After 9 days and 5 rounds of bouts, the action in Makushita is heating up!

As a reminder, the Makushita yusho race is essentially a seven-round single-elimination tournament in which the 120 or so rikishi are reduced by half over two-day rounds until one man with a 7-0 record takes the title (occasionally, same-heya rikishi and other wrinkles throw a wrench into the works, and we end up with a playoff and a 6-1 champion). A 7-0 record from Ms1-Ms15 is a near-guarantee of promotion to Juryo, which otherwise usually requires a winning record from Ms1-Ms5. Five rounds have been completed so far, and we are left with 4 undefeated wrestlers. The next round, held on Day 11, will give us the two finalists.

This was the quarterfinal bracket:

• Ms2w Shishi vs. Ms13e Takahashi
• Ms18w Hitoshi vs. Ms26w Kiryuko
• Ms29w Wakatakamoto vs. Ms42e Daishomaru
• Ms49e Otani vs. Ms58e Okinohama

Shishi prevailed in a tough match against Takahashi, going to 5-0 and all-but-assuring a Juryo debut. This also eliminated the last promotion contender from the Ms6-Ms15 extended zone. Shishi’s next opponent will be Kiryuko, who bested Hitoshi. Wakatakamoto, the oldest brother of Wakatakakage and Wakamotoharu, got taken out of the race by former maegashira Daishomaru, who will next meet Okinohama, the lowest-ranked and least distinguished of the quarterfinalists.

Two Juryo slots are open due to the retirements of Ichinojo and Tochinoshin. At least two more seem likely to open up by the end of the basho. In addition to 5-0 Shishi, the top-ranked Ms1e Shiden (4-1) should be a lock for promotion following today’s defeat of Ms6e Mukainakano (3-2). I for one will be happy to see him make a proper sekitori debut after his one previous appearance on the Juryo banzuke was derailed by the Hidenoumi gambling nano-scandal. The other Ms1, Kawazoe (3-2), who’s been fighting hurt, lost to Ms5e Yuma (4-1), who ruthlessly targeted Kawazoe’s injured ankle with a “sweep the leg” move straight out of Karate Kid. Both still have decent promotion chances. Ms2e Kotokuzan (2-3), Ms3w Chiyonoumi (2-3), and Ms4w Hayatefuji (2-2) must win out just to have a chance. Ms4e Tochimusashi (2-3) and Ms5w Terutsuyoshi (2-3) are mathematically alive but will need a lot of help even if they win out. Look for the next update on Day 11.

After 8 days and 4 rounds of bouts, the action in Makushita is heating up!

As a reminder, the Makushita yusho race is essentially a seven-round single-elimination tournament in which the 120 or so rikishi are reduced by half over two-day rounds until one man with a 7-0 record takes the title (occasionally, same-heya rikishi and other wrinkles throw a wrench into the works, and we end up with a playoff and a 6-1 champion). A 7-0 record from Ms1-Ms15 is a near-guarantee of promotion to Juryo, which otherwise usually requires a winning record from Ms1-Ms5. Four rounds have been completed so far, and we are left with 8 undefeated wrestlers. The next round, held on Day 9, will reduce them to our four semifinalists.

Here’s the undefeated bracket:

• Ms2w Shishi vs. Ms13e Takahashi
• Ms18w Hitoshi vs. Ms26w Kiryuko
• Ms29w Wakatakamoto vs. Ms42e Daishomaru
• Ms49e Otani vs. Ms58e Okinohama

Shishi, Takahashi, Hitoshi, Kiryuko, and Otani can all be classified as rising prospects. Wakatakamoto, the oldest brother of Wakatakakage and Wakamotoharu, has spent much of the last decade in Makushita, never rising above Ms7. Daishomaru is a former maegashira who spent a couple of years in Juryo before falling to Makushita a year ago. Okinohama is the least distinguished of the quarterfinalists, having spent a decade fighting in the lower divisions. Only Hitoshi and Daishomaru are from the same heya (Oitekaze), which could complicate the final.

Two Juryo slots are open due to the retirements of Ichinojo and Tochinoshin. At least two more seem likely to open up by the end of the basho. Shishi already has a solid promotion claim; one more win should pretty much lock it up. Takahashi can earn promotion by winning out and taking the yusho. Any other promotions should come from the Ms1-Ms5 ranks.

