Haru 2024: Day 3 Preview

Josh K Haru 2024

The thing about doing predictions, as we say here: they are always regrettable. Despite that, I feel like I had a pretty good run of things yesterday (apart from the Shodai prediction, and we’ll deal with that soon enough), so I’m back to do it again. You might say I’m drunk with power, and you’d be right. Is it better than being drunk with alcohol? I’m not sure, let’s have a monoii. Someone find Bruce and let us know where he has hidden all of the Kokugikanfukuneko 80 year whiskey.

Is it perverted for us to follow the Miyagino drama on a daily basis? While the Ichimon figures out what to do with the stable and allegedly have been kicking around a variety of ideas which may or may not be compelling and/or agreeable, the rikishi of the beleaguered heya have now posted a collective 6-9 showing, with Hakuoho 2-0 and facing makushita’s juryo flunky Yuma on Day 3.

Day 3 Matches

Takerufuji (2-0) vs Roga (2-0): Roga has won their only matchup. He confounded my expectations yesterday but Takerufuji continues to impress. If all these Ozeki are going to continue to be disgusting then perhaps we can hope for a Maegashira 17 yusho again. Remember those days? They were fun. And weird. And people washed their grocery items before bringing them in the house. OK, let’s not have any more Maegashira 17 yusho.

Myogiryu (2-0) vs Endo (0-2): Two veterans in contrasting fortune and form. Honestly, Endo seems lethargic, I don’t know what’s going on with him. Myogiryu leads this rivalry 12-10, with all 22 bouts coming in the top division. It’s a legitimate question to ask whether the next time they meet will also be in makuuchi. Myogiryu looks better but Endo simply has to win this. I’m sitting on the fence peering through my fingers with one eye closed, it might not be pretty.

Nishikifuji (0-2) vs Daiamami (0-2): I’m not sure Daiamami could beat a drum right now, so of course he’ll probably win this. These guys have an even rivalry at 4 apiece and this match looks like it might take place in the ticket queue for the Natsu Juryo Barge. Nishikifuji’s won the last four so I’ll tempt fate and tip him to take this.

Ryuden (2-0) vs Kitanowaka (0-2): Ryuden’s making me look good with these predictions! All of his trademark tenacity was on show on Day 2, whereas Kitanowaka certainly flopped when I thought he’d have a better time. If Ryuden’s going to be disturbed at this rank, he’s looking like he needs a feisty pusher to get in his grill and really disturb his mawashi game. I don’t know that Kitanowaka has the wherewithal right now to deliver that kind of approach, so I’ll tip the electric dragon to go 3-0.

Churanoumi (1-1) vs Shimazuumi (0-2): Shimazuumi didn’t really put up any kind of meaningful defence against Sadanoumi and I don’t think that bodes well against a high-effort opponent like Churanoumi. These guys have split their six previous encounters evenly. Picking on form you’d say Churanoumi is the favourite here.

Ichiyamamoto (1-1) vs Shonannoumi (1-1): Both of these guys massively shocked me yesterday, none more than Ichiyamamoto who not only was not outclassed but did the outclassing by sending his opponent back to class. He’s won two out of three against Shonannoumi, although Shonannoumi won the more recent encounter. I just feel like if Ichiyamamoto can’t get the thrusting going he’s always going to have a tough time.

Sadanoumi (2-0) vs Mitakeumi (1-1): Mitakeumi made me look smart yesterday for all the wrong reasons. These guys should know each other plenty well from within their related heya, Mitakeumi has a 6-3 advantage but it’s actually a little surprising to me that he’s won the two most recent encounters after his post-Ozeki downfall. Sadanoumi’s going to look to wrap him up and get in under the arms but it’s quite possible that Mitakeumi is a rather awkward opponent for that, due to his body shape. I’ll give Mitakeumi the benefit of the doubt here, provided he’s somewhat genki.

Hokutofuji (0-2) vs Shodai (1-1): Thanks to both of these guys for not making me look smart. First of all, Shodai completely failed to show up for his bout against Ichiyamamoto, which I just find absolutely shocking because on ability he should be completely dominating this area of the banzuke. I’m not brand new, I know you can’t trust Shodai but it was crazy to see him get completely outgunned. Hokutofuji did fulfil my analysis even if he didn’t actually win. I’m going to do something stupid like saying I think Shodai will win again. Hokutofuji has to win from the tachiai, that’s my only caveat. If he can’t get the better of Shodai there, then I think this is Shodai’s match to lose. The form table would agree: Shodai’s won 12 of 16 against Hokutofuji, including their most recent encounter.

Kotoshoho (1-1) vs Takayasu (2-0): Kotoshoho did well to fend off Mitakeumi, but I think this is an altogether tougher challenge. Takayasu looks like he’s in good shape right now, and if he’s on good wheels then watch out. Kotoshoho is technically gifted, but Takayasu is technically gifted and also has the street smarts on the dohyo from his years of experience that I’m not sure the Sadogatake man can match. I think this is Takayasu’s to lose and I wouldn’t be surprised if he leads with a forearm blast.

