Day 9 results and day 10 pairings

[Doitsuyama 1,161]

Hakuho won the bout between two undefeated leaders against Kakuryu, but still has to share the lead with Homasho who beat Mokonami with oshitaoshi. With Kotooshu's second loss this basho to Georgian shin-komusubi Tochinoshin the yusho question is pretty much settled though and the focus will rather be on the question if Hakuho can get another zensho yusho to extend his win streak to 47 wins from the current 41 consecutive wins. The other three ozeki aren't overly convincing either with Baruto beating Kaio to bring both to a 6-3 score and Harumafuji having more wins than losses now at 5-4 with a win over Tokitenku. With Kotomitsuki gone it should be a bit easier to avoid kadoban for all ozeki though.

Sekiwake Kotoshogiku lost to Kitataiki and at 3-6 is in big danger to get a make-koshi since he still must face Hakuho and Baruto. It's even worse for Hakuba as the Mongolian shin-komusubi is 2-7 and still has to face two sanyaku while Georgian Tochinoshin has it better at 3-6 and no sanyaku opponents left. The two M2 Aran and Aminishiki look like the best candidates to move up at 5-4 and not many higher ranked opponents left.

Juryo leader Masatsukasa regained his two win cushion with a win over Matsutani as pursuers Kasugao, Kyokunankai and Asofuji all lost. Toyozakura and Hochiyama also are 6-3 with wins to join the pursuers. Shin-juryo Sadanoumi had a good yorikiri win against Tokushinho which was quite important to retain the hope of staying in juryo. The second shin-juryo Kaisei lost but still has more wins than losses at 5-4.

Day 9

Juryo

J13w   Wakatenro (5-4)	 hikiotoshi	 J12w   Kyokunankai (6-3)
J10e   Yamamotoyama (5-4)  uwatenage	  J12e   Kaisei (5-4)
J11e   Toyozakura (6-3)	yorikiri	   J9w	Asofuji (6-3)
J11w   Hochiyama (6-3)	 yorikiri	   J9e	Hoshikaze (4-5)
J14w   Sadanoumi (4-5)	 yorikiri	   J8w	Tokushinho (5-4)
J14e   Kanbayashi (4-5)	tsukitaoshi	J7e	Sakaizawa (4-5)
J6e	Tochinonada (4-5)   hatakikomi	 J13e   Masuraumi (0-9)
J4e	Koryu (4-5)		 hatakikomi	 J7w	Tosanoumi (3-6)
J3w	Masatsukasa (8-1)   oshidashi	  J8e	Matsutani (3-6)
J3e	Sokokurai (5-4)	 yorikiri	   J5w	Kasugao (6-3)
J1w	Sagatsukasa (2-7)   okuridashi	 J1e	Kotokasuga (5-4)

Makuuchi

M15w   Hokutoriki (5-4)	yorikiri	   J5e	Tamanoshima (3-6)
M16e   Tamaasuka (4-5)	 shitatenage	M12w   Kokkai (4-5)
M16w   Shotenro (3-6)	  sukuinage	  M12e   Gagamaru (4-5)
M11w   Takamisakari (6-3)  yoritaoshi	 M14e   Tamawashi (3-6)
M13w   Kimurayama (5-4)	tsukiotoshi	M11e   Takekaze (4-5)
M13e   Homasho (9-0)	   oshitaoshi	 M10e   Mokonami (5-4)
M10w   Tosayutaka (4-5)	yoritaoshi	 M9w	Kakizoe (2-7)
M9e	Shimotori (4-5)	 yorikiri	   M15e   Bushuyama (3-6)
M3e	Kyokutenho (4-5)	yorikiri	   M8w	Yoshikaze (1-8)

M2w	Aminishiki (5-4)	yorikiri	   M7w	Tokusegawa (5-4)
M7e	Wakanosato (5-4)	hatakikomi	 M1e	Tochiozan (4-5)
M1w	Asasekiryu (1-8)	shitatenage	K1e	Hakuba (2-7)
M4w	Kitataiki (3-6)	 yorikiri	   S1w	Kotoshogiku (3-6)
M2e	Aran (5-4)		  yorikiri	   S1e	Kisenosato (6-3)
K1w	Tochinoshin (3-6)   oshidashi	  O2e	Kotooshu (7-2)
O1w	Harumafuji (5-4)	yorikiri	   M3w	Tokitenku (5-4)
O1e	Baruto (6-3)		yorikiri	   O3w	Kaio (6-3)
Y1e	Hakuho (9-0)		yorikiri	   M6e	Kakuryu (8-1)

