Basho Talk Natsu 2018 (SPOILERS)

[Taikoubana 140]

I'm hoping he manages to get the makushita yusho he missed out on. The little experience he got in juryo may be just the push he needs.

[Joaoiyama 277]

13 hours ago, Rocks said:

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.

His tachi-ai is of terrible form, he puts all of the pressure in his right knee which is placed in awkward position, it scared me everytime i see his knee buckle.

[Tiger Tanaka 208]

Hoping Hokutofuji is okay, I've never seen him look as weak as he did with Daimami.

Mitakeumi looked good, but got a little overzealous after having Hak on the brink. Hak doesn't look in top form, but I don't see him having much trouble with Shohozan or Kaisei, so it could be a 4-0 start and see him "struggle" to a 13-2 or 12-3 record. Hoping all can stay healthy so we can see some week 2 sanyaku battles that we've missed the past couple of basho.

How much longer can Terunofuji go out there in his condition? He is getting pushed around with ease by rikishi 30 kg lighter than him. He used to be one of the strongest forces in the sport, I remember him picking up Tochinoshin before. Very sad to see both him and Kise struggling so much just over one year from their yusho playoff. 

Hoshoryu and Naya both with victories in their Jonidan debuts. 

[Jabbamaru 157]

 

6 hours ago, Philioyamfugi said:

The tachia of Ichinojo and Kaise  was heard  in London ...

What was that! F* we heard here in São Paulo too.

[luispereira 383]

realized now that Kyokutaisei made it to makuuchi! Congrats!!:D 

not finding an english version of the documentary about him, anyone?

 

cheers! 

 

 

[Tsubame 319]

13 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

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?

Only three rikishi ever achieved this "milestone" for get demoted directly after their very first ozeki stint.

 

Oitekaze 1836

Itsutsushima 1941

Musoyama 2000

 

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&columns=3&n_basho=3&form1_rank=o&form1_wins=mk&form1_debutr=on&form2_wins=mk&form3_rank=s

[d_golem 213]

Endo! He's deceptively very balanced, isn't he? If he lost it would have been reversed by hair-pull, right?

[Rocks 1,722]

2 minutes ago, d_golem said:

Endo! He's deceptively very balanced, isn't he? If he lost it would have been reversed by hair-pull, right?

No, he isn't. In fact he usually goes down easily on a pull but it has to be the back of head or neck.  Goeido missed it and paid the price. I didn't see any hair pull. Goeido never got any grip on his head for longer than an instant.

[Morty 1,393]

12 minutes ago, Rocks said:

No, he isn't. In fact he usually goes down easily on a pull but it has to be the back of head or neck.  Goeido missed it and paid the price. I didn't see any hair pull. Goeido never got any grip on his head for longer than an instant.

Yes he is, when he isn't carrying an injury. He has better footwork than most other rikishi and his ability to stay upright when others go over is his main strength. The only one who is as balanced and good on his feet is Hak, but Endo doesn't have some of Hak's other qualities...

[Rocks 1,722]

32 minutes ago, Morty said:

Yes he is, when he isn't carrying an injury. He has better footwork than most other rikishi and his ability to stay upright when others go over is his main strength. The only one who is as balanced and good on his feet is Hak, but Endo doesn't have some of Hak's other qualities...

I wouldn't agree. Check his losing kimiarite. Anybody that goes down to hatakikomi and  hikiotoshi as much as Endo can't be said to have great balance. Maybe it was different earlier in his career but not now. He's better at recovering his balance than many that's for sure. But not keeping it.

[rhyen 1,541]

The gem of a caricature in the sponichi newspaper on a particular day 2 bout
 

 

[Dwale 419]

Well, day 3 had some entertaining stuff for us. I hope Chiyoshoma's arm is ok...he didn't look too happy with it.

Abi showed really good mobility there. Wasn't enough to turn the tables on an aggressive Mitakeumi, but still.

And wow, surprised Endo took that one. It's only day three, but he's looking decent so far at his career high rank.

[Yatagarasu 352]

16 hours ago, Kawabata said:

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

I actually agree with you on this.  I really loved Abi to start with, but it's really just the same thing every single time.  Once Tochinoshin got his hands on the belt yesterday it was all over in an instant.  He also needs to put some meat on those gangly legs - he need not lose his agility, but he doesn't seem to have enough stability to stay put should his slap-flurry fail.  

Hakuhou has had two near misses so far.  He recovered them both, but he's either still got some sort of niggling discomfort or he simply can't manage without his slap and elbow smash.  The slap bothers me less than the elbow, to be honest.  But it's a bit disappointing to think that a yokozuna may have become a one-trick pony regarding his tachiai.  

Nice to see Ichinojo doing lively sumo.  I'm not sure his frame can handle the extra weight in the long term.  It's must be putting terrible pressure on his knees and I worry it may aggravate his back again. 

I can't watch Aminishiki.  I literally wince every time I see him hit the sand.  I hope his knee is Ok.  