Kinbozan (1-1) vs Onosho (2-0): Onosho just continues to get the job done, while Kinbozan overextended himself and really looked messy on Day 2. Kinbozan is a tough rikishi to believe in. I know the same accusation can be leveled at Onosho due to his consistency problems but I think he should win this. Both men have taken a match off the other in the two previous meetings.

Tamawashi (0-2) vs Gonoyama (0-2): It’s too early to suggest anyone’s going to have a crisis but at 0-3, you’re not going to want to be the loser of this. Gonoyama won the only previous meeting of these two pusher-thrusters in Nagoya last year. Tamawashi just looks low on energy, so in a match of similar styles I’m going to tip the Osaka man to make it two on the spin against the veteran.

Midorifuji (1-1) vs Tsurugisho (1-1): Midorifuji has a very good record against Tsurugisho at 5-2. Tsurugisho is unbelievably strong, as evidenced by his disposal of Kinbozan on Day 2, but he suffers from mobility problems which are not going to be helpful against a chaos agent like Midorifuji. Curiously, Midorifuji seems to like to go for underarm throws against the big man so we could be in for some bowling action. Can he pickup the spare by knocking out a shimpan?

Onosato (2-0) vs Hiradoumi (1-1): I really thought Hiradoumi would do better against Takanosho but he just got overwhelmed. Speaking of overwhelmed, Onosato’s matches look like he’s taking on guys from several divisions below him at the moment. I think Hiradoumi will bring some more fire to the contest than Onosato is used to seeing, but considering his game revolves around getting both arms inside, it’s tough to see where Onosato is going to give up the lane for him to do that. Onosato seems to lead with an overwhelming tachiai oshi-attack and then switch to the belt if that’s not good enough. He didn’t need the belt yesterday and I suspect he won’t again here. I’ll tip the phenom to run his score up to 3-0.

Oho (1-1) vs Tobizaru (1-1): Some apologies are due to Oho. After the first day, I said his loss was more down to him losing than the opponent winning. I kind of want to put his win on day 2 down to his opponent losing more than him winning. But he got the job done, and was able to relentlessly execute his pushing attack. Tobizaru is such a tough customer. These guys haven’t met in a couple years, Tobizaru won the only prior match. Oho has to win this kind of match to give himself any chance of hanging around the joi but it’s hard for me to tip against Tobizaru here, so I won’t.

Takanosho (1-1) vs Wakamotoharu (2-0): Both of these guys were really, really impressive on Day 2. Wakamotoharu is going to try and land the early belt grip while Takanosho wants to move forward with both arms inside. Wakamotoharu is experienced and knows these matches against the rank and file are crucial, especially now that the guys around him have all dropped poor results. Takanosho has beaten him all three times they’ve met, but those were all in the lower divisions and Wakamotoharu is a much stronger rikishi now. I think he’ll put dirt on Takanosho for the first time and stay unbeaten.

Daieisho (0-2) vs Abi (2-0): Well, I didn’t see that coming from Daieisho. We saw on Day 2 what happens when he goes up against a pusher-thruster who’s in better shape than him, and the bad news for him is he now gets an even better pusher-thruster who’s in better shape and more impressive form in Abi. I did call Abi’s upset win on Day 2. The angle of attack is crucial in this match because Daieisho tends to thrust at an upward angle which could be effective against a tall rikishi like Abi who presents a good target. These guys have a very even rivalry at 11-10 in Daieisho’s favour. I fancy Abi to even the count in this Saitama Derby.

Atamifuji (1-1) vs Hoshoryu (1-1): The numbers suggested perhaps Hoshoryu might have some issues yesterday but I always just felt he was the overwhelming favourite against someone whose style played into his hands. Atamifuji has also caused him some problems historically. On the one hand I felt he was very impressive to beat Kirishima, but on the other hand you can look into the future and see him getting rolled off the dohyo by a table-turning throw from the Ozeki. I would like to see Atamifuji defy logic here, but I think again this is the Ozeki’s match to lose.

Kirishima (0-2) vs Ura (1-1): OK, well, there goes the yusho call for Kirishima. I feel like when nothing is going your way, the last guy you want to see is Captain Kooky, the friendly contortionist in the sakura loincloth who’s come to embarrass everyone. Ura is the reason why no one really wants this AI future: because humans are at their best when they can be creative and unpredictable. So why bother even predicting this? Let’s just enjoy it.

Nishikigi (1-1) vs Kotonowaka (1-1): Kotonowaka’s first loss as an Ozeki will have come as some shock, even though it was to a seasoned opponent. He’s not going to have it all his own way. That being said, Nishikigi doesn’t have an especially good record against him at 2-5. Nishikigi’s solid, calm, dependable sumo is a great counterpoint to some opponents who bring rough edges, but Kotonowaka might be the closest Ozeki we’ve seen in terms of style to Kisenosato since he vacated the rank. I think Kotonowaka will want to set the record straight and bounce back with a win in this one.

