Abi

Natsu 2025: Day Four Highlights

Andy Natsu 2025, Natsu Basho , ,

No news from the infirmary today. No new kyujo and no one returning.

Hoshoryu suffered his first loss. Will Oho take advantage of this and make an early charge for the yusho? Onosato will surely have something to say about that. Can Kotozakura turn things around and start winning on a regular basis? If any rank-and-filers make a charge this tournament, it may be Nishikigi’s turn as he finally seems healthy and is ranked lower than usual. But overall, a lot of the new crop of young guns are doing well. Thankfully, Onosato and Daieisho seem to be holding things down in sanyaku. Let’s get to today’s action.

NHK Videos are here: Juryo; Makuuchi Part I and Part II.

Makuuchi Action

Asakoryu (3-1) defeated Kayo (0-4). Kayo moved forward today but Asakoryu played the positional game well. Asakoryu rotated toward the center of the ring, grabbed Kayo and forced him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Nishikigi (4-0) defeated Fujiseiun (1-3). Nishikigi is having a great start against these low rankers. He drew Fujiseiun toward the bales and then executed a beautiful throw by rotating his body and dragging Fujiseiun over his right shoulder. “I bet you thought you were winning.” Amiuchi.

Ryuden (2-2) defeated Tamashoho (1-3). Ryuden got a double inside grip and started to press Tamashoho toward the bales. Tamashoho had to lift up a bit to shift his grip and work his left hand inside Ryuden’s right.  Yorikiri.

Tochitaikai (3-1) defeated Shonannoumi (1-3). Shonannoumi tried to drive forward and shove Tochitaikai out but Tochitaikai did well to dance along the bales and push Shonannoumi down. Tsukiotoshi.

Sadanoumi (2-2) defeated Tokihayate (2-2). Sadanoumi got his powerful left hand inside, right hand outside grip and charged ahead. Yorikiri.

Roga (3-1) defeated Takanosho (2-2). Roga pulled quickly after the tachiai and slid toward his left, slapping Takanosho to the ground. This is what I was talking about yesterday with Oho and Endo. Endo pulled back straight but Oho rotated to stay in the center. Roga stayed safely in bounds by rotating well to his left and forcing Takanosho to over extend. Hatakikomi.

Endo (4-0) defeated Shishi (0-4). Endo performed a beautiful disappearing act at the edge, leaping to his right as Shishi stumbled past. The gyoji did not see that Shishi’s right foot had gone over the bales and touched out, so the wrestlers kept going. Shishi eventually forced Endo over the bales. Gunbai Shishi. The head shimpan raised his hand and called a mono-ii to reverse the call. Hatakikomi.

Atamifuji (3-1) defeated Shodai (2-2). Shodai must have thought he could pull off Nishikigi’s throw but Atamifuji was having none of it. Atamifuji pressed forward and forced Shodai over the edge. Yorikiri.

Aonishiki defeated Meisei. The two wrestlers engaged in a great brawl with powerful tsuppari. Meisei shifted left and bumped Aonishiki, forcing the Ukrainian to stumble forward, perilously close to the bales. As Meisei pursued, Aonishiki seized his belt with his right hand and spun Meisei down to the ground. Beautifuji move. Uwatedashinage.

Kinbozan (2-2) defeated Midorifuji (0-4). Midorifuji with a bit of a henka at the tachiai but Kinbozan adjusted well. Midorifuji attempted his signature katasukashi but Kinbozan slipped his grip. Kinbozan kept up his own thrusting attack with excellent footwork and shoved Midorifuji into the crowd. Tsukidashi.

Hakuoho (4-0) defeated Onokatsu (2-2). Hakuoho acquired a moro-zashi, double inside belt grip, and pressed Onokatsu straight back and out. Yorikiri.

Halftime

Tobizaru (3-1) defeated Churanoumi (1-3). Churanoumi engaged Tobizaru in his preferred shoulder-thrusting attack. The two repeatedly backed up and pounded into each other. As Churanoumi charged forward, Tobizaru backed to his right and slapped Churanoumi down. Hatakikomi.

