After finishing as the runner-up at the November 2024 tournament, Hōshōryū won his second top-division title in January 2025 and was promoted to professional sumo's highest rank, becoming the 74th yokozuna.

He was finally recruited and attended Kashiwa High School in Chiba Prefecture, along future professional sumo wrestlers Ōshōma and Asahakuryū.

[7] There, he first joined the wrestling club, saying he was afraid of sumo,[5] but in his first year he took part in a school trip and visited the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo and became interested in the sport.

During this time, he was in regular contact with his uncle who gave him such advice as "build on your own strengths" and "don't put on weight quickly or you'll risk injury.

Hōshōryū defeated Naya by kubinage, the latter suffering the first make-koshi record of his career and being logically relegated to the lower division for the November tournament of the same year.

In the July 2020 tournament (held in Tokyo instead of the usual Nagoya due to COVID concerns) he took part in a rare situation, where six wrestlers were lined up for the championship with ten wins each.

[35] In October of the same year, Sports Hōchi reported that after the July 2021 tournament he received a comment from the winner of the championship (yokozuna Hakuhō) who passed the baton to him in the hope that he would occupy the top of the sumo world.

[42][43] Hōshōryū had hopes of promotion to ōzeki if he produced double-digit wins in the January 2023 tournament, but he withdrew on Day 10 with a sprained left ankle.

[49] In early June, Hōshōryū returned to Mongolia for the first time in four years, to recover physically and mentally in preparation for his run (ōzeki-tori) to the rank of ōzeki.

[50] Prior to the July tournament, Hōshōryū also received a keshō-mawashi designed by manga artist Rieko Saibara, depicting one of the patrons of his stable (Katsuya Takasu) as Genghis Khan and the "blue wolf", a Mongolian legend.

[52] In response to the growing criticism, the Nikkan Sports newspaper commented in an editorial that the judges had probably awarded the victory to Hōshōryū because he had shown himself to be dominant in the match and Tobizaru was not in a position to continue fighting.

[62] On July 26, Hōshōryū made his formal acceptance speech at his stable's lodging house in Nagoya, with his parents who had flown in from Mongolia for the ceremony.

[63][64] In his speech, Hōshōryū said that he would work hard with a spirit of kihaku issen (気魄一閃, the mental strength to fight powerfully) so as to not tarnish the rank of ōzeki.

[67] Hōshōryū began his ōzeki career in September 2023 by narrowly escaping a kadoban situation with an eighth victory on the final day of the tournament against Hokuseihō.

[69] Although he won the match, Hōshōryū, due to his rank and three unsuccessful attempts was summoned by head judge Kumegawa to receive a verbal warning.

[70] During the March tournament of the same year, Hōshōryū remained in the group of wrestlers still able to compete for the championship, notably standing out on Day 12 by beating Takerufuji, the newly promoted makuuchi who had been unbeaten until then.

During the August collective training sessions, however, the press reported his intention to take part in the September tournament, with Hōshōryū adding that he had put on 10 kg (22 lb; 1.6 st) to support his form.

In the final and deciding match, Hōshōryū's attempt at an overarm throw was unsuccessful as he slipped and fell forward to the dohyō, leaving Kotozakura victorious.

Despite missing out on the championship, Hōshōryū's strong performance was enough that the Sumo Association announced he would be a candidate for yokozuna promotion at the next tournament in January 2025.

[77] Hōshōryū stayed one win behind the leaders after seven days but then suffered consecutive defeats to rank-and-file opponents Shōdai and Hiradoumi, which had been seen as potentially thwarting his bid for promotion to yokozuna.

[78][79] On Day 12, Hōshōryū defeated then-tournament leader Kinbōzan to bring himself back into the race for the championship, tied for second with three other wrestlers (Ōhō, Kirishima and Takerufuji).

[80][81] On days thirteen and fifteen, Hōshōryū faced and defeated the other two active ōzeki, Ōnosato and fellow yokozuna promotion-seeker Kotozakura, to keep himself in the title race.

[88] Hōshōryū dedicated his championship to his old high school coach, Tomohiro Ōsawa, who had recruited him and brought him to Japan and who died in September 2024.

Although the sport's only active yokozuna, Terunofuji, retired during the tournament, it was brought up that the department of the shimpan was not unanimous regarding the promotion, some supporting Hōshōryū and others criticizing him for his defeats at the hands of rank-and-file wrestlers.

[93] On the day before his expected promotion it was reported that Hōshōryū would be adopting the Unryū style, like his uncle Asashōryū did, for ring-entering ceremonies.

[96] On the morning of January 29, 2025, the full board of the Sumo Association accepted the council's recommendation and unanimously promoted Hōshōryū to yokozuna.

[99] In his customary acceptance speech, Hōshōryū said: "I will continue to work hard with a strong determination in order not to tarnish the title of yokozuna.

[102][103] In October 2024, his cousin Serjbüdeegiin Luvsangombo, son of Dolgorsürengiin Serjbüdee (the former Blue Wolf) also became a professional sumo wrestler at Shikoroyama stable, under the ring name Tenrōsei.

"[30] Reportedly, the two even got into a bad argument after he and Asashōryū had several disagreements, the former yokozuna insisting beyond reason and provoking in Hōshōryū the feeling of being harassed by his uncle.

[107][108] Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi Hōshōryū Tomokatsu's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage Terunofuji (retired) Kotozakura Hōshōryū Ōnosato Wakamotoharu Daieishō Abi Wakatakakage Takanoshō Kirishima Tobizaru Atamifuji Gōnoyama Ōhō Shōdai Ura Hiradoumi Chiyoshōma Takayasu Ichiyamamoto Endō Mitakeumi Rōga Takarafuji Churanoumi Ōshōma Tamawashi Meisei Midorifuji Takerufuji Nishikigi Ōnokatsu Shōnannoumi Kotoshōhō Hokutofuji Kinbōzan Hakuōhō Kitanowaka Tamashōhō Kagayaki Nishikifuji Tokihayate