Takakeisho (1-1) vs Meisei (1-1): Meisei has had mixed results against the Sekiwake and now starts his run through the Ozeki with Daieisho’s loss to Oho making Meisei’s lone win now seem a little less impressive. Meisei is a capable pusher-thruster, but I do think he’s better when he’s able to get at least one arm inside and hustle his opponent. Takakeisho’s whole thing is that he’s not interested in close contact, so I’d make the Ozeki a narrow favourite to pick up a very important win.

Terunofuji (1-1) vs Asanoyama (1-1): The Yokozuna has won all six prior meetings, although they haven’t met in a year and in that time his fitness has raised renewed question marks. This was a bout that before the tournament I raised as a potential kinboshi. The problem for Asanoyama is he has to be better than the Yokozuna while taking him on at his strength, because Asanoyama is an even more extreme yotsu-zumo rikishi than the Yokozuna. Historically, he has not been better strength-to-strength, and if he even tries to take him on with some rough sumo, the Yokozuna’s also better than him at that. So it really just boils down to Terunofuij’s fitness. I’m not totally convinced on that front whether he can last the 15 days, despite his angry despatching of Ura on Day 2, and I think this will be much more stern examination of his durability and chances of going the distance.

Haru 2024, Day 2 Highlights

Andy Haru 2024, Haru Basho

We all got a bit of a rough start yesterday, especially our Ozeki and Yokozuna. There were sloppy bouts up-and-down the torikumi, though. So, the desire today is for some good, clean sumo. I would like to take today’s successful voyage of the Takarabune as a good omen. Patience paid off and Takarafuji picked up his first white star of the tournament. 13 more to go!

Makuuchi Highlights

Takerufuji (2-0) defeated Endo (0-2). Josh saw the writing on the wall. Takerufuji was the better wrestler today but Endo put in quite the effort. He was overpowered from the start, however. Once he forced Endo to the edge, Takerufuji kept up the pressure until he blasted Endo into the crowd for some fansa. Yorikiri.

Myogiryu (2-0) defeated Daiamami (0-2). Another Josh call, here. Daiamami is out of his depth against a wily veteran like Myogiryu. He gave a great effort but Myogiryu quickly twisted and rolled Daiamami along the floor. Makiotoshi.

Myogiryu will battle Endo on Day 3.

Roga (2-0) defeated Kitanowaka (0-2). These two had a great belt battle. As they seemed to settle, Roga quickly launched his attack and threw Kitanowaka (and himself) to the clay. Gunbai to Roga. Shitatenage.

Roga will face Takerufuji tomorrow.

Ryuden (2-0) defeated Nishikifuji (0-2). Plenty of desire from Ryuden today. Nishikifuji’s just happy Ryuden didn’t leave any on the silk. Nishikifuji kept Ryuden off of his belt for the first 20-30 seconds with a rumbling oshi-brawl. It’s difficult to keep that pace, however, and Ryuden eventually locked in on Nishikifuji’s belt. In a thrilling back-and-forth yotsu battle, Ryuden was able to lurch Nishikifuji toward the bales and nearly threw him before finally working him over the tawara. Yorikiri.

Nishikifuji will take on Daiamami and Ryuden draws Kitanowaka.

Shonannoumi (1-1) defeated Churanoumi (1-1). Shonannoumi immobilized Churanoumi’s left arm by locking it up at the shoulder. He then pressed forward and forced Churanoumi out. Yorikiri.

Sadanoumi (2-0) defeated Shimazuumi (0-2). Shimazuumi had the start but Sadanoumi had the finish. Shimazuumi launched into Sadanoumi at the tachiai. Sadanoumi, though, was able to lock Shimazuumi up and drive forward and over the bales. Yorikiri.

Shimazuumi will face Churanoumi on Day 3.

Ichiyamamoto (1-1) defeated Shodai (1-1). Ichiyamamoto sumo at its finest. Shodai was not very good at all today as Ichiyamamoto waylaid him. Tsukidashi.

Ichiyamamoto should be a favorite against Shonannoumi.

Kotoshoho (1-1) defeated Mitakeumi (1-1). Kotoshoho brought it today, data be damned. Mitakeumi still loses on Day 2 and he lost quickly, today. Yorikiri.

So much for “Day 1-2-3” Mitakeumi! With Day 3 left, if there’s an upset in the cards, maybe Mitakeumi winning against the solid and undefeated Sadanoumi?

Onosho (2-0) defeated Hokutofuji (0-2). Hokutofuji caught out on the false start. Yorikiri.

Hokutofuji will face Shodai. My hands in the air on that one. These guys can win or lose in spectacular – or not so spectacular – fashion. Shodai owns the rivalry, 12-4 but it’s rare to think of him as such a heavy favorite.

