Day Four in Osaka. Down in Juryo, Nabatame injured his left knee yesterday and is kyujo. Hidenoumi got the freebie win. No kensho for pachinko, though.
NHK video links: Juryo Part I & Part II, Makuuchi Part I & Part II.
Makuuchi Action
Shirokuma (1-3) defeated Kagayaki (Juryo 0-4). It looked like Kagayaki had the early edge here, forcing Shirokuma back to the edge. But Shirokuma used the tawara to brace himself, established a right-hand inside, left-hand outside grip, and drove Kagayaki back across the dohyo and over the edge. Yorikiri.
Tokihayate (3-1) defeated Asakoryu (3-1). As Asakoryu charged forward, Tokihayate twisted quickly to his left. Asakoryu’s right foot splayed out to brace but went over the bales. Yorikiri.
Aonishiki (2-2) defeated Mitakeumi (2-2). This must be a bit of a confidence builder. Aonishiki used steady pressure and a strong nodowa to force Mitakeumi back and over the bales. The young, top-division debutant defeated a three-time Emperor Cup winner and former Ozeki. Then again, Mitakeumi’s sumo performance has been a mere shadow of his earlier glory. Oshidashi.
Sadanoumi (1-3) defeated Kotoshoho (2-2) Kotoshoho seemed to want to lure Sadanoumi back, as he pulled, but Sadanoumi was wise to his shifty tactics. Sadanoumi centered Kotoshoho and blasted him into the head shimpan. Oshitaoshi.
Churanoumi (3-1) defeated Ryuden (2-2). Churanoumi put his hand on Ryuden’s head and shoved down hard. Ryuden kept his balance but could not resist as Churanoumi followed up with a good shove and sent him over the bales. Oshidashi.
Onokatsu (4-0) defeated Takarafuji (2-2). Onokatsu was too strong and drove Takarafuji back and over the bales. Yorikiri.
Shishi (3-1) defeated Midorifuji (2-2). As Midorifuji pulled, Shishi used his right hand to shove Midorifuji at the shoulder. This blasted Midorifuji to the side and hard onto the clay. Oshitaoshi.
Meisei (2-2) defeated Nishikigi (0-4). Meisei made quick work of Nishikigi; wrapped him up and drove him back and out. Yorikiri.
Hakuoho (3-1) defeated Shonannoumi (0-4). Hakuoho dispatched Shonannoumi quickly, driving him back and out under the white tassel. Yorikiri.
Endo (4-0) defeated Oshoma (0-4). Endo got his left arm under Oshoma’s right shoulder and twisted him down for a sukuinage win.
Shodai (2-2) defeated Atamifuji (2-2). Shodai pulled and as Atamifuji charged toward the edge, Shodai grabbed his belt, spun, and yanked him over the bales. Uwatedashinage.
Halftime
Tamawashi (3-1) defeated Takerufuji (2-2). Takerufuji pulled and Tamawashi happily charged ahead and forced Takerufuji back and out. Takerufuji needs to practice his falls, he could have given himself whiplash today, slamming down hard under the black tassel. Oshitaoshi.
Ura (3-1) defeated Hiradoumi (2-2). Of course, the news ran long and we missed Ura’s win over Hiradoumi, live. The replay showed quite the oshi brawl. Hiradoumi pulled and Ura followed, slamming into Hiradoumi’s chest and forcing him back and out. Oshidashi.
Ichiyamamoto (2-2) defeated Kinbozan (1-3). Standard Ichiyamamoto tsuppari forced Kinbozan back and over the edge. Oshidashi.
Tobizaru (1-3) defeated Takayasu (3-1). Takayasu played Tobizaru well but when Tobizaru kicked out at Takayasu’s right foot, which was bracing his weight, Takayasu backed up and set himself up for Tobizaru’s well-timed pull down. Kekaeshi.
Sanyaku
Chiyoshoma (2-2) defeated Abi (3-1). No tsuppari from Abi. Instead, he wrapped up Chiyoshoma, cycled back and tried to pull Chiyoshoma over. Chiyoshoma just followed Abi around the ring and drove him out. Yorikiri.
