Reonito

He's bulked up quite a bit already since coming over to Japan: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14832880

Placeholder to be updated after the Day 11 bouts.

Technical examination tournament aside, the 9 KK in juryo is the fewest since it went to 28 rikishi in 2004.

A couple of interesting decisions implied by this line

We're agreeing ... my wording wasn't clear I realize but I meant it's between the two of them for whom to keep

It's gonna be Oshoumi, isn't it

So with the six expected promotions announced, and no unconventional ones, it's presumably between Asanoyama and Oshoumi, and based on recent precedent, very likely the latter.

Yeah, with Aoiyama off the board, I fully expect them to double down on the last banzuke and save Oshoumi.

Aoiyama's 164 hatakikomi victories are second all-time (or should this be in Trivia Bits?)

He had a tough May basho in Juryo but came back with a yusho in July. He was injured this time. I think it's far too early to write him off. And Shishi has been a slow but steady riser, I think (hope) he can pleasantly surprise us.

We're now up to a dozen straight off-topic posts

Graduating from the list: Wakaikari, Chiyomaru, Aonishiki, Kototebakari.

As far as I can tell, Onosato's achievements now include being the only rikishi in the modern era to win 2 out of 3 basho while ranked below ozeki. The only other instance I can find is from the 1930s.

Is it just not enough time in the weight room?

I knew I was as soon as I drew Daiamami. In and hoping for a kinder draw next time.

It's actually less clear than you'd think.

Final Results Sekiwake/Komusubi openings: Takakeisho, Abi, Onosato (via promotion), Hiradoumi. We should be looking at Kirishima and Daieisho at Sekiwake, and two new Komusubi. Wakamotoharu has one K slot locked down. The second one should go to his brother (12-3 at M7e) , although a case can be made for Shodai (10-5 at M4e) and Oho (9-6 at M2w). See @Gurowake's analysis above. Makuuchi openings: Takakeisho, Shirokuma, Kagayaki, Kitanowaka (X), Kinbozan (X), Bushozan (X). Juryo promotion queue: Chiyoshoma, Tokihayate, Shishi, Takerufuji (O), Asakoryu (X). That's six demotion candidates and at most five Juryo men to potentially replace them (Hakuoho is not coming up with an 8-7 from J5w). I think Takerufuji trades places with Kitanowaka and they call it a day. I suppose they could keep Kitanowaka and drop Kinbozan instead, though higher rank argues in his favor, or drop both of them and bring up Asakoryu, which I think would have been more likely if that didn't mean demoting one M12 with 4 wins and keeping the other. Juryo openings: Takakeisho, Chiyosakae, Myogiryu, Kiryuko (X), Asanoyama (X), Aoiyama (X), Oshoumi (X). Makushita promotion queue: Tochitaikai, Aonishiki, Chiyomaru, Wakaikari, Nabatame, Kototebakari, Hatsuyama (?), Kamito (??), Kaisho (???). I am not sure what the exact pecking order is among the six kachi-koshi men in the promotion zone, but it doesn't really matter—they should all be up. But with seven openings and a maximum of six conventional promotions, the last spot is tricky. @Asashosakari has a poll upthread, which features Britney Spears in the place of Kamito, which, unless I missed some big celebrity news, tells us what he thinks of the latter's chances We'll get to satisfy our curiosity regarding who's going up in a couple of days, but if it's just the six (or fewer), we won't know whom they've opted to save until banzuke day.

yes

I mean, they heard from the Japanese media and fans how outrageous a decision that was, maybe the powers that be will instruct the committee not to do that again. As @Asashosakari aptly put it, decisions like that risk crossing over from having some discretion to ignoring the results of the basho, when the main purpose of holding one is supposed to be to provide the basis for the next banzuke. Here's hoping, anyway.

Bushozan is back to the form that got him this distinction, after his July hiccup.

I've settled into enjoying his yotsu skills when he displays them and just accepting that he's going to inexplicably lose a bunch of winnable bouts.

There are only a few guys I actively root against (headed by Hakuyozan, who was unchastened today BTW), and these are two of them, but my allegiances for this bout were perfectly clear

Day 14 Sekiwake/Komusubi openings: Takakeisho, Abi, Onosato (via promotion), Hiradoumi. We should be looking at Kirishima and Daieisho at Sekiwake, and two new Komusubi. Wakamotoharu probabaly has one locked down, although if he loses and both Shodai and his little bro win, it might be a close call between the two Wakas. The pecking order for the second spot is currently Shodai, Wakatakakage, Oho, Ura, though the pairing of Shodai and Oho means that Ura is almost certainly out of the running. See also @Gurowake's analysis above. Makuuchi openings: Takakeisho, Kagayaki, Shirokuma, Kitanowaka (X), Kinbozan (1), Bushozan (1), Nishikifuji (1). I've bolded Kagayaki, though I guess after what they did in July, we can't be certain a 3-12 from M11 would guarantee demotion And given that and the lack of promotion cases, incumbents could easily stay without hitting the numerical safety targets. Juryo promotion queue: Chiyoshoma, Tokihayate, Shishi (1), Takerufuji (1), Asakoryu (X). Shishi will go up with a win (and make Kinbozan demotable). He should go up with a loss unless perhaps Kitanowaka and Takerufuji both win. Takerufuji should go up with a win, and could go up with a loss. J8e Asakoryu must win and hope for favorable results and for the banzuke committee to decide to be a little less lenient with the incumbents. Juryo openings: Takakeisho, Chiyosakae, Myogiryu, Kiryuko (X), Asanoyama (X), Aoiyama (X), Oshoumi (X). Makushita promotion queue: Aonishiki, Chiyomaru, Tochitaikai with a win, Wakaikari with a win, Nabatame, Kototebakari. On Day 15, Tochitaikai, Wakaikari, and Kototebakari take their cracks at the 3 most endangered active incumbents. If they all lose, Nabatame goes up, and it's a decision among Kototebakari, Kiryuko, and Asanoyama for the final spot in Juryo. By winning, Tochitaikai and Wakaikari would take the places of Kiryuko and Oshoumi, respectively. The permutations get complicated if Kototebakari beats Aoiyama; see the analysis by @Asashosakari upthread.

Thankfully, Tohakuryu (of all people) and the shimpan saved us from this fate.

My reading is that Ms15TD counts as Ms15 in terms of falling within the extended promotion zone, and the last two Ms16e who went 7-0 were not promoted. In any case, the setup of the crossover bouts is likely to ensure that we have enough KK records in the regular promotion zone to replace any sekitori with records too bad to keep.