Masateru Kaiketsu

Kaiketsu Masateru (Japanese: 魁傑 將晃, born Teruyuki Nishimori; February 16, 1948 – May 18, 2014) was a Japanese sumo wrestler, who reached the second highest rank of ōzeki on two occasions. He also won two top division tournament championships. After his retirement in 1979 he became a coach under the name of Hanaregoma-oyakata and established Hanaregoma stable. He was also chairman of the Japan Sumo Association from 2010 to 2012.

Career While at Nihon University he practiced judo. He made his professional sumo debut in September 1966 at the age of 18, fighting out of Hanakago stable. Initially fighting under his own surname of Nishimori, he reached the second jūryō division in January 1970. He adopted the shikona of Hananishiki before switching to Kaiketsu in November 1970. He reached the top makuuchi division in September 1971. In March 1972 from the maegashira 7 ranking he was the tournament runner-up to Hasegawa, who defeated him in a playoff, and he was given special prizes for Outstanding Performance and Technique. At the following tournament in May 1972 he made his san'yaku debut at komusubi rank. After scoring 11 wins there and finishing as runner-up to his stablemate Wajima he was promoted to sekiwake. He was also a runner-up in January 1973.

In September 1974 Kaiketsu turned in a make-koshi or losing score of 7–8 at sekiwake rank but then took his first top division yūshō or championship in November as a komusubi. He scored twelve wins against three losses, and defeated yokozuna Kitanoumi in a playoff. He followed this up with an 11–4 score in January 1975. His combined total of wins over the last three tournaments was 30, below the normal standard for ōzeki promotion of 33, but there was only one ōzeki at the time, Takanohana, so the Sumo Association decided to promote Kaiketsu.

After suffering from hepatitis and lower back pain, Kaiketsu was demoted from ōzeki less than a year after reaching the rank following two consecutive losing scores. However, in September 1976 ranked at maegashira 4, he took his second tournament championship with a 14–1 record, followed by consecutive 11–4 scores at sekiwake in November 1976 and January 1977. He was promoted to ōzeki once again, alongside Wakamisugi, to whom he had a superior three tournament record. Following a match-fixing scandal which broke in February 2011 he announced an independent investigation and the cancellation of the March 2011 Osaka honbasho. He stood down from the post at the February 2012 Sumo Association board elections as the terms are for two years and he was close to the mandatory retirement age of 65. He left the Sumo Association in February 2013 and Hanaregoma stable was absorbed into Shibatayama stable, run by the former Ōnokuni. He died on May 18, 2014, while practicing golf. He was 66.

Fighting style Kaiketsu's favourite kimarite or techniques were tsuppari (a series of rapid thrusts to the chest), hidari yotsu (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on the mawashi), yori kiri (force out) and uwatenage (overarm throw).

Career record