There, the Ms1 duo of Shiden and Kawazoe, who were very unlucky to miss out last time, are in good shape at 3-1. They have key bouts tomorrow against Ms6e Mukainakano (3-1) and Ms5e Yuma (3-1), respectively. Given his lower rank, Yuma needs at least 5 wins and more likely 6 to go up. Ms2e Kotokuzan (1-3), Ms3e Ryuo (1-3), Ms3w Chiyonoumi (2-3), Ms4e Tochimusashi (2-2) and Ms4w Hayatefuji (2-2) must win out just to have a chance. Look for the next update tomorrow.

After 6 days and 3 rounds of bouts, let’s take a look at the action in Makushita, where exciting newcomers mix it up with veterans for a shot at the salaried ranks.

As a reminder, the Makushita yusho race is essentially a seven-round single-elimination tournament in which the 120 or so rikishi are reduced by half over two-day rounds until one man with a 7-0 record takes the title (occasionally, same-heya rikishi and other wrinkles throw a wrench into the works, and we end up with a playoff and a 6-1 champion). A 7-0 record from Ms1-Ms15 is a near-guarantee of promotion to Juryo, which otherwise usually requires a winning record from Ms1-Ms5. Three rounds have been completed so far, and we are left with 16 undefeated wrestlers. The next round, unfolding over Days 7 and 8, will reduce the number to 8.

Unlike in many recent basho, Makushita this time around lacks star power in the form of top-division mainstays fighting their way back from injury or suspension (think Terunofuji, Abi, Ryuden, and Asanoyama). The hottest prospect, Ms10TD Onosato, dropped his first bout, so he won’t be joining Ochiai as only the second rikishi to make the leap straight from debut to Juryo. Notable names among the undefeated 3-0 group are Ms2w Ukranian Shishi, several recent prospects including Ms13e Takahashi and Ms23e Kototebakari (Kotoshoho’s younger brother), as well as Onami big brother Ms29w Wakatakamoto.

After only 3 rounds of bouts, all 10 wrestlers in the Ms1-Ms5 promotion zone are still technically in contention for a Juryo spot, but it’s already a long shot for Ms2e Kotokuzan (0-3) and Ms3e Ryuo (1-3), who must win out just to have a chance. Everyone else is either 2-1 or 1-2 aside from Shishi and Ms5e Yuma (3-0); those two fight tomorrow. Recall that at least two promotion spots have been opened up by the retirements of Ichinojo and Tochinoshin; J14w Tsushimanada (1-5), who was extremely fortunate to survive last time, must start winning in a hurry to avoid opening up another. And speaking of struggling veterans, winless J9w Chiyonokuni has to be next on the intai watch.

I’ll try to keep these reports coming every two days or so, as additional rounds of bouts are completed.

A couple of days ago, we set up the Makushita semifinals: Shiden vs. Ryuo and Kayo vs. Kaizen. I had Shiden and Kayo as the favorites, but both lost to their lower-ranked opponents. This eliminates the possibility of a multi-way playoff that was on the table if Ryuo and Kayo won, and also takes Shiden out of the running for Juryo promotion. It’ll be Ms26 Ryuo vs. Ms50 Kaizen, two journeymen who’ve never even reached upper Makushita, facing off for the yusho, with only bragging rights and a bigger jump up the rankings on the line.

The Ms1-Ms5 promotion zone now looks like this:

1. Ms2w Chiyosakae (5-1)
2. Ms3w Kawazoe (4-2)
3. Ms2e Fujiseiun (3-3)
4. Ms3e Tokihayate (3-3)
5. Ms5e Chiyonoumi (3-3)

Chiyosakae is first in the promotion queue and cannot be passed, so he’ll be making an immediate return to Juryo unless there’s absolutely no room. The rest all need to win and hope for losses by others and by endangered Juryo rikishi. I am not sure about the promotion order between Kawazoe and Fujiseiun if both win—is an extra victory worth more than being one and a half rank higher? The only relevant action tomorrow is Fujiseiun taking on Tamashoho up in Juryo; he must win or say goodbye to his promotion hopes.

No slots are open in Juryo as of yet, but J14e Tokushoryu (4-7) must win out to avoid an immediate return to Makushita. The next-most-endangered man is J12e Tochimusashi (4-7), who needs 3. Several others are still looking for a win or two to reach safety, and some may luck out even with borderline records given the dearth of strong promotion cases in third division.