Asahoryu retires amidst scandal; could a move to MMA be next?

Yokozuna Asahoryu has announced his retirement! With a lifetime record of 669-173-76 he became the first Mongolian to reach sumo's highest rank in January 2003. He is considered one of the most successful yokozuna ever. In 2005 he became the first man to win all six official tournaments (honbasho) in a single year and over his entire career he won 25 top division tournament championships, placing him third on the all-time list. Most recently he won the January 2010 Grand Sumo Tournament.

Asahoryu has been involved in a scandal involving allegations he attacked a man outside a Tokyo nightclub last month. He announced his decision to retire, after discussing the matter at a meeting with the Board of Directors of the Sumo Association. He stated, "I feel heavy responsibility as a yokozuna that I have caused trouble to so many people. I am the only person who can put an end to it all. I think it's my destiny that I retire like this."

There are already whispers of Asahoryu moving to MMA, which would be huge in Japan.

Rumors and reports of a possible MMA conversion are already being put out and it looks like WVR and FEG/RE are already showing interest. According to a January 4th article, SRC advisor and Japan Wrestling Federation president Fukuda said that if that’s what he (Asashoryu) has in mind/feels like doing, he’s welcome. DREAM EP Sasahara is quoted as saying: "It’s appealing/attracting".


http://www.cibersumo.com/pics/imagenes/rikishis/Asashoryu%20brazos%20en%20alto.jpg
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200711/r205969_784485.jpg

This is a guy who has literrally been on pace to become one of the greatest, if not the greatest sumo champions ever in terms of his record.

I have always wondered what would happen if an actual prime sumo wrestler entered MMA, especially how Asashoryu in particular would do. This is not Akebono, who was well past his athletic prime and who's tremendous size, above all else, had enabled his greatly successful sumo career. Asashoryu is actually a tremendous athlete and is just 29 years old and is still in his prime. His technique is tremendous, and he comes from a family of Mongolian-style wrestlers. His brother Dolgorsürengiin Sumiyaabazar is a Mongolian wrestling champion and has already competed in MMA.

While I'm not holding my breath on a successful career in MMA for Asashoryu, I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see him at least have a couple fights and you never know where it might lead. Really though, this has been a curriousity of mine for some time (how Asashoryu might do in MMA), and I'm actually shocked that it may now become a reality.

It's also sad to see him go from Sumo. He's long been my favorite.

http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/01/kotomitsu2.jpg

http://blogs.reuters.com/japan/files/2009/01/asashoryu-fight.jpg

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/photos/sports/martialarts/080127/mrt0801271734000-p2.jpg

http://www.geocities.jp/o118016/cht/img/asahaku.jpg

He'll expose UFC....again!!!

He has never been hit, he needs to cross train. Boxing and jiu jitsu are hard to learn. He needs one year of intense training in both and fight bums for a couple of fights. IMO it ain't gonna happen and if he fights, it'll be on New year's eve against Minowa and he'll get kneebared in 30 seconds.