Height 184 cm (6 ft ⁄2 in) University Takushoku University Debut May, 1992 | Stable Tamanoi Record 167-150-26 Retired January 1999 | |
Born Luis Gō Ikemori
May 26, 1971 (age 45)
Sao Paulo, Brazil ( 1971-05-26 ) Weight 161 kg (355 lb; 25 st 5 lb) | ||
Ryūkō Gō (born 26 May 1971 as Luis Gō Ikemori) is a former sumo wrestler from Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Career
As a youth he did judo, turning to sumo at age 16. At age 18 he went to Japan and won an international tournament, and in 1990 competing for Takushoku University he became the first Brazilian to win the Japanese National Collegiate Sumo Championship. He turned professional in May 1992, joining the Tamanoi stable. He was the first foreign wrestler ever to be granted makushita tsukedashi status, meaning that because of his amateur sumo achievements he could start at the bottom of the third highest makushita division. He reached elite sekitori status in March 1994 when he was promoted to the jūryō division. Ryūkō was his final shikona or fighting name – he was also known as Ikemori and Ryūdō. His highest rank was Jūryō 8, achieved in March 1995. He had Japanese parentage and adopted Japanese citizenship on 22 April 1996 (the same day as Akebono). Having fallen down the banzuke rankings he retired in January 1999. He has remained in Japan, working for a Tokyo business.