Day 13 in Tokyo. No new top division kyujo to report.
Kazuma defeated Kazekeno and equalized their records at 10 wins, 3 losses. Takerufuji defeated Tamashoho to improve to 9-4, and remain one loss back. Enho beat Meisei to finally pick up his kachi-koshi and join a group of eight men with 8 wins. It was their first meeting since November 2020. Onokatsu, at Juryo 1 East, is another of those kachi-koshi wrestlers and will earn his top division return. Takerufuji is likely to join him.
Shosei from Nakamura-beya claimed the Jonidan yusho, easily shoving out Maniwayama. Hakugetsuro slapped down 28-year veteran wrestler Hienriki to claim the Jonokuchi yusho for Asahiyama-beya, its first yusho under ex-Kotonishiki. And in Sandanme, Asahifuji defeated Mita to pick up his 7th win and officially join the 21 Club, with members like Enho, Hokuseiho and Fujiseiun.
Thus, the sandanme yusho has come down to another playoff between Asahifuji and Kiryuko. I think Kiryuko will be the first competitor to earn a second crack at the Isegahama phenom. Will that previous experience help him for their second senshuraku showdown? And jmotzi asked, “What happened to D’s nuts?” They’re all in Makushita. The Makushita yusho is nuts. But on to the top division.
Your NHK videos are here. And believe me, you’ll want to watch.
Makuuchi Action
Asasuiryu (9-4) defeated Ryuden (5-8). Asasuiryu fired straight ahead at the tachiai, drawing Ryuden to plow ahead with full force. Asasuiryu timed his shift and slapdown perfectly and he pulled Ryuden down to a make-koshi record and possible Juryo demotion. Hikiotoshi.
Oshoumi defeated Tamawashi. You could tell these two were fighting for their top division lives. Fierce tsuppari. Oshoumi pressed forward and got inside, grabbing Tamawashi’s belt with his left-hand inside. He charged forward and forced Tamawashi back over the edge. Yorikiri.
Roga (8-5) defeated Tokihayate. Roga quickly got his left hand uwate, charged forward and overwhelmed Tokihayate. Yorikiri.
Wakanosho (7-6) defeated Nishikifuji (3-10). Wakanosho drove Nishikifuji back to the bales with his tsuppari. Nishikifuji could tell he was done so he turned and looked for a place to land as he stepped of the dohyo. With the barge rapidly filling up, Nishikifuji even seems in danger of getting a ticket if he can’t pick up a win in the final two days. Tsukidashi.
Abi (5-8) defeated Mitakeumi (7-6). Abi pulled and slapped Mitakeumi down. “Pivot? Andy, what is this pivot? I don’t need no stinking pivot.” Hatakikomi.
Shishi (4-9) defeated Asahakuryu (4-9). Shishi got his left hand uwate, pulled up and churned his legs until Asahakuryu was off the dohyo. He then gave him a little extra shove, causing Asahakuryu to fall into the lap of a fan in the front row. Yorikiri.
Fujiryoga (9-4) defeated Churanoumi (8-5). Fujiryoga ended the East-side win streak with powerful blasts, sending Churanoumi flailing off the dohyo. Fujiryoga will earn some breathing space from the bottom of the banzuke when the Nagoya ranking sheet comes out. Oshidashi.
Wakamotoharu (4-9) defeated Kinbozan (5-8). Kinbozan was trying to reach back over Wakamotoharu for his left hand belt grip. He was way too damn high. Wakamotoharu stayed low and drove forward into Kinbozan, forcing him back over the edge. It feels like Wakamotoharu has found his comfort level. Yorikiri.
Hakunofuji (9-4) defeated Gonoyama (8-5). Hakunofuji let Gonoyama press forward because he shuffled to his right and slapped Gonoyama down on the bales. Hatakikomi.
Halftime
Hiradoumi (6-7) defeated Daieisho (5-8). Hiradoumi overpowered Daieisho and shoved him out. Daieisho had that Ozeki run last year and has fallen off since his kyujo. He picked up his makekoshi and may fall deeper into the rank-and-file. Oshidashi.
Oho (7-6) defeated Ichiyamamoto (5-8). Ichiyamamoto needed to pivot or do something to change his direction. Oho shoved his gear in drive – which is massively appreciated – and forced Ichiyamamoto back and out. Oshidashi.
