Atamifuji

Haru 2026: Day Two

Andy Haru 2026, Haru Basho ,

Day Two in Osaka. We have new reports from the infirmary. Many fans will be happy to hear that Onokatsu and Hakunofuji will sit out starting today. Onokatsu is kyujo because of his ankle. MaciekSumo noticed that Onokatsu received a concussion. He got knocked out by the clash of heads with Ichiyamamoto. He then suffered an ankle sprain as we saw his leg buckle awkwardly.

Hakunofuji aggravated the toe injury he received in January and will go kyujo, as well. The door is obviously open to both men if they decide to return to action.

NHK videos for today’s action are here. Look for this button to expand the videos:

Makuuchi Action

Fujiryoga (1-1) defeated Sadanoumi (1-1). Sadanoumi got in a good hit at the tachiai but Fujiryoga quickly rushed Sadanoumi out behind powerful tsuppari (thrusts). Fujiryoga picks up his first top division victory and a nice handful of kensho. As with Fujiseiun, I am sure there will be plenty more of those in the future. Fujishima beya is becoming quite the little powerhouse. Oshidashi.

Asahakuryu (1-1) defeated Kotoeiho (1-1). Asahakuryu launched out after Kotoeiho and attacked with tsuppari. Kotoeiho tried to use a slapdown counter attack as he retreated around the inside of the tawara but Asahakuryu chased him down and shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Mitakeumi (2-0) defeated Kinbozan (1-1). Like Fujiryoga and Asahakuryu, Kinbozan immediately attacked with strong tsuppari. Mitakeumi attempted to lull Kinbozan into a slapdown or thrust out victory, similar to Kotoeiho. When those attacks failed, he changed strategy, grabbed Kinbozan by his belt and drove him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Chiyoshoma (1-1) defeated Tobizaru (0-2). Chiyoshoma missed with his slapdown attack so he sprung forward to attack Tobizaru. Tobizaru tried his own slapdown but failed as he flew from the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Nishikifuji (2-0) defeated Fujiseiun (1-1). Both men locked on with left-hand inside belt grips. Both men tried to dislodge their opponent’s grips, as we saw in the Konishiki technique videos. Nishikifuji decided to latch on with his right-hand over-arm grip. This improved his leverage and allowed him to force Fujiseiun back and out. Our first real yotsu battle of the day was a good one. Yorikiri.

Asakoryu (2-0) defeated Shishi (1-1). Asakoryu shifted right and pulled Shishi forward with a slapdown attempt. Shishi tried to recover but Asakoryu followed up with a shove from the side. Oshidashi.

Asanoyama (1-1) defeated Oshoumi (0-2). Oshoumi had sold the slapdown the whole way but Asanoyama was able to stay on his feet long enough to shove Oshoumi out first. Oshidashi.

Gonoyama (2-0) defeated Tokihayate (1-1). Gonoyama forced Tokihayate out as Tokihayate tried a slapdown. Yorikiri.

Roga (1-1) defeated Tamawashi (0-2). Roga missed with his left hand mawashi grab. But as Tamawashi charged forward, Roga pulled right and pulled Tamawashi down. Gunbai Roga. No mono-ii. On review, Tamawashi clearly touched down before Roga. Hikiotoshi.

Ura (2-0) defeated Oshoma (1-1). Ura shoved Oshoma out with his hazu-oshi attack. Oshoma was unable to time an effective slapdown. Oshidashi.

Shodai (1-1) default win over Hakunofuji (0-2).

Halftime

Ichiyamamoto (2-0) defeated Abi (0-2). Ichiyamamoto quickly thrust Abi out. Abi had no forward power. Oshidashi.

Kotoshoho (2-0) default win over Onokatsu (0-2).

Hiradoumi (2-0) defeated Daieisho (0-2). Daieisho tried a quick slapdown but Hiradoumi drove him back and out. Oshidashi.

