Hatsu Basho

Hatsu 2026: Day Eight

Andy Hatsu 2026, Hatsu Basho , ,

Day 8, the middle day, is upon us. Maezumo wrestlers were officially introduced to the sumo world as “Shinjo,” and we look forward to seeing these guys fight in Osaka. Among the men is Kyokugosei who is shifting sports from baseball to sumo. Kyokurenma and Kyokutaiyo join him at Oshima beya. We also have Asasubaru and Shosei, along with Ito pictured here. There’s another recruit, Nakazato, who has been kyujo for a couple of days. Apparently not feeling well? I’ll try to get the story there and find out whether he’ll have to do maezumo again or not, if he sticks with it.

Enho earned his kachi-koshi and remains in the Makushita yusho race. The Juryo race heats up as both Fujiseiun and Kayo fall. They’re joined by Sadanoumi and Wakanosho with two losses each. Tomorrow, Kayo will fight Kazuma, Wakanosho will take on Hitoshi, Sadanoumi battles Kitanowaka and Fujiseiun faces Kotokuzan.

Your NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Shishi (6-2) defeated Asahakuryu (5-3). Shishi put his big mitt in Asahakuryu’s mug and shoved, hard. This sent Asahakuryu sprawling into the crowd. Oshidashi.

Asakoryu (4-4) defeated Mitakeumi (3-5). This was all Asakoryu as he shoved Mitakeumi back to the edge and over the bales. Oshidashi.

Tobizaru (2-6) defeated Oshoumi (6-2). Oshoumi charged forward but Tobizaru shifted to his left as the pair approached the bales. While shifting, Tobizaru slapped Oshoumi down. Hatakikomi.

Ryuden (4-4) defeated Tomokaze (3-5). Tomokaze shifted left at the tachiai and tried to slap Ryuden down. Ryuden stumbled forward but caught himself and re-engaged. Tomokaze charged forward and tried again but Ryuden remained upright. Ryuden then showed Tomokaze how to execute a successful hatakikomi.

Chiyoshoma (3-5) defeated Hatsuyama (0-8). Chiyoshoma grabbed Hatsuyama’s belt with his right hand uwate and pulled Hatsuyama forward. As Hatsuyama stumbled forward, Chiyoshoma finished him by shoving him down to the ground. Hatsuyama make-koshi. Tsukiotoshi.

Nishikifuji (5-3) defeated Asanoyama (5-3). Nishikifuji shoved Asanoyama to the bales. Asanoyama tried to escape by retreating along the bales. Nishikifuji made that difficult as he wrapped his left hand onto Asanoyama’s belt. Asanoyama stumbled to the ground. Yoritaoshi.

Abi (7-1) defeated Tokihayate (4-4). Tokihayate hit Abi hard at the tachiai but Abi jammed his right hand into Tokihayate’s throat, driving back to the edge and over. Tokihayate tried desperately to knock Abi’s arm away but was not successful. Relief only came with defeat. Oshidashi.

Midorifuji (3-5) defeated Roga (3-5). Midorifuji got his right hand up under Roga’s left shoulder and it looked like he was going to try a katasukashi, but it was actually trapped there by Roga. Roga tried swinging Midorifuji around for a kotenage but Midorifuji kept his balance and then drove forward, forcing Roga over the edge. Yorikiri.

The Imperial family arrived at Kokugikan. It’s their first visit since January 25, 2020…just after Naruhito was installed as Emperor and right before the pandemic shuttered the sumo world.

Shodai (4-4) defeated Kotoshoho (5-2). Kotoshoho pulled and then attacked Shodai as he was off balance. Shodai caught himself before going over the edge and engaged Kotoshoho. Shodai shoved Kotoshoho to the ground with his right hand as he shifted right along the bales. Tsukiotoshi.

Hiradoumi (5-3) defeated Gonoyama (2-6). Hiradoumi grabbed Gonoyama’s belt with his left hand and hugged Gonoyama with his right arm. Hiradoumi charged forward and forced Gonoyama out. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan (3-5) defeated Onokatsu (3-5). Kinbozan henka! Kinbozan shifted left and slapped Onokatsu down. Hatakikomi.

