Aki Basho

Aki 2026: Nakabi

Andy Aki 2026

Day 8 in Tokyo

In the lower divisions, Hikarumusashi lost to Amane, picking up his first loss of the tournament and falling out of the Jonidan yusho race. He will be joined in Kyushu by Sunamusashi who debuted in this maezumo cohort. He’s second from the right, next to the 57kg Shinmichi.

In Jonokuchi, Kotofuno and Joshoyu are the lone undefeated. Joshoyu is definitely the favorite for the title. I’ll dig a bit more into the Jonidan and Sandanme races as the field narrows and we get closer to the yusho.

Up in Makushita, Tenshoyama (Tamanoi) defeated Osanai, picking up his kachi-koshi and remaining in the yusho race. Ryusho (Oitekaze), Inami (Onoe), Haruyama (Onoe), Aratakayama (Minatogawa) and Yumenofuji (Isegahama).

Kagayaki thrust Tokifudo from the dohyo to stay undefeated. He’s now the sole leader in Juryo since Kayo lost to Ryuden and Kitanowaka lost to Tomokaze. Video of this bout is on the NHK video page, underneath all of the top division action.

NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Toshinofuji (6-2) defeated Mitakeumi (3-5). Hidari-yotsu. Mitakeumi gave everything he had. It wasn’t enough as Toshinofuji crushed him out. Yoritaoshi.

Tokihayate (5-3) defeated Tobizaru (3-5). Tobizaru tried to pull but Tokihayate kept Tobizaru in front of him and rode him down to the clay. Yoritaoshi.

Asakoryu (5-3) defeated Chiyoshoma (4-4). Chiyoshoma also tried to pull but Asakoryu shoved him out. Yorikiri.

Shonannoumi (2-6) defeated Asahakuryu (4-4). Migi-yotsu. Shonannoumi pulled up on Asahakuryu’s belt and forced him back and over the bales. Yorikiri.

Abi (5-3) defeated Wakamotoharu (4-4). Abi-zumo got the better of Wakamotoharu today. Abi battered Wakamotoharu with tsuppari and shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Shodai (2-6) defeated Asasuiryu (4-3). Shodai cut Asasuiryu’s left hand grip with a forceful shove down, and then slapped him down. Hatakikomi.

Kinbozan (6-2) defeated Fujiseiun (5-3). Kinbozan overpowered Fujiseiun, blasting him with tsuppari and then bear-hugging him to force him over the bales. Yorikiri.

Oho (3-5) defeated NIshikifuji (2-6). Oho 2.0 charged ahead and quickly shoved Nishikifuji out. Oshidashi.

Asanoyama (6-2) defeated Shishi (3-5). Migi-yotsu. Asanoyama showed off his Ozeki strength and forced Shishi back and out. Yorikiri.

Ura (6-2) defeated Ichiyamamoto (1-7). Ichiyamamoto adapted his usual attack. Instead of whaling on Ura with tsuppari, he shoved Ura and held him at arm’s length. It was Ura’s pull, rather than Ichiyamamoto’s shove, that drew Ura to the edge. At the bales, Ura shuffled right and pulled on Ichiyamamoto’s outstretched left arm, forcing him to fall forward over the bales. Tottari.

Halftime

Hiradoumi (4-4) defeated Roga (5-3). Hiradoumi wrapped up Roga with a bear-hug and drove him over the bales. Yorikiri.

Takerufuji (5-3) defeated Oshoma (4-4). Oshoma pulled and Takerufuji kept him centered plowing through him and shoving him to the ground at the edge. Oshitaoshi.

Fujiryoga (3-5) defeated Gonoyama (2-6). Fujiryoga shifted left and shoved Gonoyama hard in the right shoulder while Gonoyama’s weight was already driving forward. This caused Gonoyama to stumble ahead. Fujiryoga followed and shoved him over the edge from behind. Okuridashi.

Yoshinofuji defeated Kotoshoho. Yoshinofuji used his left hand over arm grip to topple Kotoshoho over the edge. Kotoshoho tried to use his right leg to force Yoshinofuji over first. Both men fell over the side. Gunbai Yoshinofuji. No mono-ii. Kotoshoho landed just before Yoshi. Uwatenage.

Sanyaku

Atamifuji (6-2) defeated Kotoeiho (2-6). Kotoeiho had a strong migi-yotsu hold and forced Atamifuji back to the edge. However, Atamifuji rotated and shoved Kotoeiho down over the tawara. Tsukiotoshi.

