the translator to whom Shohei Ohtani owes a great deal during his interviews.[30]
^"ウクライナ初の関取・獅司が新十両会見で決意「もっと頑張ります。ママ、パパを助けます！」" [Ukraine's first sekitori, Shishi, makes up his mind at his new juryo press conference: "I will work harder. I will help my mom and dad!"]. Hochi Sports (in Japanese). 31 May 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
^"【新弟子検査】ウクライナ出身のダニーロ「家族のために頑張りたい。助けたい」戦禍の母国へ活躍届ける" [[New Apprentice Examination] Danilo from Ukraine: "I want to do my best for my family. I want to help." Delivering success to his war-ravaged home country]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 3 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
^ ab"獅司がウクライナ出身として初の関取、新十両３人と再十両２人を発表" [Shishi is the first sekitori from Ukraine, three new juryo and two re-juryo are announced.]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 31 May 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
^ abcd"ウクライナ出身初の関取となった獅司が新十両会見「ウクライナは大変。ママ、パパを助けます」" [Shishi, the first sekitori from Ukraine, gives a press conference for his new juryo division: "Ukraine is in trouble. I will help mom and dad."]. Nikkan Sports. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
^ abc"ウクライナ出身の幕下獅司が３連勝 大きな拍手に応える白星／春場所" [Ukrainian-born makushita Shishi wins third straight victory to loud applause / Spring Tournament]. Sankei Sports (in Japanese). 17 March 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
^ abcdeIzuka Saki (7 September 2023). "「かな獅司」でなく「うれ獅司」に 大相撲初のウクライナ出身力士・獅司、苦労とその天真爛漫な素顔に迫る" [Shishi, the First Ukrainian-born Sumo Wrestler, Reveals His Hardships and His Innocence]. Yahoo Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 February 2024.
^ ab"初のウクライナ力士目指すセルギイは「ミニ把瑠都」" [Serhii, aiming to become the first Ukrainian rikishi, is a "mini-Baruto"]. Nikkan Sports. 6 January 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
^ ab"元貴闘力の次男鵬山ら新序一番出世力士16人発表" [16 new first-ranked rikishi announced, including former Takatōriki's second son, Hōzan.]. Nikkan Sports. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
^ abc"ウクライナ出身の獅司「来場所はたぶん、関取に上がります！」勝ち越しで新十両昇進の権利得る" [Ukrainian-born Shishi: "I'll probably move up to sekitori in the tournament!" - Positive record entitles him to a juryo promotion.]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 20 May 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
^ ab"初のウクライナ出身関取誕生が間近 獅司４連勝、ゼレンスキー大統領の来日には発言控える" [First Ukrainian-born sekitori nears birth, Shishi wins 4 straight, refrains from speaking on President Zelenskyy's visit to Japan.]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 20 May 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
^"元垣添の雷親方が入間川部屋継承、名称変え「雷部屋」62年ぶり復活 入間川親方４月定年" [Ikazuchi oyakata (former Kakizoe) inherits the Irumagawa stable, changes the name to "Ikazuchi stable" and revives it for the first time in 62 years. Irumagawa Oyakata retires in April]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 26 January 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
^"【甘口辛口】ウクライナ出身の幕下力士・獅司 同国と縁深い大横綱大鵬を目指し、不屈の精神で土俵に打ち込んでほしい" [I hope that he will be able to compete indefatigably in the ring with the aim of becoming the great yokozuna Taiho, a wrestler from Ukraine with close ties to his country.]. Sankei Sports (in Japanese). 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
^ ab"ウクライナ初の関取、獅司が念願の白まわしに「うれしい」 派手な書体のサインも公開" [Ukraine's first sekitori, Shishi, is "happy" to wear his long-sought white mawashi, and to display his signature in fancy calligraphy.]. Sports Nippon. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
^"新十両・獅司がうれしい勝ち越し「１０勝？できます」" [New Juryo wrestler Shishi is happy with his kachi-koshi. '10 wins? I can do it'.]. Daily Sports (in Japanese). 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
^"十両・獅司が日翔志との流血戦制す 立ち合いで顔と顔がぶつかり合い…前歯折れた" [Juryo Shishi engages in a bloody battle with Hitoshi. Their faces collided... their front teeth were broken.]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 23 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
^""ウクライナの怪物"と"トルコの貴公子"が前相撲で豪快デビュー" [The "Ukrainian Monster" and the "Turkish Nobleman" make their dynamic debut in a pre-wrestling match.]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 10 March 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
^"ウクライナ出身新十両の獅司、白星発進に「緊張したけどうれしい」好物マクドナルド、ピザで鋭気" [Shishi, a new juryo from Ukraine, "I was nervous but happy" to start the tournament with a white star, and he was energized by his favorite food, McDonald's and pizza.]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 9 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
^"ウクライナ初の関取獅司を支える「角界の一平さん」雰囲気通訳の西太司" [Saidaiji, the "Ippei-san of the Kakukai", atmosphere interpreter supporting Ukraine's first sekitori Shishi.]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 17 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
