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Basho Talk Natsu 2018 (SPOILERS)

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I believe that the NSK will require 11 wins for Tochinoshin, given that he only got 10 wins in the previous basho. However I think they're also going to require him beating 2 out of the 3 Y/O to be considered. If he goes 11-4 and loses to all the Y/O, he may not get the nod. Although 12-3 would be kind of hard to deny.

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1 hour ago, Asojima said:

Note the dragging, trailing foot in the Myogiryu/Kyokutaisei initial match.  The gyoji/shimpan seem to have missed/ignored it.

Kyukotaisei won the first match. Oh, well.

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Naya off to a good start in first bout in Natsu. The beginning of a Jonidan Yusho, perhaps?

Congratulations Asakishin! Terao was not going to be a “push over” but the ‘buff’ man from Takasago brings home a first match win on day 2.

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Was fortunate to attend Day 1. By far the highlight of the day was the thunderous applause that erupted when Takanohana was announced as shoubu-shinpan. Likewise when every Takanohana-beya rikishi stepped onto the dohyo. It is clear where the loyalties of Japanese sumo fans lay. 

The unveiling of Tochinoshin's victory banner in the rafters was also a special moment.

On the sumo front, Ichinojo looked rock solid in his opening day match, as did Tochinoshin, who has really evolved into a fan favorite since his win. 

In contrast, Terunofuji was absolutely helpless against the attack of his opponent, and was limping noticably both before and after his match. I can't help wonding if this is the beginning of the end for him.

I'll be at Day 3 as well. Looking forward to a fun basho. 

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It was almost a clean sweep for the west side in Juryo in Day 2. Only Terunofuji broke the winning streak.

Edited by yutarotanaka

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Aminishiki got tripped today by Kyokutasei...

Veteran Takekaze drops the mountain Aoiyama...

Ishiura tries a henka against Arawashi but gets caught and reversed...

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5 hours ago, yutarotanaka said:

It was almost a clean sweep for the west side in Juryo in Day 2. Only Terunofuji broke the winning streak.

Yes,  that is pretty wold.

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4 hours ago, Taikoubana said:

I miss the Hokutofuji of 2017. He's quite the pushover now. Is his knee that bad?

He was crushing it in 2017, then he took an arrow in the knee....

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4 hours ago, Taikoubana said:

I miss the Hokutofuji of 2017. He's quite the pushover now. Is his knee that bad?

Like Terunofuji he seems to generate a lot of his power from his lower body and without that he's vulnerable. The first time he injured it he came back well a basho later but it seems to be lingering now. Kinda sad. I'm rooting for him.

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50 minutes ago, d_golem said:

He was crushing it in 2017, then he took an arrow in the knee....

When did this injury occur? He's never gone kyujo.

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34 minutes ago, ryafuji said:

When did this injury occur? He's never gone kyujo.

As mentioned here he originally had an injury in practice March 2017:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/tMtYiJ-OIGY?start=300&autoplay=1

He came back well from that but he must have reinjured in it January and is struggling now.

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It's funny watching the video of Day 2. Seems like there were more throws than the 4 listed.

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Mitakeumi just about had that match. My neighbors probably got a good ear-full of "Don't pull, you idiot!" this morning. Still, almost getting one over on Hakuho is an accomplishment in itself. I hope this means Mitakeumi is back on his game after his lukewarm performance last basho.

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Uh-oh, Hakuhō doesn’t do slap tachiai and almost loses.

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Aminishiki tried to be Aminishiki, but Kyokutaisei pulled an Aminishiki on him. Gramps still determined af, but his body fails him.

Some say Hakuho looking shaky, i'm full of admiration. He's injured and he radically changed his fighting style over the last months, because his elbows say no to belt-sumo. And still...

I'm liking Abi more and more. I really can't remember any sekitori, with this combination of body and fighting style. Sure, he's a bit one-dimensional, but he's young and very spirited. Barring injury, he should stay in makuuchi for a longer time.

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2 hours ago, Benihana said:

Sure, he's a bit one-dimensional

Its a controversial opinion I'm sure, but I've gone from a big fan of Abi and his crazy leg stretches, to really rather bored of his slapping and jumping about (his leg stretches are still great admittedly though, is there a proper term for them? if so I don't know it, but would like to) . That one-dimensional ness has become pretty off-putting, to me at least. While his unusual combo has paid off amazingly till now, I feel once more people get his number (i.e. just wrap him and get on the belt asap like we saw Tochinoshin do today), his results will get worse and worse. Plus its a personal thing, but I'm just not that into face slapping sumo (unless its Yoshikaze or Shohozan). Maybe I'll get back on board the Abi hype-train at some point, as I did enjoy his style before, and I've come back to liking both Chiyoshoma and Arawashi more than I did before, when I though they were being pretty one dimensional a lot of last year.

