The lowest-ranked sumo competitor pulled off a massive upset to win a prestigious wrestling tournament, then burst into tears because he was so relieved

Tokushoryu entered as the lowest-ranked competitor in the field but broke off an incredible 13-match winning streak to close out the tournament and lift the trophy.
After his final victory, Tokushoryu burst into tears, saying in his post-match interview "I might have cried too much, but at that moment I felt relieved from all the pressure."
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Sumo wrestler Tokushoryu thrilled fans with an astounding underdog run at the first big tournament of the year, pulling off an incredible streak of victories to take the top prize.

Entering the tournament, Tokushoryu was the lowest-ranked competitor in the field, having just moved up from the second division. But despite his relatively unknown status, and his underdog odds, Tokushoryu fought his way to a 14-1 record against the competition, winning the first title of his 11-year career.

After splitting his first two matches of the tournament, Tokushoryu went on a 13-match winning streak to run away with the title. He became the first bottom-ranked wrestler to win the tournament in 20 years, according to Kyodo News .

After the match that sealed Tokushoryu's victory, he burst into tears in an emotional show of relief and gratitude.

"I might have cried too much, but at that moment I felt relieved from all the pressure,"Tokushoryu said in his post-bout interview, per Kyodo News .

"Deep down I'm feeling like, 'Is it okay for me to win the championship?' I was the lowest-ranking fighter, I had nothing to fear. I just had to give it everything I had."

Tokushoryu's tears came with good reason. Not only had he just pulled off his underdog run to the championship, but he had also done so in the wake of the death of one of his former coaches, Katsuhito Ito, who had died halfway through the tournament.

"I should do it for him," Tokushoryu said of the tragedy, per Asahi Shimbun .

Just a few days later, he would go on to lift the trophy.

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The lowest-ranked sumo competitor pulled off a massive upset to win a prestigious wrestling tournament, then burst into tears because he was so relieved

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