Takanosho (2-0) defeated Oho (0-2). Takanosho will have some awful tournaments. This does not appear to be one. Great fundamentals. Good footwork. He thrust forward into Oho and Oho tried to pull him down. Oho went straight backward and out. You all know how much I love that. We’ve seen a lot of gear boxes stuck in reverse today. Lots of Ls. It’s just basically a forfeit. Throwing in your chips and hoping that splashing the pot somehow takes out your opponent. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Churanoumi (1-1) defeated Kirishima (1-1). Kirishima launched out with tsuppari. He tried to side step with a slapdown but that created the opening Churanoumi needed. Churanoumi pressed forward, corralled the Sekiwake and shoved him out. That was not Ozeki-caliber offense. Oshidashi.

Takayasu (2-0) defeated Fujinokawa (0-2). Takayasu fought hard to get his left hand inside. Once he got it, he pressed forward and forced Fujinokawa close to the edge. Fujinokawa brought his right arm up and tried a kubinage but that allowed Takayasu ducked the attack and threw Fujinokawa with that left hand. Sukuinage.

Yoshinofuji (1-1) defeated Aonishiki (1-1). What a bout! Aonishiki landed his right-hand inside grip to Yoshinofuji’s left-hand outside. As Aonishiki tried to get his left-hand inside, too, Yoshinofuji suddenly and violently twisted backward, clockwise, away from that left hand. He spun like the Tasmanian devil, forcing Aonishiki’s back suddenly up against the edge. Yoshinofuji then forced his weight forward, crushing Aonishiki off the dohyo. Yoritaoshi.

Kotozakura (2-0) defeated Wakamotoharu (0-2). Kotozakura retreated and tried to slap Wakamotoharu down. But he shuffled left to stay in bounds. He re-engaged from better position and shoved Wakamotoharu out. Oshidashi.

Hoshoryu (2-0) defeated Wakatakakage (1-1). Hoshoryu tried a slapdown. Wakatakakage kept his footing but Hoshoryu slipped to the left, like Kotozakura against WMH, allowing him to push Wakatakakage out from behind. Okuridashi.

Atamifuji (1-1) defeated Onosato (0-2). Onosato got his right hand inside. Atamifuji couldn’t dislodge it so he wrapped his left hand over it. He got his right hand inside Onosato’s left shoulder, as well, and began to chug forward. Onosato was in trouble so in desperation he pulled back, freed himself of Atamifuji’s grip…and jumped clear of the dohyo. Gunbai Atamifuji. No mono-ii. Yorikiri.

Wrap-up

Well, well, well. Yoshinofuji is first to get dirt on Aonishiki in this tsuna-tori, “rope run,” and he did it very early in the tournament. How will Aonishiki react? Will it all fall apart in a string of losses, like an Onami brother on an Ozeki run? Or will he regroup and find himself in title contention next week? I’ll be tuned in tomorrow to watch!

Hoshoryu never looks strong when he pulls but it was effective today. He will need to muster all of his agility and skill tomorrow as he fights Yoshinofuji.

Then, what of Onosato? Two days in and he has two losses already. Will he right this ship? We’ve got a hot list of bouts tomorrow, that’s for sure. Onosato will fight Fujinokawa. If Onosato retreats from the much smaller Day Three opponent Fujinokawa, I would presume he will sit out.

Aonishiki will fight Wakatakakage, Kotozakura will battle Churanoumi, Kirishima will face Atamifuji and Takayasu will take on Wakamotoharu. There’s a lot of fire in that torikumi, that’s for sure.

Hatsu 2026: Senshuraku

Andy Hatsu 2026, Hatsu Basho ,

The Sumo Association provides Special Prizes to select top division wrestlers: Outstanding Performance, Fighting Spirit, and Technique Prizes. For many, it’s awarded outright on senshuraku as an award for their performance over the week. For others, the possibility of winning a prize is announced with conditions based on performance on senshuraku.

