Hankegami

Well, well, well. Quite the Day 14. I am not amused. My boy Aonishiki got overpowered by villainous Kusano despite doing his best, with the result that a playoff is much on the cards for tomorrow. Even worse, Kirishima utterly failed to dispatch Tokushoryu Kotoshoho and his kawaii lips, giving him the sole lead. As @Akinomaki just wrote, 'shoho did everything very fine this basho, and would have earned his Cup fair and square. However, I am a bit down with this perspective, since I am still reluctant to perceive Kotoshoho as a future star. Yusho are about good stories for me, and I don't like the narrative here. Different issues with Kusano - he's too much dominant. I like dark horses better. Please don't get bothered by my complains, anyway. I am just bummed that my favorite narratives are slowly going down the drain. To be fair, I think few among us (and possibly among the shimpan also) considered Kotoshoho a serious contender before the very last days. It's much of a Tokushoryu situation - which in part also involved the otherwise the impossible-to-underestimate back-to-back Juryo Yusho winner Kusano. Everyone had eyes for Aonishiki and secondarily on Onosato - with Ichiyamamoto coming third. There's also the issue that's unfair to pit low-ranked rikishi against the joi "just to be sure", with the danger of hampering them from getting a good result. Few could foresee the likes of Kotoshoho, Kusano, and also Atamifuji going on a winning spree. That's not in the usual character of at least two of them.

Thanks, I didn't realize that their match-up in itself would avoid a potential 2 loss collapse. More the reason for withdrawing Onosato from kinboshi duty, though - putting him back among fellow san'yaku under-performers, I mean. That's wild. The funny thing is that the current san'yaku is not particularly weak in itself. However, let's not forget that Aonishiki should have been Komusubi this tournament. The JSA is reaping what they sowed, also considering how the anointed Komusubi pair is doing right now (with all due respect to Takayasu, who is having a decent tournament but he could have also had it as a M1-M2). They cannot even put up the tradition argument, since them saving 6-9 Takayasu was unprecedented. In short, let's not forget that this equally unprecedented situation was forced and should not have taken place to begin with.

Nagoya 2025 Day 13 on the books. Now, let's check out the arasoi: leaders, 11-2 Aonishiki... and Kotoshoho?!? Gracious goodness... Runner ups, 10-3 Atamifuji (whut?!?) and Kusano?! Nice san'yaku we got there. Jokes aside, I'm stunned. Aonishiki is the least unlikely of this merry bunch up in that place. The guy looks the real deal and he's a joy to watch. Ichiyamamoto did his best, but the boy didn't just bulge. His immovability is most impressive. Kotoshoho... Kinboshi? Seriously? Fine, Onosato is clearly tired, but props to him for winning a match on the belt. I didn't know Kotoshoho knew belts did exist. He really seems in a time of grace when he can do the impossible. Atamifuji overpowered a certainly injured Kotozakura, but don't forget Four Tits is a bona fide heavyweight himself. This tells both how good is Atomic this tournament, and how bad KZK is. Finally, Kusano is the second least unlikely guy up there, despite his low rank. I was most positive that Kirishima would have given him another Wakatakakage experience, but for the third time in a row (Onosato, Kotozakura, and now Kusano) Kirby managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. That sotogake from Kusano was sick anyway. Now, let's talk about the final match-ups for Day 14 and 15. Onosato is most likely done with giving out kinboshi - or at least the JSA should make it sure about that. I believe they will revert him to his usual schedule: Wakatakakage on Day 14, and Kotozakura on Day 15. He's not out of contention yet - technically - but he needs a lot of luck for all the four top arasoi guys to lose their matches. In particular, Aonishiki and Kotosohoho should just collapse for Onosato to get back in the picture. Yep, Aonishiki and Kotoshoho. But also Atamifuji and Kusano. They will likely face each other during the last two days at this point. The only guys who already faced each other were Kotoshoho and Kusano (Day 3, Kotoshoho won). Considering that Aonishiki and Kotoshoho have a lead, the worst it might happen is for them to lose on Day 14 and make level with the other two on Day 15. This would actually lead to a 2-men playoff in the worst case - instead of leaving them separately with the chance of up to a 4-men playoff. Hence, I predict Aonishiki vs. Kusano & Atamifuji vs. Kotoshoho on Day 14. If Kotoshoho (who cannot face Kusano) wins, we will get a Darwinian match Aonishiki vs. Kotoshoho on Day 15, otherwise we will get Aonishiki vs. Atamifuji, with Kusano and Kotoshoho free to roam around. That's another actual possibility, but I think they should play match-ups on Day 14 to thin down the pool of potential contenders. If they keep them apart they would actively engineer a 4-way 12-3 playoff. However, if Kusano wins (in my foreseen match-ups) he can well be paired against Onosato on Day 15.

