One week in, Hakuho and Kisenosato are putting up some great sumo and should also win tomorrow against Kotoyuki & Yoshikaze. Shodai picks up his first win, expected, against Terunofuji. The ease with which he shrugged off the injured ozeki would hopefully wake Isegahama management to the fact that they need to sit their young star.
Goeido is in the chase with a great, aggressive boxing match against Yoshikaze. I’m coming around to Goeido. He still needs to demonstrate some consistency at his Ozeki rank but he’s clearly fitting in among the top. I say that because if you look at how guys like Tochiozan, Tochinoshin, Takarafuji, Yoshikaze, Ikioi, Ichinojo, Aoiyama, Kaisei rise for a tournament or two and then fall back into the middling ranks…Goeido faces top wrestlers each and every tournament and does a respectable job, even if it’s not quite the solid 10 wins that would be expected.
Harumafuji and Tochiozan are the only ones to join him in the chase with Kakuryu’s loss. The yokozuna had a great throw win against Tochinoshin and will have another challenge tomorrow against Kotoshogiku in our first bout among yusho winners.