Takerufuji had no problem dispatching Oshoumi. Oshoumi tried to shift direction but it merely delayed the inevitable. Takerufuji is a man among boys. Chiyoshoma is a henka machine. With his high-stakes bout against Hakuoho, he jumped to the side and dragged Hakuoho down.
Jason left a comment the other day that drew my attention to the NHK links. If these NHK links do not work, let me know what country or continent you are in. I’d like to troubleshoot and see whether there are different options for different regions. Since they work for me, these links should be working for folks in North America but I do hope they work internationally, too.
They are a little clunky. You have to click the play button twice. Well, at least I have to do that here. The first click seems to load the video, after a few seconds another play button appears, and you push play to show the video.
Makuuchi Action
Nishikigi (7-2) defeated Shirokuma (2-7). Nishikigi had no trouble acquiring his hidari-yotsu hold of Shirokuma at the tachiai. He drove forward and ushered Shirokuma back and out. Shirokuma has been unable to establish any sort of offense in this division. Yorikiri.
Takayasu (7-2) defeated Hokutofuji (6-3). Hokutofuji combined his ottsuke with firm oshi-zumo to drive Takayasu back to the edge. Takayasu shifted to his right to avoid going over the edge but Hokutofuji followed. As the pair reached the edge, Takayasu shifted again and slapped on Hokutofuji’s back forcing him to stumble forward and out of the ring. Hatakikomi.
Nishikifuji (4-5) defeated Bushozan (4-5). Nishikifuji was much more mobile than Bushozan. As Bushozan tried to get some momentum, Nishikifuji shifted to the side and pulled Bushozan down. Katasukashi.
Kitanowaka (3-6) defeated Kagayaki (1-8). Kagayaki could not get any sort of forward progress. Kitanowaka rotated to the left and forced Kagayaki’s back to the tawara. Kagayaki tried to shuffle along the bales but Kitanowaka had no trouble keeping up and keeping the pressure on him, eventually working him over the edge. Yorikiri.
Ryuden (6-3) defeated Sadanoumi (5-4). Firm migi-yotsu. Ryuden drove Sadanoumi back and out. Yorikiri.
Roga (5-4) defeated Onokatsu (3-6). One-sided bout here as Roga drove Onokatsu back and out. Neither of our top division debutants have been able to establish their sumo here and both seem ready for demotion. Yorikiri.
Kinbozan (4-5) defeated Tamawashi (3-6). Henka! Kinbozan jumped to the side and slapped Tamawashi down for a quick victory. Hatakikomi.
Takarafuji (5-4) defeated Oshoma (6-3). Oshoma was stronger than Takarafuji today and really dominated 99% of the bout. Takarafuji tried moving laterally but Oshoma kept up and drove him back. At the edge, Takarafuji yanked Oshoma forward and down while falling. Gunbai to Oshoma. Mono-ii. Video review showed Oshoma’s right arm hit the tawara first. I’ve got to disagree with Ross Mihara who declared, “Takarafuji showed zero offense.” He showed his offensive strike right there at the end and won with that pull. Sakatottari.
Wakatakakage (7-2) defeated Midorifuji (4-5). After a lengthy grapple, Midorifuji mistimed his pull. Wakatakakage took advantage and drove forward, forcing Midorifuji from the surface of the dohyo. Yorikiri.
Endo (7-2) defeated Gonoyama (3-6). Henka! Endo did switch things up by going to the opposite side. Gonoyama tried to get the jump on Endo by jumping early, before Endo got his hand down. But Endo jumped to the side with lightning speed. Hatakikomi.
Halftime
Meisei (2-7) defeated Ichiyamamoto (3-6). After a lengthy brawl where both men traded tsuppari, Meisei grabbed Ichiyamamoto’s trunk and pulled him forward and down. Katasukashi.
Churanoumi (6-3) defeated Kotoshoho (5-4). Churanoumi was steady and avoided Kotoshoho’s pull. This was another case where The Pull led to The Puller’s undoing. Tsukidashi.
Mitakeumi (3-6) defeated Oho (5-4). Oho churned forward but Mitakeumi shifted right at the edge and twisted Oho down. Gunbai Mitakeumi. Mono-ii. Video review showed Oho fell before Mitakeumi, confirming the ruling on the field. Tsukiotoshi.
