One day left!
Hakuho wins his 39th yusho with a win over Harumafuji, an Aoiyama loss, or a playoff win over Aoiyama.
Harumafuji is playing spoiler/fighting for Yokozuna pride.
Goeido is facing Takayasu with kadoban status on the line. Will Takayasu take it easy, or fight for Ozeki pride?
Tamawashi faces Tochiozan with his Sekiwake rank on the line. Tochiozan is first in line for the Komusubi slot vacated by Kotoshogiku but needs a win to lock it down, so there’s plenty of incentive on both sides.
Mitakeumi faces Onosho. Not too much on the line for either guy: Mitakeumi has defended his Sekiwake rank, isn’t starting an Ozeki run, and can at best move to the East side. Onosho probably can’t jump Tochiozan, Tochinoshin, and Aoiyama for a san’yaku slot, and may have already have locked down a special prize for the second basho in a row. Still, I expect a spirited battle between these two.
Aoiyama finally draws a real opponent in Yoshikaze. Yoshikaze has defended his Komusubi rank, and should move up to Sekiwake with a Tamawashi loss. Aoiyama will likely be at M1 in Aki win or lose, but obviously has lots of incentive to win.
If Tamawashi loses, he may drop all the way out of san’yaku, with Yoshikaze taking his place and opening up a second Komusubi slot. This slot would be Tochinoshin’s to lose, although Aoiyama is a contender win a win.
Kotoshogiku will complete his fall into the upper maegashira ranks, if he doesn’t retire. Of those not already mentioned, only Hokutofuji has earned a place in the joi. This still leaves some upper maegashira ranks to fill, and the best contenders are Ura (despite the losing streak), Ichinojo (who can still get his kachi koshi against Sadanoumi tomorrow), Chiyotairyu, and Shohozan.
Sokokurai looks Juryo-bound, with Asanoyama and Yutakayama currently on track to join Kaisei in promotion to Makuuchi. Tokushoryu and Nishikigi are on the bubble, and fight each other, with Myogiryu and Aminishiki vying to displace the loser in Makuuchi. How cool would it be to see Aminishiki back in the top division at age 38, after more than a year in Juryo?
I will call it. Aoiyama wins and Hakuho losr today. Then Aoiyama wins the play offs and spoil the party!
Best moments/story lines this basho:
Harumafuji decides that tottari is pretty nifty after Ura beats him with it.
Ura bounces of Takayasu, slips and slides back to the bales, and flings himself back into the fray.
The tragic mess that is Kotoyuki going out there day after day. Other guys are having a bad time of it but no one is suffering as overtly as Kotoyuki. Pathos!
Hakuho beats Tochinoshin at his own game on his way to claiming another record.
And of course: Aoiyama shocks the world by beating Hakuho in the playoff using ashitori. No one could have foreseen that!
Add yours!
I don’t think Aoiyama can bend down that far LOL
Not a good tournament for the Koto- crew. Add Kotoshogiku’s makekoshi as a crucial storyline. End of a career? My favorite storyline is that one you mentioned about Hakuho beating Tochinoshin at his own game. Hakuho is just amazing. And Harumafuji was just hanging on for dear life on senshuraku.
It turns out every game is Hakuho’s game in the end.