Takayasu (2-0) defeated Tamawashi (0-2). Neither really budged with the oshi-battle, the pair worked to a stalemate at the center of the ring. Takayasu had more tools up his sleeve than Tamawashi, and twisted him down. Uwatenage.

Takayasu will take on Kotoshoho on Day 3.

Tsurugisho (1-1) defeated Kinbozan (1-1). One swift lift and twist. And suddenly, Kinbozan found himself standing outside the ring. Impressive strength and planning from Tsurugisho. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan will face Onosho tomorrow in an interesting bout.

Halftime

Onosato (2-0) defeated Gonoyama (0-2). Dominance. Yorikiri.

Gonoyama will face Tamawashi. One of these guys will get his first win.

Midorifuji (1-1) defeated Tobizaru (1-1). Midorifuji won this at the tachiai, forcing the action into Tobizaru’s half of the dohyo. The two brawled for a bit before Tobizaru got the brilliant idea to try a pulldown from his half of the dohyo. With no space to reverse, Midorifuji just needed to stay on his feet and did just that. Oshidashi.

Midorifuji will face Tsurugisho. If Tsurugisho gets to use that strength and doesn’t have to chase much, he could pick up the win. Midorifuji has won five of their seven bouts, though.

Takanosho (1-1) defeated Hiradoumi (1-1). Hiradoumi yanked on Takanosho’s arm at the tachiai but Takanosho freed himself and then launched his own blistering tsuppari attack. Takanosho’s tsuppari kept Hiradoumi in reverse and shoved him over the bales. Oshidashi.

Hiradoumi will take on Onosato in their first-ever meeting. I wonder if Hiradoumi will amount to anything but a speed bump on Onosato’s way to the head of the leaderboard.

Sanyaku

Oho (1-1) defeated Daieisho (0-2). Daieisho laid into Oho from the tachiai. That’s no surprise. But the shock here is that Oho dished it back at him, drove him back across the fighting surface and out. Tsukidashi.

Oho will face Tobizaru.

Wakamotoharu (2-0) defeated Meisei (1-1). Wakamotoharu made it seven. Meisei tried to throw Wakamotoharu a couple of times and hefted WMH onto one leg each time. But each time WMH remained upright and then pressed forward until he pressed Meisei out. Yoritaoshi.

Wakamotoharu will face Takanosho on Day 3.

Atamifuji (1-1) defeated Kirishima (0-2). Nothing really special from Atamifuji here. He just pressed forward. Kirishima locked in with a right-hand belt grip but when he tried to pull Atamifuji down, he stood up to get the leverage. Atamifuji just bulled forward into the upright Ozeki. Yorikiri.

Asanoyama (1-1) defeated Kotonowaka (1-1). Asanoyama hit Kotonowaka with a powerful tachiai and forced the ozeki to the edge of the dohyo. From one foot inside the bales, Kotonowaka tries a hatakikomi? This was the same desperate mistake we saw from Tobizaru earlier but more egregious. The shin-Ozeki basically handed the bout to Asanoyama there. Oshidashi.

Abi (2-0) defeated Takakeisho (1-1). Abi launched into Takakeisho and forced the Ozeki back deep into his side of the ring. From here, Takakeisho resisted Abi’s blows and charged forward. But it was a feint. Abi cycled back along the tawara as Takakeisho toppled forward. Uwatenage. He did have his left hand on Takakeisho’s belt, pulling forward, so I guess that overrides the right hand pushing down from his head? Whether it’s a slapdown or a throw, it’s the same result: upset!

Abi will face Daieisho tomorrow. Circle that bout. Takakeisho will get Meisei.

Hoshoryu (1-1) defeated Nishikigi (1-1). Thank God, we’ve got an Ozeki who can win today. Nishikigi put in a hell of an effort. He reached deep and locked onto the back of Hoshoryu’s mawashi. But Hoshoryu would not allow him to get that right hand inside. Hoshoryu pressed forward as Nishikigi tried to circle backwards. Hoshoryu overpowered Nishikigi and forced him out. Yorikiri.

Hoshoryu will face Atamifuji while Nishikigi takes on Kotonowaka.

Terunofuji (1-1) defeated Ura (1-1). Ura reached for the Yokozuna’s jewels and the Yokozuna took exception. He also took Ura’s arm and did not relinquish said appendage until Ura was safely on his way out. Oshitaoshi.

Terunofuji gets Asanoyama. Though Terunofuji is undefeated against the former Ozeki, he has shown cracks in his form. Meanwhile, Ura will be an interesting and dangerous opponent for Kirishima. Kirishima already stands on a knife’s edge with two losses during the easy part of his schedule. Ura, whom he’s defeated seven times, should be a piece of cake. However, he has not looked good since Terunofuji banished him from the dohyo in January. He must turn things around.

Wrap-up

Today’s lesson: if you value your life, don’t go reach anywhere near Terunofuji’s junk. Also, do not attempt a pulldown or slapdown from your half of the dohyo. You need real estate for reverse. While you might be able to do something, like Abi, where you skirt the dohyogiwa, your angular momentum cannot be perpendicular to the tawara! It’s physics, folks!

