Here we are, in the second day of round 6. The yusho eliminations for this round have all been played yesterday. Round 7 spans the last three days of the basho, with all yusho deciders taking place on day 13, and playoffs, if any, taking place on senshuraku.
But despite not having any yusho matches today, we still have plenty of familiar faces and some nice sumo. Let’s go.
Jonokuchi
I have one match for you today, between Tsukubayama (Tatsunami, left), whom we have already met, and Shiryu from Minato beya. Both are 3-2. Winner is kachi-koshi.
#九月場所全力応援
うっちゃりで紫龍!勝ち越し!
筑波山!七番で勝ち越しだ!! pic.twitter.com/jolcw4dtkH— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
When we hear “utchari”, we think about a daring reversal with rikishi tumbling off the dohyo. But this one was also an utchari. Shiryu gets his kachi-koshi, and Tsukubayama will look to get his in his 7th match.
Jonidan
We start with my favorite stick insect, Chiyotaiyo, on the left. On the right, we have Kyokutenryo from Tomozuna beya. He is one of the Nakagawa refugees. In the 8 basho he played in his previous heya, he used his own name, Kiyama, and this is the first time he gets a proper shikona. Both 2-3 – loser is make-koshi.
#九月場所全力応援
掬い投げで千代太陽!三勝目!
旭天稜!頑張れ!!! pic.twitter.com/ltYCOTN996— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
The gunbai goes to Chiyotaiyo. No monoii. If you go frame-by-frame you’ll see that Chiyotaiyo still had a leg on the tawara when both of Kyokutenryo’s feet were already up in the air. Sukuinage, and the stick insect survives to try and get his kachi-koshi in round 7, while Kyokutenryo is make-koshi.
Next, on the left, the last Naya for this round, Hozan. On the right, Kurokage from Miyagino beya. I think he is one of Enho’s tsukebito, but I’m not sure. Both already kachi-koshi with 4-1.
#九月場所全力応援
送り出して鵬山!五勝目! pic.twitter.com/C8ok7YTQAE— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
Kurokage is simply not in Hozan’s league. Hozan improves to 5-1.
Finally, on the left, the smallest man in Grand Sumo, Baraki (Shikihide). On the right, Tagomaru (Tagonoura). Both kachi-koshi with 4-1. What, Baraki kachi-koshi? Yep. Let’s see his sumo.
#九月場所全力応援
掬い投げで爆羅騎!五勝目すごいな! pic.twitter.com/fPSTHuQDPx— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
Baraki wins by kotenage! This is his best basho since 2018. In fact, the only one he lost to is Hokuseiho, if you recall our Day 2 coverage. I’ll keep my fingers crossef for him to win his 7th as well.
Sandanme
I’m bringing this one because of the interesting kimarite. On the left, Matsuda (Minezaki beya). On the right, Sadanohikari, Sakaigawa. Both make-koshi with 1-4. You can see the full match in this VK video (might require disabling adblocker).
If you can’t view it, here is a Twitter video of the replay.
#九月場所全力応援
二丁投げで満津田!二勝目!!
おもしろいなぁ!(スローです pic.twitter.com/mWY3fI6wXP— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
The kimarite is nichonage. And in fact, Matsuda is the resident expert on that kimarite, this being his 11th, which ties him for first place with Mori from Tamanoi beya.
Next we move to the Darwin bracket. On the left, Hamadayama (Shibatayama). On the right – Mishima (Naruto). Both 2-3, the loser is make-koshi.
#九月場所全力応援
小手投げで三島!三勝目!いい相撲! pic.twitter.com/n4wopKaK6B— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
Hamadayama misses out on a critical advantage when Mishima suddenly faces the bales. Mishima recovers, and eventually it ends with a kotenage. The man from Shimane-ken escapes the make-koshi and has another chance for redemption.
Next, we have Genbumaru (Onoe, left) and veteran hoping for a triumphant return, Masunoyama (Chiganoura, right). Loser make-koshi.