Tobizaru (3-6) defeated Takanosho (2-7). Takanosho ran out of attack ideas and just quit, stepping back and out. Oshidashi.
Sanyaku
Atamifuji (4-5) defeated Daieisho (5-4). Daieisho was in a pulling mood today. Maybe the gearshift got stuck in reverse. Atamifuji pursued well and shoved Daieisho out when he caught him at the edge. Oshidashi.
Onosato (9-0) defeated Wakamotoharu (5-4). Onosato dominant. The youngster drove Wakamotoharu out forcefully. Yoritaoshi.
Shodai (5-4) defeated Abi (2-7). Abi-zumo churned forward at full speed but Shodai slipped to the side and pulled Abi down. Tsukiotoshi.
Kirishima (8-1) defeated Shonannoumi (1-8). This was a satisfying bout for Kirishima fans. Rather than a high-paced, high-energy tactical bout, Kirishima won with calm, dominant power. His hidari-yotsu was simply too much for Shonannoumi. Yorikiri.
Hoshoryu (5-4) defeated Hiradoumi (5-4). Hoshoryu locked up Hiradoumi and began his advance. Hiradoumi tried to cycle to the right and away from Hoshoryu but Hoshoryu cut off the escape lane and then twisted him down with a beautiful throw. Sukuinage.
Ura (5-4) defeated Kotozakura (6-3). Ura pressed forward and drove Kotozakura back and out. Kotozakura appeared uncertain as to how to execute any escape techniques at the edge. At least Hoshoryu showed up today. Oshidashi.
Wrap-up
Our Ozeki are in “observer status” this basho, unable to participate in the yusho race. Onosato continues to defeat his lower-ranked opponents. That is the kind of dominance we want from the upper ranks so Onosato is clearly moving toward promotion. Kirishima is the lone wrestler with one loss and both Sekiwake will fight each other tomorrow in a high-stakes bout.
We have four rank-and-filers in our chase group with two losses. Endo will face Wakatakakage on Day 10 as both men battle for their kachi-koshi and their position as potential yusho spoilers. Takayasu will fight Nishikifuji and Nishikigi will take on Kagayaki.
House-keeping
In a little administrative news, I’ll be shutting off the Google Ads on the site this week. Thank you for your patience as I tested that out. I’ve been extremely disappointed with them. When I visit the site, the ads are terrible and seem to have nothing remotely to do with anything. I reached out to the AdWords folks and they basically told me they’re worthless. So, bye-bye.
I’d only be interested in partners that would actually provide services for sumo fans. Not, “click here to see Megyn Kelly images.” My personal fave was the blank, “Click Here.” Seriously, what the hell? Nothing travel-related, nothing Japan-related, nothing sports-related, nothing relevant to anything. I mean, the only thing I’ve seen that wasn’t blatant spammy crap was…shoes? The last pair of shoes I bought were geta. So, Geta-outta-here with your crap ads, Google! As for you readers, see you on Day 10.
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Thanks Andy I love reading your summation of the day’s bouts! I don’t get to actually see them until the evening highlights programme, but your insights help me look for things I’d miss for sure 🙂 the links work, however my Japanese is rudimentary at best, and I ended up down a rabbit-hole of seeing every match of Kitanowaka…not what I wanted. They do work though, thank you. (Europe)
The functioning of the NHK links may also be browser dependent. When I use Google Chrome, the links function without a problem. However, when I try to open the links with Mozilla Firefox, all I get are white rotating circles after pressing the play button.
That’s interesting. I’ve been using DuckDuckGo and Edge without issue. I’ll look into that.
FYI: I‘m also using DuckDuckGo without issue, but from Europe.
Interesting. When my friend tried them yesterday, she got something that said she had to be in Japan to see them. But they have worked for me both on Safari and Firefox. I will tell her to experiment with browsers. We are in US.
Why make Onosato fight Kirishima on day 10??
this should have been a much later fight; if Onosato wins then the yusho gets less exciting, at least until he has to fight the 2 Ozekis
I agree. It’s strange scheduling. As they are both sekiwake, taking into account the ōzeki/ozeki fight on Day 15, and each of them against an ōzeki on Days 13 and 14, it could have been as late as Day 12.