Haru 2024: Day 2 Preview

Josh K Haru 2024

Hello all, a break here from my strange and exotic thought experiments of shuffling oyakata around to bring you some prognostication. If this is unintelligible, it’s because I woke up in the middle of the night thinking of sumo and then decided to just bang out a Day 2 preview. My insomnia, my pain, your pleasure.

And for those of you on Miyagino-watch, it seems the tales out of the heya that Hakuho’s beleaguered rikishi corps may not be ready for showtime have received an emphatic confirmation: the heya went 2-7 on Day 1.

Day 2 Matches

Endo (0-1) vs Takerufuji (1-0): Takerufuji looks like he’s picked up from where he left off in the previous basho, while Endo was very disappointing on shonichi. This could be another win for the youngster, in a first ever matchup between the two.

Myogiryu (1-0) vs Daiamami (0-1): If the fixture list continues to fall advantageously for the veteran, Myogiryu could well get most of the work done towards his kachi-koshi in week 1. Daiamami continues to look overmatched at this level, and Myogiryu is generally the much speedier rikishi even at his advanced age, so I’ll tip the veteran here.

Roga (1-0) vs Kitanowaka (0-1): I think both end the day 1-1 after this match. Kitanowaka has beaten Roga in 4 out of 5 previous matches, and I think he’ll be keen to bounce back from the slapdown loss to Myogiryu yesterday. Roga did well to knock off Endo, but not every opponent will be as compliant.

Ryuden (1-0) vs Nishikifuji (0-1): I said before the basho that Ryuden is madly inconsistent but at his best, very few are more tenacious in the dohyo. He proved that yesterday with one of his classic digging-deep wins and he appears to be in rude health. Nishikifuji fans might be worried by the manner in which it appears he was just outfought by an opponent who looked like he wanted it more. That’s not really a good recipe up against Ryuden who, insert joke here, never lacks desire. I’m tipping the Takadagawa man.

Shonannoumi (0-1) vs Churanoumi (1-0): I can never remember where to put the N’s in Shonannoumi’s name and that’s the most interesting thing I have to say about him. Churanoumi did well up against Nishikifuji yesterday. This is probably a coin flip but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Churanoumi take it again, seeing as he tends to start tournaments better than he finishes them. This is their sixth meeting, Churanoumi has won 3 of the previous 5.

Shimazuumi (0-1) vs Sadanoumi (1-0): Shimazuumi won their only previous encounter, perhaps he’ll become a weird bogey opponent for Sadanoumi. The veteran just keeps doing his thing, I don’t think we have a big enough sample size to call this one and I’m still trying to figure out what to make of Shimazuumi in the top division.

Shodai (1-0) vs Ichiyamamoto (0-1): Shodai is way too good for this part of the banzuke but even with that, I was impressed with the calmness and the manner of his victory on shonichi. Ichiyamamoto is going to need to bring more than he did against Mitakeumi but Shodai’s non-tachiai will require Ichiyamamoto to be at the top of his thrusting game to defeat the ex-Ozeki. This is a first ever meeting, and Ichiyamamoto has the ability to win but I just think Shodai is too good here.

Mitakeumi (1-0) vs Kotoshoho (0-1): I was desperately disappointed with the manner of Kotoshoho’s loss on Day 1, but on the contrary, Mitakeumi’s win didn’t tell us all that much. He got up and running with one big deflection and shove. I can see Kotoshoho taking this match, just as he’s taken 2 of 3. This version of Mitakeumi doesn’t have the best stamina and I think Kotoshoho, while he has been lacking a bit in the technicals, is certainly able to draw out a fight.

Onosho (1-0) vs Hokutofuji (0-1): Hokutofuji got a bit unlucky with the identity of his day 1 opponent, and I don’t think this is particularly helpful either. I’m backing him to kickstart his basho with a win against Onosho, though. Onosho looked pretty good yesterday, but while they are both extreme pusher-thrusters, Hokutofuji has done more to develop his ability to defend and extend matches. This will be their 20th head to head and the recent history mostly favours Onosho, but I just fancy Hokutofuji here.

Takayasu (1-0) vs Tamawashi (0-1): Takayasu probably already had his most difficult match of the first week against Hokutofuji and I thought he did very well. Tamawashi, on the other hand, looked a bit defenseless in defeat. I can see Takayasu going on one of his patented week 1 blitzes. He just about edges the long rivalry (19-17 excluding a fusensho), and I could see this being a bit of a rough and tumble bout between the two veterans.

Tsurugisho (0-1) vs Kinbozan (1-0): Tsurugisho’s taken 4 of 6 previous bouts against the Kazakhstani Kinbozan. He doesn’t appear to be in great health, although I can see this being a more challenging belt match following both of their bouts up against thrusters on day 1. If Tsurugisho gets a solid grip it’s going to be difficult for Kinbozan, but it’s also just so hard to back against the healthier rikishi when one of them is constantly hobbled.

