No news from the infirmary today. I was not able to get highlights going for the first half of action. The Takarabune has been roaring through the southern Makuuchi seas with little attention. We will have to get our act together and get some reporters out there.
The Bouts
Takarafuji (5-0) defeated Daiamami (2-3). Yorikiri.
Roga (3-2) defeated Tsurugisho (2-3). Yorikiri.
Ryuden (4-1) defeated Tomokaze (0-5). Yorikiri.
Tokihayate (1-4) defeated Churanoumi (3-2). Yorikiri.
Oshoma (4-1) defeated Mitoryu (1-4). Yorikiri.
Hokutofuji (2-3) defeated Nishikifuji (1-4). Oshidashi.
Ichiyamamoto (3-2) defeated Shonannoumi (4-1). Oshidashi.
Sadanoumi (3-2) defeated Shodai (2-3). Yorikiri.
Kotoshoho (2-3) defeated Kinbozan (3-2). Oshidashi.
Takanosho (1-4) defeated Tamawashi (2-3). Tsukiotoshi.
Halftime
Mitakeumi (5-0) defeated Meisei (3-2). The bout started with an oshi-style brawl where neither man really gained an advantage. Mitakeumi tried to press forward and he tried a quick pull but Meisei’s footwork was excellent. The two settled into a grapple to catch their breaths. From here, Mitakeumi was able to press forward and force Meisei out. Yorikiri.
Onosho (2-3) defeated Midorifuji (2-3). The two locked each other up on the belt quickly after the tachiai. Onosho was not making any progress so he extracted his arms from Midorifuji and began to lay into Midorifuji with some tsuppari. This forced Midorifuji out. Oshidashi.
Ura (5-0) defeated Nishikigi (1-4). At the initial charge, Nishikigi wrapped up Ura and pulled. He attempted a twisting throw. Ura countered with his own pull and yanked Nishikigi down. Katasukashi.
Oho (1-4) defeated Hiradoumi (1-4). Hiradoumi made excellent penetration into Oho’s side of the dohyo with a fierce initial charge. But Oho used his left arm to shove Hiradoumi to the side, erasing Hiradoumi’s gains and forcing Hiradoumi back to the tawara. Oho used his size advantage well and shoved Hiradoumi over the bales. Oshidashi.
Sanyaku
Daieisho (4-1) defeated Abi (3-2). Daieisho outlasted Abi-zumo today. Abi opened with his characteristic high-intensity tsuppari but he made no forward progress. Abi then pivoted and attacked Daieisho from the side but again Daieisho weathered his blasts. As Abi tired, Daieisho charged ahead and walked Abi over the bales. Tsukidashi.
Wakamotoharu (3-2) defeated Atamifuji (2-3). Atamifuji started off with his lefthand inside and using his right to block Wakamotoharu’s left. He reared up to try to slip his right hand inside and secure a morozashi, double-inside grip. But Wakamotoharu charged forward and threw Atamifuji over the bales. Uwatenage.
Hoshoryu (3-2) defeated Gonoyama (2-3). Solid tachiai but Hoshoryu stopped Gonoyama’s forward progress. Maybe Gonoyama tried a very poorly timed pull? Suddenly there was a jailbreak and Hoshoryu rushed forward and blasted Gonoyama from the fighting surface. Yorikiri.
Onosato (3-2) defeated Kirishima (1-4). As Onosato pressed Kirishima over the tawara with his right arm, Kirishima pulled Onosato forward with his left. Gunbai Onosato. Mono-ii was called. Video replay shows Onosato’s right foot landing on the outer tawara while Kirishima is in the air, falling from the dohyo. But Kirishima was dead as his feet had left the fighting surface when Onosato pushed him out. Onosato was still clearly in when he forced Kirishima into the air. Yoritaoshi.
Kotozakura (4-1) defeated Tobizaru (2-3). Kotozakura forced Tobizaru to the edge and drove him out. Oshitaoshi.
Wrap-up
Tobizaru was robbed. Half of me is happy they did not call a mono-ii. I enjoy forward-moving, aggressive sumo. Here was a case where the aggressor (Kotozakura) just got tripped up and could have lost on a technicality. But, another virtue that I look for in sumo wrestlers is guys who don’t give up. Kirishima gave up yesterday and got nailed for it, rightfully, by Daieisho.
Today, Kotozakura and the shimpan took it for granted that Kotozakura had one and shoved Tobizaru out. The thing is, Tobizaru was not out. He yanked Kotozakura forward and Kotozakura stepped out while Tobizaru appeared to have his foot still on the tawara and he was not otherwise out. And I would think that Tobizaru’s physical contact with the tawara would negate any invocation of “dead bodies.”
I say this, but Kotozakura had the better sumo and he won. For whatever reason, the judges did not take another look at it. It probably would have required the gunbai going to Tobizaru for them to look at it. If that were the case, I think they would have confirmed the gunbai to Tobizaru.