Fujinokawa (6-2) defeated Takayasu (3-5). What a brawl. The two men battered each other with tsuppari with each man trying to use mis-direction, slapdowns, and raw power to gain advantage. Fujinokawa leapt forward to put Takayasu in a bear-hug. This triggered Takayasu’s flight response. Takayasu pulled and tried a last second throw or slapdown but Fujinokawa thrust him out. Oshidashi.

Churanoumi (6-2) defeated Kirishima (5-3). Oshi battle here as neither man wanted the other on his belt. One would reach in and come close to a grip but get slapped away. Kirishima pulled and tried to escape to Churanoumi’s left. However, Kirishima lost his balance and stumbled backward, falling on his butt. The lesson from this bout was more along the lines of “if you have good footwork, good things happen.” Oshitaoshi.

Aonishiki (5-3) defeated Daieisho (2-6). Aonishiki weathered Daieisho’s torrent of tsuppari. When Daieisho tried his slapdown, Aonishiki moved in for the kill. He wrapped up Daieisho with a firm left-hand grip and he got that right arm inside as well. Since Daieisho was already moving backward, Aonishiki applied pressure to keep him going back to the edge and over. Yorikiri.

Hakunofuji (2-6) defeated Kotozakura (6-2). Kotohachinana is back. “Pull at your peril.” I should print up some more T-Shirts but this advice doesn’t have many practical applications outside the sumo world. People like having Japanese or Arabic tattoos, so maybe that’s a better route? Get this phrase tattooed: “引き技で墓穴を掘る” It roughly translates to, “Pulling methods dig your own grave.” The context of the article is critique of Onosato’s tendancy to pull. Another phrase is a bit more straight-forward. 引いたら負け, meaning “You pull, you lose.” It’s an axiom that Hiradoumi apparently lives by. Kotozakura needs to learn this lesson. Today, he pulled and Hakunofuji charged forward, shoving him out of the ring. Oshidashi.

Onosato (7-1) defeated Takanosho (3-5). Another day at the office for the Yokozuna. Maybe he actually, finally learned the lesson about pulling? He got his left hand inside and drove Takanosho to the edge. Takanosho flailed around at the tawara, allowing Onosato to grab hold with his right, as well. Once Onosato got the morozashi, he was able to power his way through Takanosho. Yorikiri.

Wrap-up

Onosato is in control. He has sole possession of the lead. However, there’s a crap-ton of guys waiting to pounce, one loss back. BTW, a “crap-ton” is officially bigger than a US short ton (2,000 lbs) and a metric tonne (1000 kg). The combined weight of the 8 guys behind Onosato is 1300+ kg, even with Fujinokawa and Ura weighing on the average. Jesus, I crack myself up at this ridiculous hour.

  • 1-Loss: Onosato
  • 2-Losses: Kotozakura, Atamifuji, Fujinokawa, Churanoumi, Asanoyama, Ura, Kinbozan, Yoshinofuji

I have too much fun with these narratives sometimes. Before your collective eye-rolling begins to lead to serious vision loss, I will turn to the Day 9 match-ups.

Onosato will fight Fujiryoga to maintain his lead. Aonishiki will fight Yoshinofuji, Kirishima will take on Daieisho, and Kotohachinana will hopefully not run away from Fujinokawa. Atamifuji gets Takayasu and Hakunofuji will fight Kotoeiho.

In the rank-and-file, Churanoumi fights Roga, Asanoyama fights Takanosho, Ura versus Oshoma, Kinbozan against Chiyoshoma and Toshinofuji vs Wakamotoharu.

Aki 2026: Day Seven

Andy Aki 2026 ,

Day Seven in Tokyo.

No news from the infirmary, no new kyujo to report. Sasaki Ichiro, sumo reporter from Nikkan Sports, broke a story yesterday that Nishikifuji faces heart surgery at the end of this tournament. Heart surgery doesn’t exactly sound like the kind of thing one recovers quickly from…even in sumo. He had been kyujo from the jungyo due to atrial fibrillation, or “A fib,” as they call it on those ubiquitous medicine commercials.

Ikarigata, Fujinokawa’s brother, is currently near the top of makushita, Ms4W. He visited Juryo and suffered his first loss today against Hitoshi. While he’s now out of the yusho race, he still has hopes of promotion to Juryo from that high rank, though he likely needs at least two wins. Meanwhile, Asahifuji got his third win against Daikisho.

