Ukrainian article on Shishi

[Moti Dichne]

In Ukraine, interest is growing in the background of Makuuchi  Shishi, who played a key role in the yusho race at the July Nagoya Basho. At the Nagoya tournament, Sekiwake Aonishiki , also from Ukraine, won his third championship. Shishi started with six consecutive wins and at one point was the sole leader in the yusho race, but ultimately finished the tournament with a record of 10 wins and 5 losses. Ukrainian media outlet "Sport.ua" featured Shishi as "the first Ukrainian rikishi—a warm-hearted giant, a man whose ancestors were warriors of the Makhno army." 

The article introduced his family history, stating, "Sokolovsky Sergey (Shishi) is from Melitopol in the Zaporizhzhia region. According to his mother, his fighting spirit and strong mental fortitude were inherited from his father's side of the family. One of his ancestors was a strong soldier who fought in the army led by Ukrainian revolutionary Nestor Makhno. However, everything else was built up through his own efforts." "Melitopol is a town known for its sweet cherries, and it was there that Sergey began freestyle wrestling. Blessed with a strong physique, he caught the eye of a local soccer club coach and was even invited to join as a goalkeeper. However, he had a strong desire to pursue combat sports, and ultimately decided to focus solely on wrestling," the article explained, describing his athletic background. Furthermore, "Sergey's body grew at an astonishing speed, and by the time he was 15, he had exceeded the weight limit for the heaviest weight class (125 kg) in wrestling. So he chose sumo as a new sport.

He quickly showed talent in sumo, becoming the European champion in 2012. In 2016, he stood on the podium in both individual and team events at the World Championships and the European Championships, and in 2018, he won silver and bronze medals in the heavyweight and open weight classes at the US Open, making his name even more widely known," the article reported, describing his blossoming talent as a rikishi. After that, he came to Japan and joined the then Irumagawa beya, making his debut in the spring tournament of 2020. In the 2024 Kyushu Basho, he became the first rikishi from Ukraine to be promoted to Makuuchi. Based on his performance in the last tournament, the media outlet concluded, 

"Shishi's future is bright. Since the beginning of this year, he has become fluent in Japanese and can now give interviews without an interpreter. He has now completely blended into life in Japan and is truly comfortable in the 'Land of the Rising Sun'." Shishi's background, as he is active in Japan, is attracting attention in his home country as well.