Oshoma (2-2) defeated Ura (0-4). Oshoma kept his hands at the back of Ura’s head and on his shoulders. After a brief oshi tussle, Ura settled at the center of the ring. Oshoma pressed down hard and slapped Ura down. Ura rolled with a flourish, as is his wont. Hatakikomi.

Ichiyamamoto (2-2) defeated Chiyoshoma (0-4). Ichiyamamoto sumo, the extended version. Chiyoshoma did what he could to stay in bounds and try to pull Ichiyamamoto down. But Ichiyamamoto maintained excellent ring presence and footwork, eventually working Chiyoshoma back to the edge and over. I’m not sure why Chiyoshoma did not try to engage on the belt. Ichiyamamoto seemed game and tried to grab for Chiyoshoma’s belt halfway through their battle. Chiyoshoma was of one mind, retreat. It did not go well. Yoritaoshi.

Tamawashi (2-2) defeated Gonoyama (0-4). Tamawashi finished Gonoyama with a slapdown after a great brawl. Gonoyama seemed to have little energy in the tank at the end. Hatakikomi.

Sanyaku

Wakatakakage (3-1) defeated Takerufuji (3-1). Takerufuji locked in on Wakatakakage with a left hand over arm grip. But he was fixated on moving backward and slapping WTK down. WTK pressed his way inside, got a morozashi, and used Takerufuji’s momentum to drive him back and out. Yorikiri.

Daieisho (4-0) defeated Takayasu (1-3). Unfazed by Takayasu’s shoulder blasts and tsuppari, Daieisho pressed forward and shoved Takayasu back and out. Oshidashi.

Kirishima (3-1) defeated Hiradoumi (2-2). After a strong initial charge, Hiradoumi pulled. Kirishima went with the momentum shift and bulldozed Hiradoumi, chasing him through the ring and blasting him over the edge, into the crowd. Oshidashi.

Onosato (4-0) defeated Oho (3-1). All of that stuff about Oho moving forward…forget it. Onosato brought his overwhelming power and forced Oho into a rethink. At the edge, Oho tried to pull but Onosato’s footwork was on point and he shoved Oho out. Oshidashi.

Kotozakura (2-2) defeated Wakamotoharu (0-4). Kotozakura’s initial backward step elicited a loud cry in our household, “What the hell are you doing?!?!” Half a world away, Kotozakura immediately realized he had done wrong, stopped, and pressed forward, driving Wakamotoharu out. The power of television. Yorikiri.

Abi defeated Hoshoryu. “Purple Rain, Purple Rain.” Abi-zumo. An strong initial shove followed by a pull and the Yokozuna fell hard into the dirt. Hikiotoshi.

Wrap-up

OK. The bouts you have to watch from the NHK videos are Nishikigi’s throw and Aonishiki’s escape. You will not be disappointed. Then, watch the Hoshoryu bout and you WILL be disappointed. This is literally Abi’s thing. READ THE BRIEF. Onosato and Kotozakura took care of their business but Hoshoryu couldn’t handle his today. Plain and simple.

Come back tomorrow for Hoshoryu versus winless Gonoyama! No? Don’t want to watch that? OK. I don’t blame you. That’s not exactly getting me eager for my 3am wake up call. Onosato versus Tamawashi will be fun, though. Will Oho be able to bounce back against Daieisho? If he couldn’t put a stop to Onosato’s rope run, maybe he can create a setback for Daieisho’s Ozeki hopes. There is a lot at stake in this tournament. I’m already looking forward to how this unfolds.

Haru 2025: Day Three

Andy Haru 2025 ,

Day Three in Osaka. Links to NHK videos for today’s action are here: Juryo Part I & Part II, Makuuchi Part I & Part II.

Makuuchi Action

Tokihayate (2-1) defeated Tamashoho (Juryo 2-1). Tokihayate weathered Tamashoho’s tsuppari attack, and shoved Tamashoho from the ring. Oshidashi.

Mitakeumi (2-1) defeated Shirokuma (0-3). Strong tachiai, Shirokuma pressed forward and forced Mitakeumi to the edge but Mitakeumi shifted to the left along the bales and pulled Shirokuma down with his left-hand over arm grip. Uwatenage.

