Makuuchi's Shortest, 172-cm Arashifuji, Beats 191-cm Daiseizan to Start His Debut 2-0
Sports Hochi reports that new East Maegashira 16 Arashifuji (Isegahama), the shortest man in makuuchi at 172 cm, beat 191-cm Maegashira 17 Daiseizan (Arashio) by oshidashi on Kyushu Day 2 to open his top-division debut 2-0 in his home prefecture. Thrust at by the taller man, he deflected and kept moving forward, then rode Daiseizan's pull to push him out.
'If I take it head-on, I'm light (123 kg), so I'll get pushed out. Forward, forward,' he said. 'It was a good flow. I could follow when he pulled.'
The Umi, Fukuoka native graduated from Tottori Johoku High in 2023, coached there for a year, reached the best eight in the adult individual event at that October's national sports festival, and entered at the bottom of makushita via tsukedashi, debuting in March 2024 at Miyagino before the stable's closure moved him to Isegahama. He made juryo in Nagoya this year. His stablemaster Isegahama (ex-yokozuna Terunofuji) gave him the new shikona at the start of the year with the wish that he 'rampage like a storm,' and Arashifuji says he wants to 'stir up a storm.' Ichiran and Rairaitei have put up kensho banners for him: 'I love ramen, so I'm happy.' His goal is double-digit wins, and 'if things go well, the title,' like stablemate Takerufuji's debut championship in March 2024.