Yoshinofuji (10-3) defeated Ura (9-4). Yoshinofuji charged into Ura with tsuppari and nodowa. Ura shifted to the side and nearly brought Yoshinofuji down. Yoshinofuji avoided touching down, chased after Ura and shoved him out. Oshidashi.
Oshoma (7-6) defeated Takanosho (5-8). Oshoma got Takanosho dizzy as they both spun and pulled at the edge and easily pushed him out. Oshidashi. Video replay shows Takanosho’s hand dragging along the dohyo earlier in the bout so the kimarite might change. Ah! They changed it. Hatakikomi.
Fujiseiun (6-7) defeated Fujinokawa (6-7). Fujiseiun crushed Fujinokawa out at the edge after a great bout. Fujiseiun did an exceptional job of keeping Fujinokawa contained and not letting him slip away. Once he had him cornered, he pressed forward with all of his strength and forced Fujinokawa backwards. Yoritaoshi.
Sanyaku
Wakatakakage (10-3) defeated Tobizaru (9-4). Wakatakakage put the “Flying” in “Flying monkey” as he picked Tobizaru up and chucked him into the crowd. Not a yeet but still hilarious. Tsuridashi.
Kotoshoho (8-5) defeated Shodai (6-7). Kotoshoho slapped Shodai to the edge. At the edge Shodai shifted right and pulled Kotoshoho forward as if that should have done something spectacular. It did not. Kotoshoho re-engaged and wore Shodai down, steadily moving forward and eventually pushing him over the bales. Oshidashi.
Atamifuji (7-6) defeated Chiyoshoma (5-8). Atamifuji’s pre-tachiai nonsense took the power out of Chiyoshoma’s tachiai. Atamifuji attacked and pushed out Chiyoshoma, barely. Oshidashi.
Kirishima (11-2) defeated Kotoeiho (10-3). OK, This bout was fantastic. Worth the price of admission. Back and forth, sukuinage attempts, kicks and trips before Kotoeiho corners Kirishima and shoved him backwards and over the bales while Kirishima simultaneously twisted and pulled Kotoeiho forward. Gunbai Kotoeiho. Mono-ii. Kotoeiho’s sumo was excellent. He did a great job. But that was the most freaking ridiculous, Matrix-level comeback move I have ever seen. Slo-mo clearly shows Kirishima’s left leg pop out and trip Kotoeiho, and Kirishima’s ability to pull Kotoeiho back so Kotoeiho touched first. Utchari.
As Kirishima’s walking down the hanamichi he hands his massive stack of kensho to his tsukebito and stops by the video monitor, “Hold on a minute, bruh. I gotta see this for myself.”
Wrap-Up
Say what you will about the kyujo and the quality of this basho as a whole but damn we’ve seen some excellent sumo this tournament and that final move by Kirishima is top of my list so far. Frankly, the kimarite feels insufficient because the trip was so vital to this takedown. It wasn’t just a normal, run-of-the-mill utchari, as if there ever was a “normal, run-of-the-mill utchari.” Wow.
If you ask me, this should have been the lead story on the NHK news broadcast which followed the bout. “Ozeki Kirishima Successfully Bends Spacetime.” You just have to feel for Kotoeiho. After the decision, he had the look of a kid who’d just had a seagull swoop down and poop on his ice cream before he’d had a chance to take a lick. The innocence. The anticipation. And the utter loss. Gutshot.
Yusho Arasoi:
- Two Losses: Kirishima
- Three Losses: Wakatakakage, Yoshinofuji, the Ghost of Kotoeiho
The Kyokai has yet to publish the bouts for tomorrow. I’m thinking either Tobizaru or Churanoumi for Kirishima, maybe Ura if they want to see who can out-Neo whom. Atamifuji is out of this but the lone sanyaku competitor that he hasn’t faced, so I’m leaning towards that senshuraku showdown.
The Kyokai could go completely the other way, though, and pair the two tomorrow with a yusho contender on Sunday. Your guess is as good as mine. I bet Wakatakakage will face Kotoeiho. (Of course Atamifuji won’t fight Yoshinofuji, Andy.) I’ll try to post an update later today but there are a few other items on my plate today so it might not happen. I will definitely be sitting here tomorrow, though, to see what happens next.
Discover more from Tachiai (立合い)
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I’ll bet the farm of Atamifuji not facing Yoshinofuji this basho at all.
And it’s Wakatakakage vs Kotoeiho, the sekiwake showdown and Kirishima vs Hakunofuji.
I would too. LOL. I forget things.