Didn't post much (nothing, actually) this tournament, but I came over just to say that Aonishiki is amazing. I liked the kid since the beginning, but I would have never dreamed of an Onosato-like level of consistency once he had hit the joy. Man, I just found a new grand favorite. The arasoi after Day 12 is... interesting. Aonishiki and Kotoshoho - of all people - on the lead. I always slept on Kotoshoho, always dismissed as a low Maegashira guy. I heard a lot of praise for his sumo in this basho, though. He's not a kid in a strict sense - he's 25 - but he's still young and might be reaching his peak as an athlete. My heart weeps for Ichiyamamoto, though. He's barely joy level IMHO (so I do not expect him to get many more chances to Yusho), and he missed a great chance today - twice. Onosato is losing steam - he's backpedaling a lot in the last few days. That's ok, the kid just comes from a back-to-back and he's just showing he's human too. However, I think that's unlikely for him to Yusho at this point, especially with the upper san'yaku yet to be faced. So, that's Aonishiki Yusho to lose? Yes and no IMHO. He already went through the top guys and he doesn't stop amazing. However, there's plenty of brilliant Maegashira. Three days to go, and three pests to pass through. The torikumi for tomorrow has just come out, and he's pitted against Ichiyamamoto. After him, I bet he's getting Kusano and Kotoshoho in the last two days. Otherwise, he has yet to face troublesome customers such as Hakuoho and Onokatsu, just by looking as his supposed standard schedule as a M1e. Finally, let's have a chat about the other 9-3 runner-ups. That's, huh, Atamifuji and Kusano. Kusano is a beast. Physically strong and skilled also. WTK showed today that good yotsu-zumo can do the trick, but - like for Onosato - Kusano must be tamed first. Atamifuji, well - I mean, how comes Tomato boy is up here? I mean, I'm glad - fan of him -, but he didn't display any dominant sumo this tournament. He's certainly less wobbly, more confident in both his size and belt skills. But that's it. I am happy he's likely going up some good bit again. He's definitively joy level when ok. By the way, the Day 13 torikumi just came out. We will get (from top to bottom, arasoi guys only) Kotoshoho vs. Onosato (hard test for Koto boy), Kotozakura vs. Atamifuji (perhaps more interesting than most would expect, given that KZK is not 100%), Kusano vs. Kirishima (Kusano against another belt guy, it'll be interesting) and - as I already said - Aonishiki vs. Ichiyamamoto. The brain and the heart both scream for Aonishiki to win, but Itchy has a last chance to get back to the Yusho train here. A rather uncharacteristic Day 13, but its' only fair for the upstarts to have a test with the joy.

