I’ve come to expect no promotions coming anytime soon. In fact, I think we’ll see a retirement/demotion before we get an ozeki or yokozuna promotion. Frankly, I think Kakuryu lucked into the yokozuna ranks with one yusho. If Terunofuji wins, I do not think he can possibly become yokozuna, even after next tournament. Harumafuji had several championships, and so did Hakuho. Maybe we’ve just gotten a bit promotion happy as we’ve just been desperate to see some real competition for Hakuho. The way things have been going, Goeido will be praying for an 8th win next weekend and my faith in the fairness of this sport will be shaken again.
Terunofuji clinched his kachi-koshi today with a powerful win over Myogiryu. He will face Ichinojo tomorrow. Since his wunderkind debut, Ichinojo has not exactly demonstrated any mastery of technique, losing to Kakuryu with a straight forward yorikiri. Kakuryu is keeping the pressure on along with Kisenosato (and Ikioi) for the yusho chase. Kisenosato continues to dominate Sadanoumi. The ozeki remains undefeated against the maegashira. He’ll face Okinoumi tomorrow, another rikishi whom he’s dominated.
Tochiozan’s promotion hopes may have been dashed with today’s quick, sloppy loss to Goeido. He’s in for a tough week this week so the belly flop loss to the poor performing Goeido does him no favors. A few solid tournaments with kachi-koshi 8 win records should be his main concern right now. Keep in mind this is only his second sekiwake tournament in a rowSpending a year or so at sekiwake is no mean feat and will prepare him for an eventual promotion. He faces Osunaarashi tomorrow. Osunaarashi beat the crap out of Yoshikaze in a one-sided brawl. Well, maybe a one sided brawl is more like an assault?
Ikioi keeps up his winning ways at the bottom of the banzuke. He’ll face his first real challenge in my “bout-to-watch” versus Aminishiki tomorrow. The sly geezer slipped out of the way of Endo today and picked up his 6th win. (No, the faux-zeki matchup is not a “bout-to-watch” but Tochiozan/Osunaarashi could be great.) Sokokurai met his match against “Happy Feet” Tokitenku in a great, long bout.