Welcome dear readers to the start of our coverage of the Mock Natsu basho. Over the next two weeks plus, we are teaming up with Grand Sumo Breakdown to simulate a Natsu basho, based on the banzuke published a few weeks ago, and the encyclopedic knowledge and statistics of the GSB crew.
We are proud to present to you, the torikumi (match card) for the first day of our mock Natsu. As with a real tournament, you can expect a preview in the evening before match day (US time), and highlights on the morning after the matches complete.
Feast your eyes on day 1 – and get ready for a fun ride into what might have been. Preview will be posted tomorrow (Saturday).
| Rank | East Rikishi | Head to Head | West Rikishi | Rank | ||
| Ye | Hakuho 0-0 | 22-1 | Okinoumi 0-0 | Kw | ||
| M1e | Endo 0-0 | 3-13 | Kakuryu 0-0 | Yw | ||
| Oe | Takakeisho 0-0 | 1-1 | Yutakayama 0-0 | M1w | ||
| M2e | Takanosho 0-0 | 0-1 | Asanoyama 0-0 | Ow | ||
| Se | Shodai 0-0 | 2-2 | Onosho 0-0 | M2w | ||
| M3e | Takarafuji 0-0 | 2-5 | Mitakeumi 0-0 | Sw | ||
| Ke | Daieisho 0-0 | 0-1 | Kiribayama 0-0 | M3w | ||
| M4e | Kagayaki 0-0 | 2-6 | Aoiyama 0-0 | M4w | ||
| M5e | Abi 0-0 | 5-2 | Hokutofuji 0-0 | M5w | ||
| M6e | Enho 0-0 | 2-0 | Ryuden 0-0 | M6w | ||
| M7e | Terutsuyoshi 0-0 | 3-5 | Tokushoryu 0-0 | M7w | ||
| M8e | Ishiura 0-0 | 5-4 | Chiyotairyu 0-0 | M8w | ||
| M9e | Tamawashi 0-0 | 11-6 | Ikioi 0-0 | M9w | ||
| M10e | Kaisei 0-0 | 7-10 | Myogiryu 0-0 | M10w | ||
| M11e | Shimanoumi 0-0 | 0-0 | Tochinoshin 0-0 | M11w | ||
| M12e | Sadanoumi 0-0 | 5-10 | Shohozan 0-0 | M12w | ||
| M13e | Takayasu 0-0 | 0-0 | Kotonowaka 0-0 | M13w | ||
| M14e | Kotoshogiku 0-0 | 0-0 | Wakatakakage 0-0 | M14w | ||
| M15e | Kotoshoho 0-0 | 0-0 | Chiyomaru 0-0 | M15w | ||
| M16e | Nishikigi 0-0 | 0-2 | Kotoeko 0-0 | M16w | ||
| M17e | Terunofuji 0-0 | 3-3 | Kotoyuki 0-0 | M17w |
Very much looking forward to see if Terunofuji can get off to a winning start against the stage-diving legend. I do hope that the algorithm allows for a bit of random madness. All subsequent comments will treat this as a real basho, otherwise it will be no fun.
Oh it does indeed provide for some random madness. Do strap in for a fun ride.
Does the mock banzuke really line up where all the Maegashira 6-17 can match up on day 1 with no same heya hiccups?
Yup! But not past day 1.
Basically, the only thing that is not a mock in this tournament is the banzuke.
Okinoumi has Hakuho right off the bat ?!?
Awww maaan !!! >_< Ha ha ha !
Poor guy, i know the odds doesn’t favor him, but he is such a loyal fighter. A true samurai of sumo.
As time waned the resilience of the greatest yokozuna of all time, maybe he’ll be able to add a second white star to his record againts him. Most of the time, he always been able to give him a good challenge i must say.
(I genuinely belive Hakuho has fun fighting Okinoumi. Because he know he’ll get a normal good old fashioned and traditionnal sumo fight out of him. No trick, no fancy technic or any headache of such… just good ol’ belt hustle.)
I’ll always remember that match between them from November 2015.
Okinoumi was sooo close to adding a second victory back to back against him. But Hakuho was still a beast back then and litteraly “stole” that victory with the almighty ultra rare kimarite {Yaguranage}
https://youtu.be/G8rRalBmqu8?t=610
Anyone else remember that ?
That was brilliant! yanagonnagetmi
Will Takayasu show up?
He may, but his hamstrings will wait for the July basho.
I think the Daieisho/Kiribayama bout is my mock-bout-of-the-day.
I’d agree with you. I think Daieisho is one of the most overlooked wrestlers in the top division. He’s been incredibly consistent, even at the higher end of the banzuke, which I think portends great future sumo for him.