{{Short description|Japanese sumo wrestler}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | image = Musoyama 09 Sep.JPG | native_name = 武双山 正士 | name = Musōyama Masashi | birth_name = Takehito Oso | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|02|14}} | birth_place = Ibaraki, Japan | height = {{height|meters=1.84}} | weight = {{convert|175|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | heya = Musashigawa | rank = | university = Senshu University | record = 554-377-122 | debut = January 1993 | highestrank = Ōzeki (May 2000) | retireddate = November 2004 | eldername = Fujishima | yushos = 1 (Makuuchi)<br>2 (Makushita) | prizes = Outstanding Performance (5)<br>Fighting Spirit (4)<br>Technique (4) | goldstars = 2<br>Akebono<br>Takanohana II | update = July 2007 }}
'''Musōyama Masashi''' (born February 14, 1972, as '''Takehito Oso''') is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in January 1993, and he won promotion to the top ''makuuchi'' division in just four tournaments. He won thirteen special prizes and spent a total of 31 tournaments at ''komusubi'' and ''sekiwake'' before finally reaching the second highest rank of ''ōzeki'' in 2000, shortly after winning his only top division tournament championship or ''yūshō.'' He retired in 2004. He is now the head coach of Fujishima stable.
==Early career== Oso was interested in sumo from a young age, as his father was the director of the Ibaraki Prefecture sumo association.<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Musoyama: A bull quits the Arena | publisher=Le Monde Du Sumo | url=http://lemondedusumo.com/english/MDS7_musoyama.php?mag=mds&num=7| date=December 2004 | accessdate=2007-07-20}}</ref> He won national amateur titles at high school and at Senshu University, where he was a rival of Tosanoumi. He made his professional debut in January 1993 in the third ''makushita'' division, as due to his amateur achievements he had been given ''makushita tsukedashi'' status. He breezed through ''makushita'' undefeated with two consecutive 7–0 scores to earn promotion to the second ''jūryō'' division, whereupon he changed his shikona from Oso to Musōyama, meaning "twin warrior mountain."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2000/01/14/sumo/wrestling-with-a-national-tradition/#.WKH11mczWUk|title=Wrestling with a national tradition|last=Kaori|first=Shoji|date=14 January 2000|publisher=Japan Times|accessdate=13 February 2017}}</ref> He made his debut in the top ''makuuchi'' division in September 1993. It took him only seven tournaments from his professional debut to make the ''san'yaku'' ranks, debuting at ''sekiwake'' in March 1994. In September he won his first eleven matches, finishing as runner up to Takanohana with a fine 13–2 record. Over the next few years he was regularly ranked at either ''sekiwake'' or ''komusubi'', but was unable to make the next step up. He suffered a number of injuries, including a dislocated shoulder and a persistent problem with his left big toe which affected his speed of movement.
==''Ōzeki'' career== In January 2000 Musōyama won his first top division ''yūshō'' or tournament championship with a score of 13–2, finishing one win ahead of Takanohana whom he had defeated earlier in the tournament. He followed up with a 12–3 score in March, his second runner-up performance, which earned him promotion to ''ōzeki''.<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Musoyama promoted | publisher=The Japan Times | url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ss20000330a1.html| date=2000-03-30 | accessdate=2007-07-20}}</ref> He missed the whole of his debut ''ōzeki'' tournament through injury and could manage only a 4–11 record on his return, resulting in demotion back to ''sekiwake''. However he scored ten wins in the September 2000 tournament, which immediately restored him to ''ōzeki'' status. His time at ''ōzeki'' was bedeviled by further injuries which meant he was often merely struggling to maintain his rank instead of challenging for tournament championships and further promotion. His best performance as an ''ōzeki'' was a 12–3 runner-up score in March 2001, but that was the only tournament in which he was able to win more than ten bouts. On the 6th day of the May 2001 tournament he had a match with Kotomitsuki that lasted a total of nine minutes and 17 seconds. After two breaks, the match was eventually called off and rescheduled for later in the day, the first time this had happened in the top division since 1978. Musōyama lost the rearranged match. The last tournament in which he managed a score in double figures was in July 2003. After pulling out of the September 2004 tournament with only two wins he lost his first three matches in November and announced his retirement, at the age of 32.<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Ozeki Musoyama calls it quits | publisher=The Japan Times | url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ss20041118a1.html | date=2004-11-18 | accessdate=2012-10-02}}</ref>
==After retirement== Musōyama remained in sumo as a coach at his stable and is now known as Fujishima-''oyakata''. In September 2010 he took over as the head coach and changed its name to Fujishima stable. As of 2024 the stable has two ''sekitori'' wrestlers, Bushōzan and Fujiseiun.
