Profile
Tsukioka Hinata (月岡 雛大) has one of the most distinctive backstories of any wrestler at Futagoyama Stable. A native of Tokorozawa, Saitama, Tsukioka's path to professional sumo began not on the dohyo (sumo ring) but on the baseball diamond. Before joining the stable in 2020, he had no prior sumo training or competition experience whatsoever — an almost unheard-of starting point for a professional wrestler.
The vast majority of professional sumo wrestlers come to the sport with years of background — either from youth sumo clubs, middle school programs, or specialized high school sumo teams like Tottori Johoku or Saitama Sakae. Wrestlers without that foundation rarely advance beyond the lower divisions. Tsukioka's achievement of reaching the Sandanme level is therefore a testament to exceptional natural athleticism, physical adaptability, and determination.
Baseball and sumo may seem like distant sports, but they share some transferable attributes: explosive rotational power, hand-eye coordination, and competitive mental toughness. Tsukioka has channeled whatever physical gifts developed through baseball into a sumo body that at 169cm and 107kg is compact but powerful for its size.
In January 2026, Tsukioka reached a career high of West Sandanme 48, the peak of his professional career. A setback in subsequent results has placed him at East Jonidan 9 as of March 2026, but he remains in striking distance of returning to Sandanme. At 21, his best sumo years are still ahead of him.