The Japan Times

Bulgarian yogurt is no longer the country's most well-known export to Japan.

That honor belongs to Kotooshu, who beat Mongolian Ama on Saturday to claim the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament title with a 13-1 record and enter the history books as the first European to win an Emperor's Cup.

The Bulgarian ozeki, whose real name is Kaloyan Mahlyanov, was a ball of nerves in falling to a first lost against Aminishiki with a chance to take home the spoils a day earlier, but made no mistakes against his diminutive sekiwake opponent on the 14th day.

Kotooshu came flying out of the crouch, getting both arms wrapped around Ama's mawashi before tackling his opponent from behind at Ryogoku Kokugikan. Ama slipped to 9-5.

"I have no words to express. I am so happy. I finally did it," said Kotooshu, who took 34 tournaments from his sumo debut to win the Emperor's Cup.

Kotooshu entered the meet with one goal in mind пїЅ" getting a majority of wins to maintain his ozeki status. But the 25-year-old has been on fire, conquering both yokozuna en route to matching his previous best winning streak of 12-0 as a sekiwake at the 2005 autumn basho.

"I had to put yesterday behind me and just focused on the match. I was really moved," said Kotooshu, whose father Stefanov stood from the crowd and waved a Bulgarian flag after his son's victory.

Kotooshu became the seventh foreign wrestler to win a title, following in the footsteps of the likes of former Hawaiian yokozuna Akebono and Musashimaru and Mongolians Asashoryu and Hakuho.

"I still can't believe it. My mind is a blank. I am reminded of all of the hardship I've been through. . .," said Kotooshu, who has struggled with "small-scale" sumo and injuries in recent years since gaining promotion to ozeki at the 2005 Kyushu meet.