Ikioi was a bit one-dimensional in today’s bout with Kaisei. The Brazilian is a big opponent and he didn’t seem able to counter his size. For a second it looked like he might get a throw, just like with Kotoshogiku yesterday, but Kaisei maintained his balance and picked up the yorikiri victory. I was a little bit disappointed with the outcome because Ikioi always puts in his top effort while sometimes Kaisei can be a bit lackadaisical.
Ikioi will face Hakuho tomorrow while Kaisei will face Takarafuji. Kaisei’s losses have all been to yokozuna and ozeki ranked wrestlers so he’s getting a much needed break. Takarafuji and Kaisei came up the ranks together so they’ve got quite the rivalry, dating back to makushita in 2010. More recently, they’ve split their most recent eight bouts over the last two years so it stands to be a good match.
