Following a very painful looking fall in his Day 11 victory over Okinoumi, veteran rikishi Sokokurai has announced his withdrawal from the 2018 Haru Basho. Ranked at maegashira 15 and with only five wins to his name, Sokokurai will once again find himself in Juryo for the 2018 Natsu Basho. This may be a blessing in disguise for the man from Inner Mongolia, who took home the Yusho last time he was in the second division.
With this development, Sokokurai’s Day 12 opponent Ryuden picks up a much needed 5th win.
Even here in England, I can hear the groans of the juryo regulars: “Not him again…”
Today I learned that Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of China, rather than a part of Mongolia as I previously thought.
Yup, although Sokokurai is of Mongolian ethnicity he is a Chinese national.