and seven months he was also the ninth youngest to be promoted to ōzeki. Ōzeki career Takakeishō withdrew on the fifth day of his debut ōzeki tournament in May 2019 due to a right knee injury, only to return to the tournament on Day 8 and fight one more bout before pulling out again the following day after damaging ligaments in the same knee. He became the first ōzeki since 15-day tournaments began in 1949 to withdraw from a tournament twice. On 4 July it was announced that Takakeisho's injury had not fully healed and that he would not compete in that month's upcoming Nagoya tournament, meaning that he would drop back to sekiwake in September. His stablemaster, former Takamisugi Takakatsu commented "He's still young with his future ahead of him. Had he wrestled... there was a big possibility his condition could worsen. If your legs go, you have to give up your sumo career. If his leg heals, he can come back stronger". On Day 12 of the September tournament, Takakeishō earned his tenth win against Myōgiryū, securing his promotion back to ōzeki for the upcoming November tournament. He entered the final day on 11-3, tied for the lead with Okinoumi and Mitakeumi. He quickly defeated Okinoumi and then entered a play-off against Mitakeumi, whom he had already defeated on day 8. After a strong tachi-ai he retreated and went for a pull-down win but was forced out by his opponent. He suffered a left pectoral muscle strain during the tachi-ai, requiring six weeks of rest. He resumed light training on October 11, and got through the November 2019 Kyushu tournament with a 9–6 record, losing the last match of the tournament to Hakuhō in a bout lasting over a minute. Hakuhō commented that Takakeishō was "just the harbinger of strong young wrestlers yet to come who will represent the sumo world well." Takakeishō finished the January 2020 basho with a record of 11-4. He entered the final day of the March tournament with a record of 7-7 but lost to Asanoyama. A kadoban ōzeki in the next tournament in July 2020, he secured a winning record of eight wins on Day 11 to retain his rank, but then withdrew from the remainder of the tournament to rest a medial collateral ligament injury in his left leg. He then came back strong in September, finishing as the runner-up to