The key matchups are right at the top of the torikumi:
Tochinoshin vs. Kakuryu
Goeido vs. Asanoyama
Depending on the results of tomorrow’s and possibly Saturday’s bouts, this leaves open the possibility of Kakuryu vs. Asanoyama and Tochinoshin vs. Goeido on senshuraku if needed, or the more traditional Kakuryu vs. Goeido musubi-no-ichiban. If Asanoyama walks away with the yusho, nobody is going to be able to say that he did it by flying under the radar!
Lots of other interesting bouts up and down the torikumi, including the opening match between Toyonoshima and Ishiura that could determine which of them will be in Makuuchi in July.
Winces at Tochinoshin’s next opponent He probably is, too…
He better take care of business tomorrow 👀
He did and then … well … Maybe the gyoji should lend his sword to the judges … after all that’s what it is for…
That would be the only honorable thing!
If Tochinoshin and Takayasu both lose today they are almost certain to be scheduled to meet on senshuraku. I’m surprised that Asanoyama has been given an ozeki aite on day 14, after two highly ranked opponents the previous days. I guess it shows they are taking his “challenge” seriously (more seriously than I do).
I guess they have to account for the possibility that if he loses to Tochinoshin tomorrow, and Tochinoshin beats Kakuryu on Saturday, Asanoyama would still be in the race…
oooooohhh!
If we do get Kakuryu v Goeido on day 15, we won’t see Goeido v Takayasu this baho: that would mean that we have two ozeki from different stables fighting all fifteen days without facing each other. That must be quite rare.
Hmmm… Onomatsu got his explanation right the first time, that’s suspicious… Oh wait except he didn’t! Not even a torinaoshi? Some people, including me, will see that as a desperate attempt to push a Japanese yusho in front of Abe and Trump.
(this refers to Asanoyama vs Tochinoshin btw)
Wow. I don’t know about that but i found the emotional way that kne of the judges was arguing his case fat beyond the norm. It seems only that guy insisted and his insistance is what made that the longest monoii I ever seen as well. In any case it has ruined the basho and can anyone say that any other case ever has a judged argued to overrule a decision of the gyoji so stridently and against all other opinion? Is it just one bigoted or self-important judge who wants to “correct” the course of ‘his’ sport, or is it the infamous authority with an agenda people should ask because this was far beyond the bounds of normality.
Of course it goes without saying that it could be terrible incompetance or a bad hangover on the part of the judges.
Onomatsu chief judge said to the Japanese media that the judges in the video room were “undecided”. So the eminent judges on the dohyo chose to trust “the judge who saw it with his own eyes”. Judge Hanaregoma said “it seemed like Tochinoshin’s heel disturbed the sand”. Judge Minato said “you can’t see the space between heel and sand on the video. So we gave more importance to the one (judge) who saw it with his own eyes”. And no one thought of calling a torinaoshi? That sounds like a lot of BS. There goes any credibility the NSK might have still had.
I’m not one for conspiracies, but the sheer level of incompetence one would have to invoke to otherwise explain the result boggles the mind.
Oh ffs! After yesterday’s announcement confusion debacle and the blatent wrong call with the match of wasnt it Okinomi these shimpan need to be investigated. Are they drunk? Hanaregoma would do well to apply for a job at a certain power plant in Fukushima – he would fit right in there. Astoundingly incompetent and completely without rigour. Sumo will only remain an odd sport of some little niche interest only rather than a great arena for international sportsmanship with such a standard. Even if Asanoyama goes on to win it will be meaningless even to him. “IT SEEMS” indeed.
Won’t be watching. Worst monoii result I have ever seen in 20 years robbed me of all joy in watching this competition. Inexplicable.
And this is a Country that stand on its Traditions?! Robbing a man in public is Common in Japan?
just cause hes not form japan? Shame!!!! I believed Sumo was more honor and Tradition than a Sport.
now i see that it is just same as Football with corrupted judjes. Be Proud Japan!!!
Kakuryu’s loss makes possible a giant logjam at 11-4 which the rikishi should threaten to arrange unless a full investigation is begun. If there are three or five or six in a playoff, the Day 15 VIP visitors will not be able to wait for a winner to emerge on their tight schedules. We need to know why the head judge spent over three minutes mostly talking to the two closest judges. Sure looked like he made up his mind before he even got up and bullied the others into supporting him. The video evidence is clear: in the instant AFTER Tochinoshin raises his heel and BEFORE Asanoyama touches down in the same spot (making the sand evidence irrelevant), the video very clearly shows the sand completely untouched and unmarked.
shame decision ! Tochinoshin won was robbed!
Enho gets a slight break after visiting higher rankers. He’s met Shimanoumi five times in Juryo, with a 2-3 result. Been a tough past four days for Enho.
He also looked injured, which probably won’t help his case …
shamefull!!
Tochi is a winner, I won’t watch anymore
Japan, what is this? tochinoshin is a winner,tochinoshin is more than sumo.we love tochi, Georgia is with you.
No, No! They’ve f robbed my guy! I leapt up in jubilation off my sofa at a successful return to Ozeki only to be deflated quicker than a party balloon
what was done to tochinoshin is a travesty, and yet somehow i don’t think it will be discussed nearly as much as hakuho’s clapping incident was.
absolutely disgusting.
https://www.change.org/p/japan-sumo-federation-tochinoshin-is-winner-vs-asanoiama