Once again a kind soul with a video camer, has come through with footage of Wakaichiro’s rather impressive win on Day 1 against Sakaefuji.
Have a watch and be amazed at the rikishi from Texas applying pressure to the big man, backing him up and then out.
In his first match of Haru, Texas sumotori Wakaichiro overpowered the much larger Sakaefuji, forcing him from the ring in a flurry of thrusts. This is a far cry from the Wakaichiro of Kyushu who struggled against his Sandanme opponents. He was out matched in terms of height, reach and weight, but dismantled his opponent with skill and confidence. With the win, Wakaichiro starts Haru with a 1-0 record.
We will post video as soon as we are able to find it online.
Texas sumotori Wakaichiro mounts the Haru dohyo for his first match on Sunday, going up against Sandanme 88 Sakaefuji. Sakaefuji, from Sakaigawa heya, is another long time veteran, having begun professional sumo in 2011, whose highest rank has been Sandanme 72. At approximately 200 kg, he will have a significant weight advantage over Wakaichiro.
Wakaichiro’s fans are all looking to see him do better than his prior ranking in Sandanme, where he finished with a losing record. The rikishi in this division are generally more experienced and larger than in Jonidan, and represent a sea-change in difficulty.
As always, we will bring you results – and video if we can find it – as it happens.
Texas sumotori Wakaichiro was defeated in his day 14, final match, against Asamorimoto. Wakaichiro finishes the Kyushu basho with a disappointing 1-6 record, and we will likely see him return to the Jonidan ranks for the January tournament. His fans and followers wish Wakaichiro a vigorous recovery, and a renewed fighting spirit in the Hatsu basho, and look forward to his push to return to higher ranks in 2018.