Atamifuji was awarded a Fighting Spirit prize, unconditionally. He was also given a chance at an Outstanding Performance Prize if he won the yusho with 12 wins. Yoshinofuji likewise has a conditional Outstanding Performance Prize, given a win today. Kirishima, Abi, and Oshoumi must win today to pick up Fighting Spirit Prizes.

Wakanosho won his bout against the up-and-coming Fujiryoga. He used forceful tsuppari to drive Fujiryoga to the edge. Fujiryoga tried to move laterally to his right but Wakanosho pursued quickly and hit him with a powerful shoulder blast. Despite the loss, Fujiryoga likely won enough to make his Makuuchi division debut in Osaka. Okuridashi.

Your NHK videos of the action are here.

Makuuchi Action

Asahakuryu (8-7) defeated Sadanoumi (9-6). Henka! Asahakuryu shifted to his left at the tachiai catching Sadanoumi off-guard. Sadanoumi was about three days late to react so Asahakuryu drove him over the bales. Asahakuryu is kachi-koshi in his top division debut and preserves his position. Yorikiri.

Kotoeiho (8-7) defeated Ryuden (6-9). Kotoeiho overpowered Ryuden and quickly forced him over the edge with a left-hand inside grip. Yorikiri.

Mitakeumi (7-8) defeated Midorifuji (6-9). MIdorifuji locked in on Mitakeumi’s left shoulder and tried to get another katasukashi win but Mitakeumi moved forward well and shoved him over the bales. Oshidashi.

Tobizaru (7-8) defeated Chiyoshoma (6-9). Henka! Tobizaru jumped right and wrapped up Chiyoshoma from behind. Chiyoshoma tried to stay in and hopped around but Tobizaru forced him out. Yorikiri.

Kotoshoho (9-6) defeated Hatsuyama (2-13). Hatsuyama pulled and got his left hand uwate grip. However, Kotoshoho immediately thrust him to the side with a powerful shove. Tsukiotoshi.

Roga (7-8) defeated Tomokaze (4-11). Tomokaze hit Roga with a nodowa and forced him to the edge. Roga grabbed his belt with the left hand and shifted to his left, throwing him down. Uwatenage.

Asakoryu (9-6) defeated Gonoyama (7-8). Henka! Asakoryu pivoted and tried to slap Gonoyama down. Gonoyama did well to stay upright but couldn’t launch a counter attack. Asakoryu shoved him out. However, Asakoryu visibly winced and grabbed his left pec after the win. I hope he didn’t just pull a Kisenosato. Oshidashi.

Shodai (7-8) defeated Asanoyama (9-6). Asanoyama forced Shodai to the edge but Shodai got his arm under Asanoyama’s left shoulder, shifted to his right and pulled Asanoyama down on one knee. Katasukashi.

Fujinokawa (10-5) defeated Tokihayate (8-7). Fujinokawa got his left hand inside under Tokihayate’s shoulder and his right arm up around Tokihayate’s head, twisted and hauled him down in the middle of the ring. Sukuinage.

Atamifuji (12-3) defeated Oshoumi (10-5). Atamifuji plowed into Oshoumi and drove him to the edge. Oshoumi must be injured because he held his right leg aloft at the bales rather than using it to dig in. That meant it was very easy for Atamifuji to press forward and force Oshoumi out. Ankle? Knee? Both were taped. Oshoumi missed out on his first special prize. We will see about Atamifuji. One thing’s for sure, no big Chaos playoff. Shucks. Yorikiri.

Daieisho (7-8) defeated Shishi (9-6). Shishi henka? I didn’t think that would be possible. Shishi shifted right but Daieisho adjusted and attacked Shishi with his patented tsuppari thrusts, driving him back and over the bales. Oshidashi.

Halftime

Wakatakakage (9-6) defeated Hiradoumi (9-6). Wakatakakage got his right hand in high and tried to get his left-hand grip to help him charge forward. Hiradoumi blocked him so Wakatakakage pivoted to his right and pulled, twisting Hiradoumi down by his right shoulder. Katasukashi.

