The audio version of our new segmented podcast format for Hatsu, we talk about matches we are eager to see, and who we think will contend for the cup. The video version will be up later today on YouTube…
Andy and Bruce talk about the January 2020 basho, with their preview of key matches such as Enho vs Tochinoshin, Hakuho vs Endo, Ikioi vs Tochiozan, Takayasu vs Hokutofuji, Tsurugisho vs Kotoshogiku, Mitakeumi vs Asanoyama and Terunofuji vs Ichinojo. We end the podcast with our always regrettable predictions.
Based on past torikumi patterns, Hakuho should face Daieisho on Day 1 and Endo on Day 2.
Well those will be fun to watch. :)
I second the Asanoyama yusho prediction but that’s based on nothing other than exuberant fandom.
Takayasu: hmm. I sure hope he gets his ten but am not too confident. I’ll be watching with bated breath.
Who is gonna win this one? Hm… why not Hakuho?
Same here. No 10 for Takayasu.
Asanoyama will fall.
Takayasu yusho — no other rikishi wants it more.
I’m also betting Hakuho sits this one out.
I think a lot of rikishi really want to win any yusho. Asanoyama, Takakeisho…
But it’s also a question of who can. Takayasu enters his 30s, has torn his arm muscle… he’ll never fully recover from that.
My baseline is that all of the top guys are in it to win; but with that said, I think Asanoyama is probably thinking more about of the numbers for an ozeki run than the yusho per se, although of course an ozeki-run-worthy result it going to put him somewhere near the top of the leaderboard and quite possibly in contention. Takakeisho (my favorite wrestler) is a driven competitor but has also managed to hurt himself twice in a row and is due for a period of recalibration.
But I believe the key thing is that both of those rikishi have already won a yusho and can look forward to many more chances for more. Takayasu is still hunting for his first yusho, and he must be aware that while thirty-ish is not too old for a top competitor to win his first yusho — Kakuryu was twenty-nine and a half — his situation is looking pretty now-or-never. The report is that he’s genki in the practice ring, so the injury is the big question mark; if it isn’t hampering him too much I think he’s got a strong chance.
The now or never was pretty much in Kyushu 2018 where Takayasu blew an affordable chance to enter a playoff against Takakeisho. I’m afraid he’ll probably not met such a chance never again. But we’ll see!
And he hasn’t had a good tournament since, despite being healthy (if i recall correctly) Jan-May. Takakeisho had the best of him in recent training, and all signs point to both Yokozuna being reasonably fit to compete, so I count 3 likely losses right there. And one of Takayasu’s problems has been a tendency to drop a couple of bouts to guys he really should beat. I think it’ll be a fight just to get to 10 (for the record, I hope he does it), and the yusho seems like too big an ask.
I would love to see a Yokozuna basho because I’m highly nervous that we may end up with none by 2021, While I’m very positive about the new talent and impressed with Asanoyama and Takakeisho, I don’t see anybody ready to step up anytime soon. Had Tochinosin better knees and a few less years, I think his trajectory after making Ozeki would have been far different, but alas it was not to be. I am predicting Hakuho, because he will be hellbent on racking up wins while he can.
And speaking of regrettable, Andy’s choice of words regarding Big Dan almost made me spit my coffee.