A few cunning politicians, including the late former Italian PM Giulio Andreotti, used to say "Thinking wrong [about people] is a sin, but sinners are very often right", more or less. I just note it's quite fortunate for moto-Asahifuji to get the Miyagino kabu last minute so to remain as sanyo. Perhaps it wasn't planned since the beginning, but it's surprising how everything fell in good order. Also, as other noted, delaying tactics are common in business. My impression is that they wanted for Hakuho to take the walk by himself, without explicitly kicking him out. What I am interested about now is the future of Miyagino wrestlers. Seihakuho is currently occupying the foreigner spot supposed to be given to another Mongolian wrestler, I believe. I can see Terunofuji trying to keep as many talents as possible in Isegahama, but not Seihakuho at the least (unless I'm sorely wrong). I wonder if Akiseyama is available to get them in.

Easy, let's take @Wakawakawaka 's most useful post and mirror it for the rest of their careers. We get: 33 Hakuho (73% of career yusho) 31 Chiyonofuji (100%) 16 Taiho (50%) 13 Wajima (92,8%), Kitanoumi (54,16%) 12 Asashoryu (48%) 11 Musashimaru (91,6%) 9 Kitanofuji, Wakanohana I, Terunofuji ((all 90%), Harumafuji (100%) 6 Kakuryu (100%) 5 Tamanoumi (83%), Kotozakura (100%), Hokutoumi (62,5%), Takanohana (22,7%) 4 Sadanoyama (66%), Asahifuji (100%), Akebono (36%) 3 Kashiwado (60%), Mienoumi (100%), Takanosato (100%), Wakanohana III (60%) 2 Tochinoumi (66%), Wakanohana II (50%), Kisenosato (100%) 1 Onokuni, Hoshoryu* (both 50%) 0 Futahaguro

Well, I'm no Professor in International Sumo Networks, so take my word just as my personal impression on the matter. Anyway, I wasn't absolutely saying that the one-foreigner-per-heya rule is to be blamed for the current decreasing presence of Mongolian talents in Ozumo. That rule, although set up as a consequence of the "Mongolian invasion" (they first came up with a cap of 40 foreigners after Oshima-beya billed 6 Mongolians back in 1992, later substituted with the current rule), has the purpose to protect Japanese talents from an invasion of foreigners in general. Nothing in this rule keeps Mongolians away from flooding the dohyo generation after generation. My argument was more that now they have to face their fair share of international competition to be considered first - they cannot just come and give sumo a try anymore. Sumo recruitment pipelines for foreigners are now heavily drawing talents from international amateur sumo, and Ozumo has become increasingly popular internationally. This makes up for a larger international competition, and aside from a great tradition in bokh there is nothing that makes Mongolians better at combat sports than other young men around the world. There are other considerations to be made, of course - first and foremost the increasing quality of amateur sumo in Japan, which managed to produce Onosato. To this extent, I have the feeling that Japan finally managed to circle around their hemorrhage of teenager recruits with a solid set of college-educated talents. Takanohana entered Ozumo at 15, also forcing his brother to drop out from High School to join him. Onosato used that time to get an education and rack up several youth amateur titles. From his Wiki page, his university career alone includes 13 amateur sumo titles. He certainly has much more than that, including the 2016 Junior High School Hakuho Cup (his only pre-college trophy mentioned in the page, but clearly not the only one). I'm not challenging that Takanohana and Onosato had different trajectories - it is evident. But the (most understandable) expectations put on them as shin-yokozuna are much the same. That was my point. I personally think that the 52 years passed between Wajima and Onosato (1973-2025) are more than anything a signal that amateur sumo in Japan finally caught up with Ozumo in terms of general competition. I cannot fathom otherwise how previous amateur and collegiate sumo champions before Onosato kept failing to dominate the Ozumo world. My only answer is that they were brought up with different levels of competitions, and that collegiate wrestlers have been until recently too old to fully catch up with Ozumo's level while entering as young adults. Now - I'm not belittling Onosato's talent, but I doubt that he was pushed to train so hard to reach those levels of dominance only after he entered Ozumo at 23 in 2023. I didn't mean that they gifted him the rank, far from that. I plenty concur that he would have won more had him not injured himself that way shortly after his promotion. However, Kisenosato had a particularly slow way up, becoming Ozeki in 2011 at 25 years old, and Yokozuna in 2017 at 30 years old. His case is different from Terunofuji, who already won a yusho in 2015 and was lining up two jun-yusho (13-2P, 12-3J) in 2017 before his knees gave up. He was also in Ozumo since the age of 15, meaning that he was battering himself up throughout half of his life at that point. Given those premises, I don't know if he would have remained healthy long enough to rack up 6-10 yusho like the other two. Even in case, asking a 30-years-old to save Japanese Ozumo by himself would have been quite the tall order. That's what I meant when I talked about a "consolation prize". Onosato can be reasonably regarded as the next dominant yokozuna, like Takanohana in 1994. Asking the same to Kisenosato would have been delusional.