Kitanowaka, Kagayaki and Kayo remain undefeated, much to my surprise. I just feel that if Nishikigi had read the brief, he would know exactly what Kayo does and he would have been prepared. Kayo shuffles back and to the side, attempting slapdowns. To my utter frustration, he’s been very successful this tournament.

NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Shonannoumi defeated Kazekeno. Shonannoumi shifted right, grabbed Kazekeno’s belt and dragged him forward. Uwatenage.

Asasuiryu (4-3) defeated Tokihayate (4-3). Asasuiryu planted his head in Takihayate’s jaw at the tachiai. Tokihayate pulled and rotated right so Asasuiryu adjusted left and forced Tokihayate over the bales. Yorikiri.

Chiyoshoma (4-3) defeated Tobizaru (3-4). Tobizaru got his right hand inside. Chiyoshoma rotated clockwise in reverse, using that right arm to drag Tobizaru forward. Kotenage.

Asakoryu (4-3) defeated Wakamotoharu (4-3). It felt like Wakamotoharu was still trying to come up with a plan of attack as he was being shoved over the bales. He was stiff and far too high. Asakoryu shoved him back and out. Oshidashi.

Kinbozan (5-2) defeated Abi (4-3). Kinbozan was the more powerful Abi. His tsuppari forced Abi to the bales quickly. Kinbozan sustained the attack and shoved Abi out. Oshidashi.

Oho (2-5) defeated Toshinofuji (5-2). Oho wrapped up Toshinofuji and made him pay when Toshinofuji decided to pull. I’m just not even going to yell about it anymore, though I really, really want to… Aw, hell. Here goes. MOVE FORWARD!! This time I don’t have to yell it at Oho. He benefited when Toshinofuji pulled. Oho used that bearhug grip and forced Toshinofuji out. Yorikiri.

Asahakuryu (4-3) defeated Shishi (3-4). Asahakuryu forced Shishi to the bales. Shishi used the tawara for resistance and clung on for a long time. Shishi tried to move laterally left along the bales but Asahakuryu eventually overpowered him and forced him out. Shishi’s held his left leg up, awkwardly, a few times during this bout. I couldn’t tell if he was just trying to step forward or if he was cradling it because it hurt. He was still able to plant it in the tawara, put weight on it and resist, so I’m not convinced it was because of injury. But I’ll watch that. Yorikiri.

Shodai (1-6) defeated Ura (5-2). Ura charged ahead but Shodai moved laterally to the right and slapped Ura down. Hatakikomi.

Ichiyamamoto (1-6) defeated Nishikifuji (2-5). Nishikifuji pulled and Ichiyamamoto capitalized, bulling his way forward. Oshitaoshi.

Fujiseiun (5-2) defeated Asanoyama (5-2). Fujiseiun went belly-to-belly against Asanoyama. Though Asanoyama got his right hand inside, Fujiseiun resisted and even went on the attack. Asanoyama’s right leg strayed forward a bit so Fujiseiun used his left leg to try a trip. Asanoyama stayed up but changed his position, keeping that right leg away. Fujiseiun was then able to rotate slightly and pull Asanoyama forward by his shoulder. Katasukashi.

Halftime

Oshoma (4-3) defeated Hiradoumi (3-4). Oshoma crab-walked left along the tawara and shoved Hiradoumi to the ground. Tsukiotoshi.

Roga (5-2) defeated Takerufuji (4-3). Takerufuji just couldn’t make any forward progress. He pulled, briefly, but that helped Roga gain some forward momentum. Roga forced him back and out. Yorikiri.

Takayasu (3-4) defeated Takanosho (3-4). Takanosho opted for a yotsu battle instead of his usual tsuppari. Takayasu kept trying to get his right hand uwate grip but Takanosho’s belt was too far away. Takayasu shifted left and cut Takanosho’s grip, propelling Takanosho forward. Takayasu pursued and shoved him out from behind. Okuridashi.

Yoshinofuji (2-5) defeated Kotoeiho (2-5). Yoshinofuji pivoted on his right foot and dragged Kotoeiho around to the bales with his big right hand uwate grip. He then forced Kotoeiho to hop over the bales. It took forever for them to decide it was a run-of-the-mill yorikiri. Maybe they were debating uwatenage? Yorikiri.

