In the runup to the Sept. 15–29 Aki Basho sumo headlines have been dominated by the decision of former ozeki Baruto of Onoe Beya to call time on a nine year career peppered by injuries, and containing brief but highly memorable flashes of brilliance.
Joining the sport in mid-2004, the former nightclub bouncer from Estonia initially shot up the ranks, winning back-to-back yusho in the jonokuchi and jonidan divisions, before making his sekitori debut a year later.
The highlight of his career came in January, 2012, with a 14-1 record in makunouchi to help him claim his first and only Emperor’s Cup.