(JAPAN PRO) Moving Mount Fuji: A New Beginning in Life - Azumafuji (Interview)
15th August 1955
"People often ask me, "Why did a Yokozuna give up sumo and become a professional wrestler?" This kind of tedious question is really annoying. Every time I hear this, I feel like rebelling and saying, "I chose the path I wanted, so it doesn't matter."
I would like to avoid talking about the relationship between sumo and professional wrestling during his time as well as sumo itself. However, I am deeply grateful to Rikidozan, who served as my best advisor and provided me with valuable support as I transitioned to professional wrestling, and to President Shinsaku Nitta (Chairman of the Japan Pro-Wrestling Association), who supported me during my sumo days."
Hard Training
"After I retired last fall, I thought about switching to professional wrestling, but even I had no idea whether it would actually be successful. I was asked by Shikina Oki (Rikidozan's famous coach) in Hawaii to provide sumo instruction, and I went there with the late Riki Mitsuki*, but I made no announcement that I was going to turn to professional wrestling, and there was no other motive behind it. After all, MY goal was to continue teaching sumo, and I wanted to try my hand at pro wrestling training on the side. However, Oki's professional wrestling training in Hawaii was thorough. He spent two full hours in the morning training nearly twenty second-generation sumo wrestlers, all local indigenous local people, and in the afternoon he worked out his body through bodybuilding, sunbathing, and other activities. Every morning I jogged for an hour on the sandy beach in Waikiki. I'd never done this before, but the breathlessness when I did it was no joke. I only ate once a day, and I completely cut out staple foods like bread and rice. Instead, I chose nutritious foods like meat, vegetables, and cheese. After about three weeks of this training, my body started to look different. The belly fat gradually disappeared, my weight went from 40 kan to 35 or 36 kan, and I no longer got out of breath.
I continued this intense training and ended up competing in matches.
My first opponent was Don Beitelman, a violent man from Texas. It was my first time stepping into the ring, and I felt a bit embarrassed, and since it was so different from the sumo ring, I wandered around a bit. I knew nothing about mat fighting, so I went into the match intending to have a sumo match. Thinking that time had finally passed, I asked my second, Mr. Oki, but was disappointed to hear that it was still five or six minutes, and my opponent decided to try and somehow force me into a ground fight. When he got me in a foot lock, I didn't know how to escape so I started flailing around. I heard Oki's voice saying, "Get rid of that beast quickly," and I kicked up to get out, then after I punished him with sumo thrusts and joint locks, I was able to get the fall in ten minutes and nine seconds. There were moments where I would attack, but I was able to get a general idea of how it worked."
My confidence has grown.
"Those who truly lack skill will be ridiculed by their opponents. I've realized that the most important thing is to train my own strength and technique. The strength of my hips and knees that I developed during sumo wrestling has been useful to me. You can also use your physical strength by taking breaks using ropes, etc.
However, even though I'm considered large in Japan, when I go to America, I find that there are many people bigger than me. Ortega, who I'm talking about here, is about a size larger than me. He's also built very sturdily. In Japan, I couldn't find ready-made shirts and pants, but in the US, I can get what I need because they're hanging in the stores, so shopping is easy.
After about twenty matches, I've also gained confidence as a wrestler. I was happy to see that the hard work I put in as a new apprentice from a Yokozuna was paying off in a new field. A Yokozuna is the champion of sumo. I felt that I had to keep working hard, staking my name on that title.
Serious Force
Those who are not sufficiently trained or skilled will not be able to withstand these and will be disqualified as wrestlers. The seriousness of professional wrestling comes from competing with each other's strength techniques within these rules. Those who are weak are not weak because they are caught in a technique, but rather those who have built up enough stamina to withstand their opponent's techniques and make strong throws with ease.
On July 7th, I had my hair-cutting ceremony, where I shed the topknot that I had been accustomed to for 18 years. This was a memorable day, when I promised myself that my nostalgia for the sumo ring would come to an end and that I would start anew as Azumafuji, a wrestler who would live up to the expectations of the public."
Notes
Riki Mitsuki: I can find no information on who this is.
Rikidozan and Azumafuji arriving at Haneda Airport (July 2nd 1955)
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