RabidJohn

No one gets promoted to ozeki without being "up to par". Mitakeumi in particular was an ultra-reliable KK machine until one basho after his promotion. I don't know whether injury or long-covid caused the subsequent six straight MKs, but it definitely wasn't bad judgement on the part of the promotion committee.

While I wasn't anticipating the shikona change, it doesn't surprise me. So long, Misty Horse Mountain... I've a feeling Kirishima II will out-perform Kirishima I. The trajectory he's currently on is rope-ward.

Terunofuji said more in his yusho interview than I'm used to hearing from any rikishi; he was quite talkative! How he faced his enforced lay-off after surgery; how he wouldn't have entered if he didn't believe he could win; how he prepared for his bout against Kiribayama as he would against an ozeki; that it's fun facing young rikishi who are getting stronger; and that winning a yusho is very hard! --- @Kotomiyama I'm not a Takakeisho fan, but he's a very successful ozeki with 3 titles. He's done that by pushing his body beyond what it's physically capable of. He's the ultimate ozumo tryhard IMO. And I'll just point it out again: Wakamotoharu led with an elbow to Takakeisho's chin at the tachi-ai (the move Hakuho KO'd Myogiryu with in 2012). A few roundhouse harite in response was ok by me - and I am a Wakamotoharu fan.

I remember that one. Only time I ever saw Chiyonofuji look like he was losing his rag. He could've easily put Terao out with okuri dashi, but instead decided to pick him up and slam him down.

I don't recall ever seeing a four-sekiwake score line like that before. They're all on ozeki runs next time, except Kiribayama obviously. Nor do I recall seeing shukun-sho and gino-sho being dished out, but no kanto-sho That pick-him-up, throw-him-down move Hoshoryu did on Kiribayama was one of his uncle's, no? Btw, I Googled Hoshoryu to check his recent scores. I went back to Google, typed 'd' and Daieisho came up immediately. Went back again and Wakamotoharu came up without me typing anything...

Is Nishikigi on the verge of a sanyaku promotion? I believe he's the only maegashira in the top 4 slots on both sides with a KK so far. I didn't see that coming, but then he is the Invisible Man of ozumo. I wouldn't describe Takakeisho as a bully because he swung a few haymakers at Wakamotoharu. Leading with a kachi-age (forearm smash) to the chin at the tachi-ai is kind of setting the tone... I'm extremely impressed by Wakamotoharu. He's coming across as even more competent than little brother, who was a very successful sekiwake until injury took him. Kiribayama looked annoyed with himself in the hanamichi. I get why, but there was no shame in the loss. He made the yokozuna work very hard for his eighth title, and looked every bit an ozeki contending for the yusho. Congratulations to Terunofuji. Even in his seriously weakened state he is a force to be reckoned with. I can't help but wonder what might have been if those knees hadn't gone AWOL in 2015...

It may not feel like it, but that was Chiyoshoma's 1st henka in ages... Wakamotoharu was channelling Chiyonofuji today - Tsurugisho was beat before the tachi-ai. No doubt about Kiribayama's promotion now. I can see Kirishima's technique shining through. Bit of an honour for Asanoyama to be meeting the yokozuna so early, wasn't it? I would've expected him to get Kiribayama 1st. His style of sumo just plays straight into Terunofuji's game, though. Reminds me a bit of Tochinoshin vs Hakuho.

Ura's gymnast sense of balance is amazing. Looked to me like the deciding factor after that lengthy pat-a-cake session with Tobizaru. I'm thrilled that Kiribayama secured his ozeki promotion with a decisive win over the incumbent. 13-2 doesn't look beyond him atm. Terunofuji jarred them knackered knees badly today; he was obviously in pain after the bout with Wakamotoharu. I'm also wondering if he'll get out of bed tomorrow...

I believe the knees were way more of a factor than the incident at the Mongolian piss-up. Harumafuji was already nearing the end of his tenure (and at least resignation meant he never became the no. 1 giver-away of kinboshi). Anyway, Isegahama-san has raised 2 yokozuna, which is kudos enough. Concurrency would've just been icing on the cake.

He is, but I don't know where he's got it from. I don't recall it being a prominent feature of moto-Sokokurai's sumo...

I'm not clairvoyant, but I expected that utchari win by Wakamotoharu from about halfway through the bout. Dude didn't disappoint me - and it was a thing of great beauty. I was surprised to see Kiribayama get Hiradoumi, but I was impressed by the patient way he dealt with the 'unknown quantity' of a first time meet. So Takakeisho had no chance of a KK in his current condition... Anyone still got money on that?

Hokuseiho surviving the Meisei onslaught that gave Terunofuji his only loss so far was pretty impressive. I'd like to see a better tachi-ai and more driving forwards, and I'm certain I'm far from alone in that, but the kid's already got what it takes to reach the top. I'm not switching trains, but I can't deny the Hokuseiho train is racing up behind the one I'm on. I loved how Ura was already gracefully pirouetting back to his side as Hokutofuji hit the dirt. Kiribayama beating his fellow ozeki aspirants looks really good. Wakamotoharu landing on his head like that looked really bad - proper made me wince, that did. Kinbozan should have a rosy future if he can remain injury free while he garners the necessary experience to deal with all the top dogs. Kotonowaka gave us a very good musubi no ichiban today, but it can't have been great on the yokozuna's knees...

He's in the joi without a proper mage, so he's done bloody well so far. I'm impressed. It's not at all unusual for fast risers to hit a wall first time in the joi: how Kinbozan learns from the experience and bounces back is what really matters.

Is Kiribayama injured? Or is all that going-backwards sumo just Kakuryu being a bad influence? Either way, I'm more impressed with Daieisho's and Wakamotoharu's sumo so far this basho. I've a feeling Kinbozan joined a very limited-membership club today - of rikishi who've fought yokozuna before they had a chance to grow a proper oicho-mage. Glad that Terunofuji was fit enough to give him a proper welcome to the musubi no ichiban!

Aye, but it's getting off topic in this particular thread. Maybe split it off?