Doitsuyama

Nowadays Makuuchi is fixed to 42 rikishi (40 before that), but it used to be more flexible depending on needs for promotions/demotions/retirements etc.

Have a look at a real banzuke, and you will realize that "East" and "West" aren't theoretical concepts but indeed the side of the banzuke they are written on. So the uneven Ozeki (or Sekiwake or Komousubi) is written on the west side if there is an uneven number already above them. That rule doesn't count for the last Maegashira though. Well, since they are written in smaller script and there is a much bigger number of them anyway there's not a big need here. But the high ranks are small in number and written larger, so effort is made to even the number out on the left and right side.

Eventually it does of course, but most certainly not for Hatsu. Even if they decide to remove him from the banzuke (normally an untimely intai just gets a 0-0-15 score, but in more extreme cases the rikishi is not even written on the next banzuke), the slot will just be blank.

Thanks to Asashosakari's work it's here now: http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Banzuke.aspx#Mz

The NSK pages are sadly very incomplete with first names for lower division rikishi. Usually they only get updated in cases of first name changes (but not even included in the shikona change list) or when the rikishi becomes a sekitori. Since the latter happened here, I'm going to assume he had this first name for Tomokaze since he adopted this shikona (but it could have been a later change...)

The gyoji wasn't all that bad. He clearly saw that Tochinoshin's foot dragged out, but since he wasn't 100% sure he let the match go on. I mean, it would have been even more embarassing to stop the match only to make the check and see that his foot wasn't out. After the match he probably had a quick look to check the imprint and pointed to Shohozan's side.

Wait, if this was indeed the last clock change then it will stay only at Makuuchi forever. What's "hopefully" about that?

I'm just seeing the "heart over matter" article. @John Gunning, you should use my DB more often.

Examples please for "Rikishis better than Ura haven gone 6-1 or worse"? Anyone can say that but I don't quite recall such an instance. I'd say 7-0 is indeed very likely given the disparity in skill between Ura and Sandanme. Of course if Ura is close to his old form.

Pre-bout torikumi records can be wrong in rare cases, not sure why. That corrects itself after the bout. I think it looks ok now.

You meant Motoyamamotoyama, right?

He didn't mention juryo bouts as a requirement at all, just "juryo wrestler" which obviously points to the most likely bouts taking part in makuuchi.

Sorry for being late but I had a good laugh here. Was that answer in jest or for real? Of course you just set the clock ahead by one hour in that "extra time"...

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/08/31/sumo/multiracial-wrestlers-making-mark-raised-ring/#.WplI-OciFr8 http://trendtwitter.com/Sumo_Jason/ The first is your fabulous Japan Times article, the second is the twitter channel of ＠Sumo_Jason. Sue him!

Nah, while watching the video I wondered if it really was okuridashi, because Chiyomaru was out BEFORE the push already, watch his foot. So I'm not surprised at all the kimarite is different.