Gonoyama (0-1) vs Onosato (1-0): Onosato seems to win most of his bouts without having to get out of first or second gear, which is a scary prospect. I thought Gonoyama had a good start against Kinbozan but went all out on offense and paid the price. It reminded me of his shisho. This is a first ever meeting, and I think Gonoyama can get the better of Onosato, but he wouldn’t be the odds on favourite to do so. I think this will be a quick bout, and while Onosato might want to go to the belt, he’s probably not going to get a chance to do so.

Tobizaru (1-0) vs Midorifuji (0-1): Midorifuji leads the rivalry of the two speedsters 5-3. These guys love to “run all over the dohyo” so we could be in for a wet & wild time. Someone might knock over the salt bucket, fall into a shimpan, or even better yet, knock the gyoji into the salt bucket which sprays all over a shimpan. I don’t know how you call this, but all eight matches they’ve fought have been won by eight different kimarite so it will be interesting to see if they can keep that run going and provide us with something spectacular.

Hiradoumi (1-0) vs Takanosho (0-1): Hiradoumi might have had the most impressive win on Day 1 if it weren’t for the late flurry of upsets. Their rivalry is split 2-2, which makes some sense given that both of these guys want their arms in and under the other guy’s armpits in order to march out their opponent. This will almost certainly be won or lost at the tachiai, and it’s hard to bet against Hiradoumi if he can keep up the form we saw yesterday.

Daieisho (0-1) vs Oho (0-1): I suspected Oho would be in for a tough basho as it looked like he’ll be outclassed in the joi, and Day 1 provided an indication of that. I did not, however, suspect that Daieisho would cough up a win so easily. These guys are both pusher-thrusters, although after 13 top division tournaments I’m still a bit lost to understand what exactly Oho’s specialist skill is going to be. These guys largely play the same game, and as long as Daieisho can remain upright, he’s the more skilled rikishi and should win this comfortably.

Meisei (1-0) vs Wakamotoharu (1-0): Meisei’s victory against Daieisho reminded me of the kind of wins Daieisho got in his yusho tournament when he obliterated the san’yaku. Wakamotoharu beat Oho in an oshi-zumo bout which was probably more sad for Oho than it was impressive for Wakamotoharu, and this may be more of a belt battle against an all-rounder in Meisei. Meisei has a chance to be a real surprise package in this tournament, but until he racks up a few more wins he’ll still be the underdog in these matches. Wakamotoharu’s beaten him all six times they’ve lined up.

Kirishima (0-1) vs Atamifuji (0-1): These guys both lost awfully on the first day. I tipped Kirishima for a yusho so if he can’t figure this one out I’m going to have a lot of onsen egg on my face. Both of their bouts went so wrong that it’s kind of difficult to take anything from it. Kirishima’s beaten Atamifuji twice in two attempts, and while I think the youngster will come good at this level, the Ozeki is going to be motivated to sort his form out early.

Asanoyama (0-1) vs Kotonowaka (1-0): I don’t really think there’s much shame in Asanoyama losing to a half-fit Takakeisho if only because they have two wildly contrasting styles and Takakeisho’s won the day. Kotonowaka on the other hand has developed in a very competent fighter on the mawashi. It will be a real test for the shin-Ozeki up against the former Ozeki, as Kotonowaka hasn’t been able to win either of their previous meetings (although to be totally fair, one of those meetings was 8 years ago in Sandanme). Kotonowaka will find this tougher than his match against Atamifuji and it may tell us a lot about his prospects at the Ozeki rank.

Takakeisho (1-0) vs Abi (1-0): Very impressed with both of these guys after the first day. The two have a fairly even rivalry which slightly favours Abi, although Takakeisho has won the last three meetings. I think that run will come to a halt as this looks like a potential upset. Abi’s ring sense looked very good against Kirishima, whereas Takakeisho’s fitness is just a lingering question. Against someone with top mobility, it could be a liability. Of course, Abi could always fall to slippiotoshi, but I just have a sneaking suspicion about the Komusubi in this match.

Nishikigi (1-0) vs Hoshoryu (0-1): Nishikigi was unbelievable in his first bout, calm, composed, aggressive but not reckless. Unfortunately, what Ura showed us is that to beat Hoshoryu, you do need to take risks. Somewhat surprisingly, Nishikigi has beaten Hoshoryu four times in a row (with the Ozeki winning the first three of their seven meetings), but I just think his style plays into the Ozeki’s hands. I do think the Ozeki will arrive angry and when he loses one, he does tend to lose two. That’s the only thing that gives me pause about tipping Hoshoryu to win: he’s also only started 4 of his previous 36 basho with an 0-2 record, and I just can’t see it this time.