In January 2015 Musōyama was named deputy director of the Refereeing Department,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20150129-OHT1T50100.html|title=４２歳藤島親方を審判部副部長に抜てき|date=29 January 2015|publisher=Hochi Sports|access-date=21 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129235132/http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20150129-OHT1T50100.html|archive-date=29 January 2015|lang=ja}}</ref> and as a result was one of the chief judges to adjudicate sumo matches. He held this position until March 2022, but since then he has had to fill in as a chief judge on several occasions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202205200000553.html|title=審判部の佐渡ケ嶽部長が左下腿肉離れで休場 全治３週間見込み|date=20 May 2022|publisher=Nikkan Sports|access-date=21 July 2022|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202207210000100.html|title=佐渡ケ嶽審判部長も新型コロナウイルス感染休場 藤島親方が急きょ代役「残念ですね」|date=21 July 2022|publisher=Nikkan Sports|access-date=21 July 2022|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sanspo.com/article/20230106-WBYPZGSMHVLKFFE24HOPQC5QDE/|title=藤島副部長が審判長に 伊勢ケ浜親方の理事辞任受け|date=6 January 2023|publisher=Sankei Sports|access-date=8 January 2023|lang=ja}}</ref>
At the Sumo Association's board meeting in March 2026 Musōyama was named as the director of public relations, effectively becoming the association's top spokesman.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202603250000758.html|title=元大関魁皇の浅香山親方が審判部長、元大関武双山の藤島親方が広報部長／親方衆新職務|date=23 March 2026|publisher=Nikkan Sports|language=ja|access-date=26 March 2026}}</ref>
==Fighting style== He was mainly a ''oshi-sumo'' wrestler, preferring pushing and thrusting techniques. His most common winning ''kimarite'' was ''oshi-dashi'', a simple push out.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi_kim.aspx?r=6|title=Musoyama bouts by kimarite|publisher=Sumo Reference|accessdate=28 January 2010}}</ref> However, he was also capable of fighting on the ''mawashi'', his favoured grip being ''hidari-yotsu'' (right hand outside, left hand inside).
==Career record== {{Sumo record box start|Musōyama Masashi<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Musōyama Masashi Rikishi Information | publisher=Sumo Reference | url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?shikona=Musoyama&heya=-1&shusshin=-1&b=-1&high=-1&hd=-1&entry=-1&intai=-1&sort=1| date= | accessdate=2012-07-25}}</ref>}} {{Sumo record year start link|1993}} {{Basho|mt|60||7|0<br>Champion}} {{Basho|ma|8|e|7|0<br>Champion}} {{Basho|j|9|w|9|6}} {{Basho|j|5|w|11|4}} {{Basho|m|15|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|11|w|9|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1994}} {{Basho|m|3|w|10|5|||o|*}} {{Basho|s|1|w|9|6}} {{Basho|s|1|w|9|6}} {{Basho|s|1|w|8|7}} {{Basho|s|1|e|13|2||j|f|o}} {{Basho|s|1|e|7|8}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1995}} {{Basho|k|1|w|4|3|8}} {{Basho|KYUJO|rank=m|r-no=4|tozai=w}} {{Basho|m|4|w|11|4|||f|o|*}} {{Basho|s|1|w|10|5|||t}} {{Basho|s|1|w|8|7}} {{Basho|s|1|e|7|8}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1996}} {{Basho|k|1|w|10|5}} {{Basho|s|2|e|12|3||j|t}} {{Basho|s|1|e|10|5}} {{Basho|s|1|w|7|8}} {{Basho|k|1|e|7|8}} {{Basho|k|1|w|8|7}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1997}} {{Basho|k|1|e|8|7}} {{Basho|s|1|e|7|8}} {{Basho|k|1|e|6|9}} {{Basho|m|1|e|9|6}} {{Basho|k|1|e|0|3|12}} {{Basho|m|6|e|11|4|||f}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1998}} {{Basho|s|1|e|10|5|||f}} {{Basho|s|1|w|9|6}} {{Basho|s|1|w|5|10}} {{Basho|m|2|e|9|6}} {{Basho|k|1|e|8|7}} {{Basho|k|1|e|9|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1999}} {{Basho|s|2|w|10|5|||o}} {{Basho|s|1|e|1|2|12}} {{Basho|KYUJO|rank=m|r-no=6|tozai=e}} {{Basho|m|6|e|11|4}} {{Basho|k|1|w|8|7}} {{Basho|k|1|e|10|5}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2000}} {{Basho|s|2|e|13|2||y|o|t}} {{Basho|s|1|e|12|3||j|t}} {{Basho|KYUJO|rank=o|r-no=1|tozai=w}} {{Basho|o|2|w|4|11}} {{Basho|s|1|w|10|5}} {{Basho|o|3|w|9|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2001}} {{Basho|o|3|w|9|6}} {{Basho|o|1|w|12|3||j}} {{Basho|o|1|w|9|6}} {{Basho|o|1|w|10|5}} {{Basho|o|2|e|10|5}} {{Basho|o|1|e|9|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2002}} {{Basho|o|1|w|10|5}} {{Basho|o|2|e|10|5}} {{Basho|o|2|e|9|5|1}} {{Basho|KYUJO|rank=o|r-no=2|tozai=w}} {{Basho|o|2|w|8|7}} {{Basho|o|2|w|10|5}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2003}} {{Basho|o|1|w|8|7}} {{Basho|o|1|e|1|6|8}} {{Basho|o|2|e|8|7}} {{Basho|o|2|e|10|5}} {{Basho|o|2|e|1|5|9}} {{Basho|o|2|w|9|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2004}} {{Basho|o|2|e|5|4|6}} {{Basho|o|2|w|9|6}} {{Basho|o|2|w|6|9}} {{Basho|o|2|e|8|7}} {{Basho|o|2|e|2|7|6}} {{Basho|INTAI|rank=o|r-no=2|tozai=e|loss=4}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}}
==See also== *List of sumo tournament top division champions *List of sumo tournament top division runners-up *Glossary of sumo terms *List of past sumo wrestlers *List of sumo elders *List of ōzeki
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Goo Sumo|A=|4}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Musoyama Masashi}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Ōzeki Category:Sportspeople from Mito, Ibaraki Category:Senshu University alumni Category:Sumo wrestlers from Ibaraki Prefecture