Kirishima (3-1) defeated Daieisho (2-2). Kirishima got inside quickly against Daieisho, who, like Abi, opted for a grapple instead of his usual tsuppari. Kirishima drove Daieisho back and out. Yorikiri.
Takanosho (1-3) defeated Oho (1-3) Takanosho forced Oho back to the bales. Oho tried to escape to his left but Takanosho pursued well and drove him out. Oshidashi.
Wakamotoharu (3-1) defeated Onosato (3-1). Damn, it, Onosato. Forward-moving sumo wins. You pull at your peril. Wakamotoharu kept Onosato well centered and forced him from the fighting surface. Oshidashi.
Kotozakura (2-2) defeated Wakatakakage (0-4). Kotozakura pressed forward, drove into Wakatakakage and showed Onosato how it is done. Oshidashi.
Hoshoryu (3-1) defeated Gonoyama (3-1). Hoshoryu quickly pulled Gonoyama down. Hatakikomi.
Wrap-up
Endo and Onokatsu lead the field. I am going to bed. I fear the nightmares that will follow. Rather than sugarplums, my dreams will surely be of weak pulls and very slow henka.
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No zensho yusho then for Onosato, but maybe for Endo, Andy?
Battle of nephews.. Asashoryu’s nephew won the first one. Certainly the first step of many to come.
Back on the upper division, Endo starts his 5-10 basho with 4-0 record. Hmm.. maybe he needs kyujo this weekend to get that. lol.
I can‘t wait to see how Takashoho will fare in the coming days. He came from nowhere and beat a sekiwake in his first fight ever! On the other hand Takanosho surprisingly didn’t appear on the dohyo today…
Ugh… making the mistake once is embarrassing, twice is cringe, thrice is…”I swear, I got hacked.”
It was a”Back to Basics” day as 17 winning techniques were from the “Basic” list — yorikiri, oshidashi, and oshitaoshi dominating the kimarite today. Tobizaru’s kekaeshi win added a bit of spice to a very plain slate of results
A general comment to Andy: I don’t think that writing that some rikishi lost because of a pull is a good diagnosis of a bout. Putting aside some really ill-timed pulls, a bout is usually lost before a pull is made, because of a worse stance or grip or just being overpowered and the pull is only a last resort.
For example Onosato loses when an opponent gets very close to him, under his arms. He is tall, he doesn’t have big belly, he is just helpless in such position, like in today’s bout versus Wakamotoharu (but there were similar bouts with Wakatakakage previous bashos). So actually he lost before he pulled.
Interesting analysis, but I think it’s exactly the other way round than.
Putting aside some pulls that are made when the rikishi is already in great trouble, usually an ill-timed pull is the reason for the loss. U‘re not considering that very often a pull brings the fast win and therefore the fighters are often trying the move. Sometimes it works and sometimes it causes defeat and then, as Andy diagnosed, the rikishi lost because of a pull.
(That said your example with Onosato is probably correct.)
I am going to disagree on this one. When Onosato put himself into reverse, it felt like such a capitulation in this bout with Wakamotoharu. The attempted kubinage was almost perfunctory, like I feel with so many half-hearted slap down attempts. I’ve been tough on Endo, in particular, because he seems to be mentally preparing for how he will land in the crowd when, in my mind, there’s still a winnable bout.
Onosato could have stood his ground, in my opinion, and salvaged that bout. Pulling was basically a sporting way of tapping out or waving the white flag… hoping for some luck on his way out.
So maybe let’s go with such analysis – Onasato tried to get a shallow grip with his right hand, but Wakamotoharu read this perfectly and blocked with left hand ottsuke and right hand nodowa. So Onosato realised that he is blocked and tried to do Makikae, change of the grip, and this created opening and allowed Waka to get under him. At this point Onosato could only waved the white flag.
You probably meant Abi, not Endo, right? Totally agree, this pull was inexplicable, as Redfearn 4 pointed out.
I just don’t think raising the white flag was necessary or the only option. He was still several feet from the edge of the dohyo. Instead of a more robust method of resistance, he pulled straight backwards.
