Bulgarian Top Sumo Wrestler Kotooshu Ties the Knot

Kaloyan Mahlyanov, aka Kotooshu, is pictured here with his fianc?e Asako Ando during their visit to Bulgaria last summer. File photo

The top Bulgarian sumo wrestler, Kaloyan Mahlyanov, aka Kotooshu, has married his long-time friend Asako Ando on Saint Valentine's Day, February 14.

Best man of the happy couple was the President of the Bulgarian Sumo Federation Petar Stoyanov – Vozhda.

The newly married couple also had a wedding ceremony at a Christian church.

Kotooshu, known also in Japan as “the Beckham of the sumo world”, announced his engagement to Miss Asako Ando in the middle of last year. She is 30-year-old, three years older than Kotooshu.

They met five years ago in Aichi. When Kotooshu first approached her on the street, Asako, who had no idea he was a sumo wrestler, thought it was odd that a foreign guy had a traditional Japanese hairstyle.

Kotooshu and his beloved visited Bulgarian in the summer of last year when he was awarded Bulgaria's highest order - Stara Planina I medal from President Georgi Parvanov at a special ceremony, in which he was accompanied by his Japanese fiancée.

Mahlyanov currently holds the second highest title in sumo - ozeki.

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