Senshuraku is upon us! In a bit, we will crown a new top division champion. The two Yokozuna will fight – possibly twice – with the title on the line. Something we’ve wanted for a while. But before we get to that, there are some other items to address.
Juryo Yusho
Asahakuryu won his bout against Nishikifuji and claimed the title with a 13-2 record. He was able to force Nishikifuji out with a good left hand uwate grip, the yorikiri finish. He won the yusho in his debut, repeating the feats accomplished by Kusano, Takerufuji, Tochimusashi, Tomokaze, Mitakeumi, Ichinojo, Terunofuji, Endo, Chiyotairyu, Ikioi, Shotenro, Tochinoshin, Toyohibiki… His stablemate and former Ozeki Asanoyama came up just short, finishing 12-3 after his win over Mita.
Sansho Nominees
- Outstanding Performance
- Hakuoho (1st, if he wins)
- Aonishiki (1st, if Hoshoryu wins the yusho)
- Fighting Spirit
- Takanosho (5th)
- Technique
- Aonishiki (2nd)
Yesterday, Hiro mentioned that the winner of the Ura/Ryuden bout might be looking at a special prize. However, neither man is listed as a sansho candidate.
Remember, Hakuoho is (so far) the only wrestler to defeat Onosato this tournament. However, he needs a kachi-koshi to claim his Outstanding Performance Prize. The condition placed on Aonishiki’s prize is unusual. He will claim the prize only if Hoshoryu wins the yusho. I cannot recall a prize being contingent on another wrestler’s victory, but maybe you all can remember one? Regardless, he will claim his second technique prize and Takanosho has earned a fifth Fighting Spirit Prize. Congratulations!
Makuuchi Action
Tobizaru (9-6) defeated Asakoryu (6-9). Tobizaru shoved Asakoryu to the bales. After some hazu-oshi, Asakoryu inexplicably pulled and tried a slapdown when he was already at the edge. So, essentially Tobizaru shoved him out for the win. Oshidashi.
Hitoshi (7-8) defeated Meisei (5-10). Meisei dragged Hitoshi around the right by his right hand but couldn’t get the kotenage finish. Hitoshi kept his footing and stayed in bounds. When Meisei switched to tsuppari, Hitoshi pulled and slapped Meisei down. Hatakikomi.
Mitakeumi (7-8) defeated Nishikigi (2-13). Mitakeumi overpowered Nishikigi and ushered him back to Juryo. Yorikiri.
Roga (7-8) defeated Ryuden (9-6). Roga got both of his hands inside quickly and steered Ryuden toward the bales. The tawara were mere speedbumps as Roga drove Ryuden out. Yorikiri.
Shodai (10-5) defeated Shishi (10-5). A bloodied Shodai dragged Shishi over to the edge by trapping Shishi’s right arm and pulling him forward. There were several bouts this tournament where I felt that in the past, Shodai would have given up. This was another one where he dug deep, fought hard, and won. Kotenage.
Churanoumi (9-6) defeated Tomokaze (9-6). Tomokaze pulled and slapped Churanoumi down as Churanoumi charged forward. Both men crashed out. Gunbai Churanoumi. Mono-ii. Gunbai confirmed. Tomokaze was dead in the air before Churanoumi fell down. Oshidashi.
Tokihayate (7-8) defeated Fujinokawa (6-9). Oh, my word. I do not know how Tokihayate resisted that kubinage. Fujinokawa wrapped his arm around Tokihayate’s head and dragged him toward the ground. But Tokihayate does sumo squats, apparently, and used that firm base to withstand Fujinokawa’s attempt. He countered with his own overarm throw and toppled Fujinokawa with an uwatenage.
Midorifuji (7-8) defeated Sadanoumi (6-9). Sadanoumi pulled and Midorifuji pressed forward, forcing Sadanoumi to run out of the ring. Yorikiri.
Kusano (8-7) defeated Shonannoumi (7-8). Kusano wrapped up Shonannoumi with his left hand inside and his right hand outside on Shonannoumi’s belt. He drove forward and forced Shonannoumi out. Yorikiri.