Terunofuji (0-1) vs Ura (1-0): This match will have real consequences. Ura won in outstanding fashion against Hoshoryu on shonichi, and he has at least beaten the Yokozuna once for a kinboshi in seven attempts. Terunofuji’s inability to put away Nishikigi when it looked like he had the match won was a real worry. If he can’t beat Ura quickly, he’s going to be in big trouble. The Yokozuna should be able to win this handily but Ura doesn’t usually give him an easy ride. If the Yokozuna drops to 0-2, he could make a quick exit from the basho which could completely change the context of the yusho race. He’s still the presumptive favourite until he’s not, as he chases dai-Yokozuna status.

Haru 2024: Day One Highlights

Andy Haru 2024, Haru Basho

It’s sumo time! Unfortunately, there’s a lot of drama leading into this tournament. The media is doing the boys of Miyagino-beya no favors by reporting on proposed plans, rather than waiting for details and implementation. Indeed, Takemaru, Otani, Onokura, Nishikiori, Ishii, and Kenyu picked up black stars on Day One. Only Kurokage and the protégée, Hakuoho, earned white stars today for Miyagino-beya.

Whatever Kaio and Isegahama-Ichimon have in store, they’re certainly not executing it in the best interest of these boys. As of today’s action, these boys are still being introduced as being a part of “Miyagino-beya.” If anything changes, officially, I will report on it when the details are known. Yesterday, here outside of Washington, DC, we had a dreary day yesterday, culminating in a wicked thunderstorm. Rather odd for this time of year but it sure seemed appropriate.

In Juryo, the Takarabune charted a new course in new seas to an inauspicious start. Everything looked great as they left the dock and navigated the narrow channel to reach the open waters of Tokihayate Bay. Right there at the edge the winds shifted and the waters got rough. The rudder snapped and the Takarabune got itself spun around and eventually ran aground. Tokihayate Bay 1 – Takarabune 0.

Makuuchi Highlights

Takerufuji defeated Daiamami. Takerufuji locked in at the tachiai with a strong righthand grip of Daiamami’s belt and his left hand inside Daiamami’s armpit. Even with that solid grip, he faced a tough task to move the girth of Daiamami. So, he suddenly shifted left and pulled Daiamami forward. Once he got behind Daiamami, he forced him out from behind. Plaudits from none other than Wakanohana for the Okuridashi.

Roga defeated Endo. Solid tachiai, both men reached in for a belt grip. Endo tried to drive forward but could not make progress. Instead Roga walked Endo backwards and out. Yorikiri.

Endo (0-1) will face Takerufuji (1-0) tomorrow.

Myogiryu defeated Kitanowaka. No belts needed here. Kitanowaka tried to reach in with his left but Myogiryu pulled back. The first attempt didn’t work but Kitanowaka pressed forward, Myogiryu tried a second slapdown which worked.  Hatakikomi.

Myogiryu (1-0) will face Daiamami (0-1) tomorrow. Kitanowaka (0-1) will take on Roga (1-0).

Churanoumi defeated Nishikifuji in a wild brawl. Nishikifuji set the tone and laid into Churanoumi with fierce tsuppari. He tried a kotenage and slung Churanoumi around. Churanoumi finally gained the advantage by shoving Nishikifuji’s right shoulder and getting him off balance. A few more shoves and he was out. Oshidashi.

Ryuden defeated Shimazuumi. Shimazuumi secured a morozashi, double-inside belt grip but was unable to press forward or move Ryuden. Instead, Ryuden used his double-over arm grip to twist Shimazuumi down. Uwatenage.

Ryuden (1-0) will take on Nishikifuji (0-1) on Day 2.

Sadanoumi defeated Shonannoumi. Shonannoumi tried a kotenage but Sadanoumi pressed forward and forced Shonannoumi out. Yorikiri.

Shonannoumi (0-1) will face Churanoumi (1-0). Sadanoumi (1-0) will face Shimazuumi (0-1).

Mitakeumi dismissed Ichiyamamoto with immediate effect. Mitakeumi pressed forward into Ichiyamamoto’s left shoulder and drove forward. Oshidashi.

Shodai defeated Kotoshoho. Shodai spun Kotoshoho around after the tachiai and drove him forward and out.

Shodai (1-0) will face Ichiyamamoto (0-1) on Day 2. Kotoshoho (0-1) will take on Mitakeumi (1-0). The former Ozeki brought the funk today. Hopefully Ichiyamamoto and Kotoshoho will regroup for tomorrow.

Takayasu defeated Hokutofuji. This was a great oshi bout that demonstrated Takayasu’s strength. Hokutofuji was unable to press forward through Takayasu. He kept applying more forward pressure. Takayasu was patient and waited for that momentum to build. Then he struck, at the perfect time to slip to the side and slap Hokutofuji down. Hatakikomi.

Onosho defeated Tamawashi Matta. Tamawashi is eager to get this going. But Onosho brought the power today and shoved Tamawashi. Oshidashi.

Onosho (1-0) will face Hokutofuji (0-1) tomorrow; Tamawashi (0-1) will take on Takayasu (1-0) in a battle of grizzled vets.