Ishiura...well, you all know my thoughts on his henkas, which besides being poorly executed may as well have had a neon sign to announce them.  A better performance today, however.

What's happened to Kounosuke? I know it's just a blip, but he is normally a bastion of reliability. 

A couple of wardrobe malfunctions in juryo as well over the last few days, thankfully nothing to frighten the horses.  Seems the tactic of tying loose mawashis in bouts against belt-favouring opponents has got a little extreme!  Good to see Onoushou back on the dohyo.  I think he's looking pretty genki, though perhaps a more sober style than before.  Maybe he'll warm up a bit during the tournament.  

   

[Rocks 1,722]

I forgot to say. Kotoshogiku - Yutakayama was a very entertaining match.

[Philioyamfugi 378]

Goeido is the first to fall... Kakayuu  looks great and my early yusho pick.  Tochinoshin on fast lane to ozeki, he'll beat Goeido at least.  Ichinojo is the dark horse. How about Ikioi ... Good wins and solid sumo...lil lucky today but. . Toyonoshima now 2-0 at ms14. Terinofuji just has nothing 0-3. 

Edited May 15, 2018 by Philioyamfugi

[rhyen 1,541]

1 hour ago, Dwale said:

Well, day 3 had some entertaining stuff for us. I hope Chiyoshoma's arm is ok...he didn't look too happy with it.

 

He is imitating Harumafuji to the T.

[ALAKTORN 346]

Had to watch Hakuhō’s bout in slow motion, and still didn’t really understand how Shōhōzan lost. Him, Kak and Tochi still winning, I’m happy. Mitakeumi also 2–1.

I know Hak has said in the past that he has bone fragments in his elbows which is probably why he can’t do much belt sumō anymore, but I wonder why he never went under surgery to remove them? Bone fragments shouldn’t be a big deal…

[Benevolance 2,253]

20 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

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

Careful. Goeidou is a tease. 

[Jaynestown 17]

1 hour ago, Benevolance said:

Careful. Goeidou is a tease. 

Yeah, seems like we go through this every tournament nowadays.  Goeidou usually starts off strong and we all start thinking perhaps he has turned a corner, then he comes back to earth with a few questionable losses and we end up back at square 1.

[Asashosakari 16,696]

FWIW, I didn't even think that Goeido was looking particularly good on the first two days. Neither match (nor Day 3) featured him using his primary weapons, instead he just tried to overwhelm his opponents and end the bouts quickly, much like Hakuho does when he can't rely on his more orthodox techniques. Endo didn't give Goeido an opening for that, and the result was...well.

[Kaninoyama 1,253]

Notes from Day 3 at the Kokugikan.

-Down in Makushita, Toyonoshima looked very solid and appears ready to break back into the sekitori ranks. 

-Likewise Takanoiwa and Ounoshou in Juryo, both easily dispatching their respective opponents. 

-Sadly, Terunofuji continues to struggle, and I can't see him remaining even in Juryo in his current condition. 

-In Makuuchi, the match of the day was definitely Endo taking down Goeido in brilliant fashion, while Shouhouzan put up a good fight against Hakuho (Kaisei, not so much against Kakuryu). 

-Abi has definitely run into a wall in his first attempt against the Joi-i ranks, which is not at all unexpected, but I'm confident he'll learn from this tourney and come back better prepared next time. 

-Finally, Tochinoshin appears poised to make a run at Ozeki, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him in the mix for yusho toward the end of the tourney. 

[Amamaniac 1,970]

While it is still early in the tournament, there is a curious pattern that may or may not warrant discussion.  Takanoiwa is 3:0 (in Juryo), while the Isegahama sekitori (Aminishiki, Terunofuji, and Homarefuji), with the exception of Takarafuji and Terutsuyoshi, are all 0:3.  It seems to me that Harumafuji's disgraceful retirement has sucked the air out of the stable.  PTSD or not, Takanoiwa is off to a good start.  Talk about shifting fortunes...

Edited May 15, 2018 by Amamaniac

[Kawabata 270]

21 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

Shouhouzan put up a good fight against Hakuho

I definitely did not watch the same match as you there!

9 hours ago, Rocks said:

I forgot to say. Kotoshogiku - Yutakayama was a very entertaining match.

That was my match of the day personally (though as a big geeku fan I am a bit biased), as @Kintamayama said in his excellent day 3 video; "experience, my friends, experience"

Edited May 15, 2018 by Kawabata

[Kaninoyama 1,253]

25 minutes ago, Kawabata said:

I definitely did not watch the same match as you there!

 

Hmm, that's how it looked from my vantage point 6 rows from the ring, unless my memory is failing me and I'm thinking of a different match. Maybe on TV it unfolded differently.

[Amamaniac 1,970]

1 minute ago, Kaninoyama said:

from my vantage point 6 rows from the ring

You are one lucky sumo fan!  Did the NHK cameras catch you?  

How exactly did you come by the premium tickets?  Most mere mortals can't even dream about sitting that close to the ring!