the great pumpkin

September Day 4 Preview

Bruce H Aki Basho 2016, Kakuryu (鶴竜), Kisenosato (稀勢の里), Takayasu (高安), Yoshikaze (嘉風) , , , , ,

dohyori

Of Course You Know This Means War…

More chaos in the matches as we go skidding into day 4. It’s still early, and it’s really up for grabs. Even the research staff here at Tachiai are confused (and possibly drunk) given all of the twists and turns thus far. Day four now approaches, with calamitous intent!

Endo v Chiyoshoma – Really now, Chiyoshoma is still undefeated? Can we have the good Endo please, to bring maximum parity to the dohyo? Prediction / wish-casting: Endo

Sokokurai v Kotoyuki – The next undefeated Rikishi will go against Sokokurai. I predict that Sokokurai will not be kachi-nokori

Takekaze v Mitakeumi – That guy Mitakeumi is actually good enough to win this thing. I wonder if the veteran Takekaze can furnish a speed bump on his road to victory.

Ikioi v Chiyootori – Much as I love watching Ikioi win, he was hurt on day 3. I really don’t want to see Chiyootori go 0-4. Ikioi was limping bad enough on that bad ankle I worry about him going kuyjo. So far no word in the sumo press on that.

Takayasu v Tochiozan – I think the Takayasu sumo machine finally has his boiler up to temp, so this will be a good match. I hope to see Tochiozan make kachi-koshi when all is done in 11 days.

Goeido v Takanoiwa – Great sumo cat of the Kokugikan! If either of the Kadoban Twins win this basho, i am honor bound to eat both my own buttocks. Not an easy task. Takanoiwa has been on a hot streak, my backside prays he can slow down Goeido, it’s not like we can count on Kakuryu to do it

Okinoumi v Terunofuji – Wow, you know Terunofuji is worried, right? What happened to regular Okinoumi? I expect that he will one day peel his lifelike skin away to reveal Hakuho inside there operating him like a robot.

Kisenosato v Yoshikaze – The Great Pumpkin is off his game. He is at his best when he is straight ahead hug-and-chug mawashi sumo. I don’t even see him getting a grip on these bouts. Good luck trying to touch Yoshikaze’s belt. I predict (as i always do) the Berserker. He’s kind of the Mike Ditka of sumo. Yeah, that slipi-toshi loss to Kakuryu? We still love you Berserker!

Juryo

Ura v Sadanofuji – Sorry Sadanofuji, it’s time for more Ura goodness

Chiyomaru v Osunaarashi – I worry the Sandstorm is not healed up yet. Anyone’s guess on this one as Osunaarashi is hit or miss

 

Okinoumi Kinboshi, Kisenosato Loses Again

Bruce H Aki Basho 2016, Harumafuji (日馬富士), Kakuryu (鶴竜), Kisenosato (稀勢の里), Yoshikaze (嘉風) , ,

day3-harumafuji

Purple cushions rain down in Tokyo

A quick recap of day 3 action at the Kokugikan, there was some amazing sumo taking place in Tokyo while the US was asleep.  Some of the favorites faced defeat, and underdogs took some wins.

Undefeated after day 3: Goeido, Okinoumi, Mitakeumi, Kotoyuki, Chiyoshoma

Okinoumi defeats Harumafuji – his second kinboshi this tournament! Okinoumi remains undefeated. The Maegashira 1e wrestler is having a great basho 3 days in.

Tochinoshin defeats Kisenosato – The big Georgian takes down the Great Pumpkin, whose dreams of Yokozuna in Tokyo are well and truly in tatters

Kakuryu defeats Yoshikaze – The winless Yokozuna picks up one against the Berserker.  Yoshikaze fights like a man possessed, but keep in mind he was hospitalized for injuries in August.

Kaisei defeats Takanoiwa – Takanoiwa had been on a strong winning streak, and the burly Brazilian has been struggling, but today it was Takanoiwa’s turn to go down.

