March basho 2021

[Seiyashi 4,109]

Quick runup of lower division winners (not all of them are celebs):

Makushita: our lovable rapscallion Abi (Shikoroyama) goes 7-0 to put himself Ms15 and above next basho. Another 7-0 will see him back in Juryo the basho after.

Sandanme: Komanokuni (Shibatayama) wins the yusho, with his closest rivals Osuzuki and Nishikawa losing their last bouts (Nishikawa, slightly controversially, being disqualified by hairpull against Komanokuni himself). The chap looks outright intellectual and respectable in glasses; without the mage I wouldn't have thought he was a rikishi at all!

Jonidan: Atamifuji (Isegahama) continues a blistering start to his pro career with a 7-0 yusho for a lifetime record of 13-1.

Jonokuchi: Murayama (Naruto), another bespectacled bloke, with a perfect 7-0 to start his pro career with. Naruto (ex-Kotooshu) continues to improve his good scouting record.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Kaninoyama 1,880]

Third face shove in a row by Aoiyama. At this rate he's going to get a technique named after him. 

[Seiyashi 4,109]

Funnily enough, despite his rapidly fading irrelevance in the yusho race (now 8-5 after a loss to Aoiyama), Tobizaru is still scheduled to fight Takayasu tomorrow. The best he can do is help either Terunofuji or Asanoyama draw level with Takayasu and put the other one back in contention, but he's definitely not in it for himself.

[Seiyashi 4,109]

Oh wow, what the heck was that uchigake from Hoshoryu? He threw Kagayaki from a practically standing, inferior position while being kime-held. That's the most stunning reversal I've seen this entire basho.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

2 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Oh wow, what the heck was that uchigake from Hoshoryu? He threw Kagayaki from a practically standing, inferior position while being kime-held. That's the most stunning reversal I've seen this entire basho.

Kachikoshi secured. Another career-high rank in May.

[Thorbjarn 215]

Hoshoryu is really fun to watch and he seems to be able to put it together more and more in front of our eyes, which is of course really intriguing. 

[Kaninoyama 1,880]

The expression on Hoshoryu's face after he slammed Kagayaki down and secured his kachikoshi was a spitting image of his uncle. 

[Seiyashi 4,109]

Poor Kiribayama. He should never have said he wanted to learn how to do tsuridashi. He's now been the subject of a masterclass by the two lift-out specialists in the top division this basho, Terunofuji and Tochinoshin.

[Hakuryuho 335]

8 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Oh wow, what the heck was that uchigake from Hoshoryu? He threw Kagayaki from a practically standing, inferior position while being kime-held. That's the most stunning reversal I've seen this entire basho.

Well you know what they say, technique is Hoshoryu's second name! 

(And by "they" I mean me )

[Seiyashi 4,109]

50 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Funnily enough, despite his rapidly fading irrelevance in the yusho race (now 8-5 after a loss to Aoiyama), Tobizaru is still scheduled to fight Takayasu tomorrow. The best he can do is help either Terunofuji or Asanoyama draw level with Takayasu and put the other one back in contention, but he's definitely not in it for himself.

Suddenly Tobizaru could help Terunofuji or Asanoyama to another yusho by putting dirt on Takayasu tomorrow, with Takayasu's loss to Wakatakakage today. We might just be headed to playoff territory. Based on this performance alone Wakatakakage has certainly shown himself worthy of a sanyaku slot.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Well, well. Wakatakakage is announcing himself as a real contender this basho, huh.

[Kaninoyama 1,880]

The usually patient Takayasu got flustered and rushed and it cost him.

In real time it looked like it merited a mono-ii but on the slow motion replay Takayasu's leg appeared to touch down first, although Wakataka's body was also flying and turned around. 

Still hoping Takayasu can pull out the yusho in the end. 

Edited March 26, 2021 by Kaninoyama

[Thorbjarn 215]

Oooooffff... That looked a little closer in real time, right call though after my initial reaction was more leaning towards Takayasu or at least a monoii. Tough loss for Takayasu. Will be interesting to see what the other top dogs will do. 

[Seiyashi 4,109]

On 25/03/2021 at 00:26, Eikokurai said:

Maybe what we have now is not in fact a weak Ozeki corp, but a strong one. Maybe we’re blessed to be seeing such an evenly matched group of peers at the top. For what it’s worth, I am quite enjoying the ‘It’s your turn to yusho’ unpredictability this current crop serve up after more than a decade of Hakuho and Asashoryu winning almost every time.

Today's Takakeisho-Asanoyama bout was probably the best explication of Eikokurai's statement. This is the longest I've seen yotsu and oshi rikishi go at each other and still stalemate. Takakeisho ultimately prevails over Asanoyama to leave them both on 9-4, just one behind Takayasu who dropped to 10-3 today.

Terunofuji takes no prisoners today, defeating Shodai straight out in almost as quickly as his disposal of Mitakeumi, and both almost assuring his ozeki promotion and tying with Takayasu at the top of the leaderboard. If both win out, it is a playoff we'll be seeing on senshuraku.

That said Takayasu's loss to 10-3 has suddenly brought a whole motley crew at 9-4 and 8-5 into mathematical contention! Apart from Asanoyama and Takakeisho at 9-4, Wakatakakage, Aoiyama and Hidenoumi are all technically in it. An even more bizarre crew of Hokutofuji, Meisei, Tobizaru, Hoshoryu, and Tsurugisho (Chiyonokuni also has 8 but has gone kyujo) brings up the rear of the arasoi at 8-5.