Asakoryu (3-0) defeated Kotoshoho (2-1). Asakoryu kept Kotoshoho centered, despite Kotoshoho’s strong pull and slapdown attempt, and shoved Kotoshoho clear from the dohyo. Excellent footwork from Asakoryu. Oshitaoshi.

Aonishiki (1-2) defeated Sadanoumi (0-3). Aonishiki started with an oshi attack, trying to shove Sadanoumi back to the bales. Aonishiki wasn’t getting anywhere with it, though, so he reached inside with a left-hand on Sadanoumi’s belt. He quickly pulled and threw Sadanoumi for his first win in the top division. Congratulations. Shitatenage.

Shishi (2-1) defeated Churanoumi (2-1) Churanoumi has no patience for Shishi’s twerking. Churanoumi would not let Shishi inside so the two blasted each other with tsuppari. Churanoumi lured Shishi toward the edge where he had a sudden shift to his right. It was a bit too sudden as Churanoumi stumbled and fell backwards while Shishi kept his footing. Oshitaoshi.

Takarafuji (2-1) defeated Ryuden (2-1). Takarafuji seized Ryuden’s belt with a strong left-hand inside, right-hand outside and drove him to the edge. Ryuden’s attack seemed disrupted by his inability to get his fingers wrapped on Takarafuji’s belt. He resorted to hugging Takarafuji but it was too late. Takarafuji pressured him back and powered Ryuden over the bales. Yorikiri.

Onokatsu (3-0) defeated Meisei (1-2). Onokatsu grabbed on to Meisei’s belt and kept his legs chugging forward. Meisei tried to shove Onokatsu away, then tried to throw him with a shitatenage but Onokatsu kept pressing forward and eventually shoved Meisei over the bales and into Ajigawa’s lap. Yorikiri.

Midorifuji (2-1) defeated Nishikigi (0-3). Midorifuji’s left hand ottsuke kept Nishikigi’s right hand off his belt. Midorifuji twisted backwards, pulling on Nishikigi’s belt. Somehow, Nishikigi found himself stood outside of the ring, perplexed, “But he’s such a little guy.” Yorikiri.

Endo (3-0) defeated Shonannoumi (0-3). Endo pulled and Shonannoumi pressed forward. Can you imagine? Endo had jumped out while Shonannoumi fell forward onto his knee. Gunbai Shonannoumi. Mono-ii. Ruling over-ruled and Sadanoumi was judged to be down first. Despite the flubbed description, it would have had to have been the top of Shonannoumi’s foot on the clay a beat before Endo landed out of the ring. Hatakikomi.

An ad? In the middle of NHK sumo coverage? WTF? That was jarring. I thought I was watching Abema for a moment. If my eyes did not deceive me, it was a promo for women’s volleyball. Or maybe that was one of my late-night hallucinations. I need more tea.

Atamifuji (2-1) defeated Oshoma (0-3). Power sumo. Atamifuji’s gaburi yotsu drove Oshoma back and out. Good to see the big boy seems to be pretty healthy this basho. Yorikiri.

Tamawashi (2-1) defeated Hakuoho (2-1). Well, damn. Not much of a bout here. Tamawashi blasted the heck out of Hakuoho and drove him from the dohyo. A strong blast from his right hand to Hakuoho’s shoulder while his left hand blasted into Hakuoho’s chin. This got Hakuoho into an irrecoverable death spin, like those space rockets have been doing of late. Oshidashi.

Halftime

Hiradoumi (2-1) defeated Takerufuji (2-1). Hiradoumi pressed forward with his high-octane yotsu and weathered Takerufuji’s attempt to twist him over to the right. Hiradoumi stuck with it and forced Takerufuji out. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan (1-2) defeated Shodai (1-2). Kinbozan found his stride today against Shodai and blasted the former Ozeki from the ring with his powerful tsuppari. Oshidashi.

Takayasu (3-0) defeated Ichiyamamoto (1-2). Takayasu battered Ichiyamamoto with his own tsuppari. That seemed to trump Ichiyamamoto’s main weapon. Takayasu battered Ichiyamamoto back to the edge and Ichiyamamoto resorted to crawling away in order to escape. Hatakikomi.

