Please see this post for an intro to my third-division coverage. The Sweet Sixteen has been filled out by Oshoryu, Daishomaru, and Seihakuho. The full bracket is below. And all the bouts will take place on Day 7, so come back tomorrow to see who makes the Elite Eight. Still in the running for the yusho are former sekitori Akua, Enho, Kawazoe and Daishomaru, as well as prospects Seihakuho, Tokitenran, Goshima and Fukuzaki. Akua, Dewanoryu, and Kamayutaka are all ranked in the extended promotion zone (Ms6-Ms15), and so at stake for them is the near-automatic Juryo promotion that goes to a 7-0 rikishi from this part of the banzuke.
The sixteen 3-0 rikishi hail from 11 different heya. We have two from Tokitsukaze: Kamayutaka and Tokitenran, who would not be on course to meet unless both go 6-0. Isegehama and Fujishima each have three representatives. For the former, Enho would not create a scheduling conflict until he is 6-0, but Kawazoe and Seihakuho would need to be moved around if both win tomorrow. The same goes for the impressive Ms60TD debutants Goshima and Fukuzaki, who both hail from Fujishima, as does Tendozan on the other side of the bracket. We could have two Isegahama vs. Fujishima bouts in the right half of the bracket! The existence of a number of potential same-heya conflicts also raises the odds of a playoff. Stay tuned for continued coverage as the exciting third-division yusho race unfolds!
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🤞ENHO
Wow, the fact that Akua is the highest ranked contender at 6w says a lot about the competitiveness of the division!
Miyagi and Ishizaki both got knocked out from the undefeated ranks by juryo opponents, two of the ten rikishi in the promotion zone are sitting out, so Akua only had to knock off 6e Kotokuzan and 2w Tochimaru above him.
Oooof. You play the hand you’re dealt, obviously, but wow. Looking at the banzuke, Miyagi and Mudoho are still in the running for promotion with Tochimaru balancing on a knife edge right now. Because Bushozan is out injured, does the promotion level extend down to Ms6 for Kotokuzan as well if he finishes with a winning record better than any of the people I’ve previously mentioned? Or is that a hard line regardless of injuries?
Recent decisions suggest it’s a hard line regardless of injuries.
And U can‘t compare this to, say, tennis.
There, if at a grand slam after three rounds the number 12 seed was the best ranked contender it would be a sensation, because the 32 best players don’t meet before round 3.
But here they are paired from the beginning and therefore after three rounds ONLY FOUR (or even less because of yuryo visits) remain of those ranked Ms16 or better!
Yeah you’d expect 4, including one from Ms1-Ms4, but things like juryo bouts and absences can knock it down like this time.
I like the terminologies 🙂
Sweet sixteen!
Elite Eight!!
Next..
Final four
I like the terminologies 🙂
Sweet sixteen!
Elite Eight!!
Next..
Final four
Brazenly stolen from college basketball 😆
Isegahama-Fujishima matchups on the right side of the bracket have been realized.
Gonna be interesting if only one Heya moves on to the semi’s from that side, and Enho is on a serious comeback roll, which could mean 3 Isegahama rikishi in the final 4.
An interesting conundrum for the schedulers, eh?
Indeed. Enho would fight the winner of Akua-Nobeharu, but they’d need to select 4-1 opponents for the other two 5-0 guys if they’re from the same heya (good odds of that happening).