Halftime

The Imperial family came out to their seats to applause from the fans, ushered by Hakkaku.

Fujinokawa (6-2) defeated Tamawashi (2-6). Fujinokawa wrapped up Tamawashi, negating Tamawashi’s usual thrusting attack. Tamawashi tried a kubinage. Shitatenage.

Atamifuji (6-2) defeated Oshoma (5-3). As Atamifuji charged forward, Oshoma tried to shift right and catch Atamifuji out. Atamifuji was unfazed, turned to meet Oshoma again and shoved him over the bales. Oshidashi.

Churanoumi (5-3) defeated Takanosho (1-7). Churanoumi grabbed Takanosho’s right arm and hauled him forward to the bales. As Takanosho tried to reclaim his appendage, Churanoumi shoved him out. “Ok, now you can have your arm back.” Yorikiri.

Wakatakakage (4-4) defeated Ura (1-7). Wakatakakage blitzed Ura and shoved him out. Ura tried to stay on the tawara and pull Wakatakakage out but their combined momentum carried the pair into the crowd. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Wakamotoharu (2-6) defeated Yoshinofuji (4-4). Yoshinofuji pulled back to try to shift his right hand grip from outside to inside. Wakamotoharu used the opportunity to drive forward and force Yoshinofuji out. Yoritaoshi.

Takayasu (6-2) defeated Ichiyamamoto (1-7). Ichiyamamoto pulled but lost his footing as he tried to shuffle left, so Takayasu slapped him down. Hatakikomi.

Oho (3-5) defeated Kotozakura (5-3). Oho moved forward and was rewarded. Kotozakura tried to twist and topple Oho at the edge but Oho’s footwork was solid. He wasn’t going anywhere. Oshidashi.

Kirishima (7-1) defeated Aonishiki (6-2). Kirishima did not let Aonishiki get his left hand inside. Rather than continue to fight for that grip, Aonishiki pulled. Huge mistake as that allowed Kirishima to grab Aonishiki in a big ole bear hug and drive forward. Aonishiki tried to pull Kirishima down with a kubinage but Kirishima continued to press forward into Aonishiki and both men crashed out. Gunbai Kirishima. No mono-ii. Yoritaoshi.

Daieisho (2-6) defeated Hoshoryu (6-2). Daieisho pulled and slapped Hoshoryu down at the edge. Daieisho pivoted to his left. Kinboshi! For Hoshoryu to stay up and effectively counter Daieisho’s move, he would have had to dig in and move laterally on that left knee which would not be advised with the torn meniscus. Well, walking probably isn’t advised, so this might be the most eagerly anticipated kyujo in quite some time. Will the Yokozuna bow out? Will he get surgery and allow his knee to fully recouperate? Will we see him on the dohyo before Aki? We shall find out. Hatakikomi.

Hakunofuji (5-3) defeated Onosato (6-2). Hakunofuji hit Onosato hard at the tachiai and shoved him clear of the dohyo. Kinboshi! Another kyujo incoming? Oshidashi.

The assembled throngs of fans remain in their seats for the bow twirling ceremony, in relative silence. Usually, half the crowd are gone before the first, “Yoisho!” Kamito has likely never seen a crowd this large and must be pretty chuffed to perform today. The fans stand and cheer after the ceremony is over as the Imperial family bow and wave and head out.

Wrap-up

Kirishima and Abi are now tied for the lead with 1-loss. Eight men follow with 2-losses. The leaderboard is as follows:

  • 1-Loss: Kirishima, Abi
  • 2-Losses: Hoshoryu, Onosato, Aonishiki, Takayasu, Atamifuji, Fujinokawa, Shishi, Oshoumi

Kirishima will face Ura tomorrow with a 9-4 head-to-head lead. Abi fans will likewise be happy to see that Abi is scheduled to face Kotoshoho, with whom he owns a 6-1 lead in their rivalry.

