yohcun

He's planning on returning to Mongolia, and go into real estate.

Takakeisho nearly tumbling over during his sonkyo kinda sums up his form right now. Getting it done, but geez.

Chiyonokuni hurling out Shiraishi was one of the more satisfying okuridashi's I've seen.

Nishikigi arrives for every bout with a fresh lump on his forehead due to a chronic habit of walking into the new transparent dividers in the changerooms.

Gokushindo's dance of one-step-forward-two-steps-back continues

He seems so sweet in person, I'm really happy for him.

Both him and rival Goeido seem like they'd be natural oyakata. I'm sure he'll be a great one.

I hope Tamawashi's sweets can put some more meat on Kyokusoten's bones.

Now, which heya will take in the snitch?

So cute seeing him with his son. And I want that clock.

Dug up what I think was their first meeting, in jonokuchi (not in the above vid).

That is pretty astonishing considering he took almost a decade to reach yokozuna from his debut. He didn't race there, like the other names listed.

Yoshibayama would be my favourite past yokozuna. Entered sumo by purely accident because of a comical case of mistaken identity at a train station. Used his shikona to pay tribute to the surgeon who saved his life from appendicitis (Yoshiba). Got drafted into WWII mid-sumo career. Came back skinny, and with a bullet permanently lodged in his foot. Still went on to become yokozuna. Once insisted on a draw instead of torinaoshi because his opponent could no longer stand.

Better prospects in other sports would be my guess.

Citizenship needs to be done before retiring. The process takes (on paper, at least) 6-12 months, so it's lengthy. If Kakuryu is intending to become an oyakata, I'm pretty sure it's only a recent decision. Izutsu's death, and his move to Michinoku seems to be lighting a coaching fire inside him.

I was thinking it must've been really impressive that they both pulled such strong numbers at the same time. There was a slight see-saw going on though. 1992 Aki Akebono 9-6, Takahanada 14-1 1992 Kyushu Akebono 14-1, Takahanada 10-5 1993 Hatsu Akebono 13-2, Takahanada 11-4

New preventative measures see yobidashi and gyoji a great distance from the dohyo...

Akebono, who was a Japanese citizen by then. Takanohana was kyujo at the time.

Hakuho learned his dohyo-iri style from him, right? So it wouldn't surprise me to see him. Harumafuji would be nice, but would they let someone who left sumo do it?

Onosho vs Takakeisho. It feels like it's been ages.

Shodai The Spoiler's ability to win at the craziest times continues.

As soon as Hokutofuji did a matta, it was just a question of which empty row he ended up in...

I wonder if it's because keiko tends to be more front-on. Less of that get-him-to-chase-you-then-get-out-of-the-way stuff that accounts for some of his losses.

Terutsuyoshi with one of the most obvious deliberate bluff mattas I've ever seen, but it still worked.

Yep, he's been a Japanese citizen for years.