Day 8 comments

[Kaikitsune Makoto 210]

8-0 rikishi:

Hakuho looks pretty similar as always. Has those under armpits yanks to side and overall solid sumo without big problems. Today concentrated on having a powerful tachi-ai stopping Gagamaru and while the first slap down attempt went wrong, easily took morozashi at the next impact and dropped him with sukuinage. Against Goeido and Aran he had some scare (Goeido's shitatenage attempt and Aran's morozashi approach).

Kotoshogiku is rather flawless, tachi-ai works, gabburi as always, very stable and calm. Today didn't let Kakuryu much chance as his tachi-ai was strong and immediately penetrated Kakuryu's defence getting into hidariyotsu and after that it was just yorikiri pressure followed by uwatenage. All his bouts have been good ones. Kisenosato, Baruto, Harumafuji, Hakuho to come but hard to see him not to go 2-2 or even better against them. Most likely result-wise strong ozeki debut this will be.

7-1 rikishi:

Very good call by gyoji in favour of Kisenosato who had a horrible bout. Or to be fair to Kotooshu, it was actually 100% perfect tachi-ai by Osh getting inside and leaving Kisenosato in hopeless position without grips, balance high. Yet this desperation tsukiotoshi maneuvre and good dohyo edge hovering saved him this time. Big win for Kise as this a bad bad bout. Kotooshu must be cursing after this loss. Tomorrow Harumafuji agaist whom it is always a risk for Kise to fall into morozashi or other hapless situation. Tomorrow it is all about the initial 1,2 seconds which determines the nature of the bout. He can't afford as bad start as today. Kotooshu looks genki.

Takekaze has had 3 good bouts in a row beating KOkkai with a nice throw, upsetting O3 and today pushing Aminishiki out. Takekaze does henka and slapdowns more often than "necessary" but he does have a flow now.

Wakakoyu also 7-1 with a good forward going win today against Yoshikaze.

6-2 rikishi:

Aoiyama's tachi-ai worked perfectly and he got good momentum and angle to get into good yotsu with energy from the tachi-ai taking him to a good yorikiri win over Takararuji (2-6). Aoiyama has makuuchi honeymoon and in many bouts things go his way from the start. Good rikishi.

Miyogiryu's wins continue to impress. Today another total victory in 2 seconds against admittedly struggling Asasekiry (2-6). Miyogiryu's sumo is classy. Also, just realised it NOW that he is from Sakaigawa-beya where Goeido, Toyohibiki, Hochiyama, Sadanofuji (good 5-3 debut in makuuchi), Shironoryu ( avoided makekoshi in juryo today) amongst others grapple. Today feet+arms magic and easy win. Don't remember all his wins this basho by heart but at least agaist Asasekiryu, Kaisei, Tamawashi and Kokkai he has been quite overwhelming. The loss against Wakakoyu was after some good defending first and then succumbing to well-timed pull.

Kotooshu is genki, today's Kisenosato bout was a good example of that.

Kakuryu has now lost to two of his main rank rivals and has lost quite decisively too. Both Kisenosato and today Kotoshogiku dominated him from the start. Still 6-2 but needs to turn the tide fast and tomorrow is not easy against Baruto.

Others:

Harumafuji had 4 push+disengage-combos taking Tochinoshin gradually backwards and out. Looked sharp today while Tochinoshin 1-7.