Gospodin

Like Mitakeumi did today - keeping him in front of him.

Somehow reminiscent of Federer skipping the clay season.

Since I have no idea how to figure that out, if possible at all, I have a question to the respected forum: before his loss to Tochinoshin in May, does anybody know or remember the last time when Hakuho lost a bout after getting his left hand outside grip, or how many bouts he has lost at all when having it ? Thank you for help/suggestions how to find out.

I wouldn´t call it a bad idea, might get you an advantage. Not going into the long-term consequences, but the ability to wrestle, after suffering an impact equivalent to a car crash, is what´s still puzzling me time and again, after 15 years of watching.

Tochiazuma became Ozeki in 2002. He retired in 2007.

All sumo wrestlers suffer from metabolic syndrome during their active careers. They incur irreversible damage to their body already while being active. The most obvious is the strikingly high prevalence of type II diabetes.

Takayasu is really missing his training partner. Maybe coincidence, but since Kise is out, Takayasu´s sumo is all over the place-no concept.

Watching Tamawashi´s initial reaction - dismay and disgusted about himself, I can´t imagine anymosity towards him. It is not the culture. I remember interviews with injured rikishi stating to try to get healthy as quickly as possible, so that their opponent does not have to worry about them.

Brain injuries by doing sumo might justify a separate thread. Just inferring the findings from the NFL, rikishi seem to endure the equivalent of hundreds of car accidences over their careers.

Agreed. The call was perfectly right.

Is that a kind of surgery that you can do immediately or not at all, like some shoulder tears ?

Before his yusho, a special rank of Ozekiwake for him has been suggested here.

Just as a side note - a bet before the basho on Takekaze beating Terunofuji by yorikiri, of all kimarite, could have earned one a nice sum. Even with Terunofuji in truly bad condition, I had to read that line twice to believe it - not Takekaze´s win, the kimarite.

Does the custom that former Ozeki retire when falling out of the top division apply here ? edit: for Terunofuji

Are steroids prohibited in sumo ? As for painkillers, I wouldn´t necessarily expect opiods to be an issue. But in an age where average gym goers are washing down copious amounts of ibuprofen before and after training sessions to numb their joints, I wouldn´t be surprised if a similar routine would exist in sumo.