A week ago, I tried to guess the banzuke before the official rankings came out. Now that they have been announced, let’s see how the Crystal Ball fared.
TLDR: the Crystal Ball nailed it this time. Of the 42 banzuke positions, I predicted 33 exactly, with 3 more rikishi at the correct rank but on the wrong side. Of the remaining 6 misses, 5 were by half a rank, with only a single pick (Chiyomaru) off by one full rank.
At the top of the maegashira ranks, the banzuke committee employed the predicted solution of moving absent Ichinojo down one rank, allowing Kiribayama, Takanosho, and Kotonowaka to have modest promotions. My only error down to M8e was placing Takayasu at M4e, ahead of Wakamotoharu, whom I had at M4w.
The banzuke committee placed Nishikigi at M8w, just ahead of Shimanoumi at M9e, while I had them the other way around. And that was the only other switch until M14w and below, which I had pegged as the trickiest area. Here, I placed Onosho half a rank ahead of the top promotion candidate from Juryo, Tsurugisho. The banzuke committee bucked their usual preference for upper maegashira over Juryo promotions and ranked them in opposite order.
Finally, I correctly predicted the other promotion candidates—Chiyomaru, Daiamami, and Nishikifuji— and placed them in the final 3 slots, but the banzuke committee ranked His Roundness at M17w, behind the other two.
With the rankings announced, we only have two weeks to wait until the start of the July tournament, and Team Tachiai looks forward to sharing our coverage of it with you!
Crushed it! I have a feeling a lot of people did well with this one, so the GTB results will be competitive. The biggest change being those of us who didn’t move Ichinojo. I still feel bad that he got Covid. I’m glad to see Hokuseiho back up. Way down in Jonokuchi, it’s promising to see Ikazuchido on the list after two rough losses and going kyujo in maezumo.
Predicting a His Roundness yusho!!
Particularly interested to see how rikishi perform in lower Juryo/upper Makushita this tournament.
Juryo has Atamifuji rising through the division, as well as Kitanowaka and Hokuseiho (who both seem likely to rise higher in the ranks). There’s also highly-rated shin-Juryo, Oshoma (who received Makushita tsukedashi this past year).
Meanwhile, the promotion zone of Makushita has strong-performer Kinbozan (who also received a tsukedashi), Roga (who has been close to sekitori promotion before) and Tomokaze (on his journey back to makuuchi, after his really promising start in the top division was curtailed by bad injury).
Some of these rikishi are likely to be makuuchi regulars in the next 1-2 years.
What is tsukedashi?
Top amateur wrestlers with results in major tournaments are allowed to start their careers at Ms15 or Sd90
Thanks
“I have a feeling a lot of people did well with this one” – I think so – even I got most of them right, which is about a billion times better than usual..
I wonder if this is a last little burst of banzuke genki-ness from some of the old guard before they start sinking beneath the waterline – Aoiyama, Okinoumi and Tochinoshin are beautifully lined up along one side there for comparison? And whether the immovable lustrous Fuji will regain some of his immovability or whether some of his takara-ness has permanently gone?
There’s this Asanoyama guy down at Sandanme 22E, and someone called Kyokutaisei at Sandanme 66E.
Tomokaze and Shohozan (barely) are in the automatic promotion zone in Makushita, too.
Sure, there’s drama with the top rankers in the top division, but don’t ignore the folks further down the banzuke come July.
Not sure Kyokutaisei is (or ever will be) healthy enough to mount a comeback ☹️
Shohozan’s retirement has already been announced a few days ago, I believe.
As always, Iksumo, Well Done!!!
Also, Well Done to a few of the others who were brave enough to post their prognostications!!!
Loved Jimmy Jack Jew’s “His Roundness Yusho” – I’ll be waiting!