Ura (4-11) defeated Tamawashi (5-10). Tamawashi wrapped up Ura and drove forward…at least I thought Tamawashi wrapped up Ura. Suddenly Ura escaped Tamawashi’s grasp, slipped out to his right, and flung Tamawashi into the crowd. It’s hard to believe Ura only had four wins this basho but here we are. Hikiotoshi.

Yoshinofuji (8-7) defeated Oshoma (7-8). This was a Darwin bout with extra spice. The added possibility of a special prize gave this bout the extra flavor. Yoshinofuji got his left hand inside grip and when he got his right hand outside grip to accompany it, he pulled up and charged forward, driving Oshoma to the edge. He then shoved Oshoma over the edge to finish him off. Oshidashi.

Ichiyamamoto (4-11) defeated Kinbozan (4-11). After a flurry of tsuppari, Ichiyamamoto locked up Kinbozan with a left-hand uwate and drove him back and over the edge. Yorikiri.

Sanyaku

Wakamotoharu (8-7) defeated Onokatsu (7-8) Wakamotoharu grabbed Onokatsu with a right hand uwate pivoted and pulled Onokatsu forward. Wakamotoharu will keep his sanyaku position, after all. Uwatehineri.

Takanosho (5-10) defeated Oho (4-11). With his feet embued with the power of the tawara as he braced against the edge, Takanosho shoved Oho to the left and over the edge. Oshidashi.

Churanoumi (9-6) defeated Takayasu (8-7). Churanoumi slapped at Takayasu’s left shoulder, thrusting him forward and off-kilter. He then got in behind Papa Bear and drove him out of the ring from behind. Okuridashi.

Kore-Yori-Sanyaku

Kirishima (11-4) defeated Abi (10-5). Abi wrapped up Kirishima’s left shoulder and tried to haul him back quickly over the bales. Kirishima resisted by driving into Abi. Kirishima got a strong belt grip and forced Abi over the edge. Abi’s tsuppari cannon was notably absent from the bout. Kirishima picks up a special prize to accompany the arrows and his kensho. Abi is denied. Yorikiri.

Aonishiki (12-3) defeated Kotohachinana (8-7) So, all of the drama of the past fortnight brought us here. Atamifuji has done his part. It’s on Aonishiki to do his. Kotozakura pulled. He dug his chin into the back of Aonishiki’s neck and tried to force him down. He grabbed Aonishiki’s belt and tried to pull him up. Aonishiki kept his composure and with his right hand firmly gripping Kotozakura’s belt, he pressed forward and forced Kotozakura over the edge. Good, old-fashioned, yorikiri.

Hoshoryu (10-5) defeated Onosato (10-5). Hoshoryu quickly established a migi-yotsu hold. Onosato’s ottsuke was unable to dislodge Hoshoryu’s grasp. Hoshoryu stayed low and charged forward, driving Onosato to the edge. Onosato could not escape and Hoshoryu forced him over the bales. Yorikiri.

Playoff

Aonishiki defeated Atamifuji. Aonishiki locked on quickly with his right hand inside. Atamifuji wrapped his left arm around Aonishiki’s and pulled up. With his right hand he tried to sneak it inside to envelope Aonishiki but Aonishiki’s ottsuke held him at bay…for now. Atamifuji used his power and leverage to pull up on Aonishiki and force him to the edge but he couldn’t quite get him over. Aonishiki used that right hand grip to stabilize himself against Atamifuji’s pulls, as much as he used it as a steering wheel to try to drive into Atamifuji. The two men worked to a brief stalemate at the edge…but Atamifuji kept edging closer to that migi-sashi. If he could just get that right hand inside to accompany his left, he might be able to drive Aonishiki over the bales. And he was nearly there….just a little bit more…Aonishiki realized he was losing the grip so he suddenly let go with his left hand, brought his left hand up around Atamifuji’s head, and pulled Atamifuji down. Wow. Kubinage.