○ 舛乃山 (3勝3敗)*突き出し
● 玄武丸 (2勝4敗)
舛乃山さん3勝目✨
次の一番で勝ち越しを‼️ pic.twitter.com/N84JP3pzxJ— SACHI (@junai0115) September 24, 2020
Masunoyama might just be able to scrape his kachi-koshi on his 7th match.
In the next match, the winner gets kachi-koshi. On the left, the familiar Tosamidori (Onomatsu). On the right, Asakishin, one of Asanoyama’s tsukebito from Takasago beya.
#九月場所全力応援
押し出して土佐緑!勝ち越しおめでとう! pic.twitter.com/dVPLqygZ7P— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
Love to see somebody learn a lesson. Do-not-henka, tsukebito.
Up in the already-kachi-koshi bracket, we have the spelling stumbling block, Asonoyama (Sakaigawa), and Sakurai (Naruto trio). Both 4-1. This bout was very long, so we have only the last 2:20 – Sakurai is the guy with the bandages on his knees.
#九月場所全力応援
櫻井ー阿蘇ノ山!2:30の長い相撲
寄り切って阿蘇ノ山!五勝目!
櫻井!次も全力で!!
(後半の2:20で御免なさい pic.twitter.com/9jA0XQyC37— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
So it’s the not-to-be-mistaken-for-the-Ozeki Asonoyama who grabs his fifth win.
In the same bracket, we have Sakurai’s heya mate, Marusho, on the right. On the left, Haruminato from Minato beya.
#九月場所全力応援
押し倒して丸勝!五勝目!よし!
喉輪に耐えて力強い良い相撲! pic.twitter.com/OYf04umOnL— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
Short, sharp, oshitaoshi. Marusho picks his 5th win.
Makushita
We have the third of the Naruto trio, Oshoryu, in an uncomfortable position. He stands on the left, and Kairyu (Dewanoumi) on the right, and he who loses is make-koshi. Will Oshoryu allow himself to be the only one in the trio with a make-koshi?
#九月場所全力応援
突き出して欧勝竜!三勝目! pic.twitter.com/Re6jSvjSeM— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
Nope, he won’t. Kairyu gets the make-koshi, and Oshoryu hangs on his 7th match.
In a slightly better position, we find Yoshii, the 17 years old talent from Tokitsukaze beya, with 3-2. His opponent, however, is Fukai, the winner of the previous basho’s Sandanme yusho. The winner is kachi-koshi.
大相撲秋場所 十二日目 幕下
深井 勝越し pic.twitter.com/J1ZRUkk4uJ— ZEAL (@MasakiKudo59) September 24, 2020
Fukai is kachi-koshi. Yoshii now hangs by a thread.
In the same bracket, we have the currently active bow twirler, Shohoryu, also from Tokitsukaze beya, on the left. On the right, Yuma, from Onomatsu beya, the surprising winner of the Sandanme yusho in Hatsu 2020.
#九月場所全力応援
押し出して将豊竜!勝ち越しおめでとう! pic.twitter.com/ekFCtooGGX— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
Not to be outdone by the other two bow twirlers, who are already kachi-koshi and beyond, Shohoryu enters energatically into this match, wins it, and achieves his own kachi-koshi.
Moving up the ranks, we have Shonannoumi (Takadagawa, left), vs. Kitanowaka, Prince Charming of Hakkaku beya.
大相撲秋場所 十二日目 幕下
北の若 勝越し pic.twitter.com/JAVqSNeFSI— ZEAL (@MasakiKudo59) September 24, 2020
Oooh, nice one. The kimarite is susoharai, and Kitanowaka walks home with a kachi-koshi.
Up again, we have Ichiyamamoto, the Abi clone from Nishonoseki beya, on the left. Ichiyamamoto serves as Shohozan’s tsukebito. On day 9, after Shohozan suffered 8 consecutive losses, Ichiyamamoto told him sweetly: “You know, there are far fewer rikishi with zen-pai (0-15) than those with zen-sho (15-0). Let’s get you into the history books!”. Not all sekitori would take such “lip” from their tsukebito, but Shohozan said it made him relax, and indeed, he won his first bout that day.
