Day 13 results and day 14 pairings, Makuuchi and Juryo

[Doitsuyama 1,178]

Harumafuji and Hakuho distanced themselves from the pursuers with hard fought wins over Kisenosato and Kakuryu, with Hakuho taking some pages out of Asashoryu's playbook in his bout today. The other two pursuers Kyokutenho and Takayasu also lost, to leave the yusho race entirely between the two top ranked Mongolians. Harumafuji faces Kakuryu tomorrow and a win would tie Takanohana's record ozeki win streak and guarantuee at least a yusho kettei-sen which at 14-1 I think would be impressive enough for a yokozuna promotion, so there's a lot at stake for the tsunatori ozeki. He is 16-8 overall against Kakuryu, but had four consecutive losses against him before last basho, so it probably won't be easy (and it wasn't an easy win last basho with Kakuryu quickly pushing Harumafuji to the tawara).

Myogiryu showed no ill effects from the ringer yesterday but was lucky enough to face Kyokutenho who has a rather soft tachi-ai. Homasho and Tochiozan clinched kashi-koshi to keep a chance for a sanyaku return, but Kaisei lost to already make-koshi Shohozan and needs to win the last two bouts to get the kachi-koshi.

Chiyotairyu had his fourth consecutive loss and at 5-8 he is in some demotion danger, showing lost strength after diagnosed with diabetes before the basho. Kimurayama also fell to make-koshi and is in much bigger risk of demotion as he needs to win both remaining bouts. Takanoyama, Fujiazuma, Tenkaiho and Takarafuji all won today to fend off demotion, leaving Sadanofuji as the sole sure demotee so far.

There is no lack of promotion candidates from juryo as Yoshiazuma and Tamawashi won to get enough wins for promotion, following Ikioi, Chiyonokuni and Jokoryu. The three juryo yusho leaders surprisingly all lost though, allowing Tamawashi to rejoin them. The only other pursuer Satoyama sadly suffered an ankle injury to force him going kyujo, paradoxically during a susotori win yesterday which is supposed to hurt the ankle of his aite.

Day 13

Juryo

Ms2w Masakaze (4-3) abisetaoshi J12w Tokushinho (6-7)

J9w Daikiho (7-6) hatakikomi J8w Kitaharima (5-8)

J7e Sagatsukasa (7-6) fusen J13e Satoyama (8-5)

J7w Nionoumi (6-7) hatakikomi J6e Oiwato (4-9)

J13w Kimikaze (3-10) okuridashi J5w Sotairyu (5-8)

J5e Chiyootori (6-7) oshidashi J14e Arawashi (5-8)

J4w Tokushoryu (6-7) yorikiri J11w Tanzo (7-6)

J10e Takanoiwa (7-6) uwatenage J4e Tamaasuka (6-7)

J10w Kotoyutaka (8-5) tsukiotoshi J3w Jokoryu (9-4)

J2w Tochinowaka (4-9) yorikiri J14w Oniarashi (2-11)

J2e Tamawashi (9-4) oshidashi J9e Hochiyama (7-6)

J1w Yoshiazuma (8-5) yorikiri J8e Takamisakari (7-6)

J6w Kotoyuki (8-5) oshidashi J1e Ikioi (9-4)

Makuuchi

M16e Takanoyama (6-7) hatakikomi J3e Chiyonokuni (9-4)

M12w Takarafuji (4-9) uwatehineri M12e Chiyotairyu (5-8)

M13w Tenkaiho (5-8) oshidashi M10w Wakakoyu (6-7)

M15e Fujiazuma (6-7) tsukidashi M10e Yoshikaze (6-7)

M9e Kitataiki (4-9) yorikiri M14w Kimurayama (5-8)

M8e Daido (6-7) sukuinage M15w Sadanofuji (3-10)

M14e Asahisho (8-5) oshidashi M7e Miyabiyama (5-8)

M6w Masunoyama (7-6) oshidashi M11w Wakanosato (6-7)

M13e Asasekiryu (7-6) yorikiri M6e Tokitenku (5-8)

