[4] After retirement from sumo Höövelson has been involved in different business ventures, mixed martial arts, acting, and politics.
[5] His father died when Höövelson was sixteen years old and he worked as a nightclub bouncer to earn a living.
[7] He came to Japan with a friend from Estonia, Ott Juurikas, who entered Irumagawa stable and fought under the name of Kitaoji but quit after only one tournament.
He moved very quickly up the rankings, reaching the jūryō division after only eight tournaments (tied for the third-fastest rise to sekitori status since 1958 when the current six-tournament-a-year format was adopted) and compiling a record of 41–8 on the way.
In his first tournament in the top division Baruto scored a strong 11–4 record and won the kantō-shō (or Fighting Spirit Prize).
In May he won the jūryō championship with a 14–1 record, resulting in an immediate return to makuuchi in July to the position of maegashira 14 East.
He finished with a fine 12–3 record, guaranteeing his return to sekiwake, and was awarded his fourth Fighting Spirit prize.
He became only the third wrestler to compile 33 wins over three tournaments in a san'yaku rank and not be promoted to ōzeki, following Kotogahama in 1957 and Miyabiyama (twice) in 2006.
At the March tournament in Osaka it was indicated by Sumo Association official Tomozuna Oyakata that he would need to win at least 13 bouts and be in contention for the yūshō to earn ōzeki promotion.
He was in contention for the championship until the final bout of the tournament, which Hakuhō won over Harumafuji to complete an undefeated 15–0 performance.
This changed in January 2012, when after he recorded 13 straight wins and his nearest challenger yokozuna Hakuhō suffered three losses in four bouts, he took the championship with two days left to spare.
"[16] At the Osaka tournament in March he stood at 9–1 after ten days, but lost four of his last five matches to finish on a disappointing 10–5, putting any hopes for yokozuna promotion back to square one.
"[17] Baruto was kadoban, or in danger of demotion from ōzeki, after he pulled out of the Aki basho in September 2012 on the 4th day after injuring the big toe on his right foot before the tournament.
[18] Needing at least eight wins to preserve his rank in the Kyushu tournament in November, he instead had to withdraw once again on Day 3 after injuring a thigh muscle, and was demoted back to sekiwake.
[19] Needing ten wins in the January 2013 tournament, he lost his chance of an immediate return to ōzeki on Day 13 when he fell to his sixth defeat.
[4] Baruto had a solid and straightforward yotsu-sumo style, concentrating on techniques which involved grabbing the opponent's mawashi or belt.
Due to his great strength he was known for using tsuri-dashi, or lift out, a technique which has declined in recent years because of the increasing weight of wrestlers.
His great height meant he could reach over his shorter opponents' back to do this, but this unorthodox way of lifting placed a strain on his joints and eventually led to knee problems.
He was forced to change his yotsu style in his successful ōzeki promotion basho of March 2010, as his thumb injury meant he was less effective on the mawashi, and he used a more aggressive slapping and thrusting attack instead.
[25] He told a press conference that he had lost 25 kg (55 lb; 3.9 st) in weight and that he wanted to be "the strongest fighter in the world.
The series tells the story of a man named Yaichi, who is struggling to deal with the death of his gay twin brother, Ryoji.
Yaichi and his young daughter Kana's lives become disrupted when they meet Ryoji's Canadian husband, Mike Flanagan.
[38][39] Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi