Ura, how high?

[Kaminariyuki 519]

So, I have only been a real fan for a year or so, and casually watching it some another year (Jason's fault). So, as my favorite wrestler and fairly new to Makuuchi, Ura, went 11-4 as a Megashira #10, How high do you more knowledgeable folks think he may go? I notice a lot of guys above him in the mid-Megashira range did not fair so well in the last basho.

[Andreas21 221]

Difficult to say, but apparently he is successful on the first few encounters with a certain Rikishi and then have a very hard time thereafter. I would think, he may have one very good basho the first time near Joi, but soon will struggle at the end of Meagashira.

[RabidJohn 2,070]

You'll find plenty about Ura here if you search for it - he's one of the more divisive rikishi, so there's a lot written about him.

I'm pro-Ura because he's always so entertaining to watch, but I expect him to have a fairly grim shin-joi basho in July. He may take a sanyaku scalp or two, and a kinboshi if he gets really lucky, but he'll almost certainly MK. How he comes back from that will be telling. I think he's going to have to get a lot more aggressive if he's ever going to hold his own higher up the banzuke - more like Takakeisho and Ishiura, who are both a similar height.

That height is an issue. Ura is neither the shortest nor lightest rikishi in makuuchi, but he's definitely on the smaller end of the scale and that disadvantageously shortens his reach. I think he could learn to hold his own in the joi, with the occasional trip up to sanyaku, but ozeki will probably always remain beyond his reach.

I still be watching him whatever happens, because I like him.

[Benevolance 2,534]

May his career be long and constantly filled with opponents he's never faced before! So I say with complete confidence (19 times out of 20) that Ura will rise to at least Maegashira 9E in his career. 

[Shatsume 118]

My unknowledgeable opinion is he will be another Terao; A firm fan favourite with great technique who will make occassional sanyaku appearances and cause many upsets but never reach Ozeki.

[RaeucherLax 292]

I am with @RabidJohn here. Ura is definitely entertaining to watch but OTOH I doubt that he´ll be able to take many sanyaku scalps. Then again one basho im Makuuchi is just not enough to tell on how he´ll do in the long run.

[Gurowake 4,151]

2 hours ago, RaeucherLax said:

I am with @RabidJohn here. Ura is definitely entertaining to watch but OTOH I doubt that he´ll be able to take many sanyaku scalps. Then again one basho im Makuuchi is just not enough to tell on how he´ll do in the long run.

He's had 2 Makuuchi basho so far.  He was 8-7 in March.

[RabidJohn 2,070]

2 hours ago, Shatsume said:

My unknowledgeable opinion is he will be another Terao; A firm fan favourite with great technique who will make occassional sanyaku appearances and cause many upsets but never reach Ozeki.

Ura's already a fan favourite, but I'll be amazed if he matches Terao, who spent eight consecutive basho in sanyaku at his peak. 

[Tiger Tanaka 226]

He has put on 20+ kg which will help, but now he needs to learn to use that additional bulk & strength to be more aggressive rather than relying solely on wiliness and henkas, which will get all too predictable quickly.

As others have said though, he is incredibly entertaining and I wish him well in improving his brand of sumo.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Tiger Tanaka

[RaeucherLax 292]

7 hours ago, Gurowake said:

He's had 2 Makuuchi basho so far.  He was 8-7 in March.

 oh dear. Thx for putting that right!

[robnplunder 978]

@RabidJohn was right on with his analysis.

I will be amazed and be happy for Ura if he ever becomes Komusubi or Sekiwake.   It is possible but he may have to add more technique, weight, etc..   He seems to be very motivated and hardworking and that's another reason for hope.  

IMO, Ura will MK in the next basho.  How he bounces back in the following basho will tell how far he will go.   

[orandashoho 720]

I am afraid that a superior ring sense and excellent technique will not be enough to beat rikishi once they get to know him. He may throw a surprise or two, effectively exploit his opponent's weaknesses and be as slippery as an eel, but the men at the top don't make all that many mistakes and are quick on their feet as well. What Ura badly needs is more strength -- the strength to push on, the strength to resist the full frontal assault of someone like Kisenosato.
What I find so fascinating about Ura is that he has been quick to find new balance in his sumo as his body was changing. So far it has all worked quite well, lessons were learned, but the lessons in Makuuchi are different -- and those in the joi may prove to be too brutal.

If he manages to avoid injury, he may rise to Komusubi eventually.

Edited June 7, 2017 by orandashoho

[Tiger Tanaka 226]

From Ura's Natsu performance, he should be at M3 or M4 for Nagoya right? Whether you like his style or not, seeing Ura for the first time possibly against Hakuho/Kise/Harumafuji would be a delight. Expect the unexpected, the crowd tension will be high, get your popcorn ready! It could be quick and ugly, or it could possibly be shocking. 

[Mihasan 13]

I think he could be the next Toyonshima, his size is getting there, he just needs a better tachai...
 

[Jakusotsu 6,394]

The next Terao, the next Toyonoshima . . . I wonder who's next next.