Wrap-up

What a basho. We didn’t get the 5-man mega playoff but we got two great yusho runs from Aonishiki and from Atamifuji. We got great bouts and the Playoff was a sweet Bing cherry on this Sumo Sundae. In the end, Aonishiki continues to rack up the accolades. He’s the ninth wrestler to win a yusho in his debut as Ozeki, the first since Hakuho some 20 years ago. He picked up 12 wins to add to a stunning string of double-digit tallies since his debut in the top division. Now, he is on a Yokozuna “rope run” (綱取り). If he wins in Osaka, we’ll need a new Ozeki.

That’s not all, though. Both Yokozuna showed up, they completed the 15-day tour of duty, they both featured in the yusho race for a little bit and they both picked up double-digit wins. That’s certainly enough for an “Achieved Results” on the bi-monthly performance review in a normal basho. Given their injuries we should bump them up to “Exceeded Expectations,” which I would say applies to the entire tournament.

So, that’s it. The Yokozuna can kick up their heels and rest until March and we do this again, right, Andy? No? No. There’s no jungyo but there are several events on the calendar. We’ve got Terunofuji’s retirement sumo next weekend. After that, we’ve got the NHK charity sumo on February 7th and the Annual one-day tournament on Saturday the 8th. At the same time, the Hakuho Cup is scheduled for the same weekend. It will include girls and adults this year. Regular readers will know we’ll also have the official announcement of Juryo promotions later this week.

See you soon!

Hatsu 2026: Day Fourteen

Andy Hatsu 2026, Hatsu Basho , , , , , ,

No new reports from the infirmary. Both Yokozuna are intent on completing this tournament. Don’t think they’ll get a bunch of rest until March. On February 7th and 8th, the Japanese Sumo Association will hold two annual events at Kokugikan. The NHK Sumo Charity event and the Annual one-day tournament which used to be sponsored by FujiTV.

Wakanosho continues to lead the Juryo yusho race with his oshidashi victory over Kotoeiho. Fujiseiun beat Hitoshi to keep the heat on for senshuraku. And Leonid has our makushita coverage here and gives an update on the Juryo promotion picture.

Tokiwayama-oyakata retires and former Takakeisho will assume the mantle as stablemaster after this tournament.

Your NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Kotoshoho (8-6) defeated Mitakeumi (6-8). Kotoshoho had Conservation Center duties today, cuddled the giant sloth and carried him over the tawara. Kotoshoho kachi-koshi, Mitakeumi make-koshi. Yorikiri.

Gonoyama (7-7) defeated Hatsuyama (2-12). Gonoyama overwhelmed Hatsuyama with tsuppari and drove him back over the edge. Oshidashi.

Asahakuryu (7-7) defeated Shodai (6-8). Asahakuryu drove Shodai back and over the tawara. Shodai’s loss makes him make-koshi for the tournament. Yorikiri.

Midorifuji (6-8) defeated Kinbozan (4-10). After an exchange of tsuppari, Midorifuji got a morozashi as he got both hands inside Kinbozan’s arms with his hands up behind Kinbozan’s shoulder. He then pulled Kinbozan down as he reversed along the tawara. Katasukashi.

Oshoma (7-7) defeated Ryuden (6-8). Oshoma held Ryuden at bay with a nodowa, then pivoted to his left and pulled Ryuden down to the clay. Hikiotoshi.

Fujinokawa (9-5) defeated Asakoryu (8-6). Fujinokawa engaged Asakoryu in a bit of a brawl but then moved inside to grab Asakoryu’s mawashi, ending Asakoryu’s slaps. With a solid migi-yotsu hold, Fujinokawa forced Asakoryu to the edge and then slammed him to the ground at the edge. Yoritaoshi.