For the rest of the sanyaku bouts, Oho will face Ichiyamamoto, Aonishiki will take on Wakatakakage and Kotozakura will fight Takayasu. If the Yokozuna show up tomorrow, Onosato will fight Wakamotoharu and Hoshoryu will take on Atamifuji.

Other bouts for those in the hunt group include Fujinokawa fighting Roga, Shishi versus Ryuden, and Oshoumi versus Asakoryu.

Hatsu 2026: Day Seven

Andy Hatsu 2026, Hatsu Basho , , ,

Day Seven. No kyujo announcements. The Emperor will be in the house tomorrow. Fujiseiun and Kayo won their bouts to stay in the lead at 6-1. Fujiseiun will fight Takerufuji tomorrow while Kayo will face Hidenoumi.

NHK Video link is here. It includes a look at Kazuma defeating Kazekeno. Kazuma was a Nihon University prospect for Kise-beya who earned a Makushita debut in 2024 but was injured in that debut tournament. After falling into the bottom division, he is back after winning three yusho in the lower divisions, including the Makushita yusho in Kyushu. He’s had a rough start this tournament as sekitori. But he might be overcoming his promotion jitters as he threw Kazekeno to the side.

Makuuchi Action

Ryuden (3-4) defeated Hatsuyama (0-7). While trading tsuppari, Hatsuyama tried to pull. This brought him perilously close to the edge but the two kept trading tsuppari until Hatsuyama tripped on the tawara and fell. Oshidashi.

Oshoumi (6-1) defeated Tomokaze (3-4). Oshoumi shoved Tomokaze back to the bales with steady hazuoshi, At the bales, Tomokaze decided to go out with some flair as he jumped up and attempted a pirouette before tumbling into the crowd. Oshitaoshi.

Asakoryu (3-4) defeated Tobizaru (1-6). Tobizaru had Asakoryu on the ropes and pulled. Asakoryu then chased Tobizaru across the ring and shoved him off the dohyo. Oshitaoshi.

Asanoyama (5-2) defeated Abi (6-1). Abi lashed out at Asanoyama with tsuppari and pulled to his right. Asanoyama turned and continued to counter with his own slaps. Abi had his weight pretty far forward so Asanoyama shifted right and pulled Abi forward. Hikiotoshi.

Asahakuryu (5-2) defeated Midorifuji (2-5). Midorifuji tired after a lengthy Coneheads makeout session and Asahakuryu forced him over the bales. Yorikiri.

Shishi defeated Chiyoshoma. Shishi got his left hand firmly planted on the front of Chiyoshoma’s belt (mae-mitsu) while pressing forward. Once he got his right arm inside he got the leverage he needed to drive Chiyoshoma back. Chiyoshoma tried a last gasp twist and throw at the edge but Shishi had good footwork today, kept his balance and forced Chiyoshoma out. Yorikiri.

Tokihayate (4-3) defeated Mitakeumi (3-4). Tokihayate quickly got a hold of Mitakeumi with both hands inside Mitakeumi’s arms and drove him back over the bales. Yorikiri.

Nishikifuji (4-3) defeated Roga (3-4). Nishikifuji tried to swing Roga around by his left arm but Roga freed himself and shoved Nishikifuji. Nishikifuji decided to follow Tokihayate’s lead, got both hands inside and drove Roga through the ring and over the bales. Yorikiri.

Kotoshoho (5-2) defeated Kinbozan (2-5). Kotoshoho grabbed Kinbozan’s belt with his right hand inside, twisted and threw Kinbozan forward. Shitatenage.

Gonoyama (2-5) defeated Oshoma (5-2). Oshoma braced against the bales and seemed to be preparing for a pull-down attempt but he never got the chance. Gonoyama planted his right hand in Oshoma’s chest and blasted him off the dohyo. I’m surprised they didn’t call it tsukidashi. Oshidashi.