Day 10

Juryo

J9e	Hoshikaze (4-5)					J13w   Wakatenro (5-4)
J11w   Hochiyama (6-3)					J9w	Asofuji (6-3)
J7e	Sakaizawa (4-5)					J12e   Kaisei (5-4)
J14e   Kanbayashi (4-5)				   J7w	Tosanoumi (3-6)
J6e	Tochinonada (4-5)				  J14w   Sadanoumi (4-5)
J5e	Tamanoshima (3-6)				  J13e   Masuraumi (0-9)
J12w   Kyokunankai (6-3)				  J5w	Kasugao (6-3)
J4e	Koryu (4-5)						J10e   Yamamotoyama (5-4)
J3e	Sokokurai (5-4)					J8w	Tokushinho (5-4)
J11e   Toyozakura (6-3)				   J3w	Masatsukasa (8-1)
J8e	Matsutani (3-6)					J1w	Sagatsukasa (2-7)

Makuuchi

M15e   Bushuyama (3-6)					M16e   Tamaasuka (4-5)
J1e	Kotokasuga (5-4)				   M13w   Kimurayama (5-4)
M12e   Gagamaru (4-5)					 M13e   Homasho (9-0)
M15w   Hokutoriki (5-4)				   M12w   Kokkai (4-5)
M11e   Takekaze (4-5)					 M16w   Shotenro (3-6)
M9e	Shimotori (4-5)					M14e   Tamawashi (3-6)
M10w   Tosayutaka (4-5)				   M8w	Yoshikaze (1-8)
M7e	Wakanosato (5-4)				   M11w   Takamisakari (6-3)
M10e   Mokonami (5-4)					 M7w	Tokusegawa (5-4)

M9w	Kakizoe (2-7)					  M4w	Kitataiki (3-6)
M3e	Kyokutenho (4-5)				   M2w	Aminishiki (5-4)
K1e	Hakuba (2-7)					   M1e	Tochiozan (4-5)
M1w	Asasekiryu (1-8)				   K1w	Tochinoshin (3-6)
M2e	Aran (5-4)						 S1w	Kotoshogiku (3-6)
O1e	Baruto (6-3)					   M3w	Tokitenku (5-4)
O2e	Kotooshu (7-2)					 O3w	Kaio (6-3)
M6e	Kakuryu (8-1)					  O1w	Harumafuji (5-4)
Y1e	Hakuho (9-0)					   S1e	Kisenosato (6-3)

[Jakusotsu 5,293]

...the yusho question is pretty much settled though and the focus will rather be on the question if Hakuho can get another zensho yusho to extend his win streak to 47 wins from the current 41 consecutive wins.

Well, if Hakuho doesn't get another zensho, the yusho question will only be settled in his favour if they finally find some worthy opponents for Homasho.

A sardonic homage to Takatoriki perhaps? (Applauding...)

[Kaikitsune Makoto 203]

Once again a bad loss to Kisenosato, the mistake that is often his downfall came onto surface again. Kotooshu already got into deep morozashi without problems against him and now after tentative tachi-ai, he attacked with harite so that Aran reached deep into morozashi and Kise had nowhere to go with his upright position. This is the major flaw of his, the package opens.

Tochinoshin had a great win over Kotooshu last basho in migiyotsu but now perhaps irritated by Kotooshu's stalling at the tachi-ai, he went for a fast shift aside reaching for the belt, this was already too slick move to Osh who was able to turn but was hopelessly upright and had no chance.

Kitataiki is better than people think. Strong rikishi, late bloomer. 3-6 but he does powerful sumo. Today he beat Kotoshogiku in hidariyotsu although have to say Shogun did screw up the bout with his own move a bit but nevertheless, Kitataiki's hidariyotsu is strong.

Aminishiki has been sharp this basho and is in the midst of a 3 bout winning streak outclassing Tokusegawa today. Tokusegawa did his own sumo well and shouldn't have regrets. Aminishiki was just too good today.

Today's bout is a nice exhibition of why Hakuho is so insanely good. Naturally he has power a lot and is very stable balance-wise but he is as good as Takanohana was in dominating the grip duels and gaining superior position. Especially impressive is his ability to basically always correct an inferior position. Kakuryu's sumo was absolutely brilliant today. Twice he was establishing a superior posture and even morozashi was well set at one point but Hakuho's skill, speed and yotsu magic is so immaculate in these situations that he always comes back. His right hand use in breaking grips and changing grips is unchallenged. It is easy to understand why he is so difficult to beat. He has no weaknesses and his power level is very high, balance and dohyo sense too, the suppleness and flexibility of his body combined with his incredible grip change technique is almost unbeatable package.

Kakuryu is also showing his best this basho and has plenty of tools.

Takekaze was quite pissed at Kimurayama due to that tachi-ai shift thingie.

Homasho was superb, took maemitsu, pumped his legs while pushing Mokonami out with power. 9-0 is well deserved.