Tochinoshin Tsuyoshi
A Georgian powerhouse who battled back from devastating injury to claim sumo's highest prize, proving resilience can conquer tradition.
Born 1987 (age 39)·Georgian sumo wrestler·Birthday: October 13·Millennials
Biography
Born Levan Gorgadze in Georgia, Tochinoshin Tsuyoshi traded the rugged landscapes of the Caucasus for the strict, cloistered world of Japanese sumo. His immense physical strength, a product of his early years as a weightlifter, made him an immediate force, rocketing to the top makuuchi division in a mere two years. His career nearly ended when a catastrophic knee injury sent him tumbling down the ranks, a descent that would have ended most aspirations. But Tochinoshin embarked on a grueling, almost mythic comeback, winning four consecutive lower-division tournaments to claw his way back. His crowning moment came in January 2018, when he used his signature lifting technique to hoist the Emperor's Cup, becoming the first Georgian to win a top-division championship. His story is less about perfect technique and more about sheer, unyielding will, a foreigner who mastered sumo not just with his body, but with an indomitable spirit.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Tochinoshin was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tochinoshin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Tochinoshin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the top-division makuuchi championship in January 2018, the first Georgian to do so.
- Achieved the second-highest rank of ōzeki in 2019, a rare feat for a foreign wrestler.
- Executed a historic comeback from the makushita 55 rank in 2014 to return to the top division.
- Won four consecutive lower-division tournament championships during his 2014 comeback run.
Did You Know?
His birth name is Levan Gorgadze, and he was a champion weightlifter in Georgia before switching to sumo.
He is one of only a handful of wrestlers to have won championships in every professional sumo division.
His favorite pre-bout meal was reportedly a large portion of khinkali, traditional Georgian dumplings.
He maintained a small shrine in his stable room with items from Georgia, including soil from his homeland.
“I came to Japan with nothing but my strength and the will to push forward.”