No, I meant Endo. Not today’s bout. Just his apparent “brand of sumo” over the past few years. And I agree with both of you about Abi in today’s bout. That was completely uncharacteristic of Abi. Abi does pull on a regular basis, as kind of a one-two punch if the tsuppari doesn’t get the opponent. Grabbing his belt and reversing around the dohyo was completely unlike him.
Asakoryu needs to learn to dial back his aggression a bit. I think he’ll figure it out over time, but it definitely cost him today.
Sadanoumi definitely doesn’t want to lose. His “clear the dohyo” strategy today made that pretty obvious.
Not sure what, if anything, is wrong with Nishikigi. A minor injury? Just bad tachiais? Not really sure, but he usually doesn’t start a basho this poorly.
Ichiyamamoto has quietly established himself as a top division rikishi over the past basho or so. He’s figuring out his own brand of sumo instead of just being Abi 2.0 which is a good thing.
Tobizaru won because he outlasted Takayasu today. Watching the match I said, “Takayasu just got tired” and I figured it was only a matter of time after that happened for him to lose. I bet the kick to the foot was just extra frustrating for Takayasu.
No idea why Abi and Daiesho decided to hug their opponents who are better grapplers than they are today. I suspect both Chiyoshoma and Kirishima didn’t engage their opponents head-on and instead moved in a way to give them an avenue to their grip at the tachiai. I hope other rikishi study their strategy from today’s matches.
I had to remind myself that Onosato hasn’t been in the top division long, so we’re going to see matches like the one he had today. He’s really good, but he’s not great yet.
Nice to see Kotozakura settle in and start winning again. I think he’s figured out a way to do sumo properly with his bum knee. I wonder if he got some tips from Terunofuji.
If Hoshoryu keeps having matches like the one he had today, then his first day loss will be a blip on the radar and that’s it.
I still can’t figure out what Abi thought he was doing. He was pulling Chiyoshoma around the dohyo with no apparent plan on how to convert that to a win. And it wasn’t a desperation pull, he didn’t have to do it as a last gasp.. Just when it seemed Abi really had his sumo together, we get this!
Very true. That was the funniest match of today imo, so far only second to yesterday’s Shishi and Churanoumi catastrophic ballet attempt.
My guess is that Abi refrained from his usual attack because he feared a Chiyoshoma henka.
Wakamotoharu gave a textbook class on how to beat Onosato, get inside and stand him up. Not saying it’s easy by any means but it’s how you get it done.
Blood on Shodai today, happens not very often, I‘d say. Atamifuji ran his upperlip straight onto Shodai‘s iron biceps. Small kensho for this stunt…
Yeah, I was surprised how much blood. I thought Atamin busted his nose or something. As you said, those guns are made of steel.
Agree WMH’s win merits note .. his nodowa was a change of pace + set up Onosato .. others will notice .. Tamawashi showed stamina .. looked to me that Takerufuj’s spindly legs were over powered .. Takanosho looked dominant + persistent .. Oho will have to wake up .. These two rikshi look like they should be always be in sanyaku .. Too often their moves are a tick late or unfocussed .. Kirishima looks healthy + focussed .. His win v Daiesho was a good sign .. Pre basho, he supposedly was nursing a sore neck/back . Aonishiki’s win was a good sign .. aggressive from the tachiai .. Shishi presented Midorifuji a puzzle he did not solve .. looked like smart sumo to me .. aggressive w/o falling into a trap ..
Chiyoshoma isn’t getting the proper credit for this win. He countered Abi’s morote-zuki in a way I haven’t seen before and it was super-effective: he batted away Abi’s right hand with his left snap off the tachi-ai and immediately got a dominant inside position on that side. Abi relies on his initial two-hand attack to either create the distance for follow-up tsuppari or, if the opponent stands firm, to pull down with both hands. The point is that he is used to pressuring equally with both hands in that moment; by countering only one of Abi’s hands Chiyoshoma wrong-footed him.
Chiyoshoma, the Four in One Horseman