He received eleven special prizes, six for Fighting Spirit, three for Technique, and two for Outstanding Performance, as well as two kinboshi for defeating yokozuna.

He reached maegashira 4 in November 2008, but facing the highest ranking men for the first time he could only record three wins against twelve losses.

However, his defeat to Hokutōriki on the final day cost him a chance of making his debut in the titled san'yaku ranks in January 2010.

In the May 2010 tournament he defeated four ōzeki in a row from Days 2 to 5 (becoming only the second man below sekiwake to achieve this, following Masurao in March 1987) and won his second Fighting Spirit prize (shared with Aran).

His poor performance in November, scoring only 2–13, could be attributed to the fact that he was banned from training before the tournament by his stablemaster as punishment for breaking heya rules on curfew and wearing Western style clothes in public.

Tochinoshin was one of three wrestlers at the stable who were beaten with a golf club during this incident, for which his stablemaster was given a warning by the Japan Sumo Association.

He was also awarded the Outstanding Performance prize for achieving a winning record and having defeated Kakuryū the tournament champion and yokozuna.

[18] He eventually finished the tournament 13–2 and runner-up to yokozuna Kakuryū, earning the Fighting Spirit and Technique prizes in the process.

He became the eleventh foreign-born wrestler to reach ōzeki, and the 60 tournaments it took him from his debut in the top division ties the record for the slowest ever, alongside Masuiyama II.

[24] Tochinoshin won his first five bouts in his ōzeki debut but then injured his right big toe in a defeat to Tamawashi on Day 6 and was forced to withdraw from the tournament.

[26] In September he still seemed below his best form but saved his ōzeki status with a win over Abi on day 14[27] and defeated Takayasu in his final match to end on 9–6.

[30] On Day 13 of the May 2019 tournament, Tochinoshin was initially declared the winner over eventual champion Asanoyama, but the ruling of the gyōji was reversed by the shimpan in what was viewed by some as a controversial decision.

This ended his hopes of winning ten bouts and making an immediate return to ōzeki,[34] and he dropped to the maegashira ranks for the January 2020 tournament.

In March 2022 he produced his first winning record since November 2020, reaching 8–3 on Day 11 by defeating Terutsuyoshi with a trademark tsuri-dashi or lift out.

Although he still helped out at his stable's training sessions,[40] Tochinoshin planned to leave the Sumo Association as he had not acquired Japanese citizenship.

[2] In April 2024, he revealed that his master wanted him to remain as oyakata, even for a period of 3 years under his ring name, which his status as a former ōzeki allowed him to do under the condition of acquiring Japanese citizenship.

Nevertheless, Tochinoshin did not take the required formalities to acquire the citizenship in time, and his worsened shoulder injury accelerated his decision to retire, denying him the right to work as a coach.

[41] Tochinoshin said in an interview in June 2023 that he would continue to live in Japan to market products from his home country (such as wine or honey) via a company called "Royal Georgia", which he founded with a friend.

[42] Around 300 people took turns to cut the topknot, with among the most notable guests former yokozuna Asashōryū, Teimuraz Lezhava (Georgian ambassador to Japan) and fellow Georgian-born Gagamaru.

His most common winning technique or kimarite was yori kiri or force out, but he also used his left hand grip to good effect by regularly employing uwatenage, or overarm throw.

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