Ura (2-1) defeated Takanosho (0-3). Takanosho thought he had Ura. Takanosho blasted away at Ura, battered him back to the edge…and then he was gone. In a flash, Ura shifted to his right along the bales and pulled Takanosho’s left hand, forcing Takanosho to stumble forward. Tottari.

Sanyaku

Kirishima (2-1) defeated Chiyoshoma (1-2). Kirishima outlasted Chiyoshoma in a lengthy grapple. He heaved Chiyoshoma to the edge with his right hand and tried to force Chiyoshoma down with his left hand. Chiyoshoma stayed upright but was standing precariously at the edge. Kirishima pressed forward and forced Chiyoshoma out. Yorikiri.

Oho (1-2) defeated Tobizaru (0-3). Oho ejected Tobizaru with a few powerful thrusts. He caught Tobizaru wrong-footed so Tobizaru turned around and ran away. Then Tobizaru tumbled into the crowd and chatted a bit with a few of the Osaka fan club folks in brown vests. Oshidashi.

Daieisho (2-1) defeated Wakatakakage (0-3). Daieisho’s thrusts are powerful and one caught Wakatakakage just right and sent Wakatakakage flying back. Tsukitaoshi.

Abi (3-0) defeated Kotozakura (1-2). Kotozakura had the upper hand here. He took the brunt of Abi’s tsuppari, powered ahead and forced him to the edge. But Abi escaped to Kotozakura’s left, and bounded away. Kotozakura gave chase and got all lost — head and body way out ahead of his feet. Abi pounced and shoved the Ozeki out. Cha-ching! Oshidashi.

Onosato (3-0) defeated Gonoyama (1-2). Gonoyama jumped early, so they reset. Gonoyama charged forward, pressed Onosato back a few steps. Then he pulled and as he pulled he tried to slip to Onosato’s left. Onosato pursued and shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Hoshoryu (2-1) defeated Wakamotoharu (2-1). Hoshoryu death spin here. Left hand inside grip but he opted for the kotenage as he dragged Wakamotoharu around with his right arm planted in Wakamotoharu’s shoulder. As Wakamotoharu fought to stay upright, he freed himself from Hoshoryu’s grip but the momentum carried him into the crowd. Hoshoryu’s right arm grazed Wakamotoharu’s head as he stumbled from the dohyo. Kubinage.

Wrap-up

Asakoryu, Onokatsu, Endo, Abi, Onosato. Undefeated. God, I love this sport. Like, WTF. Thank God we have Onosato here with them, our rock, so far this tournament. We’re only on Day Three! Endo will end up 5-10, though. Onokatsu, though, has been a solid performer. And Abi. The wild card.

Tomorrow, Hoshoryu will face Gonoyama in the musubi-no-ichiban. Kotozakura will try to regroup against the winless, but always dangerous, Wakatakakage. Onosato fights Wakamotoharu. Further down the banzuke, we’ve got Oho against Takanosho, Kirishima versus Daieisho, and Abi looks to continue his run against Chiyoshoma.

I’ve not got much analysis at this point, outside of what happened in the bouts. We’re very early, still, so I’m basically sitting back and enjoying the action. Who knows where this will go? Other than the fact we know Endo’s going to mess this up and end up with a deep make-koshi, it just feels like this could go anywhere. When Abi’s in the lead, he could be on a yusho run or fall apart when he hits the Onami brothers. I am holding out hopes that Onosato will stay steady, Hoshoryu keeps winning after his early blemish, and Kotozakura recovers enough to get his kachi-koshi. We shall see.

Kyushu 2024, Day 12

Andy Kyushu 2024, Kyushu Basho , , , ,

Down in Juryo, Tamashoho, Fujiseiun, Aonishiki, and Tochitaikai picked up their kachi-koshi. Aonishiki has had quite the debut! Ahead of them are Oshoumi and Kinbozan on nine wins, though Oshoumi is still kyujo and is not set to return tomorrow.