Ohhhh i think that was definitely a Yeet 😃😃😃😃😃😃
Not even close to a yeet. Tobizaru landed first on his feet with half of him inside the ring. In order for this to be a yeet Tobizaru would have been in the air over the edge of the platform.
Since the yeet master retired, there has not been another to do that. I would bet that Ozeki Kirishima agrees with this.
Considering that yeeting someone is dame-oshi, and those actions tend to injure people, I don’t mind that another rikishi hasn’t taken on the mantle of Yeet Master. Wakamotoharu is the closest thing we have currently and I don’t want anyone else to behave like he does at the edge of the dohyo anymore either.
I don’t think a yeet is dame-oshi because that would mean Terunofuji’s throw of Kirishima was dame-oshi. I thought his yeet was completely fine. I think Wakatakakage threw Tobizaru as far as he could…which was just far enough to land on the other side of the bales. Not a yeet because he couldn’t yeet, but not for lack of trying.
You think the shove at the end was needed to get the win here? https://tenor.com/view/terunofuji-kirishima-yeet-sumo-gif-2793204023953698482
Terunofuji was using dame-oshi against his opponents in the lower divisions as he made his way back up the banzuke after his knee operation. It’s not like he wasn’t known for that behavior before his match with Kirishima.
Shove at the end? I don’t expect him to stop his momentum at the tawara and offer him some daisies. The entire sequence is together and is completely different from what we saw with Shishi. Shishi wasn’t even standing on the dohyo anymore. Completely different.
I agree that Terunofuji has used dame-oshi against his opponents, but this particular match is not one of them. The final push starts when Kirishima is still inside the tawara and stops at around when Kirishima’s body gets over the tawara and stops before Kirishima’s foot briefly touches down outside the tawara after which Kirishima falls down due to the momentum. You can see it from this video if you pause just before 22 seconds and then use mouse or whatever to slowly roll the video forward.
Me too, and did Tobizaru land on that unlucky Shimpan who has been squashed ringside several times this Basho?
Reading what you wrote about Shishi there, I note that some rikishi, despite not NEEDING to, still indulge in that shove off the dohyo for their opponent. If your opponent is over the tawara, then that petulant shove over the edge of the dohyo just isn’t necessary. Maybe it’s just me, however I like seeing the rikishi, and it happens more and more, stopping their opponent from going over the edge and possibly hurting themselves.
Obviously, sometimes it just happens, it’s the nature of the sport, however, that push to ensure your opponent flies off into someone’s lap isn’t, to my mind, sporting.
You’ve really whetted my appetite for the highlights show later Andy! Thanks.
Nikkan Sports:
Shishi receives warning from Judging Department for ‘dame-oshi’; Stablemaster Ikazuchi: ‘You must learn to show compassion for your opponent’
That’s a lesson many of us need right now.
Really glad to see this from official sources across the board. Thanks for the update!
Ikazuchi oyakata must have felt very strongly about it. He was right there as a member of that shimpan team so he saw it first hand. The heya’s official Twitter account posted an article from Yahoo! which bolstered what you pointed out and indicates that Ikazuchi, himself, prompted the chief judge to do it. I think what really set him off was that it looked like Asahakuryu kept his balance and was standing off the dohyo. He didn’t fall until he was pushed and that push sent Asahakuryu into the lap of a spectator.
good to know, thanks herbern!
Betty, that‘s my opinion, too. Obviously it happens more and more the later a basho grows.
I seem to notice that it also happens at much higher frequency if there are slaps to the head that are perceived as disrespectful. Sort of like, “you started this violence, this is what you get in return”. I’m not saying this is acceptable justification, but it’s certainly on some rikishi’s faces when they give that extra mustard at the end. They look like they are insulted and retaliating.
Yeah… as much as I wanted Mita to follow up his friend Nabatame with another sandanme yusho for Futagoyama I winced when I saw the pairings. Asahifuji got his hand on Mita’s shoulder and held him at arms length before blasting him over the edge. But he did immediately rush forward to offer his hand if Mita was losing his balance, and that kind of care is always nice to see.
Regardless of the tournament’s result, Kirishima probably will not receive the appreciation that he deserves, because of absent folks or for some other reason. Anyway, he has been consistent for a period of several tournaments. As of today, he is ozeki, in every sense of the word.
On the opposite corner, I hope that Kotozakura will finally be put out of his misery in July. And that does not necessarily mean to wish him ill. He might as well feel a sense of relief.