I agree with you on Hakuho though, he may not be 100%, but if you can put an in form Mitakeumi down like that at any number less than that, thats still pretty hecking good, and I really think the replays showed that that was a scrappy match for both of them and Hakuho looked much more in control, then he did on first, normal speed viewing. At the very least, I think he looks hugely determined whenever he steps into the arena.

Also today I thoroughly enjoyed Kyokutaisei's smooth as anything leg trip on Aminishiki, as well as Arawashi turning the tables on Ishiura. Plus Kotoshogiku meeting Chiyotairyu's full force tachiai and turning the tables back on him, that one had me out of my seat and hopping about a bit and everything. In fact day 2 had plenty of enjoyable moments, though Takakeisho also seemed worryingly flat today, I thought he'd absolutely tear it down at M10. And of course, as long of course, as you stay away from the rather sad spectacle of Terunofuji's matches :( 

Edited by Kawabata

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Two straight retirements (of note) this tournament.  On Day 1, Oiwato called it quits, and on Day 2, Amuru called it quits.  

Going forward, I have to think that Aminishiki and Terunofuji must be starting to toy with the idea of retirement.  I give Aminishiki props for getting back up into the Top Division, but watching him this tournament, I sense that he has lost the vital strength needed to fight his style of sumo.  He is 39, after all.  Teru on the other hand is a shell of his old self.  He should be tearing through the Juryo, but that certainly isn't happening...

So far, Goeido is looking the most solid, imho.  

Tochinoshin is fighting valiantly, since he realizes he has a chance for promotion to Ozeki.  It's one of those now or never things.  I wouldn't be surprised if he succeeds.  But at the same time, I am not sure how long he will be able to hold on to that rank, if he does get promoted.  Anyone out there know if there has ever been a wrestler who went kadoban in his first tournament as an Ozeki, and then lost the rank in the very next tournament?

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@Kawabata: I think the “leg stretch” is called shiko.

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13 hours ago, yutarotanaka said:

Aminishiki got tripped today by Kyokutasei...

Kyokutaisei seems to have his number, perhaps because he's inclined to some trickery as well and knows what's coming.
 

Quote

Ishiura tries a henka against Arawashi but gets caught and reversed...

Perhaps the worst HNH attempt I can recall, considering it ended up leaving Arawashi with the much better grip even though he didn't really seem to anticipate it...


Daieisho looked like a more agile version of Hokutoriki today.
 

Edited by Asashosakari
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Abi reminds me of a frog,, I think he needs 20 or so kilos for his style of sumo.  Tochinoshin snapped him up like a python, Abi struggling...devastating . My boys Kagayaki and Daiamami...got nice wins... They look like they are staples in the single digit maegashira ranks. Solid win for Kotoshugiku and  Takakaze.. .they are not done yet...  Kakayruu looks poised and strong. The tachia of Ichinojo and Kaise  was heard  in London ... Liking a 225kg. Ichinojo 

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1 hour ago, Amamaniac said:

Tochinoshin is fighting valiantly, since he realizes he has a chance for promotion to Ozeki.  It's one of those now or never things.  I wouldn't be surprised if he succeeds.  But at the same time, I am not sure how long he will be able to hold on to that rank, if he does get promoted.  Anyone out there know if there has ever been a wrestler who went kadoban in his first tournament as an Ozeki, and then lost the rank in the very next tournament?

Three times under vaguely modern rules.  Tochiazuma August 2004Musoyama March 2000 Takanonami January 2000

Of the three, two were on demotion to Sekiwake and immediate repromotion to Ozeki.  Takanonami got his last two Ozeki basho (out of 37) that way.  Tochiazuma's run was in the remarkable streak ..OSOOSO... during an injury plagued stretch of time in the middle of his 30 basho at Ozeki.  Musoyama did it on the way up--and got immediately repromoted to Ozeki afterwards (SOOSO), with 27 total basho at Ozeki.  Not bad runs, all in all.

(I had a quick look to see if anyone went Sekiwake-Ozeki-Ozeki-Intai, but didn't spot any.)

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Quite funny to watch how the Enho hype went poof already. Even the absent Ura is getting more coverage around here.

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8 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

Quite funny to watch how the Enho hype went poof already. Even the absent Ura is getting more coverage around here.

Enho had a beautiful win.... The bandwagon is always open .... A little marketing helps and a few kilos :) 

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