That's a grand record for sure, but we also have to consider different contexts. Takanohana's retirement coincided with the advent of the Mongolian era in Ozumo, which came in a totally different magnitude than the previous Hawaiian era. Legions of young Mongolian tried their fortunes in sumo stables, and it is safe to say that their best perspectives in the wrestling world all became sumo wrestlers. Kisenosato and his peers had to face the best of the best, really. Onosato, instead, is the byproduct of an increasingly successful amateur sumo program in combination with a clear slowing down in the Mongolian pipeline, likely because of an increased international competition under the one-foreigner-per-stable rule. Furthermore - I don't want to diminish Kisenosato's contribution in raising his deshi, but Onosato came to him already as a fully formed wrestler. His blazing start of career shows he already got the basics and just had to learn how the Ozumo tournament system worked in the sense of physical burden (15-day tournaments, two per month, public engagements after every yusho, etc). No wonder Hakuho looked disgruntled when Nakamura chose Nihonoseki over Miyagino (and others) as his stable. It's safe to argue that Onosato is far more Takanohana's heir than Kisenosato himself. He's certainly the long-awaited, homegrown, likely dai-yokozuna just like the younger Hanada brother had been back in his time. Kisenosato, squeezed between the Mongolians, was more a consolation prize waiting for better times.

Huh, a Japanese Yokozuna. I thought they came extinct Jokes aside, Onosato's promotion after clinching his yusho after Day 13 is historical in multiple ways. He's going to be: a) the first Japanese Yokozuna in years, and the first promising to be the dai-yokozuna of his generation since Takanohana (retired 2003); b) only the second MsTD Yokozuna (after Wajima), and the third Yokozuna with collegiate background (after Wajima and Asahifuji) - this shows that investment in college sumo and the tsukedashi system is finally paying off; c) now the youngest TD vessel / college graduate to get the rope at 24 y 11 m, moving over Wajima (25 y 4 m) and of course Asahifuji (30 y 0 m); d) the the fastest TD and rikishi in general to get the rope after just 13 basho starting from MsTD10 - Wajima needed 21 basho from MsTD60, and Asashoryu 25 from Maezumo; e) anyway the fastest to become Yokozuna since his Makuuchi debut with 9 basho - Asashoryu needed 13, and Wajima even 15; f) the first Yokozuna to be promoted with full back-to-back yusho since Harumafuji (2012). And he has yet to begin his career as a Yokozuna proper. Why though? They have both spots covered by Hoshoryu and Onosato even in the event Kotozakura gets demoted. Actually, having two YO is even cozier, since they do not get demoted even if they sit out multiple tournaments. Of course, some back-up is always welcome. But lowering the bar to 31, which has never happened since 1985 (Onokuni) - and we know the reason -? Hoshoryu's promotion surely shows a certain nostalgia for 1980s rules, but as long as he continues to provide concerns over his suitability as a Yokozuna (don't get me wrong, I think he will go on just fine, but he's still on a trial period) I doubt the majority of the Shimpan Committee will facilitate a 31 wins Ozeki promotion anytime soon. Anyway, I doubt they are going to make things overly easier for Kirishima and Daieisho of all people. Kirishima is a former Ozeki with recurring neck pain and a general pattern of one good and one more or less bad basho. He already went on a strike of three straight bad basho that led to his demotion from Ozeki. There is also the precedent of former Ozeki Miyabiyama, who was denied a second promotion in 2006 despite posting 34/3 wins (10-5, 14-1J, 10-5). In his case, he was denied promotion because he barely managed to get 10 wins especially in the third tournament. Several users here argued that Kirishima will be likely demanded a particularly strong performance to get re-promoted, and I happen to agree. Daieisho is also perceived as somewhat moody, I understand. However, he has a championship under his belt and has yet to prove himself at the rank, so I think he would be not treated as harshly as Kirishima. But it means 32/3 at the lowest IMHO.

