This time, the schedulers seem determined to make sure that the yusho contenders meet on the dohyo. So on Day 13, they’ve matched up Sekiwake Tochinoshin (currently 9-2, pending Day 12 results) with M8 Asanoyama (currently 10-1). This means that, quite unusually, Tochinoshin won’t face at least one of the Ozeki (or, less likely, the Yokozuna). Kakuryu (also currently 9-2) will face Takayasu, which is also somewhat out of order and leaves open the possibility that he will fight Tochinoshin on senshuraku, although the traditional final bout with the second-highest-ranked man on the banzuke, Goeido, may still be more likely. We’ll get a good idea when the Day 14 torikumi, which will take into account Day 12 results, is released about 24 hours from now.
Over the next few days, Asanoyama will receive the greatest learning opportunity of his young life.
In one of the less anticipated bouts of Day 13, Hattorizakura faces Nangu.
Nangu went 0-3 before dropping out in his debut. He’s 3 kg lighter than Hattorizakura, 15 years old, and now fighting at a career high Jk34. Hattorizakura will have to overcome Nangu’s light weight, youth and inexperience in order to lose this one.
On the other hand Nangu is 11 cm shorter, so he’ll be coming in low!
Maybe Tochinoshin will face both ozeki instead of the yokozuna, so that Kakyru can fight Asanoyama.
It makes sense for Tochinoshin to fight ozeki since he is trying to regain ozeki rank.