[Washuyama 662]

I am reserving my judgement on Ura until I see what he does if his submarine tactics don't work and he gets in a yotsu battle with a quality opponent.  Does he have ANY skill on the belt? Next basho should answer that question as his position on the banzuke should put him in the M1-M3 range.  Let's see how he fares against the joi.  I'm not necessarily talking whether he wins or loses, as few are successful their first time in the meat grinder, but how he handles the more skillful rikishi (or how they handle him.)

Edited June 7, 2017 by Washuyama
Typo

[Atenzan 1,084]

I think he'll reach san'yaku eventually- not ozeki, san'yaku. Then again, what do we know, your man's only 23 or 24 years old. Give it a couple of years, let him face most of the makuuchi rikishi five times or so, then we might be able to make some proper predictions. He'll be top 16 next basho so that might give us an outline of the shape of things to come. 

[Churaumi 753]

My best guess is he'll do well for the next couple years, I think even a surprise sanyaku berth is possible after a generally unimpressive performance by everyone else. But when the late twenties arrive, injuries will mount and his speed will slow. He'll still be a fan favorite and be another waza-depato but will bounce in and out of juryo. He's too small too last long at the top once he starts slowing down.

 

I may not sound like a fan, but I am.

[Benihana 1,972]

He's not tall enough, he's not heavy enough, yadda yadda yadda...

Takekaze: 2cm shorter, a little heavier and a lot less "bouncy" and "eely". Turns 38 in exactly 2 weeks and is in makuuchi (continuously) since 12 years...go figure.

 

[Asojima 2,874]

7 minutes ago, Benihana said:

He's not tall enough, he's not heavy enough, yadda yadda yadda...

Takekaze: 2cm shorter, a little heavier and a lot less "bouncy" and "eely". Turns 38 in exactly 2 weeks and is in makuuchi (continuously) since 12 years...go figure.

 

And the consensus seems to be that Ura will have a career similar to Takekaze's.

[RabidJohn 2,070]

1 hour ago, Churaumi said:

He's too small too last long at the top once he starts slowing down.

Erm... Takekaze is 3cm shorter than Ura, and he's the oldest in makuuchi at 38 (Dang, Benihana beat me to it!). Toyonoshima is 6cm shorter and he was 36 before injury sent him down.

The notion that short rikishi don't do well or have any longevity in makuuchi is ridiculous.

Reaching the very top is an altogether different matter, but that's the reserve of the very cream of the crop. The vast majority of hiramaku who ever were did not make it there, and I imagine most of those were bigger than Ura.

Nobody who makes it to makuuchi is a failure, and anybody who manages to spend several years amongst the top 42 in ozumo has done really well. Size, especially height, is a distinct advantage, but ability and attitude can really be made to count. Look at 35-year-old Yoshikaze, who's only 2cm taller than Ura. You can't tell me he hasn't done well just because he hasn't made it to ozeki.

 

Edited June 7, 2017 by RabidJohn

[Bumpkin 438]

As I stated in a previous post, I believe Ura will be a sanyaku regular. Meaning, he will spend most of his career ranked between upper Maegashira and Sekiwake.

[robnplunder 978]

Look at the current list of Makuuchi rikishi.   You will find that many of them have reached Sekiwake at some point in their career.  One good basho at mid-Makuuchi rank can get a birth in Seikwake/Komusubi spot with a bit of luck.   Many here agree that Ura can, some point in his career, be a Sekiwake/Komusubi but that would be his highest point like Takakaze, etc..   To go beyond that would take Ura to grow a few inches taller with added weight.  

[Bumpkin 438]

18 minutes ago, robnplunder said:

Look at the current list of Makuuchi rikishi.   You will find that many of them have reached Sekiwake at some point in their career.  One good basho at mid-Makuuchi rank can get a birth in Seikwake/Komusubi spot with a bit of luck.   Many here agree that Ura can, some point in his career, be a Sekiwake/Komusubi but that would be his highest point like Takakaze, etc..   To go beyond that would take Ura to grow a few inches taller with added weight.  

Kaisei is a perfect example of a rikishi who got a lucky sanyaku promotion. After 5 years as a Maegashira, he went 11-4 at M7w, and was promoted to Komusubi. Then an 8-7 got him promoted to Sekiwake. He will probably never reach sanyaku again. 

[robnplunder 978]

7 minutes ago, Bumpkin said:

Kaisei is a perfect example of a rikishi who got a lucky sanyaku promotion. After 5 years as a Maegashira, he went 11-4 at M7w, and was promoted to Komusubi. Then an 8-7 got him promoted to Sekiwake. He will probably never reach sanyaku again. 

That's a good example.   At the end of this basho, I checked out all the Makuuchi regulars and found that they were all Seikiwake at one point or another.  Most of their Sekiwake stints were short like Kaisei's.   If Ura hangs around long enough, he has a chance at a sanyaku spot at some point.   I can't see him at Ozeki unless Ura goes through a huge change in how he approaches sumo.  Poorly executed henkas won't be enough.  ;-p