Thank you. I always appreciate your corrections greatly, although it's sometimes hard since you hold no punches in your answers. As you certainly know, I take most of my data from English sources and I am consciously exposed to misleading conclusions. Anyway, I was aware that the fusen system was different back then, but the discussion concerned Yokozuna alone and I did not expend the topic on purpose. Back to English sources, Ozutsu's late career is there described as a quest to avoid defeats given his rank. I was specifically talking about his Haru 1906 (1-0-1-8d) and Fuyu 1907 (0-0-1-9d) scores, which are described as "sat out the 1907 second tournament" (English Wikipedia) although he was evidently expected to enter the tournament (in other cases older results just put sat out). My impression was reinforced by his page in the usually good sumorestling wikia, where it is reported: "However, former yokozuna Umegatani Totaro I had taught him that yokozuna must not be defeated, so he recorded many draws late in his career. In the May 1907 tournament, he drew in all of his nine bouts. He retired in the next tournament". My conclusions were that he sat out day by day without staying kyujo in the modern sense.

I can actually see the NSK withholding his promotion if Onosato really ends up with a doten - exactly because it would be evidence for a wildly bad collapse. Even a 12-3Y could be problematic possibly - although the last time they denied promotion after a back-to-back was in 1950 (Chiyonoyama believed too young for Yokozuna responsibilities). Anyway, I wholeheartedly concur that as soon as Onosato hits 13 wins it's a done deal. Back-to-back also with a "respectable" yusho on top of that (in this economy!). I wouldn't sleep on Kotozakura, though. He's having his best basho since his Kyushu yusho, and he looks more convincing than in his first days of this tournament. He's still very passive, but that's part of his game - his father and coach is that Kotonowaka, after all. Now, I don't mean he will actually win, but he has a respectable 4-4 H2H against Onosato and is the most likely to handle Onosato a loss after Hoshoryu himself . Anyway, if Onosato wins there's the yusho and the rope both awaiting for him.