Mitakeumi defeats Tamawashi – Mitakeumi remains with Okinoumi at 3 wins / 0 losses at the end of day 3.  This basho is wide open with the Boss recovering from foot surgery.

Chiyotairyu defeats Ura – It was bound to happen some time, but Ura had his first loss today. I am not going to say “Henka”, but others may.

Hidenoumi defeats Osunaarashi – The Egyptian is struggling after taking the July tournament off to recover from injuries

 

Aki Basho Day 3 Preview

Bruce H Aki Basho 2016, Harumafuji (日馬富士), Kisenosato (稀勢の里), San'yaku (三役), Sekiwake (関脇), Yoshikaze (嘉風) , , , , ,

kise-salt

Cloudy With A Chance of Kinboshi

Day 3 of the September tournament looks to be even more interesting / exciting than day 2 has been. Through the line up and ranking in the Banzuke, it was assured that some of the best men in Sumo would be head to head on any given day. Here are some of the things we can look forward to for Tuesday

Kyokushuho v Amakaze – Amakaze looks to have gotten back into his sumo on day two, but Kyokushuho at Maegashira 15 is unbeaten. Can size overcome a rikishi on a winning streak?

Gagamaru v Arawashi – Planet Gagamaru will try to improve his 1-1 record against the higher ranking Arawashi, who looked very strong in Nagoya.

Shohozan v Kotoyuki – Both unbeaten, it’s time for one of them to taste the dohyo

Kaisei v Takanoiwa – The winless Komusubi takes on the unbeaten Takanoiwa who has already beaten both Sekiwake

Kisenosato v Tochinoshin – The Great Pumpkin is not out of the hunt for Yokozuna yet, he faces a struggling Tochinoshin next.

Yoshikaze v Kakuryu – It’s a shame when a Yokozuna starts 0-2, can Yoshikaze make it 3 with a Kinboshi?

Harumafuji v Okinoumi – Harumafuji looked strong today against the berserker (Yoshikaze), but at the moment it seems Okinoumi is collecting san’yaku scalps. Magic in the air (and purple cushions) if Okinoumi gets his second Kinboshi.

Aki Day 1 Shocker – Kisenosato (稀勢の里 ) Loses

Bruce H Aki Basho 2016, Kisenosato (稀勢の里), Yokozuna (横綱) , ,

Yokozuna Campaign Thrown Into Doubt By Loss To Rank and File Wrestler Okinoumi (隠岐の海)

The over-arching theme going into the September tournament was that the great Japanese hope, Kisenosato would press once again to win the tournament and ascend in rank to Yokozuna. If he should do that, it would break the Mongolian lock on the top rank in sumo, and give the Japanese fans one of their own in the elite ranks. With Hokuho on the bench until at least November, it was if the sumo gods had smiled upon Kisenosato, blessing his path to victory.

Then This

kise-loss

 

Listen, Great Pumpkin – you have to earn it. To win the championship, Kisenosato would need 15 to 13 wins over the next two weeks. That includes facing all of the other San’yaku, both Yokozuna, and a few rank and file types he is supposed to help “educate” in the ways of sumo.

He came off strong at the Tachiai where he nearly stood Okinoumi up, and walked him to the edge of the ring. At that point, Okinoumi decided he was not going down. Okinoumi dug deep, found the power to circle Kisenosato to his right, and then it was Kisenosato with his heels on the bales. One hard push with everything he had, and the aspiring Kisenosato had lost.

For the overall campaign of Kisenosato reaching Yokozuna, this is a huge blow. He had been looking very rough in pre-tournament practice bouts. Many had assumed he was “sandbagging” and would bring the thunder once it was for real.

His path to the rope is still open, but the climb is much steeper. Congratulations to Okinoumi, who proves himself worthy of his East Maegashira 1 rank in taking down the Great Pumpkin.