Sanyaku

Kotoshoho (3-4) defeated Hakunofuji (1-6). Hakunfuji planted his left foot in the tawara and tried to pivot for a throw. But Kotoshoho used his right hand grip and charged through his opponent. Kotoshoho used Hakunofuji as a sled and rode him down the dohyo. Yoritaoshi.

Fujinokawa (5-2) defeated Daieisho (2-5). Daieisho seemed to execute his strategy but Fujinokawa just hung in there and kept blasting away with his own thrusts and parries, shoving Daieisho out. Oshidashi.

Aonishiki (4-3) defeated Atamifuji (5-2). You really shouldn’t allow Aonishiki to get a morozashi. Don’t get me wrong, Aonishiki had to work for this win and Atamifuji sure made him work, but he got that left hand inside early. Then, when he got his right hand inside, he was able to really start driving Atamifuji back. Yorikiri.

Kotozakura (6-1) defeated Fujiryoga (2-5). Without moving backward, Kotozakura rotated right and pulled Fujiryoga down. If you’re always running backward, your opponent doesn’t have to push hard and put their weight forward. Katasukashi.

Kirishima (5-2) defeated Gonoyama (2-5). After Gonoyama’s shift nearly caught Kirishima out, Kirishima adapted, grabbed Gonoyama’s right arm and pulled him down to the ground. Tottari.

Onosato (6-1) defeated Churanoumi (5-2). Calm, collected. Churanoumi tried to shift and attack from the side but Onosato pivoted and struck out with his own thrusts. Onosato quickly shoved Churanoumi back and out. Oshidashi.

Wrap-up

Onosato and Kotozakura lead and I’m not even upset. Excellent sumo from both men today. That’s exactly what I have been looking for from these guys.

Nakabi tomorrow and we will turn, in earnest, to the yusho race. Onosato will cap off that action tomorrow against Takanosho. Takanosho will hope to get the Yokozuna moving backward but Onosato must not let that happen. Kotozakura will fight Hakunofuji, and Aonishiki will take on Daieisho. Kirishima is set to square off against Churanoumi. Fujinokawa versus Takayasu should be a highlight. Atamifuji will fight Kotoeiho.

Aki 2026: Day Six

Andy Aki 2026 ,

Day Six in Tokyo

Nabatame is back from the infirmary and his brief bout with mumps. Childhood mumps claimed my mother’s hearing but for Nabatame, it only took a sick day.

The middle weekend is rapidly approaching and we have four wrestlers with zero wins and two kyujo (not including Hoshoryu). Juryo, however, is short on early promotion prospects. Daiseizan is still the best option at 5-1 from Juryo 3 East, though he lost to Sadanoumi. This has makings of an overloaded barge and likely some lighter than expected demotions.

Kitanowaka, Kagayaki and Kayo lead heading into the middle weekend, determined to make me eat my words from a few days ago. Kayo will fight Nishikigi and Kagayaki will face Tochitaikai, who has dropped three in a row. Kitanowaka will fight Onokatsu.

In Jonokuchi, Joshoyu picked up his third win against Fukufukumaru. In Jonidan, Kakizoe is looking to back up his Jonokuchi yusho, defeating Fujiyuho. Najima is in the mix! He defeated Ryuseiyama to also move to 3-0. Up in Makushita, Tenshoyama might now be the favorite for the yusho. He has only lost three times in his brief career, two of those famously to Asahifuji. With Asahifuji in Makushita in Nagoya, that gave Tenshoyama the chance to dominate Sandanme.

While both men have the day off, Ikarigata will head to Juryo for a shot at an early kachi-koshi against Hitoshi.

NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Tokihayate (4-2) defeated Shonannoumi (0-6). Shonannoumi put in a valiant effort and threw everything he had at Tokihayate. From his kachiage at the tachiai to his attempted slapdown to his attempted throw, Shonannoumi tried it all but Tokihayate pressed ahead and forced Shonannoumi out. Yorikiri.

Tobizaru (3-3) defeated Onokatsu (3-3). Tobizaru charged ahead into Onokatsu but it was a feint. He waited for Onokatsu to put his weight too far forward and then pulled. Onokatsu fell to the slapdown. Hatakikomi.

Toshinofuji (5-1) defeated Chiyoshoma (3-3). Toshinofuji got both hands inside Chiyoshoma’s and drove forward. Chiyoshoma tried an uwatenage at the edge but Toshinofuji was in control and corralled him. Yoritaoshi.