Day 12 of Natsu basho 2025 in the records after today. I'd like to wish my usual good day to everyone, but it was an emotional roller coaster more than anything else - at least for me. In fact, let me groan about the arasoi first this time around. So, Onosato is now just one win away from his (zensho?) yusho. He made small work of an over-eager Hakuoho, much the same guy who collapsed against Hoshoryu yesterday. Talking about the Nephew - many thanks for killing the suspense (grunt). I know, I know, Kirishima is a most respectable opponent, but I hoped that Hoshoryu finally felt the gravitas of the Yokozuna rank. Nice Ozeki bout, though. With a 3 (!) points lead on the runner-up 9-3 group, Onosato can seal the deal already tomorrow against Kotozakura. It is an actually god-sent pairing in this situation, since Kotozakura has the best record against Onosato after Hoshoryu himself. He must be on shape, though - but he looks like more and more his older self in the last few days. On the other hand, the basho's narrative has shifted from an if to an almost ineluctable when. Onosato has three shots at the yusho with tomorrow - he wins one, he seals the deal. The main story is now who will get a jun-yusho (more sansho stuff). The 9-3 "shame-walk" group include Hoshoryu, Daieisho, Kirishima, Wakatakakage, and Asakoryu (!). One between Hoshoryu and Daieisho will fall to 4 since they are pitted against each other tomorrow. Same for Wakatakakage and Asakoryu. Kirishima somewhat off-duty tomorrow, but he can still have to defend his three losses against Onosato if picked up for Day 14 (it's either him or Daieisho, I think they might decide after the day tomorrow). This also means we can well get an 11-4J as a result. Exciting (double grunt). Okay, I grunted enough. Let's talk about the others. I admit I never took an interest on Kotoshoho, but I am short of amazed by his run this basho. 6-1 streak and counting. He has an actual shot at hitting KK with a theoretical potential for a 9-1-5 final result. Awesome. And Nishikigi finally won one. Let's see if he can turn things around and save his megane ass. Props again to Asakoryu for hitting 9 and getting an actual shot for the jun-yusho, not to mention a possible sansho. He gets WTK tomorrow so I think it's difficult, but a little soldier can dream (but I'm going to use a vodoo doll on Atamifuji for failing to secure his KK - again). Kayo is himself on a winning strike and he hit 6 wins with today. Like Kotoshoho, he has an actual shot for a KK and can now save his Makuuchi spot anyway. Going up, I',m most glad Tamawashi got a good win against joi column Abi. He's already MK but I have a soft spot for the Ironman. Oho also got his MK after an initial 3-0 start (sigh). Again, I never really rooted for Oho - too average for my tastes -, but I feel for him. And - Takerufuji also got his first MK ever. It's just me or the Isegahama boys are doing awful this basho? The only sekitori in the -fuji group still able to get KK is Atamifuji of all people. There are a few good results in the lower divisions, but the general picture is not great (see here - for the entire stable see here). EDIT: I invite everyone to check Asashosakari's merciless corrections to my statement below for a clearer picture on older fusen practices in Ozumo. I believe it was an actual rule until the 1920s - I noticed it when I looked at the kinboshi records. When a Yokozuna was not confident in defeating an opponent, he sat out for the day to save his face. It wasn't listed as a fusen loss, however, but as a 'draw' of sort (white triangle marker). Actually, if I remember correctly it was a fusen, but was treated as a draw and therefore not as a win or loss. The 18th Yokozuna Ozutsu is infamous for abusing this rule late in his career. Both in Haru 1906 and Fuyu 1907, shortly before his retirement, he sat out every day of the basho - he didn't go kyujo, just sat out at the last moment every single day. This system also caused kinboshi to be even more spectacular in hindsight - because coming from an opponent the Yokozuna was actually confident to defeat.