M8w Okinoumi (9-4) kotenage M5w Takekaze (7-6)

M5e Tochiozan (8-5) yoritaoshi M9w Takayasu (10-3)

M3w Toyonoshima (5-8) okuridashi M7w Shotenro (5-8)

M2w Gagamaru (4-9) yoritaoshi M2e Aran (2-11)

M1e Shohozan (5-8) yorikiri M1w Kaisei (6-7)

M3e Homasho (8-5) yorikiri K1w Tochinoshin (4-9)

M4w Toyohibiki (6-7) oshidashi K1e Aoiyama (3-10)

S1w Goeido (7-6) kubinage M4e Aminishiki (8-5)

S1e Myogiryu (9-4) yorikiri M11e Kyokutenho (10-3)

O1e Harumafuji (13-0) yorikiri O1w Kisenosato (10-3)

Y1e Hakuho (12-1) oshidashi O3w Kakuryu (10-3)

Day 14

Juryo

J13w Kimikaze (3-10) J9w Daikiho (7-6)

J9e Hochiyama (7-6) J8w Kitaharima (5-8)

J6e Oiwato (4-9) J14w Oniarashi (2-11)

J7w Nionoumi (6-7) J6w Kotoyuki (8-5)

J5e Chiyootori (6-7) J12w Tokushinho (6-7)

J14e Arawashi (5-8) J5w Sotairyu (5-8)

J4e Tamaasuka (6-7) J11w Tanzo (7-6)

J8e Takamisakari (7-6) J4w Tokushoryu (6-7)

J10e Takanoiwa (7-6) J3w Jokoryu (9-4)

J2e Tamawashi (9-4) J10w Kotoyutaka (8-5)

J1e Ikioi (9-4) J7e Sagatsukasa (7-6)

J3e Chiyonokuni (9-4) J1w Yoshiazuma (8-5)

Makuuchi

J2w Tochinowaka (4-9) M15w Sadanofuji (3-10)

M13e Asasekiryu (7-6) M14w Kimurayama (5-8)

M14e Asahisho (8-5) M12w Takarafuji (4-9)

M11e Kyokutenho (10-3) M11w Wakanosato (6-7)

M15e Fujiazuma (6-7) M10w Wakakoyu (6-7)

M9e Kitataiki (4-9) M16e Takanoyama (6-7)

M8e Daido (6-7) M13w Tenkaiho (5-8)

M12e Chiyotairyu (5-8) M8w Okinoumi (9-4)

M6e Tokitenku (5-8) M10e Yoshikaze (6-7)

M4e Aminishiki (8-5) M9w Takayasu (10-3)

M7e Miyabiyama (5-8) M3w Toyonoshima (5-8)

M2e Aran (2-11) M7w Shotenro (5-8)

M1e Shohozan (5-8) M2w Gagamaru (4-9)

M6w Masunoyama (7-6) M1w Kaisei (6-7)

K1e Aoiyama (3-10) M3e Homasho (8-5)

M4w Toyohibiki (6-7) K1w Tochinoshin (4-9)

S1e Myogiryu (9-4) M5w Takekaze (7-6)

M5e Tochiozan (8-5) S1w Goeido (7-6)

O1e Harumafuji (13-0) O3w Kakuryu (10-3)

Y1e Hakuho (12-1) O1w Kisenosato (10-3)

[Ruziklao 34]

Uhm, not that there is a lack of demotion candidates, rather there are few sure demotees from Makuuchi (Satoyama). On the other hand there are quite a few strong promotion candidates already in Juryo, almost sure by numbers, but not so sure due to lack of places. Exchange bouts would not help if Makuuchi rikishi would win. By my table, there are only two unused bouts between demotion candidates that can provide good demotion material.

If we take Takanoyama, Fujiazuma, Tenkaiho, Takarafuji, Kimurayama and Chiyotairyu as demotion candidates (is Wakanosato with 6 wins safe? and Kitataiki with 4 wins?), two bouts left are:

Takanoyama - Tenkaiho

Kimurayama - Chiyotairyu

Are they pencilled for Senshuraku?