Let me give a huge, “Thank You!” to Leonid for stepping in with coverage while I was out. I had hoped to provide a few days of updates from France but that obviously did not happen. He did a great job of covering for me.

Things certainly look a bit different here today from when I left on Day 5. Daiseizan leads in Juryo and…checks notes…Ichiyamamoto is our sole leader in Makuuchi. “What did you do?” I feel like a resident who returns home to find they do not recognize the place. After stepping in the front door, I lean back outside to double check the street number on the front door. “Am I in the right place?”

Picking up as I usually do, with kyujo news, on Day Eleven we see that Nishikifuji has gone kyujo. Hidenoumi has been back for a few days, pulling out a metaphorical umbrella to help steady his fall down the banzuke. He did get one win yesterday but as gingerly as he walks up and down the steps to the dohyo, I am not hopeful for many more.

While I try to find my bearings and a new place to put my luggage, let’s turn to today’s action.

Your NHK videos for Day 11 are here: Juryo, Makuuchi Part I and Part II.

Makuuchi Action

Oshoumi (6-4) defeated Kayo (2-8). Kayo immediately put things in reverse. Oshoumi tripped him up. One more loss and Kayo is on the barge to Juryo. I would say he is pre-booked, checked-in and ready to board. Sotogake.

Kusano (9-2) defeated Mitakeumi (8-3). Kusano pivoted and threw Mitakeumi and Mitakeumi chugged toward the bales. Beautiful uwatenage.

Midorifuji (7-4) defeated Hidenoumi (1-8-2). Midorifuji hit Hidenoumi hard at the tachiai and bulldozed him from the ring. Yorikiri.

Tokihayate (5-6) defeated Kotoeiho (4-7). Kotoeiho charged forward aggressively but Tokihayate was able to pivot and used his left-hand inside to throw Kotoeiho into a pile outside the dohyo. Sukuinage.

Kotoshoho (9-2) defeated Takanosho (7-4). Kotoshoho blitzed Takanosho at the tachiai and chugged forward, ushering Takanosho over the bales. Yorikiri.

Atamifuji (8-3) defeated Shodai (6-5). Shodai stepped left to get a good hold of Atamifuji’s belt. He got his right hand inside but made no forward progress. It was Atamifuji who was able to charge forward and drive forward ushering Shodai over the edge, avoiding Shodai’s impotent attempt at a throw. Yorikiri.

Shishi (4-7) defeated Chiyoshoma (0-11). Chiyoshoma wrapped himself around Shishi, driving toward the bales and desperately charging toward the edge. Shishi squatted slightly to get low, pivoted, and threw Chiyoshoma with a sudden beltless throw at the bales. The way he slipped from Chiyoshoma’s grip there made it seem he had been greased up with some of the finest French butter. Sukuinage.

Ura (7-4) defeated Fujinokawa (6-5). Both men slammed into each other, over and over after the tachiai, like rutting goats. Ura pivoted left and pulled Fujinokawa forward, then followed up with a shove to propel Fujinokawa off the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Asakoryu (3-8) defeated Sadanoumi (2-9). Henka! Sadanoumi charged past Air Asakoryu, slamming on the brakes as he reached the edge. Asakoryu pursued and blasted Sadanoumi off the dohyo and into the couple sitting on the far right of the front row. Okuridashi.

Roga (7-4) defeated Tobizaru (3-8). The best bout of the first half was this last bout. Tobizaru gets spicy with his leg trip as Roga stumbled but maintained his balance. Tobizaru tried to drive forward with both hands inside but Roga was determined and seemed to crush Tobizaru where he stood, driving him to the ground with both arms wrapped around him. Kotenage.

Halftime

Churanoumi (6-5) defeated Gonoyama (6-5). Churanoumi reached outside with his left hand and stepped to the left as Gonoyama pressed forward. This allowed Churanoumi to slip in behind Gonoyama and shove him out. Okuridashi.

