On peut raisonnablement dire que nous aimons tous les playoffs. Cela apporte des situations amusantes, dramatiques, du type “mort subite”, au cours desquelles les lutteurs donnent tout ce qu’ils ont. On préfère encore les playoffs multiples, qui peuvent receler des règles originales.
Continue readingI think it’s fair to say all of us like playoffs. It brings a fun, dramatic, sudden death situation, where involved rikishi go all in. We even prefer multiple playoffs, which can contain original rules.
Former ozeki Terunofuji, on the other hand, probably does not want to hear the word “playoff” any more. Last Sunday, the Mongolian succumbed to Takakeisho’s thrusts, meaning that he has now lost all three playoffs where he participated – prior to that, he faced two yokozuna, Kakuryu in Aki 2015, and Kisenosato in Osaka 2017. The object of this article will be to see if somebody else holds such a miserable record.
Prior to that, a few words about playoffs themselves:
a) For a two-way playoff: one bout is scheduled, and the winner takes it all. Straightforward.
b) For a three-way playoff: the wrestler A faces the wrestler B. Let’s say A wins. A faces the wrestler C. If A wins, he’s the champion. If C wins, he faces B. If C wins, he’s the champion. If B wins, he faces A, and so on, until someone wins twice in a row.
Three- way playoffs rarely occur, but it actually took place in March 1990, between Konishiki, Kirishima and Hokutoumi (the eventual winner, who actually lost the first bout!)
c) For a four-way playoff: two semi-finals (A vs B, C vs D) and a final are scheduled.
d) For a five-way playoff: lots are drawn. A faces B, C faces D, and E – banzuke’s highest ranked rikishi – goes directly to the final stages. A/B, C/D and E then meet in a three-way playoff.
Incredibly, such a playoff occured in Kyushu 1996, where Akebono, Wakanohana, Takanonami, Kaio and Musashimaru (the eventual winner) were all tied with a noticeable 11-4 record. Takanonami defeated Kaio; Musashimaru defeated Wakanohana; Akebono directly qualified for the three-way playoff. Musashimaru defeated Akebono, then Takanonami.
e) For a six-way playoff: the aim is to reduce the number of rikishi to three, in order to set up a three-way playoff. Therefore, A faces B in a single bout, whereas C faces D, and E confronts F. Losers are eliminated.
Such a configuration seems impossible to get, but juryo is more prone to bring such a tied lead, when there’s no clear favorite at the beginning of the basho. It actually took place this year in July: Kyokutaisei, Hoshoryu, Akua, Chiyonoo, Mitoryu and Meisei (the eventual winner) were all tied with a 10-5 record. Remarkably, all three finalists (Akua, Hoshoryu and Meisei) came from the same stable (Tatsunami beya).
So, does anybody else holds a “minus three” record in playoffs?
It comes to no surprise that Hakuho holds the record of playoff participations – alongside Takanohana. The dai yokozuna has been top of the chart for an uncountable number of times – and he sometimes had to face stern opposition.
His first participation came as early as in May 2006, where he defeated Miyabiyama; his last one occured in January 2014, where he defeated Kakuryu (who actually got promoted to yokozuna after a yusho the following tournament). Overall, Hakuho has a “plus two” score: six wins to four losses.
In a way, Hakuho did worse than Terunofuji, as the yokozuna lost no less than three playoffs in 2009! Asashoryu (twice) and Harumafuji were the winners. Apart from Asashoryu, Harumafuji (including one playoff where he was still named “Ama”) and Kakuryu, Hakuho also faced… Toyonoshima (in November 2010)!
As mentioned, Takanohana also participated in ten playoffs – and his record is even, five wins to five losses.
Interestingly, Futahaguro has participated in two playoffs. But as we know, he’s the only yokozuna ever who never won a single yusho during his entire career – it goes therefore without saying that he lost both… but there’s better – or, rather, worse.
Kitanoumi has a noteworthy record, that might inspire Terunofuji. Indeed, the yokozuna participated in eight playoffs, won three of them, and actually got a “minus four” record, after his first four playoffs!
Actually, another great man from the past, Musashimaru, holds the most terrible record: one win (during the afore-mentionned Kyusho basho 1996) in six tries!
Meanwhile, Chiyonofuji has been the true playoff-killer: six wins, and no loss…
As we previously mentioned it, Shodai decided to keep his shikona following his promotion to the ozeki rank. Let’s try to figure out how much we know about rikishi’s shikona, shikona changes and real names…
As usual, try your best to get your kashi koshi!
