Let’s start with news from the infirmary. Leonid noted Shiden’s apparent injury in his Makushita update. It turns out Shiden is injured and has gone kyujo. Nishinoryu picked up the freebie win.
Fujiryoga took out one of his chasers, Tamashoho, and improved to 11-1. Daiseizan, Asanoyama, and Hatsuyama remain a full two-losses behind our leader.
NHK videos for Day 12 are here.
Makuuchi action
Ryuden (5-7) defeated Meisei (1-2-9). Meisei landed a left hand inside grip and tried to keep Ryuden’s right hand away from his belt. However, Ryuden was able to sneak that right hand onto his belt and twist Meisei forward and down. Uwatehineri.
Chiyoshoma (8-4) defeated Gonoyama (6-6). Chiyoshoma battered Gonoyama with tsuppari and used twisting retreats to stay in the dohyo. Suddenly, Chiyoshoma seized an opportunity to grab Gonoyama’s belt with his right hand and immediately threw Gonoyama to the ground. Kachi-koshi for Chiyoshoma! Uwatenage.
Fujinokawa (7-5) defeated Sadanoumi (3-9). Fujinokawa lashed out with tsuppari but Sadanoumi fought to get inside and get a hold of Fujinokawa’s belt. Fujinokawa immediately wrapped Sadanoumi in a bear hug and hauled him to the ground. Sukuinage.
Tomokaze (5-7) defeated Asakoryu (6-6). Tomokaze pivoted to the right along the tawara and slapped Asakoryu down. Hatakikomi.
Roga (8-4) defeated Shonannoumi (3-9). Shonannoumi locked on quickly with his right hand inside. He slowly and steadily advanced, forcing Roga backwards. Roga was also able to get his right hand inside but Shonannoumi was using the length of his trunk to keep Roga from getting a hold with his left hand. Suddenly, Shonannoumi drove forward to force Roga to the edge. This allowed Roga to grab Shonannoumi’s belt and turn the tables, twisting to the right and driving Shonannoumi over the edge. Yorikiri.
Oshoumi (4-8) defeated Midorifuji (6-6). Oshoumi worked both hands inside for a morozashi, double-inside grip. He was then able to pull up on Midorifuji and steadily drive him to the bales and over. Yorikiri.
Ichiyamamoto (8-4) defeated Nishikifuji (8-4). Ichiyamamoto danced to the right along the tawara but Nishikifuji pursued well. Ichiyamamoto slammed on the breaks and escaped to the left and thrust Nishikifuji over the bales. Tsukiotoshi.
Kinbozan (5-7) defeated Mitakeumi (5-7). Kinbozan overpowered Mitakeumi and drove him over the edge. Yorikiri.
Shishi (5-7) defeated Churanoumi (6-6). Churanoumi did not want Shishi getting inside and getting a belt grip so he lashed out with tsuppari. Shishi adapted to use tsuppari and drive forward with his head, working Churanoumi back to the edge. At the edge, Shishi shoved Churanoumi over the bales. Oshidashi.
Tobizaru (5-7) defeated Abi (5-7). Tobizaru pressed through Abi’s nodowa and kicked Abi’s extended right foot, sending Abi to the ground. I thought it was impressive the way Tobizaru withstood Abi’s attack and even advanced in spite of it. That showed a lot of strength. Kekaeshi.
Tokihayate (9-3) defeated Atamifuji (7-5). Atamifuji let Tokihayate drag him around the dohyo with migi-yotsu, right-hand inside, left-hand outside. Tokihayate let go of his left-hand grip and tried to change to an inside grip (makikae). Atamifuji saw an opening to attack and tried to force Tokihayate to the bales. But Tokihayate used that powerful right-hand grip to haul Atamifuji around to the bales and force him over. Atamifuji seemed too passive and too high throughout this bout, happy to counterattack rather than really go on the offensive. Shitatenage.
Halftime
Kotoshoho (7-5) defeated Onokatsu (5-7). Kotoshoho overpowered Onokatsu and drove him over the edge. Yorikiri.
Daieisho (7-5) defeated Shodai (4-8). Daieisho let Shodai chase him around the ring, reversing along the bales. “Do some laps, Tubby.” Then Daieisho launched into an attack behind his nodowa, driving Shodai through the dohyo and over the bales on the opposite side. Shodai make-koshi. Oshidashi.
Kirishima (8-4) defeated Wakamotoharu (6-6). Kirishima’s nodowa kept Wakamotoharu from advancing and likely inspired Wakamotoharu’s pull. Wakamotoharu drifted back and tried to pull Kirishima down with his right hand but Kirishima shoved him over the bales. Kirishima kachi-koshi and looking to re-establish himself in sanyaku. Oshidashi.
