His promotion to "ōzeki" took only 19 tournaments from his professional sumo debut. Although he was not the youngest "ōzeki" ever, this represents the most rapid rise for a wrestler entering sumo from the bottom "jonokuchi" division. (Certain experienced amateur wrestlers can be given dispensation to start in the third-highest "makushita" division.) He is also the first wrestler of European birth to hold the "ōzeki" rank, and the fifth non-Japanese to have achieved it (following Konishiki, Akebono, and Musashimaru from Hawaii and Asashōryū from Mongolia).