This IS the July 2020 Basho thread!! Spoilers!!

[Thorbjarn 193]

Shodai channeling his inner escape artist yet again, but not everyone is as flat footed as Aoiyama. Luck will run out eventually. 

[Akinomaki 35,585]

1 hour ago, Kaninoyama said:

Shikoroyama Oyakata made the decision to have Abi go kyujo after the rikishi ill-advisedly went out to eat/drink with several guests last night, as a safeguard in case he might have contracted Covid.

That delayed the makuuchi torikumi publication - the shimpan had to redo them - and it made me wait in vain for Konosuke to announce them on the dohyo again: it was his turn at the yokozuna dohyo-iri, and the same gyoji does the kaobure.

I heard a new announcement instead: don't wave around the cheering towels violently

Edited July 25, 2020 by Akinomaki

[Kaninoyama 1,338]

Asanoyama continues his flawless Ozeki debut. 

[robnplunder 948]

1 hour ago, Kaninoyama said:

Shikoroyama Oyakata made the decision to have Abi go kyujo after the rikishi ill-advisedly went out to eat/drink with several guests last night, as a safeguard in case he might have contracted Covid.

Oyakata, scolding Abi on the broadcast: "If it was just himself that were to contract covid, that would be his responsibility, but to put everyone else at risk, he did an awful thing."

Article (Japanese)

 

Abi deserves to be scolded.  What was he thinking?  

Another amazing win by Enho.  

Asanoyama is proving that he deserves to be Ozeki.  I like his chances of making it to Yokozuna rank.  

[Eikokurai 3,418]

Not to jinx Asanoyama for tomorrow, but how many times has a debutant Ozeki made kachikoshi on day eight?

Edit: If my search is correct, it’s happened eight times and the last one to do it was Kotoshogiku in November 2011. He ended 11-4.

Asashoryu also managed it in September 2002, ending 10-5 and Tochiazuma in January 2002, ending 13-2 and taking the yusho. Those are the only examples this century.

Edited July 25, 2020 by Eikokurai

[Kashunowaka 269]

6 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

Not to jinx Asanoyama for tomorrow, but how many times has a debutant Ozeki made kachikoshi on day eight?

Edit: If my search is correct, it’s happened eight times and the last one to do it was Kotoshogiku in November 2011. He ended 11-4.

Asashoryu also managed it in September 2002, ending 10-5 and Tochiazuma in January 2002, ending 13-2. Those are the only examples this century.

10-5 or 11-4 would still be a decent ozeki debut. Anything better is a great debut.

[Eikokurai 3,418]

Just me, or did Hakuho seemed a bit pissed there? That seemed unusually aggressive.

[since_94 638]

Some pretty crappy sumo on display today. A yawn fest for the most part, and I started watching in Jonidan.
 

Notable exception: Hoshoryu. 

Glad to see Chiyonokuni get his KK.

P.S. How about that slap by Tobizaru on the mataa against Ichinojo? It really rang out. Surprised the big man wasn’t more visibly enraged by it. That was the second highlight of the day.

Edited July 25, 2020 by since_94

[Hakuryuho 277]

I think after 7 days it's a fair assessment to say that Kotoshoho is very skilled, even at his young age of 20. He has a bright future ahead, I'm sure of it!

Well, what can you say about our three tournament leaders? Ok, Mitakeumi got a freebie win thanks to a reckless Abi, but Asanoyama is shutting up all his doubters

with stellar performance after performance. What a treat to watch him wrestle! He has all the tools to make Ozeki just another stop on his way to his final destination of Yokozuna.

Hakuho also making quick work of Kiribayama, but I guess it was just as much Kiribayama's nervousness (first time fighting the musubi no ichiban and a yokozuna on top) as it was Hakuho's strength and quickness. 

What an awesome honbasho thus far!

[Jabbamaru 160]

Kotos daily report: Shoho, Shogiku and Eko, all make shishou happy. No cookie for Nowaka and Yuki.

Shodai... weak tachiai but man...nice work on tawara

I have this feeling that the fusensho will be bad for Mitakeumi...I hope not.

Abi... Retard trophy for you. Congrats.

 

 

 

 

[Amamaniac 1,996]

Enho put in a gutsy fight against Tamawashi.  After a shaky start to the tournament, the wee man is starting to show his stuff.  He now has a mini kachikoshi (4-3).  But after being in the crushing arms of Tamawashi, I think Enho will need to visit his cupping doctor for his back!  Luckily, Enho had his arms far enough inside, so that the Mongolian iron man couldn't execute a debilitating kotenage arm bar throw...  That was the bout of the day for me.