Hiradoumi (8-7) defeated Kinbozan (7-8). Hiradoumi staggered Kinbozan at the tachiai. Kinbozan tried to twist Hiradoumi over at the edge but Hiradoumi maintained the pressure and shoved Kinbozan out from behind. Okuridashi.
Halftime
Daieisho (7-8) defeated Gonoyama (1-14). Both men hit each other with forceful tsuppari. As Daieisho tired, he neared the bales and started to put his gear in reverse. He pulled and danced along the tawara until he slapped Gonoyama down. Hatakikomi.
Atamifuji (5-10) defeated Ichiyamamoto (4-11). The two men got migi-yotsu grips. Ichiyamamoto fought to get himself away from the tawara but Atamifuji started using his gaburi to back Ichiyamamoto up and carry him over the bales. Yorikiri.
Oho (10-5) defeated Oshoma (9-6). Oshoma pressured Oho and had forced him to the edge but Oho put his right arm around Oshoma’s head and his left hand in Oshoma’s armpit. Oho then twisted and pulled Oshoma’s head and shoulder down to toward the bales. Ouch. Tsukiotoshi.
Hakuoho (8-7) defeated Ura (10-5). Hakuoho battered Ura and when Ura pulled away, Hakuoho followed with his mitt in Ura’s face. Hakuoho earns his first Outstanding Performance Prize. Oshitaoshi.
Onokatsu (7-8) defeated Abi (3-12). Onokatsu charged ahead. Abi tried to pull and slapdown but he was already at the edge. Silliness. I hope Abi recovers from his injuries. Yorikiri.
Tamawashi (6-9) defeated Kotoshoho (3-12). Tamawashi just bullied Kotoshoho back and over the edge. Oshidashi.
Sanyaku
Wakamotoharu (9-6) defeated Aonishiki (11-4). Hidari-yotsu. Wakamotoharu forced Aonishiki to the edge and over the bales. Yorikiri.
Takayasu (7-8) defeated Kirishima (6-9). Kirishima’s confidence shaken, he retreated from Takayasu’s tsuppari and Takayasu slapped him down. Tsukiotoshi.
Takanosho (12-3) defeated Wakatakakage (6-9). Takanosho overpowered Wakatakakage and shoved him out. Oshidashi.
Hoshoryu (13-2) defeated Onosato (13-2)! Hoshoryu blitzed Onosato at the tachiai, shoving him hard in the face, driving him straight back and out. Well, that was the opposite of a henka but the outcome was just as quick. Oshidashi.
Play-off
Onosato defeated Hoshoryu. Hoshoryu launched out and latched onto Onosato’s mawashi with a deep right-hand grip. He pivoted and spun, trying to drive Onosato over the bales but Onosato adjusted, shifted slightly so Onosato was toppled on top of Hoshoryu. Both men crashed off the dohyo. Gunbai Onosato. Mono-ii. Gunbai confirmed. Onosato yusho.
Wrap-up
Well. This basho had a little bit of everything, didn’t it? It ended in a Play-off between the Yokozuna. Hoshoryu drove the action in both bouts. Onosato’s counter attack was better in the Play-off. Next Stop, London.
We will find out our Juryo promotions in a few days but most of the banzuke will remain under wraps until the troupe heads to Kyushu. Wakatakakage and Kirishima will fall out of sanyaku. Takayasu likely will, as well. Aonishiki will claim a Sekiwake slot and he will probably be joined by Oho. Who will claim the Komusubi slots? Takanosho? Wakamotoharu? Hiradoumi?
See you in a few days.
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Congrats to Onosato! Further confidence to hopefully dominate Hoshoryo for years to come.
Ōnosato now 2 yūshō wins ahead of the next active rikishi. Just shows how much the guard has changed.
Hoshoryu’s henka yesterday was disgraceful. It was fitting that he lost today.
Tout à fait, le henka d’Hoshoryu pour forcer la chance d’obtenir son barrage.