My current Juryo Barge list: Ryuden, Oshoumi, and Tamawashi.
Potential barge candidates: Mitakeumi (needs to not go makekoshi), Wakanosho (needs to not go makekoshi), Tokihayate (needs at least 1 win, but might still go down anyway depending on other results), and Shishi (needs at least 1 win, but might still go down anyway depending on other results). (Nishikifuji won’t be demoted because he’s at M9, but I’m assuming he’s going to be at M16 if not the last person on the banzuke in the top division for the next basho.)
Juryo promotions: Onokatsu and Takarafuji are up, Daiseizan is up with a win, Kyokukaiyu could make a case for promotion if he wins out, and Kazuma also has a potential promotion case already, but he definitely will be considered if he wins the yusho.
Well done, Enho! Fantastic news about his win today.
I hope Churanoumi works on becoming more consistent in the future. He’s got the tools, he just has to put everything together to make it work right.
I’m going to start calling Gonoyama “Onosato 2.0” again while sighing deeply. I thought he had fixed his balance and aggression problems. Apparently, I was wrong.
Not sure what’s wrong with Ichiyamamoto. It really felt like he only had a Plan A today and it was inspired by Monty Python.
Shodai did everything he could to prevent Kotoshoho from touching his belt. Which is surprising, honestly.
Kotoeiho is definitely the real deal now. Causing an Ozeki to pull off a last gasp, “I hope this works” move to barely lose is something to be proud of even if the result is unwanted.
Ichi‘s cheaf weapon is not surprise…fear and surprise -?
Now, Kotoeiho needs to learn from Mongolean rikishes, Hoshoryu and Kiri. When the game is on the line, and milliseconds matter, do not hesitate to land on your face. That desperation sometimes changes the outcome.
And Andy, you should have mentioned Makushita chaos. We will have seven(!) men playoff on the senshurak. Wow.
I read today that Kimura Shonosuke got called on the carpet for the “blown call” and gunbaisashichigae on the Kirishima/Kotoeho match. As if he’s always making mistakes! The rule change decades ago calling for video reviews was so the winner gets credit for the win, not so a gyoji gets in trouble. In this case, only the west shimpan had a clear view (and the photographers). Don’t lose sleep over it, Shonosuke-San, and keep your tanto sheathed.
Enho had the throw of the day…
until the Kirishima bout.
I would have never predicted Kotoshoho could maintain his rank, but am so happy to see it. I think his younger brother’s progress made him get serious.
I have been a fan of Koteiho (aka Pretty Shiko Man) for a long time, since he had his cooler name of Kototebakari, and I am so happy to see him doing so well! Yeah, that was a tough disappointment for him and a very close call. That was one of the matches where I watch it not knowing who to root for, saying “I like you both, don’t get hurt.” And at least apparently they didn’t.
The Makushita playoff should be fun! But they are going to be tuckered out.
Maybe they should have the final matches of the Makushita playoff be thumb wrestling or rock-paper-scissors based on how much energy the rikishi will have? I can’t imagine having to get through that kind of gauntlet and be able to do anything afterwords.
For Fujiseiun vs Fujinokawa, I think the description “forced Fujinokawa backwards” is a little understated – more like “folded him like origami”. Fujinokawa didn’t look so well after that..
Yeah, that utchari was an incredible finale to an incredible match. His “grip” was so high and so tenuous – incredible technique. I thought it was Kotoeiho’s mistake, though – letting go of the left when it didn’t look like he was pressured to. If he hadn’t done that, he would’ve won by abisetaoshi.
Re: Fujis — I totally agree. He got bent at an uncomfortable angle.
Fujinokawa withdrew from the spring tour with a cervical disc herniation only a month ago, so that could be bad. It looked nasty in real time and he was clearly saved afterwards
*dazed, not saved!
What a bout between Fujinokawa and Fujiseiun! I can‘t remember seeing anything like that before – though not much history as a spectator :) That distant double fall in the end had a nice slapstick quality.
Could have needed some popcorn for watching Kirishima vs. Kotoeiho. Big show! Imho the sashichigae decision by the mono-ii was a bit embarrassing for the chief gyoji. He must have seen Kiri‘s foot on the bales and Kotoeiho‘s elbow first under. What did he possibly think? ‚Just have a try at it – maybe nobody is interested in getting it right for Kirishima‘-?
Still the chaiselonge earworm, Andy. Hang in there :)