Hatsu 2015 Comments

[lackmaker 432]

A Goeido demotion would of course make things easier, filling one of the lower sanyaku slots.

[Highway 46]

Man, is Harumafuji in superman mode or what? Yesterday with Kaisei, and today the way he just blasted out Kotoshogiku like he was a bag of feathers...crazy stuff. Gonna be one of the most interesting bouts vs Hakuho in a while.

My man Aoiyama has just had a flat tire this basho. I have no idea why he quit using his slapping and pushing attack, which is why he got this high in the first place. Whoever told him to change was wrong.

Edited January 20, 2015 by Highway

[Ayagawa 14]

you already count Goeido out with 5-5?

ok, he still has

Hakuho (day 11): 5-24 overall, but won 3 of last 4 fights!

Kakuryu (day 12): 9-20 and only 1 win in 2014

Aoiyama (day 13): 10-1, is a "must-win"

Endo (day 14): 2-0, is a "must-win", too

Kotoshogiku (day 15): 17-13, the deciding match!

If there is such thing as OBSC or just an "Ozeki-peers-Agreement", Goeido will get his needed 8-7 against Kotoshogiku

[Gernobono 455]

for me the strangest bout of the day was tochiozan - takarafuji

tochiozan fiddled around without really aiming for the mawashi and lost without much sweat

for me that bout looked very weird......

i am not saying he threw it, but he did not much to win it either.....

[Konosato 45]

for me the strangest bout of the day was tochiozan - takarafuji

tochiozan fiddled around without really aiming for the mawashi and lost without much sweat

for me that bout looked very weird......

i am not saying he threw it, but he did not much to win it either.....

...i too have had exactly the same impression

[bettega 427]

Aoiyama nevers uses his tsuppari against Hakuho - why?

[inhashi 2,363]

Toyonoshima!!! I'm always holding my breath when watching both him and Terunofuji. My man from Kochiken had so much control all along against such a formidable contender! I've learned never to underestimate his height and strength.

[808morgan 805]

Good stuff, Toyonoshima is great! Ama is looking fierce! Hakuho is looking damn good too, who will be defeated?

[Benevolance 2,478]

Aoiyama nevers uses his tsuppari against Hakuho - why?

Why would anyone want to make him angry? :D

[ALAKTORN 346]

Harumafuji is looking fierce. I’ve seen many videos with scientists or whatever analyzing Hakuhō’s tachiai speed and all that, but when Harumafuji fights like this I feel like his is the much better tachiai… they should analyze him.

[shumitto 418]

If there was one suspicious bout I would say it was Aminishiki and Goeido. The veteran wasn't quite there. However, that happens and I'd like to believe it was legit.

The Yokozuna trio is having their best performance as a group so far with only 3 losses in 30 bouts. Off course, with 2 Ozeki also doing fine someone has to lose - and maybe disappoint - and those occupy the ranks of sekiwake and komusubi.

Tochinoshin's comeback was much heralded but he is doing close in level to the last time he occupied this same rank. Back in March, 2013 he won 7-8. (he was 4-6 against 3-7 now).

Ichinojo started off in Makuuchi as a big mass no one could move, but he is quickly getting worked out now. Today he got in high, allowed Kakuryu a solid morozashi and he was done. By what I've seen so far, there is the risk that he will turn out like Baruto, i.e., a rikishi who develops as long as he gets stronger, but fails to improve in other aspects. If that will be enough time will tell. Kotoshogiku got as far as Ozeki on the back of a single - though very well executed - trick.

[Masumasumasu 902]

Aoiyama nevers uses his tsuppari against Hakuho - why?

Why would anyone want to make him angry? :D

Excellent point. Hakuho appears to win many of his matches before they even begin through intimidation.

[Asojima 2,870]

Worth Repeating.

Here's a stat. Tochinoshin 43-2 (and 20 straight wins) since returning from the surgery. And don't tell me Makushita, Juryo, etc. This is phenomenal. If only Baruto had gone that way when he still could. I'm guessing Tochinoshin hasn't been healthy for a few years before the surgery.

We'll have to see how far he goes.

Tochinoshin is really looking great. I mean, 13-2 and 15-0 in Juryo is no small task. He's just looking really solid. I was a big fan of his back when I first started watching Sumo, second to Harumafuji of course.