Le Karma a joué contre Hoshoryu. Congratulations Onosato, qui, au demeurant prend une assurance mentale plus forte pour le prochain Basho Kyusu.
yokozuna does what he had to win, in these circumstance
I was going to ask the people here if anyone remembered a prize conditioned on another rikishi’s final-day performance, but I guess we’re all a bit nonplussed by that. (Though the Wikipedia entry does include victory over the yusho winner as a shukunsho criterion.)
My apologies since I know this has come up in comments before, but please remind me: can Aonishiki’s 11-4 as komusubi count as the start of an ozeki run? (Nothing since I started following in 2016 confirms it one way or the other.)
Congratulations to Onosato. Well-contested by Hoshoryu. Nice to see two healthy yokozuna doing their jobs.
Well done by Takayasu, salvaging something after an 0-6 start. Amazing how well he can do in the home stretch when he’s not in the yusho race. Sigh
Tamawashi just biding his time. Wait’ll Kyushu.
Anyway, thanks as usual to Andy and the Tachiai team for the coverage.
P.S. Here’s the comment I posted after Day 7: “I think Takanosho has looked really strong. A yokozuna yusho looks likely, but other than them, I think I’d pick him as the one with the best shot to win it.” Not too shabby a call
Terunofuji’s first ozeki run started with 8 wins at M2. I would like to think that Aonishiki’s 11 wins at M1 plus 11 wins at K will get him to Ozeki with 11 or more wins at next tornament.
Thank you. M2 + S + S (Terunofuji) would seem the equivalent of M1 + K + S (Aonishiki), so it certainly seems to raise the possibility – especially if Aonishiki could finally break through the 11-4 ceiling and exceed the 33 total.
Maybe 11 wins could really be enough this time, because they want a second ozeki.
But normally it would probably take more than that. Terunofuji’s run was 8 wins, then 13 and finally 12 with the yusho. So 25 of his wins came as he was a sanyaku. On the other hand there was Kotomitsuki, whose 34 wins were not enough, probably because only 21 wins fulfilled the sanyaku rule. Therefore I‘d guess that Aonishiki will need 12 wins next basho to become an ozeki rather safely (but not guaranteed).
Though the sample size is rather small, in recent times the only successful ozeki runs, started as a maegashira, required at least two 12-3 jun-yusho or better. So it would be nothing out of the ordinary if Aonishiki is asked for one more double-digit basho at sekiwake. And they denied 3 Japanese candidates so you can’t just cry xenophobia.
Totally agree, but they really need another Ozeki right now… Kind of weird having one O, one YO, and one Y
An Ozeki run can start with a Basho at Komusubi or even maegashira. Like with so many things when it comes to rank, there’s wiggle room for the Council to go either way. With Aonishiki, his lack of experience (age and Basho completed,) and starting his run below Sekiwake could hurt his chances. But his consistently strong win totals, the relatively small number of Ozeki and Yokozuna, and his record against the sanyaku would work in his favor.
It’s also a possibility that his status as non-Japanese could still work against an early promotion.
My gut call is this would still be considered the beginning of a run if he goes 10+ in November. It’s hard to argue against his technique, popularity, and that he does continue to beat just about everyone else at the top.
Thank you. While you and Udo Dirkschneider both make the point that this basho could already theoretically be the second leg in the run (which hadn’t even occurred to me), considering Aonishiki’s short track record so far, maybe this counting as a first leg is more likely.
My only disagreement is that I think he will be promoted in November with 12 wins. I’m not sure if 11 will be enough but with that level of consistency, I would give it to him. It would hit that 33-win benchmark.
“Disgraceful”? I don’t think so. On reading that I was immediately put in mind of Sir Henry Newbolt’s poem “Vitaï Lampada” with its ‘play up, play up and play the game’ mentality.
Your literary namesake knows much about the perils of imposing a western and colonial viewpoint on other cultures. 紅胡獅 posted yesterday that we are, none of us, the arbiters of Japanese culture, history, or traditions, ancient or modern (I expanded on what was written there).
Although Onosato won the yusho, I rather feel honours were even today, they both won, and Hoshoryu remains the dominant fighter in their clashes. Agree or disagree as you will, but fitting that he lost the yusho? No. I think, personally, it was a damn shame that Hoshoryu lost the yusho, especially after Onosato got a fusen, and Hoshoryu beat him on the final match of the day.