[Kintamayama 41,274]

Abi will undergo virus tests and until the answers are in he will stay kyujo. He has become sumo's bad boy with that social media blunder in November and the falling asleep at a kyokai rally regarding the virus dealings. "He's not a child. We need to guard our castle. He needs to understand what's going on in the world at the moment!" said a pissed off Shibatayama Oyakata PR man.

Edited July 25, 2020 by Kintamayama

[Morty 1,423]

2 hours ago, Kaninoyama said:

Another sloppy win by Shodai.

Awesome tightrope walking display though. He spent more time in that match walking the tawara than he didn't. 

[Joaoiyama 281]

Takarafuji on pure strength is a beast and he had no answer for Asanoyama.

I can't wait to see how Hakuho will deal with his power and balance.

[RabidJohn 1,257]

That shitatenage Kotoshoho pulled was beautiful and so nonchalant!

Enho scares me to death. I thought Tamawashi was going to break him. Comparisons to Mainoumi are apt. I just hope Enho doesn't end up the same way: with something really broken.

Abi, you silly bugger! Handy for Mitakeumi, though...

Kiribayama didn't look nervous so much as scared sh*tless, as we say around my neck of the woods. I haven't seen anyone look like that since Chiyonofuji was handing out death stares on the dohyo. What must it be like to go up against a Mongolian national hero, and probably a personal one too? I think Hakuho's performance wasn't overly aggressive so much as reinforcement of their positions on the banzuke, and an object lesson for his young (former) countryman in what it's like at the top. Hopefully, now he's survived the ordeal, Kiribayama can overcome the nerves and start trying some techniques, cos he had nowt today.

Edited July 25, 2020 by RabidJohn

[ryafuji 770]

11 hours ago, Katooshu said:

Doesn't Hak have an incredible record against 1st time opponents? I recall reading about that here at some point...

Yes Arawashi beat him in January 2017 and that was the first time in a long time that he'd lost to a first-time opponent but I don't remember the precise numbers. 

[Atenzan 1,074]

1 hour ago, RabidJohn said:

you silly bugger! 

Too right! I go by Atenzan these days though. 

[Atenzan 1,074]

15 minutes ago, ryafuji said:

Yes Arawashi beat him in January 2017 and that was the first time in a long time that he'd lost to a first-time opponent but I don't remember the precise numbers. 

Hakuhou in first meetings is 74-15 overall in makuuchi, 53-3 since he made ozeki. Not too shabby. 

[lackmaker 406]

5 hours ago, Thorbjarn said:

Shodai channeling his inner escape artist yet again, but not everyone is as flat footed as Aoiyama. Luck will run out eventually. 

Not everyone is as powerful going forward as Aoiyama. Not really luck, the better skill set won on the day.

[Amamaniac 1,996]

2 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

"He's not a child. We need to guard our castle. He needs to understand what's going on in the world at the moment!" said a pissed off Shibatayama Oyakata PR man.

While Abi needs to own this, why is no one getting upset at the people who invited him out (at least that is how I interpret "okyakusan" in this context, although it does mean "guests")?  Whatever the case, those people with Abi should also have known better!

Aside from Abi's poor choices, part of the problem may stem from the fact that he is no longer living at Shikoroyama Stable...  Now, I want to extend the blame to Abi's new wife, who should have tempted Abi to stay home with a delicious salad and some vegetables!

[lackmaker 406]

5 hours ago, Kashunowaka said:

5 hours ago, Thorbjarn said:

It looked very much like Hokutofuji in real time, I am - as often - amazed at how different it looked in the replay. 

Good job by the gyoji.

Yeah, it's almost as if he was right there and paying attention. 

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

3 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Abi will undergo virus tests and until the answers are in he will stay kyujo. He has become sumo's bad boy with that social media blunder in November and the falling asleep at a kyokai rally regarding the virus dealings. "He's not a child. We need to guard our castle. He needs to understand what's going on in the world at the moment!" said a pissed off Shibatayama Oyakata PR man.

Much Ado About Nothing.

[Eikokurai 3,418]

43 minutes ago, Otokonoyama said:

Much Ado About Nothing.

Sometimes to set an example you have to make much ado about nothing. Everyone now knows the Kyokai is serious and will – you’d like to think – not test the boundaries. 

Edited July 25, 2020 by Eikokurai

[Thorbjarn 193]

1 hour ago, lackmaker said:

Not everyone is as powerful going forward as Aoiyama. Not really luck, the better skill set won on the day.

Not disagreeing here at all, but there a few who are as or similiarly as powerful as Aoiyama and better at keeping their balance. It's also not the first time during the last few days that Shodai looked shaky. He is still doing very well and I'm quite happy to see succesful Shodai, and on the positive side he is very agile and never seems to be letting up, which is a huge plus. And he definetly is getting Ws. 

[hakutorizakura 464]

Enho making sure Tamawashi can't get him off without taking off his own mawashi. Clever tactic