(Reuters) - Tochinoshin became the first Georgian to win a grand sumo tournament on Saturday, defeating Japanese wrestler Shohozan for his seventh straight victory at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo.

Tochinoshin, whose real name is Levan Gorgadze, was fighting as a number three ‘maegashira’, the lowest of the five ranks in the sport’s top ‘makuuchi’ division, and began the day two wins ahead of grand champion or ‘yokozuna’ Kakuryu.

The 30-year-old recovered from a slight misstep against Shohozan to claim the one victory he needed to win a 15-day grand tournament in Japan’s traditional sport.

“This is the greatest. I’m extremely happy,” Tochinoshin, who improved his record at the tournament to 13 wins and one defeat, was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency.

“Congratulations @tochinoshin! Georgian #Sumo wrestler Levan Gorgadze is the winner of Emeperor’s Cup!” Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili tweeted after Tochinoshin was crowned champion.

Tochinoshin’s victory is the culmination of a hard slog back to the upper echelons of the sport after his career was nearly ended by a severe knee injury.

The 177 kg (390 pound) Georgian ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament at the tournament in Nagoya in July 2013 and dropped out of the top division after missing three grand tournaments.

He returned to the makuuchi division more than a year later and revealed how he had toyed with the idea of quitting the sport.

“This is something I never imagined when I dropped from makuuchi,” Tochinoshin said. “There were many times I felt like quitting.

“But I settled down, got out of the hospital and even though I had dropped way down the rankings, my attitude changed dramatically. I wanted to give it one more shot.”

Miscalculation almost cost Tochinoshin dear during Saturday’s contest when he lost balance and nearly landed on the straw after Shohozan ducked out of the way of one of his strikes.

The Georgian recovered, even though his back was briefly turned to his opponent, managing to pivot and lock up Shohozan’s arm before going on to claim victory.

Kakuryu slumped to his fourth straight defeat after he was beaten by Takayasu.</s>Tochinoshin became the first rank-and-file wrester in nearly six years to win a grand sumo tournament on Saturday, the penultimate day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Fighting as a No. 3 maegashira, the 30-year-old from Georgia reeled off his seventh straight win to run his record in the 15-day event at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan to 13-1.

Beginning the day two wins ahead of yokozuna Kakuryu, Tochinoshin, whose real name is Levan Gorgadze, survived a slight misstep against 1.77-meter dynamo Shohozan (9-5), but recovered quickly to force him over the straw.

"This is the greatest. I'm extremely happy," said Tochinoshin after sending his ninth-ranked maegashira opponent down to his fifth loss of the tournament.

From the start, each man tried to drive the other back with rapid-fire shoves to the upper body with Tochinoshin forcing his opponent back to the straw. But as the Georgian drew back for another blow, Shohozan ducked out of the way, and Tochinoshin's follow-through carried him toward the straw and perilously close to defeat.

For a second, Tochinoshin's back was turned to his opponent. But the 177-kilogram Georgian pivoted in a flash, locked up the disbelieving Shohozan's right arm and proceeded to usher him struggling from the bout.

He is the third sumo wrestler from Europe to win a 15-day grand tournament in Japan's traditional sport. Before he made his professional sumo debut in March 2006, Gorgadze practiced judo and the Russian martial art, sambo.

In the July 2013 Nagoya tourney when he was fighting as a No. 11 maegashira, Tochinoshin severely damaged his right knee, rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament and tearing the medial collateral ligament. He missed three straight grand tournaments before returning to action in the third-tier makushita division.

Tochinoshin returned to the top division in November 2014 and began a gradual rise up the rankings until he was promoted to sekiwake after going 10-5 as a No. 4 maegashira in May 2016.

"This is something I never imagined when I dropped from makuuchi," Tochinoshin said. "There were many times I felt like quitting. But I settled down, got out of the hospital and even though I had dropped way down the rankings, my attitude changed dramatically."

"I wanted to give it one more shot. My stablemaster and his wife encouraged me, and that made me happy."

Long after Tochinoshin had stolen the day's headlines, ozeki Goeido forced out sekiwake Mitakeumi, leaving both with 8-6 records. In the day's final bout, ozeki Takayasu (11-3) put a feather in his cap by sending yokozuna Kakuryu (10-4) to his fourth straight defeat.

As he had the day before against Mitakeumi, Kakuryu was thrown of his game by a couple of blows to his throat early on and could not keep pace with the ozeki's powerful shoving attack.</s>Tochinoshin is one win away from claiming his first championship after dispatching Ichinojo at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday.

Grand champion Kakuryu suffered his third straight loss on the 13th-day of the 15-day tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan and now trails Tochinoshin by two wins.

Tochinoshin, a No. 3 maegashira whose only loss here was to the yokozuna, posted his sixth straight victory, defeating top-ranked maegashira Ichinojo (8-5). The two maegashira held onto each other's belts, but the 177-kilogram Tochinoshin lifted the 215-kg Mongolian toward the edge and forced him out.

The Georgian, who seized the sole lead on Thursday, can secure his title on Saturday with a win against No. 9 Shohozan (9-4).

In the day's final bout, Kakuryu was shoved out by sekiwake Mitakeumi (8-5). The Dewanoumi stable sekiwake snapped his five-match losing streak to secure a winning record.

"I'm glad. I can't say I didn't feel pressure after having consecutive losses," Mitakeumi said.

The two ozeki won their respective bouts. Takayasu (10-3) bulldozed fourth-ranked maegashira Arawashi (6-7) out to secure his sixth straight win. Goeido (7-6) snapped his three-match losing streak when he dispatched No. 5 Okinoumi (4-9).

Fan-favorite No.5 Endo (8-5) secured a winning record at the meet after beating former ozeki Kotoshogiku (6-7). Endo forced out Kotoshogiku, who is now the second-ranked maegashira.

Earlier in the day, No. 10 maegashira Aminishiki (2-8-3), who missed three days during the meet due to injury, posted his first win since he returned on Day 10. The Isegahama stable wrestler held on to No.6 Ikioi (2-11) and pulled him down.

Aminishiki became the oldest wrestler at age 39 to return to the elite makuuchi division at last year's Kyushu meet and won the Fighting Spirit prize. However, he had only one win before hurting his right knee on Day 5.
In sumo, Tochinoshin Tsuyoshi becomes the first Georgian wrestler in history to win the makuuchi (top division) championship.