since_94

Yes, looks like him, too. I can’t be sure.

Does anybody know if the guest commentator on Abema TV on Day 12 was Asahiyutaka Katsuteru? Looked like him. As for the Enho discussion, I love to watch him fight. I always sit up and pay close attention because I know it’s going to be entertaining and a good scrap and anything can happen. I appreciate his skill and his heart going up against guys much bigger than him and admire his ability to pull off almost magical kimarite. I just don’t like to see him win as often as he does against rikishi I like much better. Maybe I feel almost as frustrated as they do...

Touché. But at least with the other rikishi, we can see their straining faces when they do it. Ura used that “submarine” style too, but I always enjoyed watching him win more than I do Enho. Hope his comeback will be successful, but if I recall correctly he has reinjured his knee, has he not?

I absolutely appreciate what you’re saying, but it’s not the way I like to see a rikishi winning bouts consistently, relying on this style. I thought day 10 featured some good old fashioned power sumo

This is a very well articulated and informative explanation of something we know to be true. It’s the nature of the sport. As, unfortunately, are botched calls, despite this being the age of video replay. Still not crying any tears for Endo in that match because Azamaryu owned him, and I hope the rest of the makuuchi figure out how to do the same before too long. So tired of all Enho’s matches starting exactly the same way.

I agree that while Enho was robbed by that call, he didn’t deserve to win the match. The second half was all Azamaryu, who was totally in the drivers seat and the one on the offensive. Enho was second to touch the ground by fluke—lucky happenstance only—not by anything he did to control the outcome. It was totally out of his control by that point, because he had been bested. Anyway, bad call, tough call, but I don’t feel bad for him on account of the monoii. Them’s the breaks. On a somewhat related note, reading all the melts from Tochinoshin’s (mostly Georgian) supporters standing up for him after the Ozeki’s rather cheap and desperate henka on day 9 was absolutely hilarious. I’m a huge Tochinoshin fan, by the way, but I’ll still call it what it was. All that online blustering made my day.

I enjoy seeing Enho lose. There. I said it. Yes, he’s fairly dynamic and his matches tend to end in some fantastic finishes. Yes, his popularity is good for the sport. Yes, he’s got heart. But the bandwagon looks full enough without me jumping on it. When he loses, it’s like a needed reality check or even comeuppance for his cult like followers.

For ballet sumo, check Tomokaze’s beautiful victory on day 8. That’s what I’m talking about.

Actually, I find a lot of the footwork at the tawara very ballet-like. It’s amazing to watch a 400 lb behemoth pirouette gracefully on one foot while dispatching a charging opponent, snatching victory from defeat in the process. Doesn’t get much better. One of the reasons I watch.

So disappointing. But as the auto translator notes, it’s because: Tsuru Ryu was distributing Venus for three consecutive days I guess when you’re distributing Venus so often, it can start to become rather embarrassing.

Thoroughly not enjoying all these withdrawals. Plus, as has been mentioned elsewhere, the quality of sumo on display has been sorely lacking. While some fights have been scrappy and even “exciting” at times, there has not been much of what could truly be called “beautiful sumo” to be found. Yes, the wide open field of contenders gunning for the yusho makes the eventual outcome interesting, but this has not been a good tournament at all, IMO. The depleted and diminished sanyaku is a recurring theme that’s grown well tiresome, not that I’m blaming the rikishi. They’re severely overworked with the heavy jungyo schedule between tournaments, so injuries can’t heal. Ishiura is a bright light among the rank and filers, though. This is the best I’ve seen him since about 2016, possibly ever. So happy he’s not relying on the henka anymore. He’s so strong, his tachiai actually qualifies him to slam chests with the best of the big boys, and I think he finally believes it.

A pretty crap day of fights, I have to say. I was barely entertained. No one going to the belt anymore. So many guys seem so one dimensional these days. Doesn’t make for exciting bouts, with a few exceptions.

Takakeisho’s win wasn’t pretty but it was scrappy and he did well to keep moving forward aggressively and to maintain his balance when his attacks were deflected. Tochinoshin’s leg clearly buckled and couldn’t take his weight. Doesn’t bode well at all. My thought watching Hokutofuji prep for the match was “the guy has clearly come to fight”. He’s always super intense, pre-bout, and he obviously does a kind of outcome visualization ritual every time. He has great potential. As does Asanoyama.

Like a Boss. His career was exciting and inspiring.

Yes, that's it. Thanks for responding! Great video. I saw him outside the Kokugikan with a big bouquet on what I seem to recall was the last day of the basho. That's why I thought January. My photos are too big to upload. Too bad. They're very nice, he's smiling broadly