Eikokurai

Just noticed his previous three basho ended like this. The Mitakeumi Code. He's sending a message, I'm sure of it.

You could sense he wasn't able to resist the way he is able to when healthy.

Ah ...

Say hello to new Ozeki Mitakeumi! Congrats! Three yusho ranked in Sekiwake. Not the best bout, but more than enough drama anyway. The best thing about today was that all possible permutations were exciting in themselves. I think I would have been happy with any outcome: Mitakeumi for the win at the first attempt, Terunofuji forcing the tomoesen, either Abi or Kotonowaka in that tomoesen. It's been a long time since we had a basho where there was no chance of a real anti-climax. Terunofuji has to wait another year to complete his 'career grand slam' though. *Eikokurai quietly closes the InDesign file*

Shodai salvages some Ozeki pride by avoiding the double-digit makekoshi.

Takanosho finishes 7-8 to make his case for only dropping to Komusubi.

It's about even. Since 1958, 11 wins at Maegashira has got a sansho 181 times and not got a sansho 157 times.

Sure, but 11-4 at M12 has been enough for a sansho plenty of times. Aoiyama has had two in less than two years with 11-4 at M12 and M13, and he's more of a veteran than Ishiura.

Seventh makekoshi in a row for Tochinoshin. Didn't someone say that was a record last time for Kagayaki?

11-4 for Ishiura too. Also his best basho in Makuuchi. Also no sansho ...

Ugh. I missed that. Damn. Hopefully he can turn it into a learning experience.

11-4 for Hoshoryu too. His best basho to date, yet no sansho ...

Now that was an excellent bout that lived up to its billing! Superb effort from both. Abi takes the win, but Kotonowaka can hold his head high. A fantastic fight.

Lame. Onosho beat Mitakeumi, who may be the yusho winner, as well as two Komusubi and an Ozeki. Ishiura kicked ass with a fine range of well executed techniques. And Hoshoryu hit double-digits for the first time. They at least deserved some conditional prizes, with wins today needed to get something.

A doten, in fact, since from his position the worst he can do is a playoff. That's a 'yusho equivalent'.

As someone who loves a good pattern, Mitakeumi has to win tomorrow to finish this one.

Takakeisho’s was as much about his age and experience as his performance. He’d only been in Makuuchi two years by that point and was very young; Mitakeumi has had five in sanyaku. Of course, there are two ways of looking at that: he’s brilliantly consistent or he peaked at his true level.

Frankly, he’s already succeeded. If he “fails”, it’s down to the pettiness of the Kyokai taking the 33-wins thing too literally.

So tomorrow … Abi v Kotonowaka and Mitakeumi v Terunofuji? That will drop one of the three chasers out of playoff contention, and then bring us either a three-way tie or Mitakeumi as outright winner. Yes?

Wow. Abi now the favourite for the yusho? Sorry, got ahead of myself. I thought that win brought Abi back level with Mitakeumi.

There’s plenty to be enjoyed about a level playing field though while we have it.

Henkas on Chiyoshoma are one of the top three reasons to watch sumo. His obvious fury at being Chiyoshoma'd every time it happens makes it all the more fun.

Oho is having a terrible collapse, but that happens when you're young and inexperienced. I only hope he can scrape over the line tomorrow or else it's back to Juryo for him.

I can’t see them being keen to count an M15 in an Ozeki run at the best of times, but especially not with Abi, who let’s not forget is still on probation/parole of sorts. They’re hardly likely to bend the rules for a guy they almost kicked out of sumo a year ago.

Abi, Onosho and Hoshoryu, plus maybe drop Takanosho one place to Komusubi. Not the most outlandish scenario. All based on current numbers of course. There are still some M1 and M2 possible KKs.