Bealzbob

Perhaps, but Wakatenro still needs 2 wins from 4 days to avoid joining Kanbayashi, Kirinowaka & Kaiho

Thanks Randomitsuki. All interesting; and I agree, the injury makes his current position more impressive while also bringing his robustness and longevity slightly into question. Let's hope it's a one-off.

Your final point is the reason I ask. At that age he is potentially 'on schedule' for a great career. Has anyone seen him in action and does anyone think he has 'it' ?

Is it possible to search the database for rikishi who have debuted in a division lower or greater than a specified age? I'd be interested to know what age the 10 youngest ever makushita debutants were and where Chiyootori ranks in that respect (if he was to get there for Nagoya).

:-) He's back. 2 more now and we're into makushita at 17 years of age.

I take it YMY has lost a lot of his manouverability then recently? He used to be quite agile for someone of his size. So even if an opponent was clever not to take him head on, he was usually able to make it so that they had to fight him in some form of a strength matchup. Is his slide down the banzuke more attributable to an injury or to being found out by his opponents? As for my take on it; it is no doubt motivated by being a fan of his. I take it you're not overly enamoured with the idea of him sticking around the sekitori ranks.

Where's all the discussion gone? I was impressed again with Asasekiryu. His 3rd good nage in a row! Was also impressed with the gorilla's strength over the (visually anyway) much larger Tamawashi. Always good to see a (relatively) wee man lift a bigger rikishi clean off his feet. Felt a little sorry for Miyabiyama. It was clear that his tsuppari just doesn't have the same impact as before. Even when he was 'on top' in the bout it was clear to me that Ozone was easily absorbing the blows and would just come forward and finish him off, and he duly did. Kotomitsuki fluffed his lines and handed it to Kaio on a plate. Ama dropped a similar clanger too and looked really disappointed with himself. That Hakuba is a strange one. Apart from a failed cameo in 2008, it takes him 11 years inclusive to get into makuuchi and then he posts 3 consecutive KK? He must be somewhat of an anomoly the way his career has panned out to date. Baruto just seemed to lose track of where his arms were at one point and once he was stood up it was curtains. And I really though Kisenosato had Hakuho in the bag at one stage but somehow the yokozuna gathered himself together and you never get a 2nd bite of the cherry. Watching the ease at which YMY overpowered Wakatenro, you wonder why he can't coast back through juryo :-) Guess it's just not that simple. It was funny watching Daido trying in vain to throw the huge Gagamaru time and time again. It was never going to happen. He had no plan B without his uwatenage and he was inevitably turfed out.

Thanks for this. Helped me to make sense of the early stream :-)

Linky? EDIT : Scratch that, I found it

Hilarious. I needed a good laugh. And as usual, Asashosakari sums it up nicely from my POV.

The tachi-ai at 1:19 almost looked like the perfected version of Wakanoho's famed tachi-ai (On the banzuke...)

Aoiyama is certainly a Bulgarian in a hurry. It sure looks like he can match the gorilla's achievement of being sekitori in only his 6th basho (not including maezumo).

Losing to the master. No biggie. Just a reminder that that's what he's striving for. Just sweep the rest and you'll be fine Bart (Sign of approval...)

Still doing brilliantly although he has yet to beat anyone with a winning record. Tomorrow the real basho starts :) I have total confidence in him.

So with a 9-6 in Kyushu '09, what do people reckon he will need to get ozeki rank for Natsu? A repeat of the 12-3 ? Or will it require a 13-2 or a yusho?

(On the banzuke...) (Shaking head...) (In a state of confusion...) (Applauding...) First win ever. Can't believe it :D I changed my system a few basho ago and it has paid off.

... scurries back to his GTB entry...

No, my reasons for stopping were that it stopped being free. But I'm open to any way of re-starting again. Thanks (I am not worthy...)

How do our European based members follow each basho ? Do you watch live on TV? If so, which station (+ country) ? Do you get a free internet feed? Or pay for an internet feed? Or do you have to resort to the odd youtube clip? Since info-sumo started to charge roughly a year ago, I have all but given up trying to see it live. So I am just wondering if anything else has happened in the interim to make it easier for us to follow.

I hope that of most people ;)

I have tried, but have never had much luck in getting connected. I'll try again for Haru. Thanks all for the suggestions.

I will eat myself if he makes it to Sanyaku. I'd be careful Kintamayama ;-) Note 2 of your "never Ozeki. Ever" list ;-)

I realise the OP specified 'near future' but seeing as some responses have dipped down into makushita I'll dip temporarily into sandanme. For those who see those divisions' performers, does anyone have an opinion on Chiyootori? Only 17yrs 4mths old and missed out on promotion to makushita by 1 bout in hatsu. I've been keeping an eye on him since he entered sumo as Okinoshita and he appears to tick all the boxes. My biggest worry is that in his embryonic career he has already effectively missed 3 of 10 basho through injury.

Not a chance. Watch the records fall. I don't see an 'open' slot to be honest. There's no requirement to have any set number of yokozuna and given my answer to question number one, I can't see there being another yokozuna unless Hakuho gets a bad injury - and even then, the rest beat each other enough that no-one will stand-out. I would like to think so and Asa's retirement should mean one more guaranteed win against a lower opponent. Of the current crop I'd say he's arguably the most likely. Though he's still unlikely IMV.

I know (Oops!) It dawned on me afterwards. Silly silly me. :-)