Ozeki Kirishima is set for demotion from sumo's second-highest rank after withdrawing from the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday with a neck injury.
The Mongolian-born 28-year-old's rank was in jeopardy with his status at "kadoban" for the ongoing meet at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan after he recorded a 5-10 losing record at the Spring meet in March. He needed eight wins this month to remain as ozeki but slumped to a 1-5 start through Friday.
Kirishima, promoted to ozeki ahead of the Nagoya meet last July, won his second Emperor's Cup at the Kyushu meet in November. He is set to end his sixth tournament as an ozeki 1-6 with Saturday's scheduled opponent, No. 3 maegashira Tobizaru, winning by default.
"His neck pain is affecting many areas," Mongolian-born Otowayama stablemaster and former yokozuna Kakuryu said of Kirishima, who will not return to fight again during the 15-day meet. "His arm is numb and his hand can't generate power."
Kirishima can still return to ozeki should he post 10 wins or more at the Nagoya meet in July.
"He has mentally switched off (after the losses). I believe he will be hospitalized for three, four days," Otowayama said. "We need to figure out what the issue is in detail.
"He has to think as if the next meet is beginning today, there's no guarantee he can win 10 (in Nagoya)."
