We’ve reached nakabi, the middle Sunday. Eight days of action are in the books; seven days remain. Let’s start the day 8 coverage with our first look at Makushita. We’re down to the quarterfinals. Here’s the bracket:

Nabatame is a popular former sekitori from Futagoyama beya on the comeback trail from a knee injury. He’ll fight recent newcomer Ryuho, whose career record to date stands at 23-2. Former maegashira, big salt thrower, and bow twirler Akua takes on former mega-prospect Oshoryu. Last basho’s Ms60TD debutant Wakanofuji fights Sazanami, who is at his career-high rank and whose main claim to fame is tossing around Hiro Morita in Sumo Prime Time technique videos. MatsuiArashifuji debuted at Ms60TD two years ago and is also at his career-high rank, as is his opponent, Okaryu, who started at Sd90TD one basho later.

The promotion zone is quite crowded, though tomorrow’s matchups will go some way to sorting out the contenders and the pretenders. Go Enho!

Moving on to Juryo, Kayo managed to put dirt on Wakanosho, who did not look nearly as dominant as he did in winning his first seven bouts. He is joined at 7-1 by J11 Kazuma and J14 Kazekeno.

Finally, in the top division, S1e Kirishima, M4w Takanosho, M5w Kotoshoho, M10e Gonoyama all won to share the lead at 7-1. Kirishima won the Sekiwake duel against Takayasu, who fell to 6-2, where he was joined by Yokozuna Hoshoryu, who suffered a surprise upset loss to Daieisho. These six are your likely yusho contenders (bottom-ranked M17w Kotoeiho is also 6-2, but much as I like him, I don’t rate his chances). The headline bouts tomorrow are Hoshoryu vs. Takanosho (10-3 H2H), slumping Aonishiki (3-5) vs. Takayasu (3-1 H2H), and Kirishima vs. Daieisho (15-11 H2H).

Thanks for following along; I expect regular service to resume tomorrow.

More of a placeholder post while Andy is kyujo. Your leaderboard heading into the middle Sunday is:
○○○●○○○ Y1e Hoshoryu
○●○○○○○ S1e Kirishima
○○○○○●○ S1w Takayasu
○○○○○●○ M4w Takanosho
○□○○●○○ M5w Kotoshoho
○○○●○○○ M10e Gonoyama

In Juryo, Wakanosho (7-0) continues to dominate, with Kazuma and Kazekeno one win back. And in Makushita, Enho (3-1) won a crucial bout, keeping his hopes of a sekitori return alive.

Just the guess this time, no commentary, but let me know what you think in the comments. The banzuke comes out a week from today, a day later than usual due to the Emperor’s birthday.

Enho’s quest for the yusho and immediate sekitori return came to an end today at the hands of Nobehara. His ankle injury in his previous bout can’t have helped. Nobehara takes the yusho; Enho should find himself ranked Ms2-Ms3 at Haru, where 4-5 wins could suffice for promotion.

Here are the updated standings in the promotion zone.

Himukamaru has completed his basho early, and currently leads the promotion queue. Toshinofuji, Fukuzaki, and Shimazuumi would all pass him with a final win, and Takakento can pass any of that trio by winning if they lose, while Inami can finish no better than 6th in line. The demotion queue in Juryo is: Hakuyozan, Hidenoumi, Kazekeno, Kotokuzan, Tochitaikai, Nishikigi. Hakuyozan is already demotable, but could yet stay up if he survives two exchange bouts, starting tomorrow with Toshinofuji. I am guessing we’ll see Fukuzaki, Shimazuumi, and Takakento visiting Juryo on senshuraku.

Thanks for following Tachiai’s third-division coverage. This is the final mid-basho post, but I will update the promotion picture once the action concludes.