Tsurugisho leads the yusho race with ten wins and two losses. He will be tested against Hakuoho tomorrow, who will fight for his kachi-koshi. If Hakuoho earns his kachi-koshi, that might earn a possible return to Makuuchi but nine or ten wins would seal the deal. So, there is a lot on the line for both men tomorrow.

Speaking of Makuuchi returns, Kitanowaka will visit Makuuchi tomorrow to fight Shishi, with kachi-koshi and a likely return ticket on the line. You can watch today’s action via the NHK links here: Juryo Part I and Part II; Makuuchi Part I and Part II.

Makuuchi Action

Shimanoumi (Juryo 6-6) defeated Asakoryu (5-7). Asakoryu henka. Asakoryu’s thrusts were defeated with Shimanoumi’s pull and slapdown. Tsukiotoshi.

Ryuden (3-9) defeated Nishikifuji (4-8). Ryuden shoved Nishikifuji’s left shoulder to the side and got in behind his opponent. Ryuden then quickly grabbed Nishikifuji’s belt from behind and shoved him out. Okuridashi.

Hokutofuji (5-7) defeated Bushozan (1-7-4). Hokutofuji laid into Bushozan with thrusts about the head and shoulders. He followed up with a few headbutts that forced Bushozan back to the edge. Hokutofuji then crushed his opponent out onto his butt at the tawara. Bushozan will have wished he was back on his couch. Oshitaoshi.

Tokihayate (5-7) defeated Sadanoumi (3-9). Nice throw by Tokihayate. Tokihayate backed up and shifted to the right to gain access to Sadanoumi’s belt. Once he got a grip, he yanked hard and threw Sadanoumi to the ground. Uwatenage.

Tamawashi (7-5) defeated Shishi (3-9). Tamawashi’s tsuppari faced no counter attack from Shishi. Tamawashi plowed ahead and forced Shishi out. Shishi has joined Bushozan on the barge back to Juryo. Oshidashi.

Chiyoshoma (8-4) defeated Midorifuji (5-7). Chiyoshoma slapped Midorifuji square in the face, grabbed Midorifuji’s right arm and pulled. He followed up with a few quick thrusts and blasted Midorifuji clear from the fighting surface, under the white tassel. Chiyoshoma got his kachi-koshi and is taking it one day at a time. Oshidashi.

Roga (5-7) defeated Onokatsu (8-4). Onokatsu’s left hand over Roga’s right hand inside. Onokatsu wanted his right hand inside but Roga did his best to keep it away. After a long grapple, Roga wore Onokatsu out and then backed Onokatsu to the tawara. Onokatsu was tuckered out and sought the bales not to be imbued with the power of rice, but as a pillow to rest. Onokatsu stepped out. Yorikiri.

Gonoyama (9-3) defeated Takarafuji (7-5). Gonoyama battered Takarafuji with tsuppari and continued the assault to the edge of the ring. Takarafuji tried to escape along the tawara, and nearly completed a full lap, but Gonoyama pursued and shoved Takarafuji onto his butt under the red tassel. I’m not sure what Takarafuji’s strategy was here. Tsukitaoshi.

Shonannoumi (8-4) defeated Endo (6-6). Shonannoumi did his usual retreat but then he suddenly had an epiphany, “I can move forward!” So, he did. Shonannoumi hit Endo square in the throat and pressed forward. Endo does not like getting hit in the head and throat. He’d rather do fansa and chat with the folks in the front row. So, he did. Endo retreated to the edge and Shonannoumi blasted Endo into the front row. Tsukidashi.

Meisei (7-5) defeated Mitakeumi (6-6). Meisei grabbed the front of Mitakeumi’s belt and plowed forward. Like a bulldozer with a load of puppies, Meisei gently unloaded Mitakeumi on the other side of the tawara.

Nishikigi (4-8) defeated Ichiyamamoto (7-5). Ichiyamamoto’s thrusts were not having an impact on Nishikigi. Nishikigi put his head down and dove inside, grabbing Ichiyamamoto with a left hand inside on Ichiyamamoto’s belt. This forced Ichiyamamoto to settle into a grapple instead of his preferred brawl. Nishikigi then used his size advantage and pressed forward, forcing Ichiyamamoto out.

