Kimurayama Mamoru

{{Short description|Japanese sumo wrestler (1981–2024)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{more citation needed|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | native_name = {{nobold|木村山守}} | name = Kimurayama Mamoru | image = Kimurayama 08 Sep.jpg | caption = Mamoru in 2008 | birth_name = Mamoru Kimura | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1981|7|13}} | birth_place = Gobo, Japan | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2024|7|6|1981|7|13}} | death_place = Tokyo, Japan | height = {{height|meters=1.83}} | weight = {{convert|170|kg|lb st|abbr=on}} | heya = Kasugano | university = Toyo University | record = 343-328-7 | debut = March 2004 | highestrank = Maegashira 7 (November 2010) | retireddate = January 2014 | eldername = Iwatomo | yushos = 2 (Jūryō) | prizes = | goldstars = | update = June 2020 |native_name_lang=ja}}

'''Kimurayama Mamoru''' (13 July 1981 – 6 July 2024) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. His highest rank was ''maegashira'' 7. He was a coach at Kasugano stable. He was the only wrestler in the elite ranks in his time from Wakayama Prefecture.<ref name=bio>{{cite web |title=Kimurayama Mamoru |url=https://www.sumo.or.jp/EnSumoDataRikishi/profile/2693/ |website=日本相撲協会公式サイト |access-date=6 July 2024 |language=en |archive-date=12 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220912141809/https://www.sumo.or.jp/EnSumoDataRikishi/profile/2693 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Career== Born in Gobo, Wakayama Prefecture<ref name=death /> he was an amateur champion at Toyo University, but did not have enough collegiate titles to receive ''makushita tsukedashi'' status and join professional sumo in the third highest ''makushita'' division, instead beginning at the bottom of the rankings in March 2004. He joined Kasugano stable, run by another Wakayama Prefecture native, the former ''sekiwake'' Tochinowaka. His ''shikona'' or fighting name was adapted from his own surname, which is also a time-honoured name in Kasugano stable, being the name of a ''gyoji'' or referee, Kimura Soshiro, who ran the stable in the early 20th century.

thumb|left|Kimurayama in May 2009 Kimurayama reached ''sekitori'' status in January 2008 upon promotion to the second highest ''jūryō'' division and won his first ''yūshō'' or tournament championship in the following tournament with a 12–3 record. He made his debut in the top ''makuuchi'' division two tournaments later at ''maegashira'' 12, but fell short with a 7–8 record. He won his second ''jūryō'' championship in March 2010, after a three way playoff with Kōryū and Tamaasuka. He did not manage a ''kachi-koshi'' or winning record in the top division until his eighth try in July 2010. This performance, and another 8–7 in September, resulted in promotion to what was to be his highest career rank of ''maegashira'' 7 for the November 2010 tournament.

He moved up from ''maegashira'' 17 to ''maegashira'' 15 despite only scoring 7–8 in the May 2011 Technical Examination tournament, due to the large number of retirements caused by a match-fixing scandal. Despite recording his fifth successive ''make-koshi'' in September 2011, he remained in ''makuuchi'' for the November tournament. After yet another losing score there he was finally demoted back to ''juryo'' in January 2012 and spent only one more tournament in the top division, in September 2012. Of his total of 16 tournaments fought in the top division, only two resulted in winning records (both 8–7), and his record there was 101 wins against 139 losses.

==Retirement from sumo== Kimurayama chose to retire and take on an elder name rather than being demoted to ''makushita'' after the January 2014 tournament. He secured the Iwatomo ''toshiyori-kabu'', one of 105 shares in the Japan Sumo Association, and later worked as a coach at Kasugano stable. He was then known as Iwatomo Oyakata.<ref name=death /><ref name=bio />

==Death== Kimurayama died in Tokyo on 6 July 2024, at the age of 42, after being hospitalized in May 2024.<ref name=death>{{Cite web |title=元幕内・木村山の岩友親方が42歳で死去、引退後は名古屋場所の担当親方を長く務める【大相撲】：中日スポーツ・東京中日スポーツ |url=https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/923762 |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=中日スポーツ・東京中日スポーツ |language=ja |archive-date=6 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706081235/https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/923762 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Fighting style== Kimurayama favoured pushing and thrusting techniques as opposed to fighting on the ''mawashi''. His most common winning ''kimarite'' (or technique) was a simple ''oshi-dashi'', or push out. He frequently employed the sidestepping ''henka'' move at the ''tachi-ai'' or initial charge, and consequently won many bouts by ''hiki-otosh''i, the pull down, and ''tsuki-otoshi'', the thrust over.

==Career record== {{Sumo record box start|Kimurayama Mamoru<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=6010|title=Kimurayama Mamoru Rikishi Information|publisher=Sumo Reference|accessdate=5 September 2009|archive-date=22 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922213753/http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=6010|url-status=live}}</ref>}} {{Sumo record year start link|2004}} {{Basho}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|jk|12|e|6|1}} {{Basho|jo|62|e|6|1}} {{Basho|sa|93|e|6|1}} {{Basho|sa|35|e|6|1}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2005}} {{Basho|ma|51|e|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|22|w|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|37|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|45|w|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|18|w|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|23|w|4|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2006}} {{Basho|ma|16|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|11|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|7|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|3|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|1|e|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|9|w|0|0|7}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2007}} {{Basho|ma|49|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|29|e|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|12|e|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|5|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|4|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|1|w|6|1}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2008}} {{Basho|j|11|w|6|9}} {{Basho|j|14|e|12|3<br>Champion}} {{Basho|j|2|w|11|4}} {{Basho|m|12|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|14|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|15|e|6|9}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2009}} {{Basho|j|1|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|15|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|16|e|5|10}} {{Basho|j|5|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|2|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|14|w|4|11}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2010}} {{Basho|j|3|w|7|8}} {{Basho|j|4|w|11|4|PP<br>Champion}} {{Basho|m|12|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|13|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|9|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|7|w|5|10}} {{sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2011}} {{Basho|m|14|w|6|9}} {{Basho|CANCELLED|absent=0}} {{Basho|m|17|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|15|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|16|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|17|e|4|11}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2012}} {{Basho|j|5|w|5|10}} {{Basho|j|11|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|9|w|10|5}} {{Basho|j|3|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|14|w|6|9}} {{Basho|j|2|e|6|9}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2013}} {{Basho|j|4|w|4|11}} {{Basho|j|11|e|7|8}} {{Basho|j|11|w|3|12}} {{Basho|ma|6|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|3|e|5|2}} {{Basho|j|11|w|7|8}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2014}} {{Basho|INTAI|rank=j|r-no=11|tozai=w|win=4|loss=11}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Goo Sumo|A=|2693}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kimurayama}} Category:1981 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Sumo wrestlers from Wakayama Prefecture Category:People from Gobō, Wakayama Category:Kasugano stable sumo wrestlers