Ironically, AI is great for checking academic English. I recently learned to use it for my papers (I'm an Italian archaeologist) and it is just wonderful. Of course it was confirmed by native English speaker colleagues of mine. AI remains horrible for data analysis though. A colleague tried to put his results in and the AI is just not capable to elaborate them coherently. Apparently, language check works because the AI has access to high-quality sources exclusively, but data analysis does not because it is not able to tell apart actual good sources from trash talk. Anyway, happy Day 11 everyone! My usual comments of the day: Starting from the bottom, Asakoryu got his KK with 4 days to go and no real reason for him to be paired with the big boys - yet. I am glad for him. Also, Kotoshoho is having a great comeback after his initial kyujo - 5-1 in the last six days looks great. Going on, the strikers keep striking. Kayo goes on with his unexpected comeback (5-6 now), while Nishikigi cannot break his losing strike for his very dearest life. From 5-0 to 5-6 is most egregious. His loss from Shishi yesterday was a piece of work - his opponent did literally nothing to win. The middle Makuuchi went much as expected. Oshoma is low-key having a great basho (and tomorrow he's put up against WTK, in fact). Shodai is fading. His loss against Chiyoshoma today was so ugly he couldn't get it by being just lazy. On the other side of the moon, Oho finally broke his losing strike. He's 4-7 now and still can save his basho at least to some extent. Finally, the arasoi guys. Aonishiki did great against heavy KZK but lost by sheer gravity. I really grunted of displeasure there. The boy hooked KZK's leg perfectly twice, only to fall first thanks to the latter's body mass lingering on him. Onosato won again instead - and looks almost unstoppable. WTK threw even the kitchen sink against him, but it wasn't just enough. With this, Hoshoryu is the sole runner-up with his win against Hakuoho, after almost losing due to bad calls. I mean, he tried to pull that boiler-shaped unit of a rikishi of all things. Just tell me you want to be jeeted out immediately. He managed to recover and crush him down somehow, but man if I saw him out already. I wonder if the Nephew suffers from kinboshi-related PSTD syndrome. He's far more focussed against the san'yaku by comparison. In short, Onosato looks more and more like the guy. I doubt he has enough lack of focus to lose three bouts over the last four days, so I'd say that the three-losses group is virtually out of contention already (again, unless Onosato chokes very seriously). Hoshoryu can still ruin the party on day 15 but he needs someone else to defeat the Ogre for him first. Given how critical is his mass -as we just witnessed today - he needs someone of about his size. Tomorrow he gets Hakuoho (158 kg, never met), then it's a music chair game between Kirishima (147 kg, H2H 6-0 for Onosato), Daieisho (166 kg, H2H 6-1 for Onosato), and Kotozakura (179 kg, H2H 4-4) before getting Hoshoryu himself (150 kg, H2H 2-5 for the Nephew). Kirishima and Daieisho are unlikely to cause any upset - and this despite his strength and weight in Daieisho's case. Hakuoho is a total enigma until tomorrow, while Kotozakura, huh, all depends on his shape. One of the latter three will be scrapped anyway. KZK is more likely to be scrapped given his more modest record, but he will likely get his KK in the next few days and anyway the NSK will likely put Onosato against his most difficult foes to make things at least a bit exciting. In this perspective, perhaps Kirishima will be scrapped eventually. The room for two upsets is very narrow anyway.

Good nakabi, everyone! Sunday being Sunday, I got time so I am going to babble a lot. The striker team goes on for another day down in low Makuuchi. Nishikigi managed to lose against Tamashoho (I mean, I like the guy, but... seriously?!) for his 3rd straight loss, while Kayo retreated and retreated until he could turn tables against Tokihayate and get his 4th straight win. Speaking about Tokihayate, he quite burnt himself after his promising first few days. A bit upper in the ranks, Asakoryu now sits 6-2 and is on a good position to catch his first Makuuchi KK finally. He's definitively doing better than in his previous showings (see here). Before this basho, he was 3-5 for the nakabi of Kyushu 2024 (his first in Makuuchi, at M17e), then 5-3 last basho. If he doesn't fold down like last time, he can hit 8 at last. The young mid-Makuuchi promises had a bad day today, with the sole exception of Aonishiki who puffed and puffed and out he jeeted Tobizaru at the end. 7-1 and looking good all round. Atamifuji went on losing against an out-of-shape Shonannoumi despite controlling most of the match. Atamin is a lovely pudding boy but should be more cynical. His equally lovely pal Midorifuji is in even deeper trouble, first MK of the tournament and no win yet. The overall bad day of the Isegahama-Miyagino troupe is completed by Hakuoho losing against veteran Meisei. Great bout from Meisei, but a lot of people rooted for Hakuoho to mirror Onosato for a bit more time. Let's speed up to the san'yaku. WakaBros fans will be happy today. WMH got a win against a fading Gonoyama - the boy is really doing bad. I guess he's injured, but I feel bad for him nonetheless. His little bro WTK also dispatched Oho and keeps cruising 7-1. Too bad he has yet to face Onosato despite his Komusubi rank (he already got Hosk and KZK, oddly enough). Well, we'll get a showdown sooner or later. Further on, the Sekiwake bout was convincingly won by Daieisho, who once more showed he would be a fine Ozeki were him to lose less casual bouts here and there. Talking about the Y/O, we got a refreshing full sweep today. Ogresato Onosato just bulldozed out Hiradoumi, just another day at work for him. Kotozakura had to actually work to push 40-years-old Tamawashi out - he looks far less convincing than his 5-3 score suggests. Well, 3 more wins and he KKs. Finally, Hoshoryu won what definitively was the funniest bout of the day. Takerufuji tried to henka him but just managed to crush the gyoji down before being kokenage'd by the Yokozuna. Considering how much dangerous the Truck can be, I am glad Hosh passed this test as a Yok. Also, Takarafuji looks headed for a joi beating experience this time. He's a total powerhouse, but he must capitalize more on his skills now that everyone knows him up there.