Halftime

Takayasu (8-4) defeated Kotoshoho (3-9). Kotoshoho and Takayasu traded tsuppari for a good while with no one gaining a clear advantage. Kotoshoho tried to get inside so Takayasu attempted a slapdown. Kotoshoho kept his footing and pressed inside, reaching in with his right hand and grabbing Takayasu’s belt. This forced Takayasu to switch to a yotsu-style. Takayasu seized Kotoshoho’s belt and the initiative as he drove Kotoshoho to the bales and out. Yorikiri.

Abi (9-3) defeated Wakatakakage (8-4). Abi-zumo overwhelmed Wakatakakage as Abi pounded away and drove Wakatakakage out. Oshidashi.

Ura (4-8) defeated Oshoma (3-9). Oshoma tried to crush Ura in the center of the ring but Ura reached in and yanked hard on the front of Oshoma’s belt. Hikiotoshi.

Oho (4-8) defeated Churanoumi (3-9). Oho was determined to use forward-moving sumo today against Churanoumi. He hit Churanoumi hard at the tachiai and pulled on Churanoumi’s left shoulder, driving to the edge of the ring. Churanoumi would not go quietly so Oho switched up his grip to get his right hand inside and continued to press forward. Both men fell over the tawara, gunbai Oho. No mono-ii. Yoritaoshi.

Atamifuji (6-6) defeated Hiradoumi (1-11). Hiradoumi hit Atamifuji hard and took it to the bigger man. Atamifuji tried to push Hiradoumi down to the ground but Hiradoumi charged forward as Atamifuji retreated along the edge, trying to push Hiradoumi down. Both men crashed out. Hiradoumi looked despondent as the gunbai went to Atamifuji. No mono-ii. Forward moving sumo does not always win. Tsukiotoshi.

Sanyaku

Wakamotoharu (7-6) defeated Tobizaru (6-6). Tobizaru put Wakamotoharu into a headlock. This exposed his right side and Wakamotoharu charged forward as Tobizaru tried to pull. Oshidashi.

Kirishima (6-6) defeated Takanosho (10-2). This was a nice little bar fight. Takanosho gave as good as he got but when he missed with a right hand slap, Kirishima reached behind and got a hold of Takanosho’s belt. Kirishima then shoved Takanosho from behind. Takanosho tried to keep his balance along the tawara but Kirishima followed up with a quick shove. Oshidashi.

Hoshoryu (11-1) defeated Shodai (4-8). Chants of “Shodai” rained down from the crowd before the bout. Shodai is from nearby Kumamoto prefecture. Shodai hit the Ozeki hard but Hoshoryu grabbed Shodai’s belt and drove forward. Shodai tried to twist Hoshoryu down at the edge and did get Hoshoryu off his belt but Hoshoryu continued to press forward with his right arm inside Shodai’s left. Oshidashi.

Kotozakura (11-1) defeated Daieisho (6-6). Daieisho’s thrusts were ineffective today as Kotozakura seemed to use Daieisho’s own attack but to more powerful effect. He thrust Daieisho to the edge. Daieisho came back for more, “Thank you, Sir; May I have another?” Kotozakura obliged by throwing him into the gyoji and then blasting him a few more times before shoving Daieisho out of the ring. Oshidashi.

Onosato (8-4) defeated Takerufuji (8-4). Onosato stayed low and pressed forward, overpowering Takerufuji. Takerufuji was not going to be able to advance, so he pulled. Bad move as Onosato ran over him. Oshidashi.

Wrap-up

✶: Kotozakura, Hoshoryu

✶ ✶: Takanosho

✶ ✶ ✶: Abi, Gonoyama

Takanosho has fallen from the lead group but will have his biggest test yet against Kotozakura tomorrow. Hoshoryu will fight Onosato in the first of our three Ozeki head-to-head bouts. The field has been throttled with only two competitors remaining with three losses. Kirishima will take on one of them, Gonoyama, tomorrow. The other, Abi, will face Takerufuji. We’ve still got three more thrilling days ahead!

Onosato earned his kachi-koshi today, rather quietly. He is out of yusho contention, obviously. But securing his tenth, consecutive, winning record is still a remarkable achievement given that he has never been make-koshi in his short career. He got it on Day 12, as well…not fighting for it on the final day. If he is going to get that Ozeki Kachi-Koshi, that higher ten-win mark that we fans often hold our Ozeki to, he will have to get dirt on at least one of his fellow Ozeki over the next two days. So, while he is out of the yusho race, he is certainly still a factor here. He can definitely play spoiler to his fellow Ozeki’s ambitions.

Kyushu 2024, Day Seven

Andy Kyushu 2024 , , ,

Bushozan is kyujo. Mitakeumi is not. The NHK’s commentator for today, former Ozeki Takakeisho, hopes Bushozan, his senpai from Saitama Sakae HS, gets well soon. Takakeisho was a great guest on the NHK broadcast. They showed videos from his career, showing his rise up the ranks and several great top-division bouts. I’ll be watching again later on JME.

The NHK links for today’s action are here: Juryo Part I and Part II, Makuuchi Part I and Part II.

Makuuchi Action

Tamashoho (5-2) fusen win over Bushozan (1-6).

Takerufuji (5-2) defeated Onokatsu (6-1). Takerufuji hit Onokatsu hard, driving him back to the bales. Takerufuji’s initial hazu-oshi hit a wall so Takerufuji paused to lock up Onokatsu’s belt, left-hand inside. Once he got a firm hold of Onokatsu’s belt, he drove forward and ushered Onokatsu over.

Chiyoshoma (4-3) defeated Shishi (2-5). Chiyoshoma lashed out at Shishi with nodowa and tsuppari to the face. Shishi was less than pleased with this treatment and swatted Chiyoshoma’s hands away. When Shishi leaned inside to attack, Chiyoshoma quickly seized his belt with his right hand and pulled him forward. Uwatedashinage.

Shonannoumi (5-2) defeated Asakoryu (3-4). Asakoryu grabbed Shonannoumi’s arm and tried to pull him forward. When that didn’t work, Asakoryu plowed forward. Shonannoumi retreated to the edge where he twisted Asakoryu to the ground. Uwatehineri.

Nishikifuji (2-5) defeated Sadanoumi (3-4). Nishikifuji launched an attack of tsuppari at Sadanoumi. Sadanoumi had no defense and was too overwhelmed to attack. Nishikifuji blasted Sadanoumi back and out. Tsukidashi.

Hokutofuji (2-5) defeated Tokihayate (2-5). Hokutofuji charged forward with tsuppari. Tokihayate pivoted and spun Hokutofuji so his back was to the bales. Tokihayate then launched his own attack. Hokutofuji resisted at the bales and then pressed forward and powered Tokihayate over the bales. Oshidashi.

Takarafuji (5-2) defeated Ryuden (2-5). Takarafuji’s used his lefthand inside belt grip to drive Ryuden back and out. Yorikiri.

Meisei (4-3) defeated Ichiyamamoto (4-3). Ichiyamamoto did his brand of sumo but Meisei twisted at the edge, shifting to his right, and pulled Ichiyamamoto to the floor. Hikiotoshi.

Tamawashi (4-3) defeated Midorifuji (3-4). Henka! Midorifuji hopped to his left to attack Tamawashi from the side. Tamawashi was not impressed. Tamawashi adjusted quickly, grabbed Midorifuji’s face and yanked him to the ground. Ow. Oshitaoshi.

Roga (3-4) defeated Takayasu (3-4). As Takayasu charged forward, Roga shifted to the side and slapped Takayasu down. Hatakikomi.

Endo (4-3) defeated Gonoyama (5-2). Endo’s hit-and-shift tachiai caught Gonoyama completely by surprise. Endo met Gonoyama’s charge with his right arm to Gonoyama’s shoulder. But he quickly shifted left and locked in on Gonoyama’s belt. Then he spun Gonoyama toward the edge. When Gonoyama finally processed what was happening, he was ready to step back and out. Yorikiri.

