Kashunowaka

I disagree; there is a point with putting them into the same slot. Very often two rikishi end up in the same nominal position and the whole exercise is about figuring out who should be moved to a different slot.

I am pleased that Takakeisho won rather than Kotoshoho. Neither of them is among my favourites but Takakeisho is the more worthy winner from his top rank. Regarding the talk of promotion: if Takakeisho wasn't promoted after his last yusho in 2020 (12-3J / 13-2Y) , it would be a shame to promote him now (12-3D / 12-3Y). Just one more win this time would have looked much better, but I hope they wait. Edit: just read further back in the thread that they will indeed wait.

I think that Takarafuji has a good chance of staying in makuuchi even with two more losses, since the M17e slot is quite likely to reappear.

Thank you so much for doing this @Seiyashi, I really appreciate these posts. Shouldn't Daieisho's target result be 8-7 rather than 9-6, by the numbers? I know that there is banzuke unluck and all that, but for the sake of consistency.

Kinboshi time for Oho in 2023!

He will drop due to injury like Abi did, but generally float around in the joi-jin like another Daieisho.

Terunofuji 1 Takakeisho 1 (O) Hoshoryu 1 (O) Takayasu 1 (S-K) W10e 1 (S-K) ehhh... Sadanoumi 1 (M)

M12e.

It could also go the other way. In the interest of appearing impartial, you might actually treat your own wrestlers less favourably. Not all people are created equal.

I expected the title to contain Tokushoryu, not Yutakayama. I would be surprised to see the former carry on.

@Jejima The first poll question says "2022" where it should be "2023". 11 kinboshi given out in 2022? That's a lot... I think there will be fewer in 2023 but I still answered 9, how about: Tamawashi, Onosho, Meisei, Ura, Oho, Ichiyamamoto, Kiribayama, Mitakeumi and Hiradoumi.

0 Y 2 J He will be kadoban once but remain ozeki.

He will be back to his 2021 form and will be ranked M12e.

I think he will take a step forward and become a sanyaku regular. Sekiwake west, not quite ozeki yet.

Sumo Prime Time managed to put Abi holding the Emperor's Cup as their thumbnail for today's video, which is quite poor YouTube manners. A lot of angered people got the result spoiled. Luckily I managed to watch the bouts without knowing the result beforehand.

Some thoughts and impressions from Kyushu basho 2022. I never thought I would say this, but Chiyoshoma is growing on me. His bout today against Endo was an example of solid sumo, winning by oshidashi for a change. A narrow make-koshi this time but he is holding his own in makuuchi. Wakamotoharu has improved a lot this year. Five kachikoshi in makuuchi and ending the year with 10-5, 10-5 is impressive. Under more normal banzuke circumstances he would be komusubi next basho. 22-year old Oho's development is more expected. Having such a great first week meant that he was pitted against strong competition in the second week, including the aforementioned Wakamotoharu in an excellent bout. Let's hope that Oho doesn't emulate Kotoshoho, who has been one of the biggest disappointments since his makuuchi debut. Kachikoshi for Midorifuji at M3? Thoroughly deserved, but I wonder if he will be "figured out" like Enho was and drop back to lower makuuchi. Poor Terutsuyoshi. Meisei is back where he belongs. Good enough to cause trouble for anyone on a good day but inconsistent. Hardly ozeki material, as opposed to Takanosho who I think is ozeki material but is currently far from the level he showed in May. I liked Hiradoumi in juryo and was happy to see him do so well this basho. Kotonowaka is already the guy with the worst banzuke luck ever: tied worst promotion from M6w/11-4 to M2w, followed by worst promotion from M2w/9-6 to M2e. He is sanyaku level in all but name, and perhaps he will finally get that komusubi slot now that Mitakeumi lost. Kotonowaka is solid but kind of boring IMHO, but if this style eventually takes him to ozeki I am all for it. Time to start taking Tobizaru seriously, I guess. He has also reached a new level recently, which I prefer compared to the "flying monkey" style. I didn't expect Nishikifuji to get kachikoshi at this rank, but with so many sanyaku M5w was actually well outside the joi-jin. And if your sumo works at M10, why not at M5. Next basho will be the real test for him. Disappointing to see Hoshoryu be the sole leader after day 11, only to drop out of the yusho race three days later. Still 11-4, start of an ozeki run or just a fluke? Regarding the yusho outcome I don't have much to add that hasn't been said, except that it was exciting, anticlimactic, heartbreaking, expected and well-deserved in that order.

It wouldn't be the first time. If you are unable to fight, what else can you do.

After Hokuseiho blasted through the lower divisions and eventually made a belated juryo debut, I had quite high hopes of him. I have adjusted my expectations a little after this basho: there seem to be some glaring holes in his sumo. He has the physical tools, but I am not sure that his passive, standup style of sumo will cut it against harder makuuchi opposition. Still plenty of time for him to improve though.

Wakatakakage has been a frequent subscriber to the gino-sho and couldn't be more well deserved IMHO. Let's hope that he makes himself ineligible for sansho soon.

Tochimaru was my role model this basho.

It's too early to judge.

I would be pleasantly surprised if Hakuho is in fact a good coach, judging from how previous dai-yokozuna have fared as coaches.

I think that the henka from Takakeisho was *fantastic* too watch. My memory might serve me wrong, but from what I recall there were more henkas in the 90s when I started watching sumo on Eurosport. You rarely expect it nowadays, which makes it all the more effective.

Takakeisho already has over three years as ozeki, two 13-2 yusho from sanyaku rank, and lots of double-digit results. This is already a very good career. Asanoyama has one 12-3 yusho from a low rank, a weak ozeki promotion and one decent year as ozeki before the suspension. I don't think he has shown yet whether he will fulfil his potential.

I have watched them alright...