Oshoumi (10-4) defeated Hiradoumi (9-5). Hiradoumi charged forward out of the gate, forcing Oshoumi to the edge. Oshoumi used the bales as a base to mount his counter attack. He hoisted Hiradoumi up, bulldozed through the dohyo and slammed Hiradoumi down to the ground at the edge. Abisetaoshi.

Tobizaru (6-8) defeated Onokatsu (7-7). Tobiaru kicked out at Onokatsu and then pulled. As he approached the tawara, though, Tobizaru slammed the gear into drive and advanced into Onokatsu. He grabbed Onokatsu’s mawashi deep at the back with his right hand and forced him back over the bales. Yorikiri.

Tamawashi (5-9) defeated Tomokaze (4-10). As both men traded tsuppari, Tamawashi pivoted as he backed to the edge. This forced Tomokaze’s back to the tawara. Tamawashi picked up the pace and power of his tsuppari to blast Tomokaze from the dohyo and into Kasugano-oyakata’s lap. Oshidashi.

Churanoumi (8-6) defeated Roga (6-8). Roga attempted a slapdown but Churanoumi drove through it and shoved Roga over the bales. Oshidashi.

Halftime

Chiyoshoma (6-8) defeated Takanosho (4-10). Takanosho tried to use a nodowa against Chiyoshoma but Chiyoshoma grabbed his arm and pulled him down. Tottari.

Wakatakakage (8-6) defeated Daieisho (6-8). Henka! Daieisho Superman-flopped his way to a make-koshi as Wakatakakage shifted left at the tachiai. Hikiotoshi.

Tokihayate (8-6) defeated Ichiyamamoto (3-11). Tokihayate grabbed Ichiyamamoto’s belt with his left hand, drove forward and shoved Ichiyamamoto over the edge. Oshidashi.

Yoshinofuji (7-7) defeated Shishi (9-5). Yoshinofuji used his right hand uwate to pull Shishi over the bales. Uwatenage.

Sanyaku

Ura (3-11) defeated Oho (4-10). Ura pivoted to his right and pulled. Oho tumbled to the ground, rolling forward with a bit of an Ura-esque flourish. If you’re going to fall out of sanyaku, fall with style. Hatakikomi.

Wakamotoharu (7-7) defeated Asanoyama (9-5). Wakamotoharu did not let Asanoyama get his right hand inside. Asanoyama tried again and again to slip that hand in there and that really put him at a disadvantage because he would rear back and Wakamotoharu would plow forward, advancing to the bales. Eventually, Wakamotoharu forced Asanoyama over the bales. Yorikiri.

Atamifuji (11-3) defeated Kirishima (10-4). Atamifuji got his left hand uwate hold on Kirishima’s belt. With his right-hand outside, he powered through Kirishima and crushed him over the edge. Ow. Kirishima struggled to get back up to the dohyo. That big ole bloody scrape on his left butt cheek hints at a new injury. Maybe lower back? Maybe hip? Maybe both? Yikes. Lastly, who kidnapped Atamifuji and replaced him with this kaiju? Abiseta-ouchi.

Abi (10-4) defeated Takayasu (8-6). Abi-zumo. Thrusts, slapdown attempts… Oh, no. Takayasu got turned around. That’s never good. Abi caught up and shoved him over the edge from behind. A dispirited Takayasu landed on Naruto-oyakata and took his time getting back up. The west side spectators are having a rough go of things today. Getting a lot of the “kinetic fansa.” Okuridashi.

Hoshoryu defeated Kotozakura. Gee–zuhs. Just when Kotozakura worked his right hand inside and got his morozashi, Hoshoryu yanked him hard with his right hand uwate and flipped the big bloke onto his back. In the movies, the camera would zoom in on the villain’s face, “That hurt.” In the Sumo Association, we just wait impatiently for him to walk back to his side and bow. While the gyoji scramble to figure out what the kimarite was, we move on to the much-anticipated musubi-no-ichiban. Uwatenage.