Hiradoumi (4-3) defeated Shodai (3-4). Hiradoumi blitzed Shodai and forced him back to the edge. Shodai tried to twist and shove Hiradoumi to his right but Hiradoumi just kept up the pressure and shoved Shodai out. Oshidashi.

Halftime

Churanoumi (4-3) defeated Fujinokawa (5-2). Churanoumi shifted left to try to get Fujinokawa’s belt but Fujinokawa’s tachiai blasted him backward. “Plan B it is then.” Churanoumi planted his right mitt in Fujinokawa’s left shoulder and shoved. Hard. This made Fujinokawa stumble to the side. As Fujinokawa tried to put on the brakes, Churanoumi followed up with a shove from behind. Okuridashi.

Atamifuji (5-2) defeated Onokatsu (3-4). Atamifuji put his right forearm under Onokatsu’s chin and churned his legs until Onokatsu stepped out. Oshidashi.

Takanosho (1-6) defeated Tamawashi (2-5). Takanosho waited until Tamawashi pressed too far forward, then pulled and slapped him down. Takanosho picks up his first win of the tournament. Hatakikomi.

Ura (1-6) defeated Ichiyamamoto (1-6). Ura pulled and when Ichiyamamoto chased, Ura reached out for that right leg. Ichiyamamoto tried to pull the back of Ura’s belt but he was off balance as Ura blasted forward and shoved him down. Ichiyamamoto was a little slow to get up and seemed to be favoring his ankle. We’ll see. Oshitaoshi.

Sanyaku

Takayasu (5-2) defeated Oho (2-5). Oho pulled and tried to shove Takayasu to the side but Takayasu pursued and shoved Oho over the edge. “That’s it?!?! That’s all you’ve got?!?!” Tsukidashi.

Kirishima (6-1) defeated Yoshinofuji (4-3). Kirishima got a double-inside grip and forced Yoshinofuji back. Yoshinofuji tried to change up his grip and forced his right hand inside but Kirishima kept pressuring him back. Kirishima then toppled Yoshinofuji with a hard pull on his belt from his left hand. Uwatenage.

Aonishiki (6-1) defeated Wakamotoharu (1-6). I always cringe at these endings. Aonishiki had a firm hold with both hands on Wakamotoharu’s belt. Wakamotoharu braced against the bales and tried an utchari throw but Aonishiki pressed ahead and toppled both men off the dohyo. Wakamotoharu seemed to be favoring his jaw. Better that than landing like Kizakiumi. (I posted a picture in the comments from the other day. I’ll not post it again. But we were talking about how recently a lot of guys have gotten the hint that if they’re at the edge and all is lost, stepping out is an option which keeps oneself from injury. Kizakiumi’s injury was from a bout like this one, where he dug in at the bales. Yikes.) Yoritaoshi.

Kotozakura (5-2) defeated Wakatakakage (3-4). Kotozakura pulled and Wakatakakage stumbled forward as Kotozakura shoved him down. Kotozakura is picking up these important Week One wins. Will wonders never cease? Hatakikomi.

Onosato (6-1) defeated Daieisho (1-6). Onosato escaped by the skin of his teeth here. Daieisho pulled and had Onosato stumbling to the edge. Onosato recovered a bit and stumbled back across the dohyo. Like Tamanosho the other day, Daieisho’s eyes got big and he charged ahead, only to get a piece of Onosato as the Yokozuna backed away and Daieisho stumbled forward. Hatakikomi.

Hoshoryu (6-1) defeated Hakunofuji (4-3). Hoshoryu threw Hakunofuji at the edge. Gunbai Hoshoryu. Mono-ii. “When in doubt, do it again, boyz!” Hoshoryu did not look pleased as he wiped blood from the deep scrape on his forehead. No doubt this time as a pissed off Hoshoryu grabbed Hakunofuji’s belt with his right hand, flung him around the dohyo. Hakunofuji tried to dig in at the bales but Hoshoryu forced the pair to fall out. Yoritaoshi.