1. Let’s start this quiz quietly. Ama became ozeki…
a. Goeido
b. Kakuryu
c. Harumafuji
d. Baruto
2. Which one of these wrestlers is currently fighting with his real name ?
a. Takarafuji
b. Takayasu
c. Takanosho
d. Takagenji
3. Who started wrestling using his real name – Fukuoka ?
a. Hokutofuji
b. Okinoumi
c. Ryuden
d. Daieisho
4. Who is the other Mr. Fukuoka in makuuchi ?
a. Abi
b. Terutsuyoshi
c. Meisei
d. Enho
5. Who started his sumo career with the shikona Wakamisho ?
a. Kiribayama
b. Tamawashi
c. Ichinojo
d. Terunofuji
6. The Bulgarian wrestler Aoiyama was given his current shikona after being asked a few questions about things he likes. What does “Aoiyama” mean ?
a. Red wind
b. Red mountain
c. Blue wind
d. Blue mountain
7. And by the way, Big Dan’s (Aoiyama) real name is…
a. Petkov
b. Dimitrov
c. Kotov
d. Ivanov
8. Let’s now have some fun (and a few headaches !) with Sadogatake’s wrestlers. Who used to be called Kotokikutsugi ?
a. Kotoosho
b. Kotoeko
c. Kotoyuki
d. Kotoshogiku
9. Kotokamatani, on the other hand, is now known as…
a. Kotonowaka
b. Kotoeko
c. Kotoshoho
d. Kotoshogiku
10. Whereas Kotoenomoto has become…
a. Kotooshu
b. Kotoeko
c. Kotoshoho
d. Kotoyuki
11. And finally, Kototebakari is currently known as…
a. Kotoshoho
b. Kotoyuki
c. Kotonowaka
d. Kotoshogiku
12. Takanohana and Wakanohana are one of sumo’s most famous brothers. Their real name is :
a. Hanada
b. Koga
c. Sawai
d. Hagiwara
13. Which one of these rikishi used to be called “Sato” and changed his shikona as he got promoted to makuuchi ?
a. Takakeisho
b. Asanoyama
c. Mitakeumi
d. Shodai
14. Hanakaze is known for his incredibly long career, which started back in 1986 (!). Under how many names has he wrestled so far ?
a. One
b. Two
c. Three
d. Four
15. And finally, the great Hakuho has changed shikona :
a. Once
b. Twice
c. Thrice
d. He never changed his shikona
The answers :
1. Let’s start this quiz quietly. Ama became ozeki…
c. Harumafuji. Of course ! He took that name after his promotion to ozeki, following the Kyushu basho 2008.
2. Which one of these wrestlers is currently fighting with his real name ?
b. Takayasu Akira.
3. Who started wrestling using his real name – Fukuoka ?
b. Okinoumi. He actually semmed to have some remorses after changing his shikona to Okinoumi, in March 2009. Two basho after, he went back to Fukuoka Ayumi, during just one basho. He then changed once again – for good – to Okinoumi Ayumi.
4. Who is the other Mr. Fukuoka in makuuchi ?
b. Terutsuyoshi. He has used only one shikona so far : Terutsuyoshi Shoki.
5. Who started his sumo career with the shikona Wakamisho ?
d. Terunofuji. Terunofuji likes changes : he used to be called Wakamisho Yoshiaki, then Wakamisho Noriaki, then Wakamisho Yoshiaki again, then Terunofuji Yoshiaki, then Terunofuji Haruo.
6. The Bulgarian wrestler Aoiyama was given his current shikona after being asked a few questions about things he likes. What does “Aoiyama” mean ?
d. Blue mountain. Aoiyama likes blue color, and prefers mountain over sea.
7. And by the way, Big Dan’s (Aoiyama) real name is…
d. Ivanov. Daniel Ivanov, to be exact.
8. Let’s now have some fun (and a few headaches !) with Sadogatake’s wrestlers. Who used to be called Kotokikutsugi ?
d. Kotoshogiku. His real name is Kikutsugi Kazuhiro.
9. Kotokamatani, on the other hand, is now known as…
a. Kotonowaka. Outside the dohyo, he’s Kamatani Masakatsu
10. Whereas Kotoenomoto has become…
d. Kotoyuki, also known as Enomoto Yuki.
11. And finally, Kototebakari is currently known as…
a. Kotoshoho. His real name : Tebakari Toshiki
12. Takanohana and Wakanohana are one of sumo’s most famous brothers. Their real name is :
a. Hanada. Koga is Kaio’s name ; Sawai is Goeido’s name and Hagiwara is former Kisenosato’s name. Some great wrestlers down there.