Halftime

Takanosho defeated Mitakeumi. Why is Mitakeumi here? Takanosho wrapped him up at the tachiai and gingerly ushered him over the bales. Yorikiri.

Tobizaru defeated Nishikigi. Tobizaru wore Nishikigi out with his arms-length sumo. Early in the bout, they’d traded pulls and shoves. Eventually they settled at the center of the ring, toe-to-toe. Nishikigi was gassed Oshidashi.

Kotoshoho (2-5) defeated Churanoumi (2-5). This was a great brawl. Churanoumi was always on the attack, pressing forward. Kotoshoho did his best to shift and pull, trying to use misdirection but nothing worked. Churanoumi was always there and always maintained his balance. Churanoumi seemed to say, “If you’re going to beat me, it’s going to be with forward-moving sumo.” Kotoshoho finally pressed forward and shoved Churanoumi out. Kotoshoho walked back down the hanamichi with a fresh welt forming on his forehead. Oshidashi.

Oshoma (2-5) defeated Wakatakakage (4-3). WTK plowed forward but Oshoma shifted right after the tachiai. Oshoma’s tachiai effectively deflected the WTK Juggernaut to the edge. Oshoma re-engaged and shoved Wakatakakage over the bales. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Wakamotoharu (4-3) defeated Oho (2-5). Oho did well to start, forcing Wakamotoharu back to the bales. Wakamotoharu stepped inside and briefly secured a lefthand inside grip. This was enough to reverse the flow of the action and shift momentum to WMH. Oshidashi.

Daieisho (4-3) defeated Hiradoumi (1-6). Huge cheers of support from the crowd before the bout, urging Hiradoumi on. THIS is the kind of atmosphere I want to experience live. Wow. Despite the home crowd advantage, Daieisho’s thrusting attack was too much for Hiradoumi. The two gladiators traded thrusts and headbutts for the first half of yet another exciting bout. Hiradoumi tired of the brawl and tried to reach inside for a belt grip. Daieisho slipped to the side and slapped Hiradoumi down. Hiradoumi rolled off the edge, coming to a stop under the red tassel. Hatakikomi.

Kirishima (2-5) defeated Shodai (2-5). Shodai showed up today. He hit Kirishima hard at the tachiai and persistently tried to get his lefthand inside grip. But Kirishima kept Shodai off his belt. He tried oshi to start but secured a right hand inside grip on Shodai’s belt. Kirishima then drove forward. Shodai twisted at the edge to try a last gasp Tsukidashi but Kirishima kept his balance and kept up the pressure. Good bout. Lots of good bouts from guys who are 2-5 or 1-6, tonight. Yorikiri.

Onosato (5-2) defeated Ura (2-5). Onosato chased Ura off the dohyo. What did I say about good bouts from guys who are 2-5? Not this one. Ura ran away. Oshidashi.

Abi (5-2) defeated Hoshoryu (6-1). Abi charged forward, drove his hands into Hoshoryu’s face, holding him high. Then he disappeared and Hoshoryu flopped forward. Good thing the zabuton are bolted to the floor. They would have come raining down after this and people wouldn’t have anything to sit on for the final bout. Hikiotoshi.

Kotozakura (6-1) defeated Atamifuji (4-3). Atamifuji wrapped up Kotozakura’s right arm, put his head down and charged forward. Maybe he picked the wrong arm because Kotozakura reached around with his left hand and grabbed Atamifuji’s belt. As Atamifuji pressed ahead, Kotozakura shifted left and pulled Atamifuji down. Uwatenage.

Wrap-up

One week into this Kyushu bahso. What a week! Yet another night chock full of great bouts. Heading into nakabi (the middle day) we now have four guys tied with one loss, Kotozakura, Hoshoryu, Takanosho, and Onokatsu. Eight more guys have two losses.

Tomorrow, the Ozeki will continue to plow through rank-and-file opponents. Kotozakura will face Churanoumi, Onosato will take on Tobizaru, and Hoshoryu will face Oshoma. Meanwhile, a few sleepers continue to do well further down the banzuke. Where will this yusho race lead?