Before his injury drop, he was a rock solid M4w rikishi. Below that, he would kick ass. Above that, the joijin would hand him his ass. Hatsu will tell his future.

[Gernobono 455]

is this a "tsuppari-only"-basho?

what else could bring the likes of okinoumi and toyonoshima to go for tsuppari and avoid the mawashi against today's opponent?

in my textbook okinoumi just had to stand up.......extend his arms in direction of the mawashi and go for a painless yorikiri.......the action in tokyo showed a totaly different and of course unsuccessfull attempt

[Masumasumasu 902]

No. He cares only about shiko. ;)

[Gernobono 455]

nice win bei tochinoshin

was in danger of just getting yorikiried by ichinojo and set a nice end to the danger

did not expect to say so any time, but: "well executed tochinoshin"

Edited January 21, 2015 by Gernobono

[orandashoho 720]

Oh! Oh! Harumafuli just lost the yusho race I'm afraid.

[Hakuyobaku 33]

33

[bettega 427]

33

and Zensho

[Kotogouryuu 126]

It's matches like today's why I like Kotoshogiku. Kakuryu is no pushover, but had nothing when Giku got into gear. The amount of power is sheer entertainment.

[Morty 1,480]

It's matches like today's why I like Kotoshogiku. Kakuryu is no pushover, but had nothing when Giku got into gear. The amount of power is sheer entertainment.

I'm so pleased Kotoshogiku got his KK today and retained his rank. My favourite rikishi (with Toyonoshima). When he gets his arms around you and goes forward there aren't many people who can counter it. He was never going to be a Yokozuna but he has been a solid, solid Ozeki who has only ever had issues due to injuries.

[Adil 232]

One of THE strangest losses I've seen in my short sumo lifetime: Endo against Tochiozan. Is he injured or ill? How on earth can a guy be pushed like that? It's not like he was off balance or that Tochiozan flung himself at Endo with all his body. It was just a simple "arms-extended" push with Endo firmly planted on the dohyo. Is Endo really that weak? Young? Inexperienced? I don't know. Sometimes he looks real good. Maybe it's the kensho envelopes that motivate his opponents (as others have indicated in the past), but good golly, I don't know what can explain today's howler.

Come to think of it, he had a somewhat similar loss against Kakuryu this basho, where he was just bowled over and fell backwards when Kakuryu started pushing him back.

Edited January 21, 2015 by Adil

[Shitamachi 21]

Loved Ichinojo and Tochinoshin today. No doubt we'll see him up in k/s territory soon even if he falls this basho.

[Naganoyama 5,841]

Worth Repeating.

Here's a stat. Tochinoshin 43-2 (and 20 straight wins) since returning from the surgery. And don't tell me Makushita, Juryo, etc. This is phenomenal. If only Baruto had gone that way when he still could. I'm guessing Tochinoshin hasn't been healthy for a few years before the surgery.

We'll have to see how far he goes.

Tochinoshin is really looking great. I mean, 13-2 and 15-0 in Juryo is no small task. He's just looking really solid. I was a big fan of his back when I first started watching Sumo, second to Harumafuji of course.

Before his injury drop, he was a rock solid M4w rikishi. Below that, he would kick ass. Above that, the joijin would hand him his ass. Hatsu will tell his future.

Whatever he does here, it has to have been the right decision to go for the surgery and the time out. It is about making it possible for him to perform at the best level he can. If only other rikishi in a similar position could follow his lead rather than Baruto's.

[Shikona 139]

One of THE strangest losses I've seen in my short sumo lifetime: Endo against Tochiozan. Is he injured or ill? How on earth can a guy be pushed like that? It's not like he was off balance or that Tochiozan flung himself at Endo with all his body. It was just a simple "arms-extended" push with Endo firmly planted on the dohyo. Is Endo really that weak? Young? Inexperienced? I don't know. Sometimes he looks real good. Maybe it's the kensho envelopes that motivates his opponents (as others have indicated in the past), but good golly, I don't know what can explain today's howler.

Come to think of it, he had a somewhat similar loss against Kakuryu this basho, where he was just bowled over and fell backwards when Kakuryu started pushing him back.

Endo's style seems to be based on acting as if he were 30 kg bigger. Instead of using maneuvering about, he stands still and dares you to push with him. Against guys with lesser skills he can do this. Against the joi, he will need that extra beef to fight like this.