Month: March 2016

Daily Mail on Visiting Sumo Heya

Andy Spring Tournament 2016

I was shocked yesterday to see a decent sumo article in the Daily Mail. What I mean by decent is that it was actually a respectful, informational article. It’s about how to watch sumo practice and which stables have practices open to spectator viewing. Usually articles about sumo in mainstream press are stories that reduce rikishi to a circus sideshow…how many can fit into a car, or on an airplane, or the ever popular sumo wrestler race.

I really do need to continuously thank several websites I rely on for data and information about sumo. It’s not like NFL where there’s so much coverage that it bleeds into the evening news and is basically everywhere. We need to hunt things out.

Aside from this one article, not a lot of reliable coverage in English in mainstream press. I enjoy reading Dosukoi.fr to keep up with news and some live viewing of bouts via the Mongolian channel.

The SumoDB at Sumogames.de has SO MUCH information. It’s fantastic. If it had kenshokin/sponsorship and injury data, it would be the dream dataset. If someone knows where to find that, let me know.

Then aside from the sumo association’s live stream, for recorded bouts, the Youtube channels like Kintamayama and Jason’s Sumo Channel are great viewing.

The Sato-Shuffle

Andy Uncategorized

Screenshot (168)Kisenosato surprised the world with his dodge of Kotoshogiku. Well, forgive the hyperbole but he sure surprised me…dunno about you all. He’s getting close and yusho talk is picking up. The last time he was 9-0, he actually kept winning until Day 14 when Hakuho put an end to his yusho hopes. He finished 13-2 behind Hakuho’s zensho yusho. This time, though, Hakuho is already one loss back.

But obviously they’ve got several fights before a potential showdown with the yusho on the line. Hakuho will face a weakened Terunofuji who had his hands full of Toyonoshima. Kisenosato will face a Kakuryu hoping for redemption from getting bounced by Goeido of all people. Goeido secured his kachi-khoshi and stays in the yusho mix, tied with Hakuho.

Sadly, Ikioi fell one more loss off pace in an entertaining bout with Harumafuji. No words are needed. The picture below summarizes the bout brilliantly:

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Harumafuji (L) vs Ikioi (R)

Hakuho Brutalizes Yoshikaze

Andy Spring Tournament 2016
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Battle Royale
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10-seconds of sumo, or 3 rounds of MMA?

If anyone wants to dismiss sumo as a bunch of fat creme puffs in diapers, I would show them two matches from today’s basho: Hakuho v Yoshikaze and Osunaarashi v Endo. Neither Hakuho nor Osunaarashi really fit the stereotypical body type exemplified by Chiyoootori or Kotoshogiku or Akiseyama, and both can be super aggressive. That aggressiveness was on display — and splattered all over Hakuho’s shoulders — making for quite the ugly scene.

Likewise, Osunaarashi always seems to bring it up a notch when he faces Endo. In Juryo it can’t be explained by the kensho kin so it makes me wonder if there’s something personal between the two?

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Osunaarashi flips Endo

Kisenosato On Top

Andy Spring Tournament 2016

Could it happen? 10 years without a Japanese yusho and then two in a row by two different rikishi?

What must be said is Ikioi put in a fantastic effort but Kisenosato really had control during the entire bout. The ozeki maintained superior position, continuously pressing Ikioi to the defensive at the edge of the ring. Ikioi did fight back well but Kisenosato wore him down and Ikioi stepped out. Kisenosato is thus the first rikishi with his kachi-koshi this tournament and will face Kotoshogiku tomorrow.

In Juryo, Osunaarashi took Endo’s head off at the tachiai and Endo never had an answer to the Egyptian’s aggressiveness. Once the sandstorm had a solid belt grip with his right hand, he flipped Endo onto his butt.