Kashunowaka

M11e Sadanoumi (7-7) M18e Oho (7-7) M15w Tochinoshin (7-7) M2w Ichinojo (7-7) M2e Ura (7-7) M13e Chiyomaru (7-7) Bench Sumo torikumi makers wouldn't have done it better... Tough matchups for the low-rankers!

I will be rooting for Mitakeumi to win outright tomorrow, for several reasons: a) it would be a slam-dunk ozeki promotion, b) the yusho would be won by someone in the joi meaning no "easy" schedule, c) the winning result would be 13-2 which I regard as the hallmark of a quality yusho. That said, if it becames a three-way playoff it will involve Terunofuji, Mitakeumi and Abi/Kotonowaka. For Terunofuji to win he must beat Mitakeumi twice, plus Abi (whom he lost to) or Kotonowaka. For Mitakeumi to win a playoff, he must beat Terunofuji (whom he has just lost to), plus Abi (again) or Kotonowaka. And for Abi or Kotonowaka to get to playoff and win, they must beat all the other three. In either case the yusho will be deserved, even if it's Kotonowaka. I will however be rooting hard against the latter due to his low rank and generally unimpressive sumo, despite 11-3.

2 KK from the entire sanyaku is indeed a record low in the modern era, tied with Hatsu basho 2020 when Tokushoryu won the cup. Of course, it helps that the number of sanyaku rikishi is also at an all-time low (7). But these things tend to even out in the long run. Less sanyaku means that it is easier to break into the top ranks, and of course under-performing sanyaku will be replaced. In Haru 2021 we had the opposite situation, with 7 out of 9 sanyaku rikishi getting KK including all komusubi and sekiwake, which made it very difficult to get promoted to komusubi.

But Takanosho only needs one win to stay in sanyaku, so I still think it's unlikely that lower sanyaku is completely vacated.

Seems to be http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Banzuke.aspx?b=201603

Don't count your chickens before they hatch... Even with an ozeki promotion in March, he could still do an Asanoyama and plummet to juryo. Anything is still possible!

My thoughts exactly. If he gets to 9-6 I'll hope he will be a candidate for the real gino-sho.

I nominate Ishiura winning with shitatehineri vs Tsurugisho on day 9.

I think that 13-2 is a shoe-in for Mitakeumi even if he comes in fifth place.

I thought that Meisei's win over Ichinojo on day 3 was an excellent display of technique from the komusubi.

What's going on in Chaingang? One player already has a successful pick on day 4.

Yes, I always tend to underestimate Chiyomaru. Always.

And it gets even better! More than half the field stand on zero wins after day 3. I almost picked Chiyomaru, but no...

And we're off!

I swear I didn't look at @just_some_guy's picks beforehand! I thought I was being original picking Takanosho... Terunofuji Y Takakeisho O Shodai Takanosho O

He did great last basho and was back in makuuchi this time, so I think he will stick around for another year. J6e in Jan 2023.

He is now into the top 10 junior sanyaku rikishi of all time, has passed (or will pass) perennial sekiwakes such as Akinoshima, Takatoriki and Wakanosato. But he still has Kotonishiki's record to go for, so I'll say that he gets that in early 2023. Not ozeki during 2022.

Kinboshi: Endo, Ichinojo, Takanosho, and ... Ichiyamamoto.

K1e

A few visits to sanyaku, landing at M1e next year.

1 Y 2 J

Terunofuji 3 Takakeisho 1 Takanosho 1 Hokuseiho wins Kyushu basho

Earlier this year a 10-5 from M2w only got Wakatakakage to M1e. Now he has gone 9-6 from M3e in Aki basho, followed by 8-7 this time. If he ends up at M1 on the next banzuke, he sure is getting his share of bad banzuke luck. Edit: I wouldn't mind seeing Meisei dropped from Sw to M1 in favour of Wakatakakage, but I guess that is not going to happen unless we resurrect the banzuke committee from 1991-1992.

Hiradoumi finishes 7-7-1 with no fusenpai loss. As far as I could find, this has only happened once before in juryo or makuuchi.