On the right, we have Kotokuzan. From the informal spelling you may think he’s from Sadogatake beya, but he is in fact from Arashio beya, as it’s not the same Koto. It’s a long “o”. He was very near crossing the heaven-hell line at some point, but the pressure to make it before the former Arashio oyakata retired got into him and he dropped several levels down since then.
As they climb up the dohyo, both of them are 3-2 and the winner is kachi-koshi.
#九月場所全力応援
叩き込みで荒篤山!勝ち越しおめでとう!
一山本!最後の一番で勝ち越しだ! pic.twitter.com/I7DJmSyeWV— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
Ichiyamamoto shows all the things that are wrong in his Abi-zumo. Kotokuzan gets his kachi-koshi, and perhaps another win in his seventh match will get him back into the promotion zone.
The final match in this bracket pits Takakento (Chiganoura, left) against Tsukahara (Kasugano, right).
○ 貴健斗 (4勝2敗)*突き出し
● 塚原 (3勝3敗)
貴健斗さんやった😆攻めきった‼️力強い‼️勝ち越しおめでとう✨👏 pic.twitter.com/85Z0WjddHp— SACHI (@junai0115) September 24, 2020
Tsukahara sidesteps nimbly at the tawara, but somehow, perhaps borrowing some of Shodai’s ACME equipment, Takakento manages to do his own about-face, and the surprised Tsukahara has to keep on fighting, but not for long. Takakento picks his kachi-koshi, and Tsukahara hangs by his 7th match.
We now move to the 4-1 bracket, where both sides are comfortable but look to improve their positions. On the left, Sadanoryu (Sakaigawa). On the right, Narutaki, the man named after a tram station, Kyonosato’s younger brother, from Isenoumi beya.
#九月場所全力応援
押し出して鳴滝!五勝目!よし! pic.twitter.com/FQSEgklkGK— Lulit (@OneLoveLulit) September 24, 2020
Unlike the two sekitori from his heya, Narutaki is full of genki, and improves to 5-1.
Up higher, we have Suzuki (Fujishima), who never had a make-koshi. On the right, Murata (Takasago). Both 4-1.
大相撲秋場所 十二日目 幕下
鈴木 五勝目 pic.twitter.com/cBe0QRsbGC— ZEAL (@MasakiKudo59) September 24, 2020
Suzuki attacks like a pesky mosquito, and Murata finds himself off the dohyo after Suzuki rams into him. Perhaps he should have been more careful – this loss may cost him a place in the promotion zone. Suzuki improves to 5-1.
Finally, the top match is between our friend Yago (Oguruma, left), and Bushozan (Fujishima, right).
大相撲秋場所 十二日目 幕下上位
矢後 五勝目 pic.twitter.com/QmJZRHh9WU— ZEAL (@MasakiKudo59) September 24, 2020
Yago improves to 5-1, and may land back in the promotion zone in November. I hope this score means his knees are ready for prime time.
Tomorrow’s yusho deciders
The final yusho deciders take place on day 13, as I mentioned. And as I thought, in all the divisions where two rikishi are left with 6-0 there will be one match between them, and the winner will win the yusho.
The only division where we had three 6-0 rikishi is Jonidan, and as I expected, they matched the lowest ranking of them against a rikishi with 5-1. However, not just any rikishi with 5-1. They matched him with Shishi.
- Jonokuchi: Jk28w Akiyoshi (6-0) – Jk5w Hisanotora (6-0)
- Jonidan:
- Jd47e Shishi (5-1) – Jd79e Ofukasawa (6-0)
- Jd14w Hokuseiho (6-0) – Jd4w Nabatame (6-0)
- Sandanme: Sd20e Hokutenkai (6-0) – Sd69e Nihonyanagi (6-0)
- Makushita: Ms42e Terasawa (6-0) – Ms28w Tochiseiryu (6-0)
So if Ofukasawa beats Shishi, there is going to be a playoff on Senshuraku. But don’t hold your breath…
Juryo
- Jokoryu visits from Makushita, and wins his kachi-koshi here, which may land him back in Juryo. Kitaharima may yet save himself.
