Newly Promoted Ukrainian Sumo Wrestler Aonishiki Expresses ‘Strong Desire’ to Aim for Highest Rank of Yokozuna

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:14 JST, November 26, 2025

Aonishiki’s promotion from sekiwake to ozeki — the second highest rank in professional sumo — was announced Wednesday. He said, “I’ll strive diligently to live up to the name of ozeki and aim even higher,” at a ceremony in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, where he was informed of the decision.

Beside the 21-year-old wrestler from Ukraine was his stablemaster Ajigawa, 47, a former sekiwake Aminishiki. Ajigawa has carefully trained Aonishiki for the past three years.

“[In my speech,] I wanted to express about my strong desire to aim for one more rank above ozeki [the highest rank of yokozuna]. I discussed with my stablemaster that a simple speech would suit me better,” Aonishiki said at a press conference. “I practiced the speech many, many times,” he said.

Aonishiki, whose real name is Danylo Yavhusishyn, joined the Ajigawa stable as a practice member in December 2022, eight months after arriving in Japan. Ajigawa had a policy against taking foreign-born wrestlers into his stable, but he accepted Aonishiki following an introduction from Koji Fukuda, a 74-year-old former sumo club coach at Hotoku Gakuen High School in Hyogo Prefecture. Ajigawa said he did so because he was impressed by Aonishiki’s sincere dedication to sumo.

Ajigawa, a six-time winner of the Technique Prize, among other awards, carefully taught Aonishiki. He showed Aonishiki effective ways to deal with an opponent depending on their position as well as how to grab an opponent’s mawashi belt.

They sometimes had drinks together and talked about sumo as well as personal matters.

On Sunday evening, Aonishiki brought a good news of winning the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament earlier that day to Ajigawa, and embraced his stablemaster. Aonishiki won the tournament on the final day of the event that ensured his promotion to ozeki,

“I was incredibly happy because I wanted to share my victory with my stablemaster the most. There is still a long way to go for me, but I was able to reward him a little,” Aonishiki said.

Ajigawa said, “Having come from a foreign land, he has been working so hard to understand the culture of sumo.” Watching his protege, who was promoted to ozeki only three years after joining the stable, Ajigawa added, “He will only get stronger.”

“Seeing a disciple going above [the sumo rank where I was] is a joy only a stablemaster can truly appreciate,” Ajigawa said at a press conference.

Aonishiki has won the Technique Prize in three consecutive tournaments, seemingly having inherited his master’s techniques. His simple, humor-filled way of speaking also seems to resemble his master’s.

“I want to continue striving for the highest rank,” Aonishiki said. His story with his stablemaster will likely have more chapters to come.