Onosato (10-4) defeated Aonishiki (11-3). Aonishiki’s borrowed shimekomi came enchanted with henka dust from its owner and previous bearer. He shifted left at the tachiai but Onosato adjusted really well. The Yokozuna pursued and shoved Anonishiki to the ground as the Ozeki stumbled in retreat. Well, it’s back to the drawing board, for sure, at Ajigawa. One Yokozuna solved. The other Yokozuna, decidedly unsolved. Oshitaoshi.

Wrap-up

Aonishiki’s loss opens things up quite a bit in the yusho race.

  • 3-losses: Aonishiki, Atamifuji
  • 4-losses: Onosato, Kirishima, Abi, Oshoumi.

Aonishiki and Atamifuji lead with Onosato, Kirishima, Abi and Oshoumi chasing and hoping for losses tomorrow. Aonishiki and Atamifuji fought on Day 12 with Aonishiki defeating the big man.

The senshuraku torikumi is not out yet but we can presume the musubi-no-ichiban will be the Yokozuna showdown and that will be preceded by the Ozeki showdown. If Atamifuji loses his bout, Aonishiki will fight with the yusho on the line. If Atamifuji wins his bout, Aonishiki will need to win to force a play-off.

The play-off possibilities get crazy if both Atamifuji and Aonishiki lose their bouts. Then Onosato will even be fighting for a spot in the playoff. I’ll post later when the pairings have been finalized.

One rule for comments today. I’m going to be strict. No mentioning Wakatakakage’s henka. It has nothing to do with the yusho. There’s no drama there, so no need for whining about it. It is what it is, let’s move on. Any mention and I’ll remove the comment and I might put the author into the penalty box. As a henka aficionato, I actually enjoy the firy henka debate — so long as the jabs don’t get personal. Going forward, I’m going to be strict about that from now on and start deleting comments that cross the line into personal barbs. But today, I’m going to be super-strict. No mentioning Wakatakakage’s henka. I said it twice, I mean it.

I’ll be back later today. If you need to go blow off steam about Wakatakakage’s henka, you have time to go take a walk around the neighborhood and clear your mind.

Hatsu 2026: Day 13

Andy Hatsu 2026, Hatsu Basho , ,

One update from the infirmary. Hakunofuji is kyujo and with the loss will move to 5-8, make-koshi. Onokatsu will get the default win and improve to 7-6. That reminds me, while normal people will think of this as Day 13, for many of the youngsters, this is 6-7 day. Let’s see how many wrestlers finish the day with 6-7 records.

In Juryo, Wakanosho defeated Fujiseiun by oshitaoshi to move into sole possession of the lead.

Your NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Asahakuryu (6-7) defeated Kotoeiho (7-6). Kotoeiho shifted to his left but Asahakuryu caught up quickly, shoved Kotoeiho to the edge and lifted him over. Yorikiri.

Ryuden (6-7) defeated Chiyoshoma (5-8). Ryuden landed his right-hand uwate grip and took control of the bout. He tried to heave Chiyoshoma over but Chiyoshoma resisted well. Ryuden adjusted his grip to right on the thong and pulled up, giving Chiyoshoma an atomic wedgie. This straightened Chiyoshoma up and made it easier to drive forward and over the edge. Yorikiri.

Tokihayate (7-6) defeated Tomokaze (4-9). Tomokaze pulled and tried to slap Tokihayate down but he tripped over his own feet as he tried to move laterally along the bales. Oshitaoshi.

Roga (6-7) defeated Tobizaru (5-8). Roga immediately shoved Tobizaru down to the clay. Tsukiotoshi.

Gonoyama (6-7) defeated Midorifuji (5-8). Midorifuji tried a pull but Gonoyama did well to avoid the slapdown. He retaliated by moving laterally when Midorifuji charged forward, and demonstrated a proper slapdown. Hatakikomi.

