Tsubame

This wasn't really surprising in the same way as Hoshoryu's win today.

One thing that become clear to me this basho is that Hoshoryu is an ozeki. Good Ozeki but nothing more. I do not see any glimpse of becoming ever a yokozuna for him. His name was handled regulary on the list of yokozuna-"prospects". But after this basho and reminding the last year I crossed hom off that list. Don't get me wrong. Ten wins on average as an ozeki ist exactly the mark for a ozeki and shows consistency but this is not the launching pad to yokozunahood.

No, just the back-up justification after "dead body"

Not really arguing, but I would interpret that scene as follows: Obviously the gyoji is focused on the feet area and the tawara and in the picture he stands in the right place to see the whole sole of Tobizaru's left food while it still touching the ground thus meaning the upper part of he foot must touch the ground.

Someone else posted this. It shows the back of Tobizarus foot in contact with the ground. https://imgur.com/a/0Gcp61A

Come on guys, shall we really repeat all the "dead body rules"? Tobizaru hat no influence in the movement of them both. Yes, Kotozakura technically hit the ground first mere moments before Tobizaru, but he was the active wrestler pushing his opponent outwards. So, while there were occations where a mono-ii was held in such situations, I do understand that it does not happened in this time.

Onosato joins an interesting group of rikishi who achieve double digit wins in their first three makuuchi bashos. Querry 3 results found Rikishi Basho 1. Onosato 1 1. Onosho 1 1. Terukuni 1 On one hand we have a highly prospect that ended as our usual rank-and-file and on the other a yokozuna. Which fate will Onosato follow?

I mean he is M17, so it is not sooo unlikely. Okay, lets cheer for Takarafuji! He is still on course for his zensho yusho!

I mean he is M17, so it is not sooo unlikely. Okay, lets cheer for Takarafuji!

A 11-4 JY (with 2 wins behind the winner) will never ever be considered as a "yusho equivalent" for a yokozuna run. Never. Ever.

I assume this never happened before, or did it?

Is it too early to be excited about our annual M17 yusho?

Indeed, Ichinojo came close. He met his first yokozuna in his 57th overall bout (with same amounts of bashos). Totally forgot, that Ichinojo had also a massive headstart into sumo.

Onosato faced a yokozuna in his: 56th bout overall, 5th basho overall, 3rd sekitori basho. These have to be hard to break records, or not?

Do you know what I most recognize by watching these old bashos? The lack of visible injuries or resp. bandages! It might be that nowadays they are more leaniend towards wearing those bandages around knees, feet, or elbows but you rarely saw them back in the days. I cannot imagine that this observation should be only related to the abolished kosho-status.