I think they will need to put a Maegashira bout in there, like Takayasu, WTK, Nishikigi… The battle of Sekiwake isn’t traditionally what we are pining for on the closing weekend. This will shake up the race, that’s for sure.
Sekiwake v Sekiwake bout seems to come during the second week, usually around this time. Frequently nakabi or Day 9, or as early as Day 5. But yes, sometimes Day 14 or 15. It is odd that they’re not moving up Takayasu or Nishikigi but I think this is the way it’s supposed to be. Nominally each Sekiwake would face each of the other Sekiwake, the Ozeki and the Yokozuna in this portion of the Basho. With Keisho and Terunofuji out, they will have to fill slots with Maegashira. But they definitely want to make sure those Sekiwake and Ozeki bouts happen. They’re about to Christen Onosato as Ozeki. They can’t have one of these top ranker bouts slip by.
If Onosato wins I think the yusho is his. Very hard to see him losing more than a bout maybe 2, and I don’t see any contender winning all their remaining bouts.
But if Kirishima wins, the yusho will get really exciting
I tried one of those NHK sumo link that you posted the other day. And was able to see the Hokutofuji vs Nishikifuji no problem.
I’m on the East Coast of Canada and i’m using Mozilla Firefox under Win10.
The only “clunkiness” i found in my opinion with those NHK match link is that they are seperated individually. There is no one single video regrouping all the match from a division together. And there is no way to queue all the video so that they will all play automatically one after another.
Having to click one each of them to play isn’t the end of the world…..but since i am usually watching my sumo match on my couch on my living room TV, who is a bit far from my desktop computer, it’s super not practical to have to get up every minute to click and change to the next match. Make my setup totally unpractical. :(
I agree, Ross Mihara multiple remarks about Takarafuji v Oshoma bout, were strange… not objective at all, and makes me wonder if he is being paid by the Oshoma fan club …. He has been known to say other strange things over and over again, like describing Kotozakur’s pillowy upper body being able to absorb the thrusting attacks of his opponent, usually Daeisho. Also shouldn’t he know by know that it’s Sumo, and it ain’t over ‘til it’s over?
I know what you mean, but can’t imagine Oshoma having a fan club. Because of the horrible reports of his bullying stablemates, he is someone I root against every time.
Just realized that was an ambiguous grammatical construction. Reports of Oshoma being a horrible bully towards his stablemates. Should have been investigated. But apparently the victims quit sumo so the JSK said “not our problem.”
Yes, Heard all about the Oshoma bullying that had no apparent repercussions by the JSA, similar to the scandal offenses, yet zero treatment towards corrective action/punishment. Hence my reference to an “Oshoma fan club”was a bit sarcastic…. I don’t think he has any fans really. When he wins, no one claps or cheers in the audience…. Kukufuji, I too hope for his losses in the ring, each and every time, as I can’t get behind someone with that kind of unacceptable and brutal behavior.
Meant to add, similar to the scandal offenses of Hokuseiho…
Ah, but there was a key difference. Oshoma’s alleged bullying was apparently on the dohyo, during practice bouts. They thought he fought too hard, unfairly, and did cheap shots. Hokuseiho was allegedly a jackass off the dohyo.
Being on the dohyo doesn’t make it okay to deliberately punch someone in the eye so hard they lose vision for several days, or jump on someone’s sternum in order to break it. Wherever it happened, it wasn’t within the bounds of sumo wrestling.
I completely agree. But it is different than just generally pulling pranks, harassing, and being a bully to lower ranked guys. I mean, no blow torches or glue on the dohyo.
Clarifying,….similar to the scandal offenses of Hokuseiho bullying his stable mates.
The guys up from Juryo seem to be struggling a lot with these lower Maegashira and don’t appear to be ready for the bottom part of the top division. Was the competition in Juryo really light/easy last tournament?
I don’t think so. I think the top division is getting better. I think they ran into a bunch of guys, like Takayasu, Hokutofuji, Nishikigi, Tamawashi, who are ranked lower than they normally would be. But it’s not just the new guys. Kagayaki hasn’t been able to cut it. Tamawashi will probably fall a bit. It’s really getting tough. All of that just makes me even more surprised by Onosato. I mean he’s starting to show some real separation in skill and power relative to the others.