Hakuoho (4-8) defeated Hiradoumi (3-9). Hiradoumi forced Hakuoho back to the edge but Hakuoho used his right foot along the bales to resist and begin to drive forward. As they neared the bales, Hiradoumi shifted to his left a bit but Hakuoho slammed on the brakes and adjusted well. Hakuoho drove forward and used his left-hand inside to force Hiradoumi back, over the bales. It was close because Hiradoumi was trying to do the exact opposite. Hakuoho just barely overpowered Hiradoumi and forced him back first. Great sumo from a couple of guys who are already make-koshi. Sukuinage.
Wakatakakage (6-6) defeated Ura (6-6). Ura tried a pull and nearly caught Wakatakakage but WTK kept his balance and drove forward, shoving Ura into the crowd. Oshidashi.
Sanyaku
Tamawashi (5-7) defeated Takanosho (3-9). Tamawashi overpowered Takanosho, making it look easy. With the win, Tamawashi has 700 top division victories, 11th place all-time. He’s one win behind Takanohana for 10th place. Oshidashi.
Aonishiki (10-2) defeated Oshoma (3-9). Aonishiki was careful not to be caught by Oshoma’s pulls. He got a solid hold with his left hand inside and used that to drive Oshoma to the edge. Oshoma resisted at the bales so Aonishiki hauled him back to the center of the ring and wrangled him to the ground. Abisetaoshi.
Kotozakura (7-5) defeated Yoshinofuji (8-3). Kotozakura pulled and slapped Yoshinofuji down. It was close because Kotozakura’s left heel was perilously close to touching out but Yoshinofuji was down first. No mono-ii. Hatakikomi.
Onosato (10-2) defeated Oho (4-8). Oho tried the nodowa and tried to disrupt Onosato. But Onosato remained calm. Onosato dislodged Oho’s right hand by pushing it away with the left while using his right hand to start chugging forward. He forced Oho back over the tawara. Oho is make-koshi. Yorikiri.
Hoshoryu (10-2) defeated Takayasu (5-7). What a brawl! Both guys laid into each other with blistering tsuppari. Hoshoryu tried to get inside to get a sashi but Takayasu lobbed more volleys of tsuppari at Hoshoryu. Hoshoryu shoved Takayasu off the dohyo and into the crowd. Oshidashi.
Wrap-up
Onosato, Hoshoryu, and Aonishiki control their own destiny. The task is straight-forward. Win three bouts, finish 13-2, and the yusho is yours. The first of these pivotal battles will be Onosato versus Aonishiki in the musubi-no-ichiban.
As if the drama among our three leaders wasn’t enough, we add the Wild Card into the mix. Giri-giri Kotozakura needs one more win to ensure he is not kadoban in January. To secure that, he will need to beat a Yokozuna or presumably Aonishiki on Senshuraku. Hoshoryu will face Kotozakura tomorrow.
Over the coming three days, these four men will square off. Tokihayate is one loss back at 9-3 and could come into play if we start looking at a Play-off. Wouldn’t it be wild if Kotozakura finishes 10-5 and we have a massive play-off with the others? To nip that idea in the bud, Tokihayate will fight Yoshinofuji tomorrow.
Onosato has beaten Aonishiki both times they’ve faced. If Onosato dominates again, and if Kotozakura can pull off a stunning upset tomorrow, Onosato will be in control. If Aonishiki can win tomorrow, he might be in the driver’s seat since he has beaten Hoshoryu in both of their previous meetings.
Andy, there are more bouts than these three tomorrow.
Yes, yes. As for the rest of sanyaku, it’s a mess. Takayasu must win out to claim a kachi-koshi record. Takanosho (3-9) and Oho (4-8) are already make-koshi. When I see a bunch of guys falling out of sanyaku, my head plays this song, “Blackbirds Fall” by Black Moth.
Kirishima is quick to lay claim to one slot and Yoshinofuji might be able to claim another, one big reason he will try to take out Tokihayate tomorrow. But both Onami brothers and Ura have even 6-6 records and can work their way back to sanyaku.
Oho will fight Oshoma. Whoopie! Takanosho will fight Shodai. Hoorah! And pesky Nishikifuji will leapfrog the field and face Takayasu.
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Interesting where we’re headed. If history comes into play, Aonishiki has hard great success against Hoshoryu, who of course has had equal success against Onosato.
Ura rolled in the third row, spectacular. And I thought Yoshinofuji got robbed, maybe. It was so close, and he was attacking, so no mono-ii was strange to me. Shishi secured his makuuchi rank to hatsu basho, huray :-)
Thanks again Andy, Iksumo, and all the tachiai team and contributors, I continue to admire the depth of knowledge on here. There’s always a new kimarite to learn; today’s was Abisetaoshi (thanks Aonishiki, you’re a rich source of different kimarite). Someone wake me up for the highlights at 1730 hours, I had a ridiculously early flight this morning.
The public split like the Red Sea, when Ura came thundering down.
The gyoji took caution before galantry and led the two pretty women behind him fend for them self. That’s exactly what they did, they bend like a willow. One to the right and one to the left.
In search of something else recently I saw a video clip of the gyoji, Kimura Konosuke, getting a foot in the face during a match. That memory would have had me leaning aside too!
Atamifuji lapsed into his old fantasy of being a mawashi man, sigh… Aonishki had far too much trouble with Oshoma, who has been a easy win for everyone else the last three days… for a brief moment Onosato looked vulnerable when his right arm was locked up and his forward movement disrupted, but Oho didn’t seem to know how to take advantage. Bet Hoshoryu was watching that moment with interest, though… Ura in sanyaku again? No thank you. For all his antics, he is decidedly mid and should stay where he belongs.
The uncle has famously said: “Hoshoryu is not like me at all. He’s a good boy.” Still, there are occasional blasts from the past, in spirit of the bad uncle, such as the fuming final shove on Takayasu today. A result of the so-called adrenaline rush, I suppose.
Happy for Tokihayate, whose honest workingman attitude shines in contrast with several hopeless cases and lazybones.
Hoshoryu‘s cheek was red from Takayasu‘s smacks. Sure the adrenaline was high…
It’s not Tokihayate‘s first participation in a yusho race. I think he‘s very satisfying to watch. No attitude, just quality sumo.
Let’s say Aonishiki is defeated by the 2 Yokozunas, but he wins against Kotozakura… can he be promoted to Ozeki?
Only the Yokazuna council knows, and their ways are ?????
Of course JSA
Unfortunately it looks like he isn’t really on an ozeki run.
The powers that be apparently refuse him that chance because his first eleven come from M1 (he could as well have been komusubi, some say that he was robbed then already).
The only hope remaining seems to be that they can’t hold him back if he wins the yusho.
Let’s see, as M1 he had to fight the entire sanyaku though
If it was my call: he needs to defeat Kotozakura and perform well, even if he losses, against both Y
That’s my position, too. But it’s not my call. I think it will come down to this yusho. If it’s a yusho, jun-yusho, or playoff loss, I think there’s a case to be made. If he’s a non-factor after tomorrow, no.
It’s my position, too. With all my might I couldn’t explain why 11 wins from M1 were worth less than from komusubi, but unfortunately they are. (Only two rikishi have ever been promoted with an ozeki run starting in maegashira, both had a yusho.)
I would doubt it but I don’t know. My bet is that the 11 wins at M1 will only be looked at if he’s in the yusho race on senshuraku.
It might help him that Kotozakura is the sole ozeki and is underperforming… Out of curiosity – what if there is no ozeki? I know that if there is only one, the yokozuna is listed as yokozuna-ozeki on the banzuke – but if there are 0? Do we have two y-o? Now we could, I suppose, but if there is only one (or even no) y? Has anything like that ever happened?
The last 3 days in this basho are what makes Sumo so compelling to watch and fall in love with. The top of the Banzuke fighting it out for the Cup! The fans are getting their money’s worth this time for sure. And I’ll be watching with a nice adult beverage or two… or three!
Whew, after yesterday’s chaos, the leaders all win (including the one loss back Tokihayate), setting up an exciting final 3 days. I’m really pulling for Aonishiki to get a yusho and Ozeki promotion, but I still have to list Onosato as my favorite with Hoshoryu just behind. Here’s hoping Aonishiki takes his first match from Onosato tomorrow to show me that I’m wrong!
I agree, but guess it’s 50-50 between the yokozuna. Hoshoryu seems to be on another energy level than Onosato and leads their head to head very clearly, but Onosato knows much better how to yusho.
Just like U I hope I‘m wrong and the (german?) saying is right: if two are fighting, Aonishiki (or was it „a third“?) rejoices!
If you are pulling for Aonishiki, then don’t forget to pivot.
PIVOT!!!!
I’m loving the ending to this tournament. The Artist Formerly Known As Kusano (who’s looking very good despite some kind of leg issue) has done everyone a favour evening up the field
At least for me there’s drama at both extremes of the banzuke in these final few days. In addition to watching the three way yusho race, Moriurara picked up a fusen win and is at 3-3. There’s a chance Moriurara gets a winning record?!
I thought for sure he’d gotten a kachi-koshi more recently than 2019…but here we are. Also, he only fought Hattorizakura once (a victory).
A Guess The Banzuke for those divisions would have to be crazy fun. E.g. I stumbled over a promotion from Jk to Jd after a 3-4…
Fun fact: Moriurara is two years younger than Tamawashi.