Remember that. Hoshoryu beat Onosato, again.
I like them both. Both are very skilled, in very different ways. I hope for an exciting, and, hopefully, healthy competition for the foreseeable between them both, with lots of new talent bubbling up as well.
By the by, I wonder what lit the fire under Shishi’s rear end this tournament? Seeing his fellow countryman’s meteoric rise? Finally getting his metaphorical feet under him in makuuchi? Who knows.
Thank you once again Andy and the Tachiai team for your hard work, and sacrifice of sleep to get these reports out to us all. Iksumo, I’ve very much enjoyed the forays into understanding what goes on in Makushita, as it seems opaque without your insights. I’ll have another go at guessing the banzuke in a few days. See if I can do better than last time :D Thanks to all participants in Tachiai’s discussions; you all add colour and flavour to the basho. I’m rather sad it’s over so quickly yet again.
Onosato and Hoshoryu had both a fusen win on day 14, only Onosato got his while Hoshoryu took (stole?) his.
Honestly I can’t really imagine the two yokozuna on eye level in the future; Onosato seems so much stronger over all, despite his negative head to head against Hoshoryu.
Much as I prefer Hoshoryu’s style of sumo. I can only hope that Hoshoryu remains fired up and keen as he has displayed his not inconsiderable talent this basho. What I objected to was the use of ‘disgraceful’ and ‘fitting that Hoshoryu lost’. Im not going into a discussion on THAT henka. Hosh brings out strong opinions, however, they are all just that, opinions; if nothing else the next few years should be interesting in grand sumo.
In their first bout, Onosato looked like his tachiai suffered because he was probably expecting some shenanigans from Hoshoryu. In their rematch, Onosato brought something more like his usual force and was thus on more even footing than the first fight. He knows he out-muscles Hoshoryu, he just can’t let Hoshoryu out mindgame him.
Onosato, we must remember, is still a relative newcomer to professional sumo. He’s spent less than two years in the top division, and only turned pro in mid-2023. Hoshoryu has five more years in grand sumo under his belt. Yet it’s the more experienced wrestler who resorts to henkas and displays petulant behavior (less than before, but still present). Onosato can still make himself even more potent in his craft; Hoshoryu might be near his ceiling.
If, and it’s a big IF, Hoshoryu can finally settle the disruptive elements of himself out, he can perhaps rise to the level of Onosato. But, for now, he does little to quiet those claimants who say he was promoted early, or doubted his hinkaku credentials. Onosato just goes about his business, and his losses are mostly due to inexperience. Hoshoryu’s are sometimes inexplicable.
Maybe it’s just the American in me, but I am baffled by the “petulant behavior” criticisms of any rikishi.
The way the association has treated the absolute GOAT Hakuho is incomprehensible. A bunch of has-beens flexing their insecurity as far as I’m concerned. I’m glad he walked away for his own self respect and dignity, sad the sport couldn’t figure out how to save face across the board.
Just because a succesful henka ends the match in a second doesnt mean it is a “free win” – if it were, everyone would be doing it constantly and sumo would cease to function. It is a tactic and a risky one at that – we have seen wrestlers catch henka attempts and punish the initiator countless times. Wether one likes henka or not is is a matter of personal taste (and I fully understand why as a fan one may not like an anticipated match to end in one second), but all this morally charged language (stealing, dishonour, etc) in relation to a perfectly legal move is frankly baffling to me. You can argue that henkas should be declared illegal (or illegal above a certain rank or whatever) but as long as that is not the case I dont’t think it makes sense to resent rikishi for using them.
I liked to see wins of Roga, Shodai, Kusano, Hiradoumi, Oho and Onokatsu on Senshuraku. Never seen such a Shodai in my short time as a sumo-fan by now!
Hoshoryu getting used to impersonate Abi-zumo? Paid by a good stack of kensho, but then came the final disappointment. Quite sorry for him! He should have won this, but there are more basho waiting for the next try.