13. Which one of these rikishi used to be called “Sato” and changed his shikona as he got promoted to makuuchi ?
a. Takakeisho. Asanoyama did change his shikona, but after promotion to juryo. Mitakeumi took just one shikona, whereas Shodai is fighting under his actual name.
14. Hanakaze is known for his incredibly long career, which started back in 1986 (!). Under how many names has he wrestled so far ?
c. Three. He started fighting under his real name, Yamagushi Daisaku, then switched to Tatsuyamagushi Daisaku, and to Hanakaze Daisaku. He holds that name since July 1999 !
15. And finally, the great Hakuho has changed shikona :
d. He never changed his shikona. Hakuho Sho. That’s the GOAT’s shikona.
🌐 Location: Fujisawa, Kanagawa prefecture
Today we have a relatively short report, as the ladies of Fujisawa were less than diligent with their smartphones. More is the pity, as today’s schedule included a bout between Ichinojo and Terutsuyoshi. Alas, unless some footage turns out in the next few days, we’ll miss this clash of fire and ice.
Before describing this day, though, I want to take you back to Haru Jungyo 2003, and a photograph that shouldn’t have existed:
Three Yokozuna in 2003? That never happened. Takanohana, in fact, retired in Hatsu 2003, and Asashoryu was promoted only on the next banzuke, Haru 2003. You might think it’s a similar situation to what’s happening with Tochinoshin and Takakeisho now – Tochinoshin is still Ozeki due to the previous banzuke, and Takakeisho is shin-Ozeki as of the next banzuke, and both are treated as Ozeki this Jungyo. However, this doesn’t really happen with retirements, and besides, there is no Jungyo between Hatsu and Haru. Haru Jungyo comes between Haru and Natsu.
And yet, with the magic that is Jungyo, you see the retired Dai-Yokozuna side by side with the next Dai-Yokozuna, both in their tsuna. One can even see that Takanohana is already a lot thinner than he was when active.
OK, engage the flux capacitor. Let’s go back to 2019 – same town, same venue. It’s a beautiful spring day, and with more than 5000 people attending, it’s a good opportunity to get blood donations:
Inside the venue, rikishi are supposed to shake hands with the spectators. Instead, Mitakeumi gives Ichinojo a massage:
It’s hard to tell, with Ichinojo, whether he is pleased or disgusted with this.
The Onami family is in the building at full capacity, and in seniority order:
First, big brother Wakatakamoto. Second, second brother Wakamotoharu. Third, little brother Wakatakakage. Now we need a wolf to huff and puff and blow their house in… Furtunately, neither Seiro nor Roga are available at the moment.
Soon the subjects of the two previous pics get to the dohyo, and Ichinojo gives Wakatakakage a butsukari session:
Takakeisho was very busy on the dohyo today. He got butsukari from Goeido:
And he also had actual sumo practice for the first time this Jungyo. He engaged Hokutofuji:
And Myogiryu:
All in all, six bouts of which he won four: “I’m only starting. I need to get used to it again”. Said the shin-ozeki.
With practice over, the rikishi enjoyed some time off on the lawn outside the venue. Ryuden was enjoying himself, as usual:
And the children of Fujisawa were having the time of their lives:
After shower and dohyo-iri, they were at it again! Some of them were trying to make… thingamajigs… fly:
Or at least figure out what the things were supposed to do:
Some more serious people were still inside the venue doing their job:
OK, “serious” may be stretching it. Abi is a bit bored by the oicho-mage demonstration. I can tell.
This demonstration included both him and Onosho, facing each a different section of the audience. Onosho, unlike Abi, was behaving well:
Then it was Kakuryu’s turn to show off his rope.
Behind him you can see Shohoryu, handing pieces of twine to the rope team leader (I think it’s Shinzan, not sure).
Today, the torikumi included an elimination tournament for the top of Makuuchi. All other sekitori had their usual bouts. Again, no footage. All I have is this photo of Kakuryu and Endo starting their match:
Somewhat surprisingly, Kakuryu won this tournament, winning ¥2,000,000 and a year’s supply of vegetables from the area. “I’m going to eat lots of vegetables”, chuckled the Yokozuna.
I still hope to find that elusive footage of Ichinojo vs. Terutsuyoshi. If I do, I’ll add it here. In the meantime, enjoy our pin-up of the day:
