Since our first post covering the third division, the 4th round of bouts has been completed. Here’s how it played out:

In notable bouts, promising newcomer Ms60TD Wakanofuji was upset by Tsurubayashi, who has never risen above Makushita in 100 career basho. Tochimaru used a big ole henka to get past an overeager Matsui Arashifuji, while Seihakuho Toshinofuji took a big step toward Juryo by getting the better of Mineyaiba on the belt. And Enho displayed excellent footwork in keeping Haruyama moving around the dohyo until the latter couldn’t keep up and tumbled to the dirt. So here’s what’s in store on Day 9:

The two highest-ranked 4-0 men, Isegahama heya-mates Toshinofuji and Enho, can’t face each other, so they will instead face the next two undefeated rikishi. Former sekitori Tochimaru has already eliminated Kaki and Arashifuji from the race; let’s see if Toshinofuji can figure out an answer to his unique style. Tochimaru will do his best to keep his opponent off his belt with his rapid-fire tsuppari and finish him off with a pull-push attack; if Toshinofuji can survive that and get on the belt, the bout should go his way. Enho defeated Gonoumi by yoritaoshi in their one previous meeting in November. I don’t have much to say about the two undercard bouts.

Toshinofuji leads the promotion race, though he could use another win to pretty much guarantee a Juryo debut. Enho, of course, must finish 7-0 to make his long-awaited sekitori return. I would love nothing more than for the two to go undefeated and face off in a title playoff. In the rest of the Ms1-Ms5 promotion zone, no one is exactly beating down the door:

As a very rough rule of thumb, a 4-3 record usually suffices at Ms1-Ms2, a 5-2 is needed at Ms3-Ms4, and a 6-1 at Ms5, though of course this depends on banzuke luck and the demotion picture in Juryo. In any case, everyone except Toshinofuji has either been eliminated from contention already or needs at least two more wins to stake a claim.