- Nishikido oyakata doesn’t like Chiyonokuni’s start, and rightly so. However, he was actually giving Chiyonokuni a prize for that, because Akua decided to go for a henka instead. And Chiyonokuni was having none of that. Akua – bad decision. Limit your henka to opponents who did not get a lesson from Takanoyama in how to look up at the tachiai.
- Oki shouldn’t be on the dohyo. Stop the stupidity.
- Chiyoshoma tries to keep Midorifuji away from his belt by employing tsuppari. Midorifuji gets there anyway, and lands the taller man on the dirt in a Shitatenage. Unbelievably, Midorifuji is still in the chase.
- Nishikigi can’t convert the advantage he has on Daiamami at first into a win, and he needs one for his kachi-koshi. Both end up with ichimai holds (only holding to one mawashi layer). Nishikifuji desparately tries a makikae, but runs out of gas and out of dohyo. Will he be able to complete the kachi-koshi?
- This was not a good day to be an Onami.
- I can’t understand why Chiyomaru would choose to engage in yotsu-zumo, not his expertise. Once led backwards he can’t keep up.
- His brother, however, rolls Kotoyuki as one does. But Kotoyuki limps away. In the live broadcast, you could see him get to the hanamichi and then doing the rest of the way in a strange lean forward on his tsukebito. The announcer said he hurt his knee, but it looked more like a back ache.
- Akiseyama is having a great basho and there is talk about him returning to Makuuchi.
- Ikioi should do the same as Oki. Get outta here. You are not making your fans happy.
- Nishikigi is not going back to Makuuchi this time around.
You have to love Chiyotaiyo: lots of spirit and technique, but the third element just isn’t there. Come on, Chiyomaru, give that lad an extra bowl of chanko, you’ve had enough.
Jonidan again gives us the most exciting finish. Pitching Ofukasawa in with Shishi is a bit cruel on the former and suggests that they don’t want any playoffs messing up the schedule, but it’s fair enough, as it’s a “winner gets promotion to sandanme” match. Hokuseiho will want to get his tachiai sorted out as Nabatame is a little bull who is going to come in fast, hard and low.
What tachiai?
Tomorrow, we get the matchup of two, count ’em, two rikishi who shouldn’t be on the dohyo, when it’s Ikioi vs. Oki. The only thing I want to see less than that bout is Akiseyama in Makuuchi 🙈
I think we may end up with a lot more promotions from Makushita than your predictions currently take in to account. Because let’s face it, Kotoshogiku, Shohozan and Ikioi are past their sell-by date. This, however, may propel Akiseyama right where you don’t want to see him.
Yeah, I didn’t want to consider the intai possibilities, especially given that they’d have to be official by Tuesday to influence the banzuke.
With the November basho not taking place in Fukuoka it might indeed happen the Giku wraps it up. Probably depends a bit on whatever the nature of the injury is that keeps him down now. Then again, there will be two more month of rest, so why not pick up a 2nd Juryo Yusho? ;)
It’s a partial muscle tear in the calf. Watching his expression after the match today (which I gather sealed his demotion) – I don’t think he’ll stay. They said his main motivation for sticking it out was to get to meet Toyonoshima again, which will never happen, except in the Oyakata Channel. Also, his kabu is vacant. I predict an announcement of the new Hidenoyama oyakata shortly after senshuraku.
I’m no doc, but I had a partial muscle tear once and it took me 4-5 month to be completely pain free, so you are probably right. I think he would have soldiered on, if the basho was in Kyushu, but it isn’t.
Not sure what’s plaguing Shohozan. I don’t see obvious injuries, just a general lack of power.
I agree – Uglybodyama, stay away !
I’m rooting for Akiseyama half the basho already for all the love he gets here. Was even hoping he could snag the Yusho from Chiyonokuni, but that doesnt seem possible anymore ;)
That uchari was wicked. I blinked and missed it. “Wait, I thought the other guy was…”
Nichonage? What an awesome kimarite.
Glad for Baraki!
The Abi clone got out Abi’d.
I think the most unexpected result of this basho is “Akiseyama is having a great basho and there is talk about him returning to Makuuchi.” I’m assuming the rest has helped him heal or something else because he was falling down the banzuke pre-COVID and looked like he was in a free fall.