Hatsuyama (2-11) defeated Kinbozan (4-9). Hatsuyama got his left hand on Kinbozan’s belt and spun, and spun, and spun. On the third attempt, Hatsuyama succeeded in pulling Kinbozan forward to the clay. Uwatedashinage.

Mitakeumi (6-7) defeated Shodai (6-7). Shodai drove forward but Mitakeumi pivoted and shoved Shodai over the edge. The 6-7 Twins. Oshidashi.

Fujinokawa (8-5) defeated Kotoshoho (7-6). Fujinokawa used his powerful tsuppari to shove Kotoshoho over the edge. Oshidashi.

Asakoryu (8-5) defeated Oshoma (6-7). Oshoma shifted to his left along the bales and pulled Asakoryu forward but slipped and touched the ground. The momentum from shoving Takasago’s heyagashira forward might have toppled Oshoma. He was destined to move to 6-7. Tsukite.

Atamifuji (10-3) defeated Abi (9-4). Abi tripped as he tried to pivot and Atamifuji shoved him down easily. Tsukiotoshi.

Onokatsu (6-7) default win over Hakunofuji (5-8).

Halftime

Wakatakakage (7-6) defeated Churanoumi (7-6). As Churanoumi pressed forward, Wakatakakage had the presence of mind to shift right and pull Churanoumi forward. Tsukiotoshi.

Takanosho (4-9) defeated Ura (2-11). Ura went low to avoid Takanosho’s tsuppari and nodowa so Takanosho slapped him down. Ura, being Ura, rolled forward with a flourish. Hatakikomi.

Daieisho (6-7) defeated Yoshinofuji (6-7). Daieisho-brand sumo here. Fierce tsuppari followed by the slapdown fatality. Jatakikomi, as they say in Español.

Ichiyamamoto (3-10) defeated Tamawashi (4-9). Ichiyamamoto laid into the veteran with tsuppari, driving him back and over the edge, into the front row of spectators. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Wakamotoharu (6-7) defeated Oshoumi (9-4). Wakamotoharu got his hidari-yotsu hold and drove Oshoumi back to the bales. Oshoumi broke Wakamotoharu’s left-hand grip at the edge and tried to spin him down but Wakamotoharu pressed through and forced Oshoumi out. Yorikiri.

Hiradoumi (9-4) defeated Oho (4-8). Hiradoumi got both hands inside and charged forward, finishing Oho with some gaburi hip action at the edge. Yorikiri.

Takayasu (8-5) defeated Asanoyama (9-4). Asanoyama succeeded in switching his grip to get both hands inside but Takayasu pivoted and hauled Asanoyama down with a powerful uwatenage.

Kirishima (10-3) defeated Shishi (9-4). Kirishima bear-hugged Shishi. Having both hands inside was effective as he held Shishi upright and quickly forced Shishi back and over the edge. Yorikiri.

Onosato (9-4) defeated Kotozakura (8-5). Kotozakura got a left-hand outside, right hand inside. However, he decided to pull. Onosato was more than happy to press forward as he shuffled along the bales to counter Kotozakura’s lateral movement. Onosato easily forced Kotozakura over the bales. Yorikiri.

Aonishiki (11-2) defeated Hoshoryu (8-5). Aonishiki’s ottsuke and body positioning were excellent as he kept Hoshoryu’s hands from getting inside for most of the bout. Aonishiki grabbed Hoshoryu’s belt with his left-hand outside, pivoted and hauled the Yokozuna down. Uwatenage.

Wrap-up

The field narrows considerably:

  • 2-losses: Aonishiki
  • 3-losses: Kirishima, Atamifuji

Our final tally of 6-7 wrestlers is, 11.

Wow, Aonishiki is in the lead. He still needs to fight Onosato and Kotozakura. Presumably Onosato will be his next opponent. The Day 14 torikumi has not been released as of yet, so I will try to post an update later.