On Dec. 24, 2000, a skinny, dejected young Mongolian kid, near the end of his two-month stay in Japan, had seemingly failed in a bid to join sumo. Weighing just 60 kg and barely 180 cm tall Davaajargal Monkhbatyn had been unsuccessful in finding a stablemaster willing to take him in.

With the top yokozuna pair at the time (Musashimaru and Akebono) tipping the scales at over 230 kg each and 192 cm and 204 cm, respectively, that was hardly surprising.

Souvenirs bought, Monkhbatyn was preparing to head home when the Miyagino stablemaster, at the urging of maegashira Kyokushuzan, decided to take a chance on the boy with good genes (his father was an Olympic medalist in wrestling).