Abi (4-2) defeated Asasuiryu (3-3). Henka! Not the way you were expecting, though. Asasuiryu jumped left but Abi quickly gave chase, pounding Asasuiryu with tsuppari and a wicked headbutt. Asasuiryu tried to retreat but Abi slapped him down. Hatakikomi.

Wakamotoharu (4-2) defeated Oho (1-5). This was quite the brawl with both men trading steady fire. Wakamotoharu surprised me by working his way inside, rather than attempting to slip to the side with his back at the edge. He pressed forward and forced Oho out. Oho tried the last-ditch throw at the edge but fell to his fifth loss. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan (4-2) defeated Asakoryu (3-3). Asakoryu jumped left, like his brother, and got beat. Kinbozan really stuck with this bout as Asakoryu’s thrusts and throw attempt certainly gave him fits and nearly took him out. He slipped Asakoryu’s throw attempt, which was a bit overzealous, leading to Asakoryu exposing his back to Kinbozan. Kinbozan seized the opportunity and shoved Asakoryu out from behind. Okuridashi.

Ura (5-1) defeated Asahakuryu (3-3). Ura grabbed Asahakuryu’s left arm and dragged him forward. As Asahakuryu tried to step on the brakes, Ura shifted right and shoved him from the side. Oshidashi.

Shishi (3-3) defeated Shodai (0-6). Coyote’s suit against Acme has left Shodai with no supplier of tricks at the edge. Shodai needs to retool quickly. His pulls are not fooling anyone. He tried to shove Shishi over the bales while shifting right but Shishi kept his head down and forced Shodai out. Yorikiri.

Asanoyama (5-1) defeated Hiradoumi (3-3). Power vs Power here as Asanoyama and Hiradoumi squared up in the center of the ring. Asanoyama sensed an opportunity, grabbed Hiradoumi’s arm and stepped back, thrusting Hiradoumi headlong to the clay. Tsukiotoshi.

Takerufuji (4-2) defeated Ichiyamamoto (0-6). Takerufuji got a double-inside grip and forced Ichiyamamoto back and out. Though Ichiyamamoto seemed sad walking back down the hanamichi, one gets the sense he still prefers this to his old office job. Yorikiri.

Halftime

Nishikifuji (2-4) defeated Roga (4-2). Henka #3! Nishikifuji jumped left but Roga pivoted quickly to reengage. Roga pressed into Nishikifuji but Nishikifuji pulled and shoved Roga down. Tsukiotoshi.

Fujiseiun (4-2) defeated Oshoma (3-3). Fujiseiun knew better than to be too aggressive with Oshoma. Instead, he weathered Oshoma’s tsuppari and blocked what he could. Oshoma tried a short, quick pull but that seemed to give Fujiseiun the opportunity he needed to force his way forward. Oshidashi.

Churanoumi (5-1) defeated Fujiryoga (2-4) We had everything in this bout. First, a fierce brawl, then a long grapple. Fujiryoga tried a sukuinage as the pair tussled at the edge but Churanoumi grabbed the front of his belt and pulled up while sweeping his leg at the same time. Kirikaeshi.

Kotoeiho (2-4) defeated Takayasu (2-4). Kachiage from Takayasu, followed by a wicked shove from his left hand to Kotoeiho’s face. Kotoeiho turned that into an opportunity by shoving Takayasu’s left hand and threatening to get behind. Takayasu quickly spun away but Kotoeiho pursued and shoved him off the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Daieisho (2-4) defeated Hakunofuji (1-5). Standard Daieisho sumo here. He whaled on Hakunofuji with tsuppari and as Hakunofuji bulled forward to fight back, Daieisho pulled and slapped him down. Hatakikomi.

Atamifuji (5-1) defeated Kotoshoho (2-4). Kotoshoho hit Atamifuji hard, then pulled and tried a sukuinage. Atamifuji planted his foot and pivoted to keep up with Kotoshoho, then charged forward and shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Kotozakura (5-1) defeated Takanosho (3-3). Kotozakura moved forward! And he won! He quickly forced Takanosho back. Takanosho tried to move laterally at the edge and catch Kotozakura off-balance but Kotozakura kept his footing, adjusted and battered Takanosho, thrusting him from the ring. What a pleasant surprise. Tsukidashi.