Wrap-up

Well. Our Yokozuna lead a group of six guys with one loss. There are nine guys chasing with two losses. This is turning out to be a heck of a tournament with the Yokozuna, Ozeki and Sekiwake in the thick of it.

Asanoyama did his job and got dirt on Abi. Tomorrow he will fight Nishikifuji while Abi will take on Tokihayate. Up in sanyaku, Takayasu will fight Ichiyamamoto, Kotozakura will fight Oho, Aonishiki will take on Kirishima, Hoshoryu against Daieisho and Onosato will close things out against Hakunofuji. Ten’no is in for a treat, that’s for sure.

Hatsu 2026: Day Six

Andy Hatsu 2026, Hatsu Basho , , ,

No kyujo to report. But we do have a retirement announcement: former Makuuchi wrestler Daiamami has retired. Always Genki, he had fallen to Makushita 17 after a 1-7 tournament in Kyushu. Any idea why they gave him an eighth bout, against Juryo Himukamaru, to boot. I just feel like there’s a story there since 8-bout bashos are rather rare, unless you’re Hattorizakura. I’ll dig into it later today after I get some Zs.

Getting back to the Juryo race, Fujiseiun lost to Shonannoumi, falling to 5-1. Kayo is also tied at 5-1 with eight men chasing at 4-2. Fujiseiun will fight Tamashoho tomorrow and Kayo will fight Hakuyozan. Today’s NHK videos include the Nishikigi/Hidenoumi bout at the bottom.

Your NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Shishi (4-2) defeated Hatsuyama (0-6). Shishi pressed forward and shoved Hatsuyama back and out to his sixth consecutive loss. Oshidashi.

Oshoumi (5-1) defeated Mitakeumi (3-3). Oshoumi locked up Mitakeumi and drove him back and out. Yorikiri.

Asahakuryu (4-2) defeated Tobizaru (1-5). Tobizaru had the early edge in this long yotsu battle as his ottsuke kept Asahakuryu away from his belt. Once Asahakuryu landed his right hand inside grip, though, he was able to press forward and force Tobizaru out. Yorikiri.

Tomokaze (3-3) defeated Asanoyama (4-2). As Asanoyama forced Tomokaze to the edge, Tomokaze shifted right and thrust Asanoyama down to the ground. Tsukiotoshi.

Abi (6-0) defeated Asakoryu (2-4). Abi shoved Asakoryu back and Asakoryu stumbled a bit and stepped over the bales. Tsukidashi.

Ryuden (2-4) defeated Nishikifuji (3-3). Ryuden put his head down and drove Nishikifuji out. Yorikiri.

Kotoshoho (4-2) defeated Midorifuji (2-4). Kotoshoho drove forward and pressured Midorifuji over the bales while falling down. Gunbai Midorifuji. Mono-ii. Kotoshoho touched while Midorifuji was in the air and already dead. The shimpan reversed the call. Kotoshoho wins. Yoritaoshi.

Roga (3-3) defeated Chiyoshoma (2-4). Chiyoshoma shoved Roga back to the edge but he really still can’t put all of his weight on his right foot. Roga steadily charged forward and forced Chiyoshoma back over the edge. Chiyoshoma tried a last gasp pull but it was ineffective. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan (2-4) defeated Tokihayate (3-3). Kinbozan drove forward with a left-hand uwate and lifted Tokihayate off the ground and over the bales. Tsuridashi.

Fujinokawa (5-1) defeated Gonoyama (1-5). Despite Gonoyama’s forceful tsuppari forcing Fujinokawa back to the bales and around the ring, Fujinokawa used excellent footwork to work his way back to the middle of the ring. This put Gonoyama on the edge. Fujinokawa lashed out and thrust Gonoyama over the bales. Oshitaoshi.

Onokatsu (3-3) defeated Shodai (3-3). Shodai got his morozashi and forced Onokatsu to the edge but Onokatsu used the leverage to counter Shodai. He shoved Shodai hard in the face with his right hand. Shodai didn’t like it and stepped back and out. Oshidashi.

