It's Official: Hoshoryu Will Compete in Kyushu
Yokozuna Hoshoryu, 27, who has sat out three straight tournaments, will compete in the Kyushu basho starting November 8 at Fukuoka Kokusai Center. "I've decided to compete," he said after morning practice at Tatsunami stable in Itoshima, Fukuoka on the 5th. He made the call after talking with his stablemaster, Tatsunami Oyakata (former komusubi Asahiyutaka), the day before. "I'm the one who said I wanted to compete," he said, and his stablemaster told him to make sure he didn't aggravate the injury.
Hoshoryu withdrew partway through the July Nagoya basho, had surgery on his right knee, and missed all of September's Aki basho for the first time. Since arriving in Fukuoka he has been out on degeiko nearly every day. He has posted double-digit wins in Kyushu four years running without a title ("In Kyushu I always lose just one step short"), and in his 11th tournament as yokozuna he is chasing his first championship at the rank. "I'm excited," he told Sankei Sports. "I'll show everyone a healthy Hoshoryu."
Source: Yahoo! Japan Sports (Nikkan Sports; also Sankei Sports, Yomiuri)