Kotooshu

Kotooshu Katsunori, born as Kaloyan Stefanov Mahlyanov on February 19, 1983 in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, is a professional sumo wrestler or rikishi. Kotooshu is currently ranked as an ozeki or 'champion', the second-highest level in the sumo ranking system behind only yokozuna. Popular with the Japanese public with his good looks, Kotooshu is often called the "David Beckham of Sumo."

Kotooshu is a tall and rather light rikishi at 204cm and 142kg. In comparison, former yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono at the same height, weighed 235kg at his peak. Kotooshu relies primarily on so-called 'belt-throws' to win his sumo bouts. Typically he prefers to take a migi-yotsu (right-hand grip) on his opponent's mawashi (the belt that is fixed around the wrestler's waist). Kotooshu uses his long arms and quick footwork to counteract his high center of gravity and relatively light weight.

Kotooshu's sumo debut was in November 2002, starting in the lowest-ranked Jonokuchi division. He posted kachikoshi (winning more matches than losing) winning records throughout his early career, going 71 wins against 15 defeats in the Makushita lower divisions.
Upon reaching the Makuuchi upper division in September 2004, he had kachikoshi winning records for four consecutive tournaments, being promoted to Sanyaku at the rank of komusubi before the March 2005 basho (sumo tournament). At the rank of komusubi, he made his first makekoshi (losing more matches than winning) record, and was demoted to maegashira again before returning to the higher rank of komusubi in the Summer sumo basho in July 2005.

In the May 2005 basho Kotooshu was injured in a bout against the current sole yokozuna, Asashoryu Akinori. However, Kotooshu took his revenge in the following July tournament. In addition to defeating Asashoryu Kotooshu also was the runner up in the tournament, winning an "outstanding performance" sansho.

Kotooshu was promoted to sekiwake for the following September tournament and scored an exceptional 13-2 runner up record, only losing the tournement victory after a play-off bout with Asashoryu. An 11-4 record in the final, November, tournament of 2005, including another victory over the otherwise dominant Asashoryu, led to his promotion to the rank of ozeki on November 30, 2005. His three tournament record (on which ozeki promotions are based) was an excellent 36 wins and 9 losses.

Kotooshu‘s promotion to ozeki took only 19 tournaments from his professional sumo debut. This represents the most rapid rise for a wrestler entering professional sumo from the bottom Jonokuchi division Kotooshu is also the first wrestler of European origin to hold the ozeki rank, and one of only five non-Japanese that have achieved this.