Day Eleven in Tokyo.
Kagayaki finally lost for the first time this tournament, now 10-1. Hitoshi (8-3) henka’d and drove Kagayaki out, picking up his kachi-koshi. Kayo is the only wrestler at 9-2 in Juryo. Nishikigi looks ready for Makushita. On the flip side, Asahifuji looks ready for Juryo, twisting Meisei down to the ground to improve to 5-1. I am interested to see him take on a full 15-day schedule.
NHK videos are here, with a retrospective feature of retiring tategyoji, Kimura Shonosuke.
Makuuchi action
Dewanoryu (7-4) defeated Chiyoshoma (4-7). Two quick shoves and Chiyoshoma was out. Oshidashi.
Wakamotoharu (7-4) defeated Tobizaru (4-7). Wakamotoharu quickly locked on to Tobizaru’s belt and immediately twisted, dropping Tobizaru down to the ground. Uwatehineri.
Asahakuryu (6-5) defeated Oho (3-8). Oho slipped his right hand inside but he lacked the power to use it. Asahakuryu used his two-handed belt grip to force Oho back to the edge and gaburi hip-thrusts to force him out. Yorikiri.
Shishi (5-6) defeated Shonannoumi (3-8). Shonannoumi tried to get use his forearm at the tachiai to force Shishi back. Shishi countered by shoving Shonannoumi’s arm hard enough to rotate Shonannoumi slightly and then wrap him up from the side. Shishi then charged forward as Shonannoumi shuffled awkwardly trying to stay upright. Yorikiri.
Toshinofuji (7-4) defeated Ura (7-4). Ura grabbed Toshinofuji’s belt with his right arm, then pulled. Toshinofuji used excellent footwork and positioning to maintain his balance and drive Ura backward. Oshidashi.
Hiradoumi (7-4) defeated Shodai (2-9). Yorikiri.
Takerufuji (7-4) defeated Abi (6-5). Abi thrusted and then tried a slapdown. Takerufuji did not fall for it and charged ahead. Abi had to shuffle, stage left, to stay on the dohyo. Takerufuji pursued and Abi stepped out as he retreated with Takerufuji shoving Abi into the third row. Oshidashi.
Nishikifuji (5-6) defeated Asasuiryu (4-7). Nishikifuji shifted to the right and slapped Asasuiryu down. Hatakikomi.
Fujiseiun (7-4) defeated Tokihayate (7-4). Hidari-yotsu. Fujiseiun overpowered Tokihayate and drove backwards quickly. Yorikiri.
Asakoryu (6-5) defeated Ichiyamamoto (2-9). Ichiyamamoto appeared to try to get low to get Asakoryu’s belt but he was extending his weight dangerously far forward. Asakoryu took advantage. He locked up Ichiyamamoto’s right shoulder and pulled him forward by the right arm. Kotenage.
Halftime
Asanoyama (8-3) defeated Kinbozan (8-3). Asanoyama was too powerful. He charged ahead with his migi-yotsu grip and forced Kinbozan out. Yorikiri.
Fujiryoga (5-6) defeated Oshoma (6-5). Fujiryoga shoved Oshoma back and out. Oshidashi.
Yoshinofuji (5-6) defeated Gonoyama (3-8). Yoshinofuji used his powerful left-hand overarm hold to force Gonoyama to the edge. Gonoyama used ottsuke to keep Yoshinofuji from getting a right hand grip on his belt, so Yoshinofuji hooked his arm under Gonoyama’s shoulder to help him work Gonoyama out. Yorikiri.
Churanoumi (8-3) defeated Kotoshoho (5-6). Kotoshoho shifted right as Churanoumi charged forward, hoping Churanoumi’s momentum would carry him over the bales. Churanoumi’s brake pads had just been replaced so he stopped quickly and turned to re-engage. A bit of a scary moment as Churanoumi charged into Kotoshoho, hitting Kotoshoho square in the jaw. Kotoshoho went back as if he’d gotten a Mike Tyson uppercut. I’m sure he was briefly out. Churanoumi immediately went to check on him. Kotoshoho got up, though, and walked back down the hanamichi. Tough day at the office. Oshitaoshi.
Sanyaku
Daieisho (4-7) defeated Kotoeiho (2-9). Daieisho pulled while rotating backward along the tawara and dragged Kotoeiho down. Hatakikomi.
Takayasu (4-7) defeated Hakunofuji (3-8). Takayasu got a right-hand overarm grip and heaved Hakunofuji forward. Uwatenage.
Kirishima (6-5) defeated Atamifuji (8-3). Kirishima got his left hand inside, then the right and began to drive Atamifuji backward. Atamifuji squeezed his right arm inside but nonetheless Kirishima pressured him to the edge and forced him over. The loss puts Atamifuji’s Ozeki promotion hopes on life-support. Yorikiri with a side of dame-oshi.
Aonishiki (8-3) defeated Takanosho (4-7). Aonishiki weathered a torrent of tsuppari from Takanosho, steadily progressing forward and shoving Takanosho out. As he sat ringside for the next bout, Aonishiki looked at his extended left foot as if checking to make sure it was still there. Oshidashi.