Kinbozan defeated Gonoyama. Gonoyama was the aggressor and brought a great fight to Kinbozan. He had the advantage and forced Kinbozan to the edge but Kinbozan suddenly whipped Gonoyama to the ground with a lightning-quick uwatenage.

Halftime

Onosato defeated Tsurugisho. Tsurugisho was far too high. He was thinking “pull” from the start of this bout but Onosato was not falling for it. Instead, Onosato moved with Tsurugisho and simply pressed him out at the tawara. Yorikiri.

Onosato (1-0) will pair off with Gonoyama (0-1) on Day 2; Tsurugisho (0-1) will face Kinbozan (1-0).

Hiradoumi defeated Midorifuji. Hiradoumi hit Midorifuji so hard at the tachiai that Midorifuji was half way to Ohio. Wow. Tsukidashi.

Tobizaru defeated Takanosho. Takanosho nearly got Tobizaru with a slapdown. Tobizaru maintained his balance and continued to be the real aggressor here. Eventually, Tobizaru shoved Takanosho out. Oshidashi.

Tobizaru (1-0) will face Midorifuji (0-1). Hiradoumi (1-0) will face Takanosho (0-1).

Sanyaku

Wakamotoharu defeated Oho. Oho drove forward with such confidence…and then completely gave up the shop with a lousy pull. Wakamotoharu stayed alert and just pressed Oho over the bales. The first two seconds of this bout was forward moving sumo, worth a sanyaku bout. Then Oho just quit. A shame. Oshidashi.

Meisei defeated Daieisho. Balance is the bane of Daieisho’s existence. He got his attack going but Meisei shifted three times before finally forcing Daieisho to fall forward. Tsukiotoshi.

Meisei (1-0) will face Wakamotoharu (1-0); Daieisho (0-1) will regroup against Oho (0-1). Oho’s key strategy may play well against Daieisho, or he’ll get blown out of the water. We’ll see.

Kotonowaka defeated Atamifuji. Kotonowaka brought his big left hand up behind Atamifuji’s head and slapped him down. Quick win. Hatakikomi.

Takakeisho defeated Asanoyama. Another quick win but the worrying sign is that Takakeisho was in reverse this bout. His big guns and that vicious tsuppari were absent. Hatakikomi.

Asanoyama (0-1) will try to regroup against Kotonowaka (1-0).

Ura defeated Hoshoryu. The upset! Hoshoryu moved in for the kill but Ura circled away and pulled him down. Katasukashi.

Abi defeated Kirishima. Abi-zumo at its most effective, a simple one-two. One, drive forward. Two pull down. Hikiotoshi.

Abi (1-0) will try to keep the momentum going against Takakeisho (1-0); Kirishima (0-1) and Atamifuji (0-1) both need to knock that ring rust off before tomorrow’s bout.

Nishikigi defeated Terunofuji. Nishikigi drove into Terunofuji at the tachiai. Terunofuji corralled him, though, and pressed him to the bales. Nishikigi had a taste with that initial charge so he did not want to give in. He pressed back into the Yokozuna and both men changed grips. But Terunofuji was too high by this point. Nishikigi had position, and leverage and now – morozashi. Nishikigi drove forward and walked the Yokozuna out. Yorikiri.

Nishikigi (1-0) might see Hoshoryu (0-1) as vulnerable. And Ura (1-0) will hope to score another big win, the biggest, against Terunofuji.

Wrap-up

Well, we ended the day with some surprises here. The guys who had a rather strong start to the year fell out of the gate, with the exception of Kotonowaka. Yes, Takakeisho won but he holstered the big guns against his large opponent and opted for backwards moving sumo. I wonder if we get a glorious double-henka tomorrow when he faces Abi.

My twitter followers may remember this little poll that I ran during the past week.

Things didn’t turn out as expected, did they? You may have even wondered what in the heck was Mitakeumi doing here in this poll. He seemed not to fit among the others. I do have a chart that I want to share with you.

What you’re looking here is a graph by match day of wins minus losses (bouts in Makuuchi/Juryo only). More losses than wins results in a bar that dips below the axis. No bar means even wins and losses. I also put the number of bouts there (“n = x”). The conclusion? Mitakeumi isn’t just Mr. Shonichi. He seems to be Mr. First-Three-Days — before he falls off the rails a bit to come back on Senshuraku. Kinda funny, no?

I couldn’t have planned this better. Each of the other three guys lost. Terunofuji usually wins, with a differential of 12 out of 48 bouts. Shonichi is clearly not his strongest day, though. Daieisho seems to be strongest on senshuraku. For Asanoyama, though, Shonichi is usually his money day, with a whopping 24 wins to 6 losses. So I had expected Asanoyama to still put in a better showing than he did. He was facing an Ozeki, though. But with Mitakeumi so far down the banzuke, I just thought you all would have been interested in that little stat. Kotoshoho might want to do a little extra study if he hopes to win tomorrow.

At least sumo is back. If we get a Meisei yusho, I’m going to laugh.