RabidJohn

Is that a certainty? Only moving up to M1E seems possible, not that I GTB... A total of 4 losses from maezumo to juryo was (and still is) hype-worthy. I'm amazed he managed to come back from the knee injuries and establish himself as a joi regular.

YDC convenes after Kyushu 2023 - Ozumo Discussions - Sumo Forum Mods, can these be merged?

They are still being very patient with Terunofuji. 'Participate in January or we'll have to say something' is fair. They may not come out and say it, but the 3 current ozeki winning 5 basho in 2023 is a great indicator and they can sense the potential of either Kirishima or Hoshoryu making the grade some time in 2024. They can reasonably start allowing their patience to run out.

I've just noticed that all the yusho in 2023 were won by yokozuna, ozeki, or about-to-become ozeki. Feels like normal service has snuck up on us.

Congratulations to Kirishima on yusho no. 2. I'll be delighted if he can make it stick in January, but I've tempered my expectations. I like him and his style and I would love to see him get the rope, but he's certainly doesn't have the overwhelming dominance Terunofuji had on his return to makuuchi. So yeah, let's see... Actually, talking about dominance upon returning to makuuchi, Atamifuji almost fits the bill. I don't believe M1 will be a wall for him; he may not get a 3rd JY on the trot, but he can KK there. Isegahama-san jinxing his deshi from the booth again today made me smile.

I'd give him the silly bugger prize for that tsuri attempt today. Just what his knackered knee needed.

Anyone know what happened to Kinbozan? He stopped trying like he was in massive pain, and he was favouring his right hand/wrist afterwards, but I couldn't see how he got hurt. I don't mind admitting I was completely wrong about Takakeisho. Failing the tsuna run was a given, but he didn't drop out with an injury and he's not kadoban next time. After his underwhelming makuuchi debut, Atamifuji is like a completely different rikishi. I'm still nervous about that shoulder, but he looks like he's headed for sanyaku and has the ability to stay there. For once, I'm hoping we don't get a play-off.

Tbf, it's only partly down to Futahaguro. He was promoted along with Onokuni, who became the 1st yokozuna to post an on-dohyo MK in Aki 1987. That and Futahaguro's dismissal within a few weeks led to the tightening of yokozuna promotion guidelines.

No, let's not rewrite history. His intai papers were handed in by his boss and accepted by the NSK without him having any say in the matter. That's kicked out in anyone's book.

I don't know how someone Midorifuji's size can even resist someone Takayasu's size focusing on their neck like that. The kotenage the little guy came out with was fabulous. The fact that 13-2 is now the best possible score doesn't bother me in the slightest. I'm thoroughly enjoying the basho.

Asanoyama is not just "a guy"; he's a proven ozeki calibre rikishi. And he seems to be unhampered by injury; he beat Takakeisho on nakabi and came very close to beating Kirishima today. Kirishima showed good defensive sumo apt to the situation; Hoshoryu was ineffectually offensive, shot his bolt and lost.

Oh, that made me laugh. Isegahama-san is such a dry old sod. I noted his presence in the booth had already jinxed Nishikifuji and Midorifuji, so maybe it was Atamifuji's 'failure' that dodged it. --- I was greatly impressed by leader Ichiyamamoto out-Tamawashi-ing the in-form Tamawashi (coincidentally followed up by Tomokaze being out-Tomokaze-d by Oho). I don't recall ever seeing a winner by utchari standing inside the tawara afterwards. That was a mighty winning move from Kinbozan. The difference in class between Kirishima and Hoshoryu was stark today. Both faced larger, stronger, technically competent opponents. Kirishima showed how it's done: Hoshoryu didn't. Konosuke showed today that he's already got everything it takes to be tate-gyoji...

Is time-keeper the rookie shimpan job? Maybe it's just a bias due to only seeing the 2 on the south side in the usual camera view, but if there's a new guy he's always on the right (as you look). Today it was Hidenoyama, looking very young, too.

I was greatly entertained today. The memory of Nishikigi hoisting Hokuseiho skyward will cheer me up when times are hard. Great defence from Kotonowaka. He's better than his dad was - probably those yokozuna genes he got from his mum. Stunning win by Takayasu, but props to both rikishi for avoiding bowling Inosuke despite the tate-gyoji's best efforts to get bowled.

I can appreciate a good stare-down, but that wasn't a good one - and it should never continue after the bout! I went right off Hoshoryu today.