Looking at the whole division we have three new guys leading, completely out of the blue: Ura, Mitakeumi, and Takarafuji. I have little hope that any of them will last through the weekend, though. In my eyes, this yusho is still wide open to just about anyone but Kirishima. I am eager to see Sekiwake Kiribayama climb his way back up to the rank in July. But Ura is doing well because he is not in Sanyaku. When he starts facing top opponents, they’d chew him up and yeet him back out. Mitakeumi will get his eight in week two and coast. Takarafuji will face tougher guys than Tsurugisho and be brought back to earth. Most likely. Then again, what do I know?
To my untrained eyes, Ura looks stronger and more balanced than before. Whereas Kirishima appears puffed up and flappy compared to last year’s model.
I meant “flabby” but the other word works too!
Ura looks stronger to me too. More muscle and strength than I’Ve seen him fighting with. I am hoping for a Ura Yusho (he’s my favorite rikishi) but I will settle for special Technical prize. As of Day 5, he has 4 unique kimarite, and I can see him having many more by Day 15: Yorikiri, Oshitaoshi, Katasukashi x 2, Oshidashi.
It is surprising that Ura is kataskashing more than Midori, the master of kata.
I thought the Tobizaru loss was questionable, but with no mono-ii and Ross not saying anything, I’m glad to see the coverage here confirming there was an issue. I don’t have any strong feelings about it, but it’s good to know it wasn’t just me.
Using the official Grand Sumo phone app, I just watched at half speed and seems clear Tobizaru was out first. Ura vs Mitakeumi tonight!
Tobizaru declared himself out by falling voluntarily as a timber. A never-give-up timber, walking out peaceful and relaxed, not an eyeblink to see if somebody would call a mono-ii.
I’m wondering if the drop to Juryo has re-motivated Takarafuji. Defintitely wouldn’t surprise me if that’s true.
I agree that the current tenants on the leader board might not win the Cup, but who in Sanyaku looks bulletproof right now? An 11-4 winner wouldn’t surprise me at this point and a 10-5 is also possible.
Same for Endo too maybe.
Mitakeumi is looking really strong and is almost halfway to an 11-4. Kotozakura looks the most likely winner to me.
I would hope that motivation would work for Endo, too. He has seemed listless for a while.
Endo is an interesting rikishi to look at regarding his career. The expectations for him to do well were astronomically high and I’m wondering if that’s part of the reason he plateaued where he did. He knew he was doing enough to get paid well outside of his work in the ring, so it’s possible that’s a factor. Also watching all of the people ranked higher than you get serious injuries might put a damper on wanting to get to that level.
Early in his career he seemed to take some brutal knocks. His opponents always saw a huge payday if they won. I seem to remember him getting knocked out by an Ōsunaarashi kachi-age.
This must be the takarabune! I thought it was just a Tachiai nickname like Uncle Sumo.
https://www.sumo.or.jp/EnSumoDataRikishi/profile/3150/
Yes. That’s who I have been calling the Takarabune.
I figured that out :) but didn’t know the man himself had it on his Kesho mawashi. (By “this” I was referring to the apron not the rikishi).
Great catch! Yes. It featured on another kensho mawashi a while back…I think Onosho? That’s an awesome pic, though. There’s usually 7 dudes sailing on it.
One of those dudes is the goddess Benzaiten, who arrived from India where she is the goddess Saraswati.
Frankly, I can’t believe I missed that, btw. Thank you. 😁
Wow, tomorrow already the basho decider: Mitakeumi v Ura!!! Well, I don’t really believe it, but if Mitakeumi happened to be his old self again, it would be possible.
Nevertheless, if I had to put my money on a matchup containing the future winner it had to be Kotozakura v Onosato.
Nice pull with the Takarafuji/Takarabune image.
Ura is a dangerous Rikishi, unpredictable and explosive, he does get plastered by some of the big names regularly, but maybe he can pull it off? He’s always fun to watch no matter what, gracious in losses, great facial expressions.
Don’t count Hoshoryu out at this point, he got double digit wins once last year after starting off 0-2, he’s streaky, maybe he’ll catch a heater? Not sure what to think about what’s going on with Kirishima, he had 61 wins last year, he’s 6-14 his last 20 matches. Guess that door closing analogy is on point like a Meisei tachiai.
Haven’t seen an Abi henka in a while, has he outgrown them? Roga pulled one yesterday rather deftly, it made me chuckle.
Thanks for the coverage!
Abi tends to henka when he’s on a losing streak or he needs a win. He’s fighting well right now, so I don’t see it happening soon. But, it’s Abi so he might surprise me.
Henka is best used when unexpected.
Like Roga v. Ryuden on Day 4, it was highly effective. I can see how some might call it a ‘hit and shift,” but it was just a well timed henka to me. Not at all the “straight forward sumo,” Murray Johnson always talks about.
The Original Tadpole and Meisei went at each other hard, that was a good one.
Speaking of straight forward Sumo, Atamifuji went straight backward once the Champion Nephew got underneath him, he was on skates.
Now that I watched the highlights, Tobizaru was clearly keeping his heel inside the tawara and watching Kotozakura to see that he went out first, but alas it wasn’t to be. He’s a clever monkey though that Flying Monkey, he sure does make things interesting. Always the trickster, like the Monkey King his namesake.