Halftime

Churanoumi (3-3) defeated Oshoma (5-1). Churanoumi’s tsuppari drove Oshoma back over the edge as Oshoma twisted Churanoumi down. Gunbai Churanoumi. Mono-ii. The shimpan confirmed the gyoji’s call that Oshoma touched out. Oshidashi.

Atamifuji (4-2) defeated Hiradoumi (3-3). Atamifuji grabbed Hiradoumi, wrapped him up, and drove him back over the edge. Yorikiri.

Hakunofuji (4-2) defeated Tamawashi (2-4). Hakunofuji’s left-hand inside grip allowed him to negate Tamawashi’s tsuppari and drive Tamawashi back. He fought to get his right hand inside grip, as well. With the morozashi he was able to force Tamawashi out. Yorikiri.

Yoshinofuji (4-2) defeated Ura (0-6). Ura had an early Edge and drove Yoshinofuji back. Ura brought his right arm up around Yoshinofuji’s neck and pulled. Big mistake as this completely reversed Yoshinofuji’s fortunes. Yoshinofuji plowed into Ura and forced him through the dohyo and off the edge, into the first row of spectators. Oshitaoshi.

Sanyaku

Wakamotoharu (1-5) defeated Oho (2-4). Oho seemed to have the upper hand as he acquired a morozashi and forced Wakamotoharu to the bales. Wakamotoharu twisted and threw Oho to the ground as both men crashed out. Gunbai Wakamotoharu. No mono-ii. Utchari.

Kirishima (5-1) defeated Ichiyamamoto (1-5). Kirishima drove Ichiyamamoto back to the edge. Ichiyamamoto stepped over the edge. Gunbai Ichiyamamoto? Mono-ii. I think the gyoji got lost and pointed the wrong way. Ichiyamamoto was out. Kirishima was never dead or out. Oshidashi.

Kotozakura (4-2) defeated Daieisho (1-5). Kotozakura won moving forward today. Or, more precisely, Daieisho lost by retreating around the ring. Kotozakura did his job by not falling down while Daieisho ran away. Tsukidashi.

Aonishiki (5-1) defeated Takayasu (4-2). Aonishiki got that dangerous left-hand inside and drove Takayasu back and out. Yorikiri.

Hoshoryu (5-1) defeated Takanosho (0-6). Hoshoryu drove Takanosho back to the bales then unleashed a pull and slapped Takanosho down. Hatakikomi.

Onosato (5-1) defeated Wakatakakage (3-3). Onosato drove Wakatakakage back to the bales where Wakatakakage seemed to want to dig in and launch a counter-attack. Onosato pulled and pivoted, and slapped Wakatakakage down. Hatakikomi.

Wrap-up

Abi is alone with an unblemished record so far this tournament. Both Yokozuna lead a group of seven guys with one loss. We head into the middle weekend with excellent performances thus far from the division’s top guys. We have quite a bit to look forward to tomorrow.

Abi will fight Asanoyama for the first time in nearly two years. Asanoyama leads their head-to-head with 9 wins to 4 losses. However, Abi is hot and Asanoyama is charging his way back from injury. It should be a good bout, nonetheless.

In sanyaku, Takayasu will fight Oho, Kirishima will battle Yoshinofuji, Aonishiki will take on Wakamotoharu and it’s Kotozakura versus Wakatakakage. Onosato will fight Daieisho and Hoshoryu will finish the day off against Hakunofuji. I don’t see a bad match in there. Should be a great day of action.

Hatsu 2026: Day Five

Andy Hatsu 2026, Hatsu Basho , ,

Day Five. No kyujo news, which is not a surprise. NHK coverage was diverted again for a press conference, this time with Noda Yoshihiko, leader of the opposition CDP. So, we’re firing up the VPN to get Abema coverage to start the day. Myogiryu is their commentator today, over on NHK they have Endo and Mainoumi.