Kotozakura (7-4) defeated Roga (5-6). It took three pull attempts but Kotozakura finally leveraged his left-hand grip to drag Roga down at the edge. Uwatenage.
Onosato (10-1) defeated Fujinokawa (8-3). No henka. Onosato and Fujinokawa charged at each other and Onosato definitely won the tachiai. He drove Fujinokawa back quickly and forced him over the bales. Yorikiri.
Wrap-up
Wouldn’t that be something if this tournament turns into a Yokozuna runaway? To be honest, I’m here for it, especially if it comes with some stability at the Ozeki rank. All of them won today. And speaking of Ozeki, how is Aonishiki in the yusho race? There’s no way he’ll go kyujo tomorrow. But let’s take a look at the leaderboard.
Title Race
- 1-Loss: Onosato
- 2-Losses: 誰もいない
- 3-Losses: Aonishiki, Atamifuji, Fujinokawa, Churanoumi, Asanoyama, Kinbozan
Tomorrow’s bouts bring more heat as Onosato will face Atamifuji in the musubi-no-ichiban. Atamifuji will need to do something spectacular to keep his promotion hopes alive. If he does, he will also invigorate some more drama into this yusho race.
Aonishiki will fight…Kinbozan? Damn, they pulled him up quickly. He just faced Asanoyama, whom I imagine they will need to bring up soon, too? Kirishima will fight Fujinokawa and Kotozakura will fight Oshoma since he can’t fight the other Kotos.
Daieisho will fight Takayasu as both men hope to stave off makekoshi. This could be a highlight battle. Hakunofuji will try to regroup against Gonoyama. Asanoyama will fight Churanoumi in another highlight bout.
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A little extra shove from Kirishima just to let Atamifuji reflect on his aspirations.
I still do not know how Kotozakura is at 7-4, he has been woeful, or have his opponents been even worse…
Kotozakura moving quite well this basho. Sometimes even forward…
He looked credible for a few days and he’s done this edge throw thing successfully a few times but still looks likely to struggle to get 8.
Day 11 in the books.
Aonishiki has improved his tachiai. He now waits for his opponents to put both hands down—something he did not deliberately do before. He takes a small sweeping step, bends forward, and goes for the left-hand grip. He was countered (most successfully by Yoshi), but this version already looks much better. His tactics against Onosato will be especially interesting to watch.
Onosato seems to have fully regained his confidence. His answer is simple: move forward from the tachiai—either with hand thrusts when he chooses to attack, or chest-first when he is more cautious about his opponent’s charge. His balance currently looks nearly perfect, and his hands positioning work is strong. Against Aonishiki, I expect him to go hands-first as usual. The real question is how Aonishiki will respond.
One rikishi I expected to struggle—but who proved me wrong—is Fujinokawa. The key factor behind his wins, I believe, is his preparation: he comes in with a clear strategy for each opponent. Credit to his think tank—perhaps his father?
How did Hiradoumi even get a hold of Shodai‘s mirage version? Heartwrenching
It would be nice if Kirishima could achieve eight wins.
Even nicer, if planets get aligned to bring Tamawashi back to makuuchi.
I think you will get your wish.
Onosato: Finally a yokozuna again, it seems.
Kirishima: As my rope run is kaput now, I can at least regroup and compromise the other run of the basho.
Astonishiki: Kachikoshi! But no way he‘ll go kyujo now, though the yusho seems to be a very small chance. He had to win out and still needed help (by Atamifuji or even the awoken Kirishima?) only to reach the playoffs.
Tamawashi: As per today he‘d be promotable. Has to win two more probably to be back in makuuchi for sure.
Tenshoyama: Had the easiest fight so far on paper, but stumbled. Gone therefore the chances of a historic double promotion to juryo together with Asahifuji. They would both have tied the fastest ever rise to sekitori status.
Kaki: He fell hard on his back, bumped his head and had to be wheelchaired to the clinic. I hope very much there won’t be a serious injury to the head.
Eisei: Lost for the second time to another rookie, but the kachikoshi is already his.
Yeah, Eisei’s loss was not one to write home about. He seemed unprepared for oshi/tsuki sumo. Tenshoyama’s rise will have to be more conventional, I guess. Not storybook.
Fun fact: This is the 8th basho since Onosato became yokozuna and today he won for the 64th time as grand champion. This is accidentally the same number of victories as Hoshoryu had after eight basho at the rank. (32 other yokozuna have been better than this btw. and even if Onosato won out, his record wouldn’t be good enough for the first half.)
Tobizaru, Shonnanoumi , and Shodai all look like they already just want to go home. I definitely chuckled at your non-description of Shodai’s loss today, Andy.
This is definitely a “shuffle people around” basho for the top division. Both Fujiseiun and Tokihayate have quietly put together good records. It’ll be interesting to see how they both finish. Unless something odd happens, Takerufuji, Wakamotoharu, Hiradoumi, and Toshinofuji will get KK and move up the banzuke.
