Wakakoma Kenzo

Wakakoma Kenzo
若駒 健三
Personal information
Born	Kenzo Ito (1937-04-20)20 April 1937 Gojōme, Akita, Japan
Died	31 August 2019(2019-08-31) (aged 82)
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	83 kg (183 lb; 13.1 st)
Career
Stable	Nishonoseki → Shibatayama → Hanakago
Record	219-153-48
Debut	May, 1952
Highest rank	Maegashira 8 (November, 1961)
Retired	March, 1962
Championships	1 (Jūryō) 1 (Makushita)
* Up to date as of Sep. 2012.

Wakakoma Kenzo (born 20 April 1937 as Kenzo Ito – 31 August 2019) was a former sumo wrestler from Gojōme, Akita, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1952 and reached the top division in September 1961. His highest rank was maegashira 8. He left the sumo world upon retirement from active competition in March 1962. He died on August 31, 2019, at the age of 82.

Fighting Style

He was a yotsu-sumo wrestler, and his most common winning techniques were shitatehineri (twisting underarm throw), oshidashi (push out) and shitatenage (underarm throw). He preferred a migi-yotsu (left hand outside, left right inside) grip on his opponent's mawashi.

Pre-modern career record

Kenzo joined Nishonoseki stable in May 1952 and was given the shikona "Ohibiki" (大響). He transferred to Shibatayama stable (later renamed Hanakago stable) in September 1952. He was promoted to sandanme in May 1954 and makushita in May 1955. In March 1960 he changed his shikona to "Wakakoma" (若駒). Three tournaments later in July 1960, he won the makushita yusho with a perfect 7–0 record at the rank of makushita 13 and was promoted to juryo for the following September 1960 tournament.

• In 1953 the New Year tournament was begun and the Spring tournament began to be held in Osaka.

Wakakoma Kenzo

-	Spring Haru basho, Tokyo	Summer Natsu basho, Tokyo	Autumn Aki basho, Tokyo
1952	x	Shinjo 2–1	East Jonidan #27 0–0–8
Record given as wins–losses–absences    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

-	New Year Hatsu basho, Tokyo	Spring Haru basho, Osaka	Summer Natsu basho, Tokyo	Autumn Aki basho, Tokyo
1953	East Jonokuchi #1 0–0–8	(Banzukegai)	(Banzukegai)	Shinjo 2–1
1954	East Jonidan #57 6–2	East Jonidan #16 7–1	East Sandanme #60 5–3	East Sandanme #43 4–4
1955	East Sandanme #37 5–3	East Sandanme #14 6–2	West Makushita #52 5–3	West Makushita #44 6–2
1956	West Makushita #30 7–1	West Makushita #14 4–4	East Makushita #13 4–4	East Makushita #13 4–4
Record given as wins–losses–absences    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

Juryo career

In his first tournament as a sekitori, Wakakoma finished with an 8–7 record. In the following November 1960 tournament, he won the juryo yusho with a strong 12–3 record. After two successive 10-5 records, he was promoted to makuuchi in September 1961.

Makuuchi career

He produced a solid 9–6 record in his top division debut, but followed with two consecutive losing records and was demoted back down to juryo after three tournaments in makuuchi. After falling down to juryo he abruptly announced his retirement after the March 1962 tournament.

Championships

1 Juryo Championship (November 1960)

1 Makushita Championship (July 1960)

• Since the addition of the Kyushu tournament in 1957 and the Nagoya tournament in 1958, the yearly schedule has remained unchanged.

Year	January Hatsu basho, Tokyo	March Haru basho, Osaka	May Natsu basho, Tokyo	July Nagoya basho, Nagoya	September Aki basho, Tokyo	November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1957	West Makushita #12 4–4	West Makushita #10 4–4	West Makushita #9 5–3	Not held	West Makushita #6 4–4	East Makushita #6 4–4
1958	East Makushita #7 4–4	East Makushita #6 6–2	East Makushita #1 0–2–6	West Makushita #13 4–1–3	East Makushita #11 0–0–8	West Makushita #26 0–0–8
1959	East Makushita #46 5–3	West Makushita #39 4–4	East Makushita #39 6–2	East Makushita #21 1–7	West Makushita #37 0–1–7	West Makushita #62 7–1
1960	East Makushita #40 4–4	East Makushita #35 5–3	East Makushita #26 6–2	East Makushita #13 7–0 Champion	West Jūryō #15 8–7	West Jūryō #14 12–3 Champion
1961	West Jūryō #4 10–5	East Jūryō #1 4–11	East Jūryō #8 10–5	East Jūryō #2 10–5	East Maegashira #13 9–6	West Maegashira #8 6–9
1962	East Maegashira #12 3–12	East Jūryō #4 Retired –	x	x	x	x
Record given as wins–losses–absences    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also

• Glossary of sumo terms
• List of past sumo wrestlers
• List of sumo tournament second division champions