Sentoryu, a small, compact sumotori (5-9, 310) is going to be entering Pride. He supposedly is already training with Sakuraba. He is an American of African and Japanese heritage from St. Louis and was the last American left in the Ozumo ranks before he retired (his hair-cutting and departure ceremony is today). Is this the Great Black Hope for all sumotori in MMA? Or will he get his butt whipped like Akebono and the rest?
Discuss.
C'mon Guys. Supposedly he is going to be taking on Yoshida in April.
From a report I picked up:
"Sentoryu has announced he will be joining PRIDE in the heavyweight
class, at a press conference held today, at the offices of Dream Stage
Entertainment, his new bosses.
His new boss said he will be participating in an event scheduled for
April. He will take on ex-Judoka Yoshida Hidehiko. "My biggest plan in
the future is to arrange a match between him and Akebono", said the
promoter. PRIDE Superstar Nobuhiko Takada(who is an ex-Makushita
rikishi, if I'm not mistaken) has agreed to help him get ready for the
match, and lent him his "dojo" for this purpose. "Not much time left,
but I'd like to see him defeat the big names!!", he said.
Sentoryuu has wrestling and American football experience in his past.
"Striking the face is illegal in PRIDE, but as soon as you put on
gloves, you somehow become stronger", said Sentoryuu. When he went to
audition for Takada at his dojo, he used "open-fingered" gloves. He was
hitting the punching bag so hard, the impressed Takada said " I was
afraid he was going to bring down the dojo..".
His ring name for the moment will be Sentoryuu. He is slated to start
full training with Takada the week after next."