Onosato was asked about his feelings concerning the (rare!) Two-Yokozuna-encounter. He did not recognize his opponent with a single word. That‘s no style. Still a bit immature, I think.
Congratulations though, also to the receivers of the prizes! Hakuoho seemed to be very happy about his. (The condition for Aonishiki‘s possible shukunsho conveyed somehow: only if it‘s really a special thing to have defeated Hoshoryu again. Unusual and a bit toxic, perhaps).
Dear Andy, dear lksumo, dear more Tachiai-writers, thanks so much for your passionate work! Thanks to everyone tributing to the basho talk, so nice to read! Cu soon, maybe :)
I wasn’t watching sumo back then nor would my Japanese have been near anywhere to understand, but I would be curious if praising each other was a thing back when Hakuho and Asashoryu frequently clashed for the title on senshuraku. Personally I feel it’s more commendable if a lower ranked rikishi is hanging in till senshuraku. That long wait is due to the absence of multiple healthy and competitive Yokozuna for a long time. The last time before we actually had two Yokozuna make it to the final day was Haru 2020, before that Nagoya 2019.
If Hoshoryu can built on this basho, which I hope, I’m sure we will see this quite frequently over the next. With what Aonishiki has shown so far, I wouldn’t be surprised, if he takes the next step and joins those two giving us 3 healthy Yokozuna In their prime making Yokozuna showdowns a regular thing again.
I would have expected to hear him calling Hoshoryu by name. Or at least referring to another person on the dohyo. You mean that wasn‘t common at all, in former eras? I don‘t know much about that.
Nevertheless, it‘s fine that there will be more Yokozuna vs. Yokozuna bouts in the future!
You got me wrong here. I’m curious how it has been back. Hakuho vs Asashoryu was a fierce rivalry. Before that in the 90s it was very competitive among the Yokozuna too, but I didn’t watch any sumo back then let alone hear any Yusho interviews. During Hakuhos reign in the 2010’s it was very common that a basho was decided before the Yokozuna showdown on senshuraku.
The other thing is that in Japanese you usually don’t speak out something that is clear. Many sentences have no subject or object, since that is clear anyways. So I don’t think this is any disrespect.
Ah yes, I forgot about these Japanese language characteristics. Maybe something got lost in translation, too :)
O I like the game one(regular) that was won by Hoshoryu.
A henka from Hoshoryu! A beautiful one.
Who would have expected Abizumo(!) from Hoshoryu? A miss could have been a disaster.
I murmured ‘One Shot..!’ like the one from Deer Hunter movie.
Hi, does anyone have a link to a good explaination of the sumo rules? Watching the play-off fight today I thought that Onosatos left hand touched the ground before Horshoyos body. Or at least simultaneously, too close to call. Should have been a rematch?
Btw, great forum here! Always a good, polite discussion. And thanks for all the effort into the articles!
I think the fact that Onosato’s foot (sorry, the sole of his foot) was still touching the dohyo inbounds when Hoshoryu went airborne was more controlling than the timing of how they came down outside.
I’m happy to learn from those more knowledgeable than I, but it’s not clear to me that there really is an unambiguous rule about this type of stuff that covers all cases. It’s not the NFL.
Even though his hand touch first, Hoshoryu was helplessly out of dohyo, and by ‘deadbody rule’, he is ruled to be lost.
To me, it seemed that Hoshoryu broke the plane of the dohyo before Onosato touched down.
My boy Oho quietly putting in the work.
Shonannoumi is a peculiar sort of rikishi, kind of an inverse pixie — gigantic but with less power than one might expect.
Hoshoryu got just about as close as it is possible to be to wining that yusho without succeeding. Onosato may be the next generational yokozuna but he should not rest easy with this win. (Also, to henka haters: phooey.)
Ah, the “dead man” rule, I dislike it just like the henka but ces’t la vie. I’m getting the very unpleasant feeling that Onosato is the second coming of Yokozuna Kitanoumi. I hated Kitanoumi because he came in and just wrecked shop on everyone including my 2 favotites, Yokozuna Wajima, and Ozeki Takanohana. Onosato looks to be on the path to do the same to Hoshoryu and I hate him for that along with other reasons.
