Gospodin

I remember that basho, for the very atypical kimarite he employed. He came back from a stint in Juryo and looked like a changed wrestler.

Injured back and all, but It still baffles me how nimble Ichinojo was in his Makuuchi debut.

Remembering the years of discussions here for "disappointing" time and again, it´s somehow surreal to read through a conversation whether he did now.

My money´s down he does. Even if he is permanently restricted by his injury, his talent should take him to lower Makuuchi at least.

Are his X-rays he posted still available here ? With all due respect: regardless of the martial art, if you are caught in an armlock you accept your fate and give in.

I am 100% certain you are referring to Kaio/Chiyotaikai after 2004. Chiyotaikai peaked early, as the majority of oshi wrestlers do, and Kaio was arguably one of the strongest Ozeki ever until his last yusho. BTW I really miss his kotenage. That lightning quick left grab of the wrist out of nowhere, pull and pat on his opponent´s shoulder was great technique. Nobody employs it like that today.

So the Yokozuna took responsibility and restored order in the end.

Uff, millimeters away. That was the closest avoidance of kadoban status I have ever seen.

Anxiety over securing promotion, perhaps ?

Excluding injuries, what are the chances of three kadoban ozeki all maintaining their rank in the next basho ?

Like I said, I´m getting old :-). No more trivia from me - promised.

oh, I missed that one. Two rikishi left. I´m getting old

Tochinoshin. Muscled him out during his Ozeki run. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaM59YGNzRo

To ease off a bit, before things get going today - a little trivia (apologies if I´m boring/annoying you). Hakuho almost never lost when he had his left uwate grip. There is one riikishi left in Makuuchi who beat him when he had his favoured grip. it was also the last time. Guesses ? :

I don´t know, but his record indicates it is very probable that he will drop from Juryo.

It looks like the final sunset is imminent for Shohozan. I will miss him and his charisma.

I doubt you can bet on Sumo in Vegas.

A rare instance of hyper-yaocho. The entire division is in on the fix, save Shodai. They paid off a few to lose almost all, and rest is trading wins as they see fit.

Nephew is getting cocky, or tries to. Anybody elso who giggled watching that staredown ?

Endo slipped before contact.

What´s more puzzling is that nobody in Sanyaku has more than five wins after eight days. I am almost certain that´s a first.

Thanks, I should get up an hour before makuuchi starts

Daisho´s right foot touched clearly down first. No doubt about this one, imo.

IMHO it is impossible to overstate what Terunofuji achieved, coming back from those injuries to make the rank in the first place (there´s a poll on this very well informed forum about how far he´d make it back, and very few voted for Yokozuna). As for hopefuls I see none who will be able to, again, achieve the dominance we were "treated" to with Asa, Hakuho and Harumafuji, which is not the norm. But there are several who just need to make the next step. We are in a transitional period, which I enjoy to watch.

I respectfully disagree. Most Yokozuna have achieved that rank in the later half of their 20s or early 30s. Those referenced are all exceptions that come around in a generation, on average. We were treated with exceptionally strong Yokozuna over the last 20 years, but nobody can expect a dai-Yokozuna every five years.