Onokatsu (5-6) defeated Takerufuji (5-6). Takerufuji hit Onokatsu hard and drove him to the bales but Onokatsu resisted well. Takerufuji pulled but his knee buckled as he tried to force Onokatsu to change direction. Tsukihiza.

Oho (4-7) defeated Meisei (3-8). Oho hit Meisei with a flurry of blows and tried a slapdown. Meisei grabbed around with the right hand. Oho then pressed forward and drove Meisei into the ground outside the bales. Yoritaoshi.

Wakamotoharu (3-8) defeated Hiradoumi (5-6). A dizzying bout here as both men rotated. Wakamotoharu pulled and slapped Hiradoumi down before his momentum carried him off the dohyo. Hatakikomi.

Aonishiki (9-2) defeated Abi (6-5). Abi tried to slap Aonishiki down but Aonishiki’s excellent footwork allowed him to keep his balance and drive forward into Abi, launching Abi into the crowd. Yorikiri.

Sanyaku

Takayasu (8-3) defeated Ichiyamamoto (9-2). Ichiyamamoto charged forward behind a hail of tsuppari but Takayasu got his right hand inside, pivoted, and threw Ichiyamamoto violently to the ground at the edge. Despite the loss, I liked what I saw from Ichiyamamoto. He used his tsuppari effectively to counter Takayasu’s own blasts. When he pulled, he did so quickly and briefly, paired with that important pivot. He won great position and did well to force Takayasu to the edge. But damn, what a throw from Takayasu. Northern Japan has had a spate of bear attacks lately. Here was one in the middle of Nagoya. Shitatenage.

Kinbozan (3-8) defeated Oshoma (2-9). Kinbozan got his right hand inside grip and when Oshoma charged ahead, Kinbozan twisted and hurled Oshoma to the ground with a powerful shitatenage.

Wakatakakage (7-4) defeated Hakuoho (6-5). Hakuoho tried to bull his way forward but Wakatakakage changed direction and pulled Hakuoho with a solid maemitsu. Wakatakakage’s shift allowed him to get Hakuoho off balance and in danger at the edge of the ring. Wakatakakage then pressed forward and forced Hakuoho out. Yorikiri.

Kotozakura (6-5) defeated Tamawashi (8-3). Tamawashi seemed to slip as he charged forward and Kotozakura picked up a fortunate pulldown victory. Hikiotoshi.

Onosato (8-3) defeated Kirishima (8-3). Kirishima resisted Onosato’s charge well by getting both hands inside. Kirishima hugged Onosato, pivoted and forced the Yokozuna to the edge. Kirishima really wanted that right hand belt grip to go with the left so he could pull up with more power. Onosato used his left hand ottsuke to keep pulling Kirishima’s hand off and he shuffled along the bales to the left, then pulled right. Finally, as he stepped forward with his left he broke Kirishima’s hold and Kirishima fell backward. Uwatehineri.

Wrap up

Well now, we still have a bit of a free-for-all at the top of the leaderboard. A group of four rank-and-filers are tied for the lead now with nine wins and two losses. With Ichiyamamoto’s loss, he is joined by Ajigawa-beya’s Ukrainian sensation, Aonishiki, Isegahama’s latest “one-to-watch,” Kusano, and Sadogatake’s #2 man, Kotoshoho.

Onosato escaped today and stays in the chase group, pulling Kirishima down with him. Takayasu, Tamawashi, Atamifuji and Mitakeumi round out the group with three wins. The rank-and-filers are being pulled up from tomorrow so we will whittle this group down through attrition.

Ichiyamamoto will face Onosato tomorrow and Kirishima will fight Kotozakura. Kusano will jump all the way from M14 to fight Sekiwake Wakatakakage, who will be eager to secure a kachi-koshi. Takayasu will fight Kotoshoho. Aonishiki has already fought everyone at the top of the banzuke so he will fight Tamawashi. Mitakeumi and Atamifuji will face off against each other with the winner likely jumping up to fight sanyaku opponents on Thursday.

I can’t say I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s bouts as I am more looking forward to some sleep. I will catch you all tomorrow after a few hours of staring at the back of my eyelids.