In Juryo action, Nishikigi defeated Dewanoryu and Fujiseiun beat Sadanoumi. And then there was one. This means Fujiseiun is the lone wrestler still undefeated in the second division.

Your Day Five NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Asanoyama (4-1) defeated Ryuden (1-4). Ryuden looks bigger than Asanoyama. But Asanoyama got both hands wrapped around Ryuden’s trunk, stood him up and shoved him out. Yorikiri.

Mitakeumi (3-2) defeated Hatsuyama (0-5). Hatsuyama got a left hand uwate grip, pulled but could not throw Mitakeumi. Mitakeumi quickly drove Hatsuyama back and out. Yorikiri.

Oshoumi (4-1) defeated Shishi (3-2). Shishi wrapped up Oshoumi’s left arm and held it aloft. As he wrapped up Oshoumi, he began to pull him toward the edge. Oshoumi used his free right arm to reach Shishi’s belt with a right hand shitate, (inside grip). As the pair neared the bales, Oshoumi pulled up hard with that right-hand grip and toppled Shishi over the bales and off the dohyo. Shitatenage.

Tomokaze (2-3) defeated Asahakuryu (3-2). Tomokaze drove into Asahakuryu with a strong right hand nodowa. He never pulled, he just plowed ahead and shoved Asahakuryu off the edge. Taking a page out of Takanosho’s playbook will get me to sit up and take notice. Oshidashi.

Midorifuji (2-3) defeated Asakoryu (3-2). Asakoryu jammed his right arm into Midorifuji’s jaw but as they neared the edge, Midorifuji knocked Asakoryu’s hand away and shoved him forward. This gave Midorifuji access to the back of Asakoryu’s belt and he quickly seized it. Midorifuji got behind Asakoryu and walked him out. Okuridashi.

Nishikifuji (3-2) defeated Tobizaru (1-4). Nishikifuji laid into Tobizaru with relentless tsuppari and Tobizaru had no answers. Nishikifuji assaulted him over and over, walking through Tobizaru’s own shoves until the Flying Monkey was sent Flying into the crowd. Tobizaru has been having a terrible start to the tournament. Oshidashi.

Abi (5-0) defeated Chiyoshoma (2-3). Chiyoshoma tried to get his migi-yotsu attack going but Abi blocked his hands from getting a firm grip. Nevertheless, Chiyoshoma pressured Abi to the edge. Abi shifted to his left along the bales and dragged Chiyoshoma down. Chiyoshoma slow to get up, favoring his heavily taped right ankle. Tsukiotoshi.

Tokihayate (3-2) defeated Roga (2-3) Despite Roga’s firm left-hand uwate, Tokihayate wrapped him up with a bear hug and drove him back and out. Yorikiri.

Kotoshoho (3-2) defeated Gonoyama (1-4). As Gonoyama plowed forward, Kotoshoho brought his right arm up around Gonoyama’s head and twisted, bringing Gonoyama down at the edge. Kubinage.

Fujinokawa (4-1) defeated Shodai (3-2). Fujinokawa henka! This is Shodai, though. He just turned left as he stood up. Duh. Why henka? The hyper-caffeinated Fujinokawa then laid into poor Shodai, driving him back to the bales and out. Oshidashi.

Oshoma (5-0) defeated Kinbozan (1-4). Oshoma stood Kinbozan up with strong tsuppari, then grabbed a hold of his belt with a left hand uwate. Oshoma then pulled and threw Kinbozan over the edge. Uwatedashinage.

Halftime

Hiradoumi (3-2) defeated Churanoumi (2-3). Hiradoumi overpowered Churanoumi, pressed him back with his migi-yotsu and walked him out. Yorikiri.

Onokatsu (2-3) defeated Tamawashi (2-3). Tamawashi lashed out with his tsuppari but Onokatsu ducked his head down, stepped inside and grabbed Tamawashi’s belt with both hands inside. That’s one way to end the tsuppari. Onokatsu then chugged forward and forced Tamawashi out. The tachiai appeared to open a gash on Onokatsu’s forehead. Bloodied, he accepted his kensho. Yorikiri.

Atamifuji (3-2) defeated Ura (0-5). Ura picked a terrible time to jump backward and try a slapdown. Atamifuji was chugging forward when Ura leapt into the air, coming down on the other side of the bales. Yorikiri.

Yoshinofuji (3-2) defeated Ichiyamamoto (1-4). Yoshinofuji greeted Ichiyamamoto with a great shove at the tachiai, blasting the oshi-tsuki specialist deep into his own half of the dohyo. Yoshinofuji then pressed forward, wrapped Ichi up and walked him over the bales. The most impressive thing for me was that you would expect Ichiyamamoto to be the one blasting Yoshinofuji and shoving him backwards. When Yoshinofuji used Ichiyamamoto’s favored technique against him to drive him back to the bales, I am impressed. Yorikiri.

Sanyaku

Takayasu (4-1) defeated Wakamotoharu (0-5). Wakamotoharu did not appear to have a plan so Takayasu blasted him from the dohyo with forceful tsuppari. Tsukidashi.

Oho (2-3) defeated Kirishima (4-1). Oho forced Kirishima into a brawl. As Oho lashed out with head-butts and tsuppari, Kirishima countered with blows of his own but he really wanted to duck inside and force a grapple. As Kirishima pressed to get inside, Oho suddenly pulled and slapped Kirishima down. Beautifully played. When I think of amateur sumo, I wonder how many folks bring that kind of intensity to practice? You probably can’t without catching an assault charge or creating tons of injuries. Most probably don’t even bring this intensity to competition. The Heya Life is just a different world. (But I digress.) Hatakikomi.

Aonishiki (4-1) defeated Daieisho (1-4). Daieisho lashed out with his tsuppari but Aonishiki moved inside, grabbed Daieisho’s belt and drove him back and over the edge. Yorikiri.

Hakunofuji (3-2) defeated Kotozakura (3-2). Hakunofuji held Kotozakura high with his left hand inside, under Kotozakura’s shoulder. Kotozakura got a left-hand inside grip but Hakunofuji pressed ahead with his right hand uwate and forced the Ozeki out. Yorikiri.

Onosato (4-1) defeated Takanosho (0-5). Takanosho pulled and caught the Yokozuna carelessly charging forward. I’m certain Onosato did not prepare. He did not read the brief. Wide-eyed Takanosho tried to chase but only caught Onosato with a glancing blow as the Yokozuna deflected his attack and he fell forward. Onosato fell off the edge. Gunbai Onosato. No mono-ii. Good call but so unsatisfying. Takanosho might relive that moment for the rest of his life. Three lifetime kinboshi against Terunofuji but this one against Onosato slipped away. Tsukiotoshi.

Hoshoryu (4-1) defeated Wakatakakage (3-2). Hoshoryu sprung forward and used his left hand to rip Wakatakakage’s hand away while grasping Wakatakakage’ belt with the right. Hoshoryu charged forward and ushered Wakatakakage over the edge. Yorikiri.

Wrap-up

Kirishima picked up his first loss. Abi and Oshoma remain in the lead. Abi will fight Asakoryu tomorrow and Oshoma will take on Churanoumi. In sanyaku, the komusubi will face off, Oho versus Wakamotoharu. Kirishima will fight Ichiyamamoto and Kotozakura will fight Daieisho in what feels like a must-win bout. Aonishiki battles Takayasu, Hoshoryu will fight the ghost of Takanosho and Onosato will take on Wakatakakage.

I’ll be watching the kyujo news tomorrow. We’ll see if Chiyoshoma ducks out early. Down in Makushita, Enho will fight Fujisodai as he tries to pick up a third straight win. Down in Jonokuchi, Asahifuji will have the day off as he picked up his third win today. As a bit of an aside, the female announcer voice at Kokugikan has a bit of a Squid Game edge in her cheerful voice as she tells people to head for the exits.

Well, we’ll be back tomorrow!