In October 2006 he won the open division of the World Amateur Sumo Championships held in Saitama, Japan, defeating Ichihara.

However, he put this disastrous performance behind him by scoring 12–3 in May, finishing runner-up to yokozuna Hakuhō and receiving a share of the Fighting Spirit prize, his first sanshō award.

He had another good tournament in July, winning eleven bouts from maegashira 2, defeating two ozeki and once again finishing runner-up with a share of the Kantō-shō.

In the September 2010 tournament he made his san'yaku debut at sekiwake, becoming the first member of Mihogaseki stable to reach sumo's third highest rank since the current head coach, the former Masuiyama II, took over in 1984.

In January 2011 he beat ōzeki Baruto but finished on 5-10, and his 6–9 mark in May, despite a win over Kotoōshū, was his fourth consecutive losing score.

[5] At a press conference he said that his physical condition was bad due to treatment for oral cancer and that he had been thinking about retirement for a year and a half.

At his own request he quickly had a private danpatsu-shiki or retirement ceremony for close relatives only, which is unusual for a former sekiwake, and returned to Russia to become a businessman.

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi