As we head into the final day’s action, here’s a quick update as to where the yusho results in the bottom four divisions sit:
Makushita
30 year old Tochihiryu of Kasugano-beya has clinched his first yusho at this level by way of a 7-0 record that took him past several veteran and upcoming names: a split of 4 former sekitori looking to make their way back and 3 hot shot up and comers (Wakatakakage, Kiribayama and Chiyonoumi). After 2 years in the wilderness from the professional ranks, he will return to Juryo looking for a 2nd kachi-koshi at the 9th attempt.
Given what was at stake, it was a little disappointing to see his clinching win come by way of a henka against Kiribayama (hat tip once again to Tachiai commenter Asashosakari for the video).
Sandanme
Tachiai “One to Watch” Tomokaze of Oguruma-beya will feature in a playoff against Tsuyukusa of Otake-beya. This will be Tsuyukusa’s second playoff having lost the first in Jonidan earlier this year. Tomokaze, meanwhile, is off to a blistering 20-1 start to his career. He’s one Jonidan loss short of having “done an Enho.”
Jonidan
Shoji of Musashigawa-beya continues his perfect career start by way of another final match victory over the big Bulgarian Torakio (pictured above). Their bout was yet another epic between the two, who are really establishing some rivalry early on. Check it out here (thanks again to Asashosakari!). Unlike the title decider from Makushita, it is a match worthy of deciding the championship, although Torakio’s visibly disappointed demeanor after the match is going to need to improve. But as we saw in the NHK World Preview, he’s putting in the long hours in sumo school.
Happily, both of these men were featured as part of our “Ones to Watch” series and we will continue tracking both of their progress. Also happily, Jonidan is a great division if you’re a fan of awkward sumo hairstyles.
Jonokuchi
23 year old Kotoseigo of Sadogatake-beya smashed the competition en route to a zensho. Admittedly we’re a little disappointed, given that he is another rikishi to have been on and off the dohyo for long stretches over the past few years, that he was not matched up at all with another comeback success story in Amatsu. He did however take on much vaunted new boy Hayashi and blasted him off the dohyo (after a matta).
Hattorizakura did not compete for the yusho this time out, however we will cover his travails further of course in the end of basho “Ones to Watch” roundup.
Great coverage Josh – I love that you put this stuff together.
This is fantastic. For incredibly busy lovers of sumo, it can be hard to access insights into the lower divisions. Tremendous work!
One interesting point in the Shoji/Torakio match was that Torakio had a good grip on Shoji at the tawara, and couldn’t lift, no matter how much he tried. If you look closely, you’d see that Shoji’s mawashi was tied loosely, which meant he was very hard to lift by it. I’ll attribute the wisdom to his oyakata rather than himself, as both rikishi are green as grass.
Shoji isn’t green, just not all that good…
Kotoseigo, what can you say? The routine is smash through jonokuchi and jonidan, get promoted to sandanme, get injured, reset, start over. The man is way too good for the bottom 2 divisions, but can’t stay healthy long enough to get any further.