Yokozuna Kakuryu gains Kyushu title after a final day victory at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
Kakuryu secured his victory on the 14th day after his battle against Ozeki Goeido.
On the 15th day Kakuryu grabbed his final victory when he forced Yokozuna Harumafuji out of the ring, finishing with a 14-1 record.
When asked if he was thinking of victory before he stepped up against Goeido, Kakuryu said, "I tried not to think about it, but only went about fighting in a normal manner."
This is Kakuryu's third grand tournament title, his last being from September 2015.
Last year he secured his title in a similar fashion by suffering only one loss before becoming the tournament's champion.
However, two years ago Kakuryu fell apart after suffering a defeat against Ozeki Kisenosato.
When asked what was different between this year's victory and two years ago, Kakuryu answered, “I was in the same situation two years ago and that time I fizzled out, but this time I was determined not to let that happen again.
“I’ve been struggling with injuries for the past one, two years and physically and
mentally things didn’t come together, but I didn’t sulk and it’s great that things turned out like this.”
"I hope that after winning such a major, Kakuryu will be able to keep moving forward, not let this get into his head, and really hold on to this title" added our sports expert, Akio Nakamura.
We all look forward to seeing what Kakuryu has to offer in the years to come.
Yokozuna Kakuryu receiving his trophy on Sunday, November 27th after winning the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
Yokozuna kakuryu Captures Kyushu Title