Yoshinofuji (1-5) defeated Kirishima (4-2). Wow. Bout of the day so far. And what a way to pick up your first win! Absolutely blistering tachiai from Kirishima but Yoshinofuji didn’t back down. Kirishima worked him to the edge where Yoshinofuji shocked the crowd by nearly catching Kirishima with an uwatenage. Kirishima somehow resisted at the edge and regained the upper hand, driving back into Yoshinofuji. However, Yoshinofuji again went to that uwatenage and this time pulled it off in slow, dramatic, spectacular fashion. Kirishima smiled with the loss. One of those few L’s that you’re actually proud of. Great bout. Uwatenage.

Fujinokawa (4-2) defeated Aonishiki (3-3). Aonishiki got a left hand outside grip but Fujinokawa seemed to foil Aonishiki’s throw attempts by trying to trip him each time. Both men fought extraordinarily hard for a solid grip. After Aonishiki released his grip to avoid being thrown, Fujinokawa managed to get his right hand deep at the back of Aonishiki’s belt. Here, he was lower than Aonishiki and drove up into the Ozeki, forcing him back and out. Yorikiri.

Onosato (5-1) defeated Gonoyama (2-4). Onosato committed to the slapdown from the word jump. The crowd clapped at his victory but one could sense the letdown after the previous two bouts. Hatakikomi.

Wrap-up

The title race heats up on Day Seven. At the top of the banzuke, Onosato will fight Churanoumi in the musubi-no-ichiban. Kirishima will fight Gonoyama, Kotozakura will take on Fujiryoga and Aonishiki is set to take on Atamifuji.

Fujinokawa will face off against Daieisho and Hakunofuji will fight Kotoshoho. Lower down the banzuke, Asanoyama will fight Fujiseiun, Ura gets his turn against Shodai and Toshinofuji will fight Oho.

Aki 2026: Day Five

Andy Aki 2026

Day Five in Tokyo.

Checking in with the infirmary, Nabatame is kyujo with mumps. It’s a rather sad prospect if he can’t return to the tournament because he just crawled back into the division after having knee surgery. We hope he has a speedy and full recovery allowing him a quick return. Tanji received the fusen victory, improving to 4-1. Nabatame is 2-3.

Kayo, Kagayaki, Kitanofuji and Daiseizan lead the second division at the moment, undefeated, 5-0. On Enho watch, he lost to Ryuden. Ryuden is tough to beat when he gets that right hand overarm hold.

While checking the headlines, I came across this jaw-dropper. Endo revealed that he has about 30 kesho mawashi. He was featured on a panel at a talk event and was asked how many he had. They will likely all be on display at his retirement ceremony. I imagine them in cold storage, next to the Arc from Indiana Jones.

New fans may not realize the stunning heights of Endo mania. His dashing good looks, gravelly voice and dry wit (ha, ha) made sujo swoon. He was on a number of commercials and had many sponsorship deals at the height of his popularity.

NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Toshinofuji (4-1) defeated Shonannoumi (0-5). Toshinofuji ushered Shonannoumi out with ease. Yorikiri.

Chiyoshoma (3-2) defeated Tamawashi (1-4). Chiyoshoma got his left hand inside grip and quickly forced Tamawashi back and out. Yorikiri.

Tobizaru (2-3) defeated Asasuiryu (3-2). Tobizaru slapped Asasuiryu down quickly after the tachiai. Tsukiotoshi.

Tokihayate (3-2) defeated Asakoryu (3-2). Tokihayate pulled and slapped Asakoryu down. Hatakikomi.

Abi (3-2) defeated Shodai (0-5). Abi-zumo back in force. Shodai retreated around the ring, trying to pull Abi out but Abi finished Shodai with a strong right hand nodowa. I’d mentioned Abi as a likely barge passenger but it’s clear Shodai’s more likely to claim that seat. Oshidashi.

Asahakuryu (3-2) defeated Kinbozan (3-2). Asahakuryu shifted left, grabbed Kinbozan’s mawashi with his left hand and drove him back out of the ring. Oshidashi.

Shishi (2-3) defeated Oho (1-4). Migi-yotsu. Shishi overpowered Oho and drove him out. Oho tried a last gasp sukuinage but Shishi’s footwork was solid. Yorikiri.