Kotoshoho absolutely got his bell rung. It says a lot about the relationships that rikishi have for each other that Churanoumi immediately rushed over to him. I hope Kotoshoho is able to rest for the rest of today. I doubt sumo has adopted concussion protocols because they happen so rarely in the sport these days. I wish they would, though.
Somehow, Takayasu keeps winning. He’ll do his best to get a KK and if he does I doubt he’ll stop fighting even though he should.
If spite is what Kirishima needs to win, I won’t complain. However, he needs to take that anger to motivate himself to eliminate the holes in his sumo too.
It says a lot that Kotozakura is at 7-4 and I’m still not convinced he’ll get 8 wins. Roga is an inconsistent rikishi and he still almost lost today.
I suspect that someone told Onosato “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. It’s his opponent’s job to disrupt his sumo. Everyone else should work on their fundamentals and figure out a strategy that boils down to “you gotta beat the Champ”.
I’m guessing that Asanoyama is going to be pulled up tomorrow and Kinbozan is going to be tossed around the top of the division like a hacky sack at this point. That’ll be good for him as he’s been fairly dominant in the lower part of the division recently.
I think Churanoumi’s concern for Kotoshoho is probably even more personal given the devastating injury his brother, Kizakiumi, suffered. I definitely appreciate when wrestlers look out for the safety of themselves and their opponents.
Your point about Takayasu goes double for Aonishiki, imho. I do like seeing some fire from Kirishima. It might be what he needs. It’s funny to think about the line between that ferocity and what we just were talking about regarding Churanoumi.
I think it’s possible that both Asanoyama and Kinbozan won’t be pulled up the day after tomorrow, because they are two behind Onosato now.
But they must be punished for their intransigence!
U certainly mean rewarded? ;-)
Churanoumi has to have felt the impact with Kotoshoho’s skull! I’m glad he was fast to check up on him. I noticed afterwards via a camera angle in the hanamichi of an oyakata/security man chasing after Kotoshoho and speaking to him, so if there is no official concussion protocol (which there should be; that clay is hard!), at least they’re not totally indifferent either.
Atamifuji failed the first of 4 major tests on his road to Ozeki. He’s still got Onosato, Kotozakura, and Aonishiki to go through. At 8-3 he’s at 29 wins over 3 basho thus far. With 4 days left he just about needs to run the table against these 3 and get to at least 32 wins. 31 won’t do it, especially if he can’t hang with the top dogs and prove that he’s got the Ozeki chops and can perform under pressure.
He had Kotozakura yesterday and Aonishiki in the first week. He should meet Fujinokawa and maybe Asanoyama or Kinbozan instead, which still leaves him in deep trouble.
Well biscuits! My bad, apologies, need to do better homework going forward.
I’m still not sure what Kinbozan was thinking, going straight to the belt with Asanoyama. That is a tactical error of the highest order, and it was summarily punished.
Churanoumi grinds out another win. He just refuses to go away this basho. Continuing to hope he keeps this up and gets a special prize.
Good on Aonishiki grinding his way to KK on a very bum ankle after those three rough losses. I’m with you that he won’t go kyujo (even though he probably should) because he’s still “in” the title race, even if his chances of beating Onosato with that bad wheel are vanishingly small. And someone else needs to put dirt on the Yokozuna. Sure looks unlikely right now. By the way, given their starts, how wild is it that Aonishiki is the first Ozeki to KK? Love sumo and its wild rides!
And good on Kirishima showing spirit and pride in the win over Atamifuji. He really wasn’t looking good, so this is a big win for him. Meanwhile, Atamifuji virtually has to win out now to reach Ozeki this basho. Not impossible, but hard with that Onosato sized boulder in the way.
Was doing a double take about Roga as Kotozakura’s opponent until you brought up the stablemates around him in the rankings chart. I was concerned they were giving Koto a soft one to keep his status, but that wasn’t the case.
Onosato took care of business today and is the clear yusho favorite now. He does have Atamifuji and the 3 Ozeki left, so it’s not all clear sailing, but I certainly favor him in all those bouts. Let’s see if his opponents prove me wrong!
Kirishima won the tachiai .. by a lot .. Atamifuji 430 Lbs had NO forward momentum .. Kiri stood him up .. and that was the match .. Atamifuji is going to need some additional skills to succeed as an Ozeki … This is the essential strategy that opponents use on Ao .. blast him at the tachiai .. make him a scarecrow .. and finish the match .. interesting insight to Atami’s skill set .
Ao v Takanosho was fascinating to watch re their rapid fire hand fighting .. Ao may be ambidexterous .. Takanosho kept back pedaling because Ao kept finding ways to get a hand inside + Takanosho did not want Ao to grab his belt .. It is remarkable how much effort can be expended to move another rikishi, whereas Ao can get it done w flashy hand work + the fear of letting get his hands on their belt ..
KTZ may set a record for the number of matches won when he never leaves his side of the dohyo .. Roga knew what KTZ was attempting to do + still could not prevent getting laid out on the bales as KTZ did his dancing bear ballet on the same bales ..