I try to post it again. I was going to post the result of my (hand-searched) query "how many kinboshi did Yokozuna hand out after their 12 first bouts against Maegashira?" with Hoshoryu in mind, but my reply was forbidden for some weird reason. Anyway, I wanted to assess whether Hoshoryu's 5 kinboshi (with yesterday) were or not a bad look. Well, they are - but others did the same in the past. Mostly "disappointing", injury-plagued Yokozuna, but also a few surprising names such as Tochinishiki. The implications are that Hoshoryu can still reverse his course. That said, I add my comments after the just finished Day 7 of Natsu 2025. From the earliest, low-ranked bouts (as usual), I begin with saying that roundball Kayo definitively turned a leaf on his basho. The guy began with a terrible 0-4, but he's 3-4 now. On the other side of the mirror, Nishikigi has started accumulating losses after his 5-0 start. I wonder whether also Kayo is set to become a striker like Nishikigi - borrowing Kintamayama's analysis from one of his most recent videos (don't remember if from yesterday or the other day, sorry). Also, Tamashoho keeps showing your typical elevator rikishi behaviour. He's faring really bad in Makuuchi, although he's good enough to be promoted with regularity. Shonannoumi gives his thanks. Going on talking about the new blood now growing up in mid-Makuuchi, I was satisfied with most of them. Atamifuji won a very funny bout, as returning Kotoshoho really didn't want to get out. I believed more than once that he was going to pull it off at the end. Terribly persistent. Aonishiki keeps gifting his fans a lot of dreams. He's definitively talented and mature enough to hit the joi. And man, Hakuoho remains undefeated today also. He's the only guy capable to keep up with Onosato's pace - although I doubt he can stop him outright. Now, before talking about the big guys... Ura!!! Since when he's used to work on the belt?!? Magnificent shitatedashinage against Tobizaru!! I am speechless. Now, the joi. Tamawashi looks unfortunately out of gas. He's actually having a bad basho (2-5) but his fighting spirit masked it somehow. At least to me. Takayasu is also in a poor shape, and yet he pulled out a breathtaking uwatenage against Oho today. Yeah, Oho. Went on reverse Kayo, from 3-0 to 3-4. Strikes are fashionable this season. Going on, I am most glad that my boy Kirishima is on a good basho. More the same for Wakatakakage, who is now cruising 6-1 and perhaps we are sleeping a bit too much on him at the moment. And perhaps we were counting too much on Daieisho, whose hype is gradually fading. And - the big three. Kotozakura is meh. He handed out Gonoyama his shonichi with ease. He can't stand aggressive attacks apparently. Onosato will be happy, much as he was happy to trash Takerufuji to his side. The Truck is still a powerhouse, but he keeps failing to deliver as much as he promises. Finally, Hoshoryu lives another day as he dispatched Hiradoumi. As others have already noticed after Day 6, that's Onosato basho to lose. Most of the san'yaku is faring well, but they don't look up to the challenge mostly. The O/Y aside from Onosato are not making waves but can survive. More then that, I am most curious whether Wakatakakage, Hakuoho, and Aonishiki can bother Onosato at all. Neither of them has faced him yet, but their current position as leading dark horses might allow them to pull something funny when time comes.