Ura (4-1) defeated Wakamotoharu (3-2). Great finish here. Wakamotoharu was still trying to get his left hand inside. Ura charged ahead, forcing Wakamotoharu into an early throw. But Ura tripped Wakamotoharu and kept charging forward, crushing Wakamotoharu down. Sotogake.

Hiradoumi (3-2) defeated Ichiyamamoto (0-5). Ichiyamamoto committed to the slapdown early but Hiradoumi remained upright long enough to shove Ichi out. Oshidashi.

Asanoyama (4-1) defeated Takerufuji (3-2). Asanoyama tried to throw Takerufuji but Takerufuji countered powerfully, forcing Asanoyama back to the edge. Asanoyama shuffled along the bales and then twisted, shoving Takerufuji from the left side and forcing him to take a knee. Tsukiotoshi.

Halftime

Oshoma (3-2) defeated Nishikifuji (1-4). Oshoma pivoted and drove Nishikifuji back and out. Oshidashi.

Roga (4-1) defeated Fujiseiun (3-2). Fujiseiun cycled clockwise around the ring as Roga charged ahead. Fujiseiun tripped over the tawara and fell backward. Oshitaoshi.

Fujiryoga (2-3) defeated Kotoeiho (1-4). Fujiryoga stuck Kotoeiho with a solid tachiai forced him back and out. Yorikiri.

Kotoshoho (2-3) defeated Takayasu (2-3). Kotoshoho blocked Takayasu’s arms. Takayasu decided to pull and Kotoshoho gladly shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Fujinokawa (3-2) defeated Hakunofuji (1-4). Fujinokawa laid into Hakunofuji with blistering tsuppari. He then shifted left and Hakunofuji’s momentum carried him staggering forward. Fujinokawa hooked his arm up under Hakunofuji’s shoulder, pulling him toward the bales. He then lashed back out with more slaps to drive him out. I’m not sure what plan Hakunofuji came with. Oshidashi.

Atamifuji (4-1) defeated Daieisho (1-4). Atamifuji shoved Daieisho to the edge and finished him off with a few shoves to the face. Oshidashi.

Kirishima (4-1) defeated Takanosho (3-2). Kirishima shifted left and got Takanosho spun around by pulling his arm forward. Kirishima then finished him off, shoving from behind. Okuridashi.

Gonoyama (2-3) defeated Aonishiki (3-2). Gonoyama hit Aonishiki hard at the tachiai, blasting the Ozeki backward. Aonishiki limped back down the hanamichi with that taped left foot. There’s plenty of opportunity for a non-kadoban Ozeki to go kyujo. Oshitaoshi.

Churanoumi (4-1) defeated Kotozakura (4-1). Churanoumi did not allow Kotozakura to get anywhere near his mawashi. As the suddenly one-dimensional Ozeki flailed around trying to get a hold of anything but pride, Churanoumi used his tsuppari effectively to force Kotozakura out. Kotozakura’s strategy today was: 1) grab belt, 2) pull backward, 3) rotate left while pulling to give myself a bit more room. He succeeded at 2 and 3 but failed at 1. If he fails at Step 1, he should not proceed to Step 2 or 3! Yes, Kotozakura was alone in the lead yesterday. Yes, I “forgot” to mention it. I wanted to wait a day to see if that would last. It did not. Who knew? Me. Well, I didn’t know but I had a sneaking suspicion that such a “lead” would not last into the weekend. Oshidashi.

Onosato (4-1) defeated Yoshinofuji (0-5). Onosato met Yoshinofuji with a solid tachiai. Onosato calmly worked his right hand inside to get a hold of Yoshinofuji’s belt. He then drove Yoshinofuji backward and out. Yorikiri.

Wrap-up

Onosato calmly cracked his goose-egg against Yoshinofuji, who is one of a number of guys still looking for their first win.

Turning to the Ozeki, Aonishiki looks suitably banged up to earn a spot on the couch for a few days. He recently had a broken tail bone and today’s crash landing did not likely help it to heal. I was very impressed with Gonoyama. That aggression was similar to Hiradoumi or Fujinokawa.

Kirishima looked strong while Kotozakura looked like Kotonanahachi.

Turning to tomorrow’s bouts, we see Hakunofuji and Daieisho will kick off sanyaku action. Then Atamifuji will fight Kotoshoho, Kotozakura will take on Takanosho, Kirishima will fight Yoshinofuji, and no rest for the weary as Aonishiki will face Fujinokawa. Onosato will end things against Gonoyama.

See you tomorrow.