Eikokurai

I can get on board with the need to do it at Sekiwake (or Komusubi—they’re basically the same) but 33/45 is more than enough. As I’ve said before, his suspension was his punishment. He’s served his time and is thus entitled to any promotion by the numbers that he earns. Yokozuna has that extra hinkaku stuff, but that’s all subjective and meaningless, let’s be honest, and can be spun anyway they like. “He has plenty of hinkaku—look at how he accepted his punishment with grace, worked his way back and showed himself to be rehabilitated,” etc.

If he puts up the numbers, it would be hard for them to justify denying him. His punishment was the suspension. If he’s expected to carry that the rest of his career, he may as well just quit.

Just a bit of fun for the year, this is a tracker for sumo win streaks inspired by New Zealand rugby’s Ranfurly Shield. That’s a shield won by a challenge system. The holder retains the shield for as long as they’re winning, but then whoever beats them takes the shield and tries to hold it as long as possible. We’ll start with Terunofuji as the ‘holder’ since he won the most recent bout in 2021. Whoever beats Terunofuji first takes the ‘shield’ until he himself loses. We’ll see at the end of the basho (and year) who held it most and for longest.

WTK doesn’t repeat the yusho but gets the Ranfurly Shield!

Those guys were around so long it took me a while to realize Ozeki could even be demoted, haha. Kotooshu was the other one active when I got into sumo and he had the rank for years too (47 basho) It took a while for me to accept that Kaio, Chiyo and Koto were more the exception than the rule.

It was a strange one. On paper, a basho with no clear frontrunner, the lead changing hands a few times, and a potential four-way playoff should be an exciting one, being competitive and that, but it never quite felt like it in reality. I think what the basho lacked was a core narrative running through it that we could get behind. The winner sort of snuck up and took it late on after starting poorly. The 4-man playoff possibility emerged almost by surprise late on. The lead changing hands was more a case of people slipping up than anything. Overall, the basho just sort of limped from scene to scene without a story arc or character development.

Far too subjective. One could easily argue he showed plenty of fighting spirit turning around that disastrous start last basho to end up with a KK, for example.

Up to 7 now. One more and the 12 who voted 6-7 drop out.

As of May 2021, Terunofuji has four yusho, just two less than recent retiree Yokozuna Kakuryu and five fewer than Harumafuji. Who of these will he surpass and how many can he manage in total?

Fair enough. I tend to only feel bad when guys lose a shot by means out of their hands. Takanosho got the chance to beat Sadanoumi and didn’t. They were both (along with Daieisho) then hanging their hopes on Mitakeumi.

Well, that was the only way Takanosho was going to get the yusho after losing to said Sadanoumi.

Takanosho should get other chances, but Sadanoumi is at the wrong end of his career, so feel more for him not getting his playoff shot.

Barely a contest. Throughly anti-climactic ending to a basho that’s been curious but still strangely lacking in drama despite that. Teru gets his 7th to surpass Kakuryu’s career total.

Could have been that. Would have been harsh though. I thought his heel might have touched out but it seems not.

Guess not. Replays didn’t seem to focus on that so not sure if that’s what they checked. Taka saves himself from kadoban. Shame—I was rather looking forward to an Ozeki battle royale in July.

Takakeisho’s foot out there? Shodai showing a bit of Ozeki pride anyway.

WTK ends with a win to just about keep an Ozeki run alive with a 9-6, though he will need the July of his life to make it.

A four-way playoff would put some sheen on an 11-4 yusho since the winner would have had to win 13 overall, even if not officially counted.

Well … if Mitakeumi does upset Teru we get a four-man playoff now that Daieisho has beaten Shimanoumi. Come on Mita!

Well, boo. Even if Teru wins 12-3, this will go down as his weakest yusho win so far. Happy for Sadanoumi but really wanted Teru to have to face Takanosho again for the yusho after losing to him early on.

Terunofuji barely breaks a sweat beating Shodai to stay with Takanosho on 11-3. Shodai drops to 5-9, which is actually 3-11.

Mitakeumi (6-8) gets his makekoshi losing to Takakeisho (7-7), a day after Shodai got his makekoshi losing to Mitakeumi. Takakeisho gets one last chance to avoid kadoban tomorrow. I for one would find a July with three kadoban Ozeki pretty intriguing viewing!

Daieisho beats Sadanoumi to knock him off the yusho pace. Both are 10-4. However, since Takanosho (11-3) has already faced Terunofuji, those two can’t meet and therefore both Daieisho and Sadanoumi can still make an 11-4 playoff.

Takakeisho tries the mid-basho nekodamashi to confuse Terunofuji. Doesn't work. Three-way tie for the yusho on 10-3. Teru gets a freebie tomorrow against Shodai. As good as a fusen.

Shodai finally gets the 8th loss his performance this basho deserves after Mitakeumi wins the 5-7 Ozeki head to head.