Key arasoi matchups tomorrow will be the ozeki bouts - Terunofuji v Asanoyama and Shodai v Takakeisho. Tobizaru could really ruin Takayasu's ambition here, but if Asanoyama also beats Terunofuji for the first time in forever, suddenly the arasoi will be messed up. Aoiyama and Wakatakakage will face each other, giving one of them a chance to draw even with the leaders, while Hidenoumi has Tochinoshin to get past.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Thorbjarn 215]

Ozeki Terunofuji is a certainty, I'd say. Shodai was quite disappointing today I must say.

This day was total chaos. Asanoyama still has a shot of getting back in the tournament, but he had real problems with Terunofuji so far. SHOULD he somehow manage a win, even Takakeisho has a real chance at the Yusho.

Those two days are going to be tense, my tendency is we will have Terunofuji and Takayasu still in the hunt tomorrow. 

[Seiyashi 4,109]

9 minutes ago, Thorbjarn said:

even Takakeisho has a real chance at the Yusho.

This is the least of the concerns. Another ozeki yusho is always good. If Takayasu has a massive choke and loses tomorrow as well, suddenly Aoiyama or Wakatakakage ties with them, and we need another random hiramaku yusho like we need another scandal.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Seiyashi

[bessantj 4]

I was not expecting Terunofuji to do that to Shodai. You could call the police because there has been a murder!

[pricklypomegranate 730]

I'm literally so happy for Terunofuji. He's suffered so much and will definitely suffer a lot more, but today he's secure a crucial win to solidify his Ozeki run. If he lasts the full 15 days, which I have full belief he will, he'll be Ozeki for sure. And what a way to secure that win too! 

Another person I would really like to commend is Wakatakakage. He may be a much younger than many of the joi, but he's showing absolutely fearsome, inspired sumo. To me he's definitely a sanyaku regular in the future. Hoshoryu also picking up great speed despite his small size. The current generation elicits a lot of criticism, but the newer generation is certainly adding a great dynamism to sumo. 

After the Yokozuna leave, there will be a 'Dark Ages' of sumo, but these new gen standouts will make it a little brighter. 

This is another weird one guys. Might be 12-3 or 11-4 kind of a yusho affair. 

Edited March 26, 2021 by pricklypomegranate

[Jakusotsu 6,395]

While Tobizaru took the spotlight, his brother is still in the yusho race!

[Eikokurai 3,437]

18 minutes ago, bessantj said:

I was not expecting Terunofuji to do that to Shodai. You could call the police because there has been a murder!

And an ambulance for the guy choking.

[bessantj 4]

2 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

And an ambulance for the guy choking.

Was that Hibikiryu the Sandanme guy? I've only seen a picture of him knocked out. It looked terrible and to be left on the dohyo for eight minutes?

[Eikokurai 3,437]

6 minutes ago, bessantj said:

Was that Hibikiryu the Sandanme guy? I've only seen a picture of him knocked out. It looked terrible and to be left on the dohyo for eight minutes?

Takayasu. 

[bessantj 4]

1 minute ago, Eikokurai said:

Takayasu. 

Ha ha, oh sorry it's early in the morning and I didn't make the connection. 

[Seiyashi 4,109]

11 minutes ago, bessantj said:

Was that Hibikiryu the Sandanme guy? I've only seen a picture of him knocked out. It looked terrible and to be left on the dohyo for eight minutes?

Yes, that happens with surprisingly more regularity than would be sane or decent.

One really bad example would be Tomokaze's knee injury. He was an up and coming sekitori who'd even gotten a kinboshi and had like what, 1 makekoshi in his entire career? Then he tore something in his knee, on dohyo, in a bout, and it took forever to get decent help along. And when it came it was a couple of older yobidashi who had the devil's own time getting a rikishi 2x or 3x their size into the wheelchair.

The worst example of all time would have to be Takayasu's injury against Kakuryu in Haru 2020: the closed-door, no visitors basho - this detail is important as you'll see later. He horrifically injured his left leg in an overextension against Kakuryu on the dohyo and was left sobbing in pain on the dohyo for a good 5 minutes if not more. And, because there was absolutely no crowd noise, you could hear his choked crying on the dohyo all this while. Certainly not something you'd ever want to see again.

EDIT: I see you're familiar with the incident.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Seiyashi

[bessantj 4]

2 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Yes, that happens with surprisingly more regularity than would be sane or decent.

One really bad example would be Tomokaze's knee injury. He was an up and coming sekitori who'd even gotten a kinboshi and had like what, 1 makekoshi in his entire career? Then he tore something in his knee, on dohyo, in a bout, and it took forever to get decent help along. And when it came it was a couple of older yobidashi who had the devil's own time getting a rikishi 2x or 3x their size into the wheelchair.

The worst example of all time would have to be Takayasu's injury against Kakuryu in Haru 2020: the closed-door, no visitors basho - this detail is important as you'll see later. He horrifically injured his left leg in an overextension against Kakuryu on the dohyo and was left sobbing in pain on the dohyo for a good 5 minutes if not more. And, because there was absolutely no crowd noise, you could hear his choked crying on the dohyo all this while. Certainly not something you'd ever want to see again.

EDIT: I see you're familiar with the incident.

You'd think they'd be quicker to get to someone who has suffered a serious injury.