Swami

The current situation does remind me a bit of 1992 after all four Yokozuna retired within a year, and the new generation jostling for position, finally Akebono & Takahanada emerging. Hakuho doesn't do it for me at all, rightly or wrongly he has rattled up records with competition at a very poor level. But where do you draw the line with making exceptions for Yokozuna in terms of kyujo? Kitanoumi withdrew for the first time in November 1981, having never ever withdrawn before, and until his retirement in January 1985, only completed eight entire tournaments after that, 1983 in fact he only lasted the full fifteen days in Kyushu. Swami

I have every issue of Sumo World from January 1980 until January 2002, for whatever reason that they stopped coming through thereafter. Perhaps I am more old-fashioned in that I prefer having a hard copy to browse through, the return of a Sumo World website is good news. Swami

Hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami

Hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami

I am glad to be wrong, although still surprised at his loss to Shodai. Of the leaders, he is under less pressure than Asanoyama, in that he was probably not expected to do so well, while Asanoyama is trying to get a Yokozuna run going. Today will be very interesting. Swami

Excellent stuff! Swami

Hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami

Belated happy birthday and hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami

Consider how much the banzuke was in Takanohana and Wakanohana's favour for much of the mid-to-late 90s when Fujishima and Futagoyama stables merged, they went down as far as maegashira 8 or so to get opponents for Taka/Waka, whereas Akebono always had a much harder draw. Musashimaru too, even though he had two high-ranking stablemates in Musoyama and Dejima. In Wakanohana's case had he remained ozeki he would probably have been remembered in a better light, but his Yokozuna tenure was not exactly stellar. Swami

And yet sometimes injury, ironically, can prolong a career, look at Mitoizumi, he had so many early struggles in his career but he ended up competing until he was 38. Swami

I think for the most of his career Mainoumi was around the 95/96 kg mark, only near the end did he hit the 100kg. Kyokudozan was around 95kg when he first entered Makunouchi, but he did manage to put a few kilos on, ending around 105kg. Swami

It just seemed to be one of those threads that I felt quite strongly about! Swami

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the average weight in Makunouchi at the moment is somewhere around the 165kg mark, up 25kg or so from 30/35 years ago. As a result techniques like utchari are becoming a thing of the past. On the other hand Kitanoumi was one of the heaviest rikishi of his day and had many great belt battles notably with Wajima. Hakuho just doesn't do it for me, I'm afraid, I really think he is overrated. I would rank him at best around the likes of Takanohana, but consider Taiho, Kitanoumi, Chiyonofuji and Wajima all superior Yokozuna. Swami

Chiyonofuji's technique was far superior to Hakuho's, on a different level completely. I remember him beating Asahifuji by kimedashi in November 1987, completely lifting him off his feet. In January that year he beat Ozutsu by amiuchi, which again was spectacular. Swami

Monday 1 June would have been Chiyonofuji's 65th birthday, even allowing for the risks we all know that are associated with sumo, I never in my wildest dreams thought he would be dead by this time. It was true he cited lack of support for not going for re-election in 2014 but I'm wondering whether or not health issues were a more significant factor in reaching this decision. Swami