A#hole comments aside. I’m really happy with the dynamic we have going on with Hoshoryu being the better rikishi h2h (he almost won twice today) but Onosato overall winning more tournaments. It will be fuel to spark constant debates of who was better when all is said and done.
Great rivalry. Even if I never agreed with Hoshoryus promotion at that moment in time.
The first Yokozuna bout was a bit disappointing today. Onosato lost his ring sense and just stepped out (not to take anything of Hoshoryu’s furious attack). It’s interesting how Hoshoryu’s game plan was different from how he won most of his bouts before with reactive sumo and throwing techniques.
I’m happy for Onosato’s win. I know Hoshoryu leads their rivalry, but he hasn’t beaten him yet with a title on the line (either of the two has always been out of the race before). I hope that ignites a spark in Hoshoryu, he needs that.
I’m almost delighted about Oho this basho. He started 0-4 to finish 10-5. I always felt that when he gets on a slide he has a hard time turning corners. I hope he grows from that. Grats to his Sekiwake promotion.
I’m also very proud of my long time favourite Takayasu’s fighting spirit. 7-8 after an 0-6 start is quite a good recovery. Had he not allowed Hakuoho to blitz him like that, we could have seen a complete swing and a Sekiwake promotion.
Aonishiki is another feel good story and just fun to watch. If he stays healthy, one Sekiwake slot will be blocked, till he moves up;-) it’s also good for him to lose matches like today or against Shodai to further improve, albeit one more win would have made an Ozeki run easier.
Wakamotoharu finally had a solid bounce back basho after somewhat stumbling since his fall from Sekiwake. I think Takanosho will leapfrog him in the promotion race, but I still think he will return to Sanyaku and replace Takayuki, but that could also go the other way around.
Hakuoho held himself well at his highest rank, sometimes looking like a monster, but also with some non-stellar performances.
Tamawashi didn’t have his hottest tournament, but 6-9 at M1 at that age is just impressive.
Takanosho had a fantastic tournament and should return to Sanyaku. Also Ura, Shodai and Shishi did quite well.
Before getting to the rikishi not doing so well … for the first time in a long time Kotozakura actually looked like an Ozeki. Those were well earned wins, not bouts that he somehow escaped with a win. Really unfortunate that he had to pull out.
The disappointing rikishi are led by last bashos winner Kotoshoho. He started well to only win against wannabe Ozeki Wakatakakage. Not sure if he had some injury. I guess it was a mental thing after some unexpected losses.
The two Sekiwake were a big miss. Kirishima started the basho well at 4-0 and then fell of a cliff, but that include wins against Atamifuji, Abi and Gonoyama. Those 3 also contribute for 3 of WTK’s 6 wins, which is no surprise, as they all had complete off tournaments.
The promotion and demotion picture will be interesting. Takerufuji and Nishikigi will obviously go down in exchange for Nishikifuji and Oshoumi. Behind that Chiyoshoma, Fujiseiun, Asahakuryu and Mita all have promotable records, but no other record is that bad that it forces a demotion. I would however be surprised, if Meisei was staying in Makuuchi. I think he will be replaced by Chiyoshoma with an outside chance for Asahakuryu’s win weighting enough to leapfrog him. I think both Sadanoumi and Asakoryu will stay for sure. Hitoshi probably needs a lot of luck to stay, but that wouldn’t be unheard of. I think by virtue of the yusho Asahakuryu ranks in front of Fujiseiun in the promotion queu.
Although I like a Cinderella story like last basho sometimes, I hope this basho can set the tone for what is to come the next years. If Oho could consistently perform like this basho and become a Sanyaku mainstay, it would be icing on the cake.
I don’t see any reason why Meisei should be more in danger than Hitoshi. He hasn’t even a demotable record and neither Fujiseiun nor Asahakuryu are overtaking him by the maths.
That 1 win equals 2 ranks is just a very general rule of thumb and nothing official. Historically speaking the odds to survive from M13 with 5 wins are a lot worse than from M17 with 7 wins. Take Haru 2022 as an example, were both M13 with 5 wins surpassed Kagayaki at M17 wins 7 wins in their rush to the Juryo barge.
Obviously that doesn’t mean that it can’t be the other way around this time, but I think Meisei is ahead on the demotion queu here. We can revisit that in one month to see if one or both are gone;-)
Key to this is the fact that 7-8 records seem to commonly retain their rank. They won’t get promoted but it seems quite often they stay right where they are.
In Haru 2022 was the difference a half rank less as it was in Hatsu 2025, when both stayed in but former M13 one rank above former M17. I‘d say the queries are not unambiguous and I‘ll keep Meisei in, admitting that surprisingly it could be the other way round, too.
You should also take into consideration that in most demotion to juryo instances banzuke ended at M16 or even higher so they were a lot more demotable by the numbers.
It can definitely go both ways. We had Nishikifuji hold the last rank with a 6-9 record before. It is my prediction that Meisen gets his ticket booked before a Hitoshi, nothing more. We could end up with just 2 exchanges too.
Because I saw senshuraku live on tv I‘ve seen the NHK Highlights only just now. So I „found out“ that Hitoshi beat Meisei. If that was an elimination bout, U will be right about the latter‘s demotion.
“Aonishiki will claim the prize only if Hoshoryu wins the yusho”
did they expect him to do some WWE wrestling trope? get in the ring and interfere with the Yokosuna fight? give Onosato the evil eye?
He should had won both prizes,
And of course, congrats to the deserving champion
As Andy says below Aonishiki would have beaten the yusho winner. Now he hasn’t.
But your ideas are great. I love to imagine Onosato in one corner and Hoshoryu plus Aonishiki in the other all three preparing for the fight.
I wonder if that strange requirement for Aonishiki getting Outstanding performance price, “only if Hoshoryu wins the yusho”, is some kind of way of saying that Hoshoryu had not yet performed at the championship level, because he did that henka to Wakatakakage on Saturday. Hakuoho was only required to win his match today, Onosato was not required win yusho.
No, I think it was just a technicality. If Hoshoryu won, Aonishiki had beaten the yusho winner.
A technicality that was not included on Hakuoho’s price conditions. He just had to win today, Onosato did not have to win yusho. If they had put the same condition for the price to both Hakuoho and Aonishiki, I would understand it. Hakuoho would have got the price just by winning his match even if Onosato had lost both matches today.
Another possibility is of course that Aonishiki got the Technique price already and they did not want to give another price unless the situation became such that he had literally won yokozuna that won yusho. The problem may have been Aonishiki getting two prices and not just one.
My only point here would be that Onosato had a yusho equivalent performance, no matter what. Even if he lost the playoff, that 13-2 record was significantly good and his only loss prior to today was to Hakuoho. However, I would think Aonishiki might then deserve the prize with the scenario as it played out. So, yeah, I still have questions.
Hakuoho has validated his kinboshi with a kachikoshi. That‘s enough for that prize. Aonishiki has no kinboshi.
Hakuoho is a Maegashira, so beating a Yokozuna is sufficient. Aonishiki is a Sanyaku rikishi now. Had it been last basho, just beating a Yokozuna and having a winning record would have been enough too. But he lost to Onosato and Hoshoryu was out thus he “only” got a technique price for his performance.
That makes sense.
How on God’s green earth does Hakuoho get a Shukun-sho (Outstanding Performance Award) with an 8-7 record at East Maegashira #2? There is NOTHING oustanding about that performance.
He beat Onosato.
Have any of U been able to send your GTB entry form?
I keep getting a server error 404.
Thanks.
Gives you a chance to think more about your entry – what’s the hurry?
U understand that the basho is over, the results are final. What’s to think more about?
And I simply would have liked to know if it’s a general technical problem at GTB or if it’s just my configuration.
Ah, I forgot: the hurry is that I don’t want to be influenced by Iksumo. Most of the time his hints are helpful, but two